6 July 2018 Year 7 & 8 Production 1 Principal’s Report Andy Wood We have a wonderful tradition of - and you are encouraged to contribute. Principal excellence in drama, music and dance at It’s very easy, simply google “Conversation Hargest. One of several productions each education” and you will quickly be into year is our senior Major Production. By an online survey. You can do this as the time you read this newsletter Evita will briefly or as thoroughly as you wish. have just finished. We are only the second Personally, I have plenty of ideas, but this school in New Zealand to stage this show, is an opportunity for your ideas as well. and we can now see why! The challenges Staff are also engaging in this process of have been immense. Congratulations to consultation. everyone who worked so hard to pull this * * * * * * * * * off. You can be incredibly proud of a superb Thank you for the very strong support show. (See page 8 for photos). we have received from you, our parent * * * * * * * * * community, this term. “If you were the boss of education, what would you do first?” Nga mihi nui This is the byline for the government’s Andy Wood current review of the NZ education system Principal From the Boardroom Chris O’Connor From the July Meeting • The audited financial reporting BOT Chairperson • The Board considered a detailed report processes for 2017 have all been from Mr Wood on the number of satisfactorily completed. teachers employed, the distribution • The Ministry of Education has decided of their tasks, and the various upward to completely rebuild the Senior pressures on staffing demand. Campus Admin Block (excluding the Along with over half of New Zealand hall and foyer area), replace the schools, the Board of James Hargest boilers on both campuses, and attend College fund additional teachers to a number of other infrastructural over and above those paid for by the issues. We do not yet have a government, as staffing funding is timeframe for this work. woefully inadequate for our needs, Chris O’Connor and has not been adjusted for many BOT Chairperson years. PTA Chairperson’s Report Monique Shirley On 6 June we had Andrew Macklin give a another perspective. Chairperson presentation on “Understanding NCEA” and It is also an opportunity for the teaching staff I’m sure those who attended, now have a to get some feedback from us. This could be greater knowledge of how the NCEA system in relation to a potential survey monkey that works. Again, we thank Andrew for his needs tested or just general information presentation. about things like the Pastoral Care available The next PTA meeting is at Senior Campus to our children etc. The JHC PTA doesn’t in the Brigadier’s Room at 7.30pm on 14 make cheese rolls, so no fear of getting August. Please feel free to join us for this. roped into that! We do, however, run the We are looking for some more support as yearly BBQ at the College Open Day which many of the PTA had children in Year 13 last is on Sunday 5 August and if you are able to year and have since moved on. We would help for a few hours we would appreciate love to see some new parents and caregivers the offer. Please contact the school to get join us in going forward. It will give you the put in touch with me. I’m looking for 3 to 4 opportunity to meet other parents and people, so thanks in advance. teachers. At each meeting the Senior and Monique Shirley Junior Campus give us a report of all that has Chairperson been happening over the previous month so it is a great source of information from Whanau Report Matua Neitana E hī ake ana te atākura, he tio, he huka, he senior section. Although not placed this Tane hauhunga. year, it is hoped that Ruby will gain the Recently Ngā Manu Kōrero, the Otago/ essential experience that can give her the Southland regional Māori Speech tools required to return to the podium Competition, arrived once again in next year. Invercargill. Congratulations to Ruby Looking ahead, we remind kapa haka Borland-Fraser who took the stage for students intending to go to Matatini (the the second year running. Ruby placed senior national kapa haka competition) 2nd overall last year and hopes were high next year that we have multiple for a repeat performance. The level of fundraising opportunities including many competition was fierce as it always is and during the holidays. it was Ruby’s first time competing in the Matua Neitana Tane 2 Staff Passing Exams Farewells, Welcomes and Changes Seminars Miss Patrina Donaldson These will be held at Patrina joined the James Hargest staff in 2002. She has taught Year 9 James Hargest College to Year 13 Mathematics and has taken responsibility for the Year 10 programme. Patrina’s mathematical expertise, her competence in the Parent/Student Seminar classroom, her well planned lessons combined with her ability to be reflective have enabled her students to always reach their potential. Tuesday 7 August She is a highly valued and respected member of the department. 7.00-9.00pm Patrina has been involved in the wider life of the school. She has been a member of the Outdoor Education committee, participated in school camps and managed volleyball Student Seminar teams. Her expertise, friendliness and ability to work alongside people will be missed. We Wednesday 8 August wish Patrina all the best as she leaves to take up a teaching position in Macau. 2.00–4.00pm Mr Dylan Parry These seminars will cost $15 per We farewell Dylan Parry from the Junior Campus. Dylan has taught in person. Room 9 from mid-2017 when he took a break from travelling the world Payment can be made at the and took up a parental leave position. Thank you to Dylan for all he school office. has done for Room 9 and our school. He has been a popular teacher Limited places available! and colleague. We wish him all the best for his continued travel and teaching in other countries. International author, speaker and trainer, Patrick Sherratt will be visiting Invercargill Mrs Julie Murphy again to present his interactive and Unfortunately the Junior Campus said good-bye to their fabulous entertaining exam-preparation seminar receptionist, Julie Murphy, on 22 June. Although Julie’s stay with us to our Year 11-13 students. wasn’t long, her bubbly personality and fun nature will be missed! Julie and her husband have relocated to Dunedin. In this two-hour presentation, Patrick will offer a five-step approach to prepare for exams while building in solutions to Mrs Megan Cribb many of the common challenges students face in the lead up to exams. If your son As one receptionist leaves, a new one starts and we are delighted to or daughter is having problems finding welcome Megan Cribb to the team. Megan comes with a wealth of motivation to study, procrastinates, gets reception and admin skills and is super excited to be joining us! Please distracted easily, has a poor memory or drop by and say hello if you are at the Junior Campus. suffers from exam nerves, this will be a “must-attend” seminar for them. Mrs Rosie Shanks Past students have highly recommended Rosie Shanks will return from parental leave to teach in Room 9 at the this presentation: start of Term Three. • Amazing Seminar. This has completely changed my outlook on school exams and the preparation process associated with it. • Amazing! It was totally me. I found the seminar described the faults I had with school work, study habits Mrs Sharon Fosbender and focussing and showed me ways Sharon came to Hargest in 2004 at the time of the schools review when to fix them. Thank you so much! Invercargill schools merged and she left from her job at Collingwood Intermediate. Sharon has run our Senior Campus Canteen since 2005 For more information please visit: and co-jointly worked as a teacher aide when she was not preparing www.passingexams.co.nz food. She has provided extraordinary service to both students and staff. Sharon is open in the mornings providing breakfast to sports teams and our kapa haka group. She also caters for most of our staff functions and school events. Sharon Music will always make herself available at night for International students, whanau and other functions. The Big Sing She always puts others before herself and is known and much appricated by all. Sharon This year we entered two choirs into the has also given many of our students the opportunity to provide a school service by Big Sing for the first time. Harmonia is our working in the cafeteria. girls only choir and Ancora the mixed voice Sharon was a member of the PTA for many years while her children attended Hargest and choir. Both choirs performed very well long afterwards. She ran the Uniform Shop on a voluntary basis and assisted at many PTA with Harmonia receiving a Commended events such as the Ball, Open Day, Parent Teacher Interviews, etc. On all occasions she award and Ancora Highly Commended. provided an outstanding service to the Hargest community. Ancora also shared the trophy for one of Sharon is a true “good sort” and we are pleased to acknowledge the tremendous service the song categories. she has provided to so many activities here at Hargest. Sharon is changing her role to be a full time Teacher Aide so will continue to be seen around school and in many classrooms.