DECEMBER 2018 | TERM 4 Founded 1959 Photo courtesy of Tim Plant Onehunga Community News Michael French 13Gr, Zoe Forrest 13Gr, Lesley Ly 13Wn, Matthew Moran 13Mm, Zane Neki 13Ed, Jacob Ngan-Sue 13Wn, Cerys Purnell 13Wn and Sophia Wells 13Gr. Nau mai, haere mai. This year, more than any I am aware of in awards. Because our students take such the history of Onehunga High School, our diverse academic pathways, it can be students have contributed their voices to difficult to compare NCEA achievement considerable positive change for current fairly between students when they have and future students. not yet completed their year’s assessments. Our community and our staff have So, 2018 is the first year of a new approach. also contributed to this, of course, At our awards ceremony, we acknowledged with initiatives including inquiry many students for wonderful achievement. projects beginning in the junior school, We did not name the Dux and Proxime the Fakatoukatea Tongan Leadership Accessit. Rather, we acknowledged students programme, and the launch of the partnership whose achievement to date makes them the between Fonterra and our Business School. top potential candidates for these awards. There is more to come, and that is one of the We will award these two top academic awards many things that continues to excite about at our Onehunga High School Scholarship our school and our community; we are ever assembly in 2019, based on confirmed learning and ever growing. assessment results. One of the changes this year, is in the This year the Prime Minister announced the awarding of our most prestigious academic beginning of our long awaited rebuild. We Blake Costley 11Gt Dux Ludorum THIS ISSUE: SENIOR MEDIA ART DRAMA 04 AWARDS 08 STUDIES 12 15 HEAD GIRL BUSINESS DANCE SPORTS 06 SPEECH 10 SCHOOL 14 18 AWARDS 24 Pleasant Street, Onehunga, Auckland 1061, New Zealand | E [email protected] | P +64 9 636 6006 | www.onehungahigh.school.nz FROM THE PRINCIPAL TRANSITION RATE FROM SCHOOL TO LEVEL 1-3 TERTIARY STUDY already have, but in different curriculum 45% areas. Occasionally, this is the right thing for a person to do; our paths are rarely in 40% straight lines. Over this same time period, 20% fewer Onehunga High School students 35% have undertaken qualifications at this level. More of our students were on a pathway that 30% was right, and led to meaningful next steps 25% beyond school. The graph below shows that over the past 20% six years nationwide, the percentage of 15% students studying at Level 4-6 from school has reduced by 8%, and the trend at Onehunga 10% High School is similar, albeit with higher percentages in 2015 and 2016. In other 5% words, the number of students studying at 0% levels higher than secondary school but not at 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 university degree level – diplomas and many OHS NZ DECILE 3 NZ trades qualifications - has dropped by about 8% nationwide and similarly for Onehunga are enjoying beginning again on this plan, this work hard to develop this. Safotu Filipo, our High School students. As a school and a time in the knowledge that the $28 million is Year 13 Dean, puts it another way: “Excellence country, we need to address this because guaranteed, so we will be building in the next is not a skill; it’s an attitude”. numbers should not be dropping. wee while. One of the interesting discussions nationwide Over these same years, 4% fewer students I invite students who are leaving this year this year has been, and continues to be, nationwide are advancing to university degree to visit us over the next few years to let us around our qualification system, NCEA. One studies from school. Over the same time know how you are going and to see our of the challenges of NCEA is its flexibility. This period, 10% more Onehunga High School progress. We appreciate that former students is also one of its greatest strengths. It is about students from the 2017 cohort are studying remain connected. how we use that flexibility. I want to commend at degree level, compared with 2012. And everyone involved because the focus of this When the Education Review Office team the percentages of Onehunga High School school has been, and continues to be, finding visited our school in September, they were students who move to university degree study the right pathway so that each student is on a impressed with what they heard and saw from have well exceeded averages for comparable personally meaningful journey. our students, teachers and parents. They kept communities for every one of the past five saying “your students are wonderful”. We The Tertiary Education Commission has a tool, years. Now I am not saying that everyone kept saying “we know”. So that is my message Nga-Kete, that schools can use to see what should be studying at university. What I am this year; you, our students, have so much to further education students undertake after saying is that it is optimal if students are offer. Please work hard; develop your skills and secondary school. The pattern at Onehunga on a personally meaningful pathway so make the most of your talents. Sculptor and High School is better than national trends. that more of them keep on with that journey in a coherent way. And this is what is pianist Ben Palmer, in reference to one of my As you can see in the graph above, happening with our students. These trends favourite musicians, Eric Clapton, said “This nationwide over recent years, the proportion affirm our holistic approach; our students fellow walked in the door with a guitar. He was of students who have gone on to study Level are doing so well. about 17. It was instantly clear that he had a 1, 2 and 3 qualifications after leaving school tremendous gift and had worked very hard to has dropped slightly, 7%, over the last six A critical factor in this, of course, is the develop it. We couldn’t believe how good he years. In other words, 7% fewer students generous support from our families, our was.” The key is to find what you enjoy and have gone on to repeat qualifications most local community, from former students, from TRANSITION RATE FROM SCHOOL TO LEVEL 4-6 TERTIARY STUDY TRANSITION RATE FROM SCHOOL TO LEVEL 7+ TERTIARY STUDY 35% 20% 30% 25% 15% 20% 10% 15% 10% 5% 5% 0% 0% 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 OHS NZ DECILE 3 NZ OHS NZ DECILE 3 NZ Please note: These graphs are correct. The graphs in the 2018 Yearbook are incorrect due to a printing error. 2 | OUTLOOK TERM 4 2018 SUPERSTAR AWARDS organisations like the Keystone Trust and the First Foundation, and from our tertiary institutions. The number of students who receive supportive scholarships and awards to support them with their next steps from Onehunga High, is simply fantastic. This also ensures greater levels of engagement and achievement. Thank you everyone, for your part in whatever way, in supporting our students in their journeys. Congratulations to the A particular thank you, to Tony Coughlan, who has been a lively contributor to our following students who have school community since 2003. Tony will received superstar awards continue to lead, in his new role as Principal of Royal Oak Intermediate. Tony joined Onehunga High School as Assistant Head of Tupou Afu 10Md Science, and subsequently led the Science department and our Services Academy, before Azhar Ali 10Th Samuel Mellsop 10Ku taking on the role of Deputy Principal in 2010. Raees Ali 9Ps Quinn Muliipu 9Ps In our school community throughout, Tony has Josiah Aliimalemanu 10Pk Noah Newby 9Cw undertaken a variety of extra roles including in Anastacia Apikotoa 12Sr Andrew Niulevaea 10Pk assessment, digital learning, sport, education Alofa Baeke 12Wz Kazana Pikirangi 9Rd outside the classroom, and health and safety. In our wider community, he contributes as a Olivia Bush 9Cw Stelvin Pillay 10Ku surf lifeguard and instructor, and first aid and Abigail Catterson 9Al Shiah Pirere 9Sl emergency care responder and instructor. Phontheara Chourb 9Pj Roneel Prasad 10Th Tony is also regularly seen zooming along our Seneti Dawber 10Ku Phillip Puhotau 9Cw streets as part of maintaining his impressive levels of fitness. We are thrilled for Tony, for Dwayne Devoe-Matautia 9Mk Divshay Ram 9Pj our Kahui Ako and for our wider community Connor Eastlake 10Th Caitlin Read 12Ta that Tony has been appointed as Principal of Christina Elone 9Mk Luis Rozas 10Ku Royal Oak Intermediate. We look forward to Lovianna Fanene 10Cp Christine Russell 12Ae continuing to work alongside him. Matthew Farrington 9So Jack Ryder 9So As always, thank you to our students for your Teresa Feaomoengalu 10Cp Odeci Sane 9Mk contribution to our community. Work hard to develop your gifts; in the short term, make the Dana Gasic 9Al Esther Sefa 9Cw most of the external exam period to achieve Amarissa Havili 9So Rixon Short 9Ps as well as you are able; then know that you Sione Havili 9So Jacky Siharath 9Mk move to next steps with huge support Luquerah Itamua 9Sl Monthi Sonkaeo 12Ll around you. Y’quesha Itamua 9Rd Cain Sosene-Miti 10Cp In acknowledgement of our Year 13 cohort, Paula Kakala 9So Mj Su’a 9Mk we will plant the beautiful red roses, “Wanaka Jennifer-Anita Kalava, 9Sl Zalikah Suliman 12Lu Scarlet Red”, in our garden. These are stunning roses, to complement a stunning Ethan Khamphanpheng 10Ai Kerry Tasmania 9Mk cohort. Remember to carry loyalty and Sivi Kiole 9Mk Ketoni Taufahema 9So courage into your futures.