HAMILTON GIRLS’
2016
HIGH SCHOOL
TERM 3
NEWSLETTER Highlights fromYear Ten Art , P.9
SOS skype with the Prime Minister, P.15
Robocup National Competition, P.13
Grease Production, P.20 Services Council Fundraising, P.17 “A wise woman shapes her own destiny”
Hamilton Girls’ High School Presents
Our 2016 Prizegiving ceremonies: Arts Awards: 6.00pm, Thursday, 13 October 2016 (Exhibition opens at 5.00pm) Nga Puawaitanga, HGHS Sports Dinner and awards: Premier Teams and Prizewinners 6.30pm, Thursday, 20 October 2016 Nga Puawaitanga, HGHS Maori and Pasifika Awards: 7.00pm, Tuesday, 25 October 2016 Nga Puawaitanga, HGHS Senior Prizegiving: 7.00pm, Tuesday, 1 November 2016 Claudelands Arena, Hamilton All students are expected to wear Winter School Uniform (No Jerseys)
Parent Interviews This week we had approximately 200 senior students represented at our parent interviews which needless to say, we were extremely disappointed with the turnout. We are interested in your feedback as to why numbers were down, as we consider the options for 2017.
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PRINCIPAL’S COMMENT Nga mihi nui ki a koutou Kia ora koutou Hamilton Girls’ High School has a robust and fast paced environment. On any day we are leading, participating, working, competing, performing - that’s both the girls and their teachers. It is amazing when you see our students and staff working together and in my mind, this reflects a community that is highly invested in learning and aspiring together - a community that is built on strong relationships. It is wonderful to be alongside the girls as they discover what they and their peers can do with effort, persistence and high expectations. In the midst of an action packed term, we have had a number of amazing visitors to our school. They have ranged from best selling author and academic writing specialist Dr Ian Hunter to the amazing Rowie who shared her 5 healthy tips with our students, through to the brilliant Dr Grant Christey, Director of Trauma Services at Waikato Hospital. Each person has shared their expertise or left a powerful message for students and staff to reflect on. Dr Christey shared with our Year 12 and 13 students some of the trauma injuries that his team at Waikato Hospital have to deal with, which basically could be preventable with better decision making by people. His presentation was fairly graphic, hard-hitting and was aimed at making young people think about their actions around texting, using alcohol/drugs or succumbing to peer pressure while driving a motor vehicle. Dr Christey didn’t lecture our students, but in a matter of fact way, explained what he had to deal with on a daily basis and the impact on the long-term lives of the patients he supports. Simply, if one life or one poor decision can be changed, then we have saved a life.
the MCAT exam. Assistant HOD Mathematics, Debra Leong, will be writing a response from our school to NZQA, expressiing our concern. Our staff felt that the assessment design was poor and that questions in the exam appeared to be aimed at standards measuring at a higher level. The media has reported that any potential scaling would not help those students who left their answer booklets blank when they couldn’t answer the first set of difficult questions, as you cannot scale from nothing. We do hope that NZQA sees sense. Furthermore, all Year 12 students should have received the application process and job descriptions for the Executive Council and ALL the prefects postions. Please aim to meet the deadlines for your applications. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Eden Bates for the work she has done as Board Student rep. She has contributed well, turned up to all meetings and promoted her student voice in a positive manner. We welcome and congratulate Rebecca-Rosie Ngatai as 2016/17 BOT student representative. An extremely busy Year 11 student, Rosie has established our first environmental group at Hamilton Girls’ High School, and I am positive she will enjoy her term on the Board. Best wishes to all for a safe, rejuvenating and happy term break.
Marie Gordon
Principal
As with the rest of the nation, the staff and students at Hamilton Girls’ High were extremely disappointed with
Marie Gordon
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SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM JILL CARTER: Ian Hunter - Academic Writing Dr Hunter is a best-selling NZ author and educator. After 20 years as a university academic, Ian is the founder of the award-winning academic writing system: Write that Essay (www.writethatessay.org). The author of over 80 works, Ian’s writing has been published in some of the world’s leading scholarly journals. He now works with schools in NZ and internationally to improve writing outcomes. His workshops are known for their engaging, informative, and practical content. In the holidays, we ran a “Going for Gold” one-day high performance workshop aimed at improving writing and examination performance with former university professor and award-winning academic Dr Ian Hunter. The course covered: 1) How to cast winning introductions 2) How to get rid of waffle 3) How to write with flair 4) How to structure your ideas effectively 5) What examiners are looking for 7) How to write analytically and critically 8) How to move from merit to excellence 9) Top techniques for scholarship examinations Our intention is to also run a Teacher Only Day with Dr Hunter in November, with the hope of working with a few departments in 2017. This is an exciting step forward for our school in continuing to lift academic achievement.
CRAIG SCRIMGEOUR: Live/Real-Time and Paper-less Reporting. Is this the way forward for HGHS? Currently at HGHS we formally report student progress and achievement in the following ways: • Interim report in Term 1 • Senior report with comments at the end of Term 2 • Junior report with comments mid Term 3 • Senior academic results report at the end of Term 3 • Junior academic results report at the end of Term 4 These reports typically have a five–six week lag from the start of writing to being printed and sent home with students.This often means that they are “out of date” by the time they are issued and because each student receives only one report containing written comments each year, the reporting process may not sufficiently provide in depth feedback/feedforward on all aspects of the student’s performance and development in a subject. How could Real-Time and Paper-less Reporting help? Our aim would be for comments and grades to be timely, relevant and appropriate; giving students feedback and feedforward ideas to progress their learning. There should be “no surprises” at the end of the year about a student’s progress. We are currently investigating the use of the Parent Portal where teachers will be able to give assessment feedback in the form of a written comment when an assessment grade is published to the portal. The comment will be specific to that assessment result and will address
how well the student has performed, suggestions for improvement in moving forward, reassessment opportunities on offer, etc. Importantly, the feedback and feedforward to students and parents is immediate as it is published instantly to the portal. In addition to the immediate assessment feedback, regular reporting (how regular?) rating a student’s effort, work completion, behaviour and curriculum level can be uploaded to the Parent Portal at the same time for all year levels. This gives students and parents ongoing feedback from teachers about their attitude toward learning, allowing for any issues to be identified and addressed more promptly. Both forms of reporting would be accessed via the Parent Portal so no hard copies would be issued to students. However, hard copies would be available to those parents that requested them. A final hard copy report could be produced and issued toward the end of the year which lists all assessments undertaken and subsequent grades, including all the comments throughout the year or maybe a summary comment for each subject. We would be very interested in your thoughts about HGHS moving to Real-Time Reporting and Paper-less Reporting and would welcome any thoughts and suggestions regarding this, as well as any feedback and suggestions about our current form of reporting. Please email feedback to Craig Scrimgeour ( scrimgeourc@hghs.school.nz ).
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MARIA DUNN: Maori Achievement Portfolio Looking Back Co-construction meetings have been a strong presence in school this year. Teachers are involved in meetings with members of the Strategic Change Team to co-construct goals and actions together to improve outcomes for the students in their classrooms. Meetings continue to provide teaching staff with opportunities to improve classroom practise and engagement for our students, while sharing best practise with each other. Accessing Professional Learning and Development Teachers involved in the professional learning group Māori Achievement have developed a resource for all teaching staff.
This resource looks at the language of being culturally responsive and relational when it comes to our Māori students by providing examples of good practise. This is supporting teachers when they reflect about ‘what counts’ Rongohia Te Hau - The measuring Tool This week the school Strategic Change Team have been involved in classroom mini observations. The intended meaning is getting a sense of what’s going on in general at the school-wide level. It is a 20 minute observation baseline snapshot looking at the whole school’s culturally responsive and relational pedagogy at a moment in time.
KATRINA WHAANGA: PB4L Portfolio
2016 has seen a consolidation of learning behaviours and expectations for PB4L. The PB4L PLG has continued to be the driving force behind the success of PB4L at HGHS. Each Head of House is now a part of the PB4L PLG team, this has meant consistency with information going out to each tutor group. Each house holds a celebration assembly at the end of each term where each student that has completed a PB4L affirmation card has an opportunity to receive a prize. There is also an overall winner from every affirmation card completed, who receives a major prize. Thank you to the PE Department who taught the WISE expected behaviours to all year 9 students. A competition was also conducted where each class created a movie / video about what WISE Willing to learn, Interact with respect, Strive to understand and Engage to achieve meant to them. Congratulations to 9X1 and 9W1 who were the finalist. 9X1 were named the overall winners.
Next year we will move into the 4th year of badges. Students currently receive an OWL badge after 10 completed affirmation cards in their first year, a maroon pin in their second year and a bronze pin in their 3rd year. A survey has been sent out to students to gather feedback on how effective the current PB4L programme is. Feedback gathered from this survey will then form the format of PB4L for 2017. Earlier this term the Ministry conducted interviews to see how effective PB4L is at HGHS. The graph below show the progress we have made over the last 5 years. It is encouraging to see the consistency around our expected WISE behaviour across the 4 years of its implementation. We are now seeking feedback from our students on how we continue to move forward.
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SHARLEEN NATHAN: eLearning @ HGHS Our School-wide focus in regards to eLearning for 2016, has been the implementation of our Learning Management System - Schoology. It is an expectation that all Year 9 courses are using Schoology; hence, information such as Course Outlines, resources, practice papers etc. can be accessed in one place. In 2017, this will roll over to both Year 9 and Year 10; hence, those students who have had the advantage of using Schoology, will continue to use it. Many teachers are currently using Schoology at all Year levels which is wonderful as it allows students a ‘one stop shop’ if you like; one place they can access all their course information. It also allows students the online benefits of ‘anytime’, ‘anywhere’ learning.
faced for many years: peer validation, risk taking and discovery. We also explored the different pressures that teenagers are subjected to today due to technology, particularly Social Media. Being responsible online is key as the internet never forgets; it’s like a Digital Tattoo, once on(line) it’s difficult to remove.
This term, our staff have had the benefit of Professional Development on Digital Citizenship where we discussed issues that teenagers have
KAMA SCUTTS: BUSINESS MANAGER The school has had an exceptionally busy term and our Operations Management team continues to find ways to make the work their teams undertake more efficient. With Spring upon us it is great to see the grounds and gardens coming to life and our Property team continuously improving the learning environment and facilities for our students. We encourage students to take pride in the school grounds and facilities and to care for them as if they were their own.
festive season and encourage families to address outstanding accounts as soon as possible and ideally before the start of term four. The School has already started business and budget planning for 2017 and costs associated with educational experience and achievement are prioritized first. It is always challenging to try and meet all needs within the bare minimum funding we receive and it is for this reason that the voluntary parent contribution or donation is so highly valued and appreciated.
Workbooks, Subject charges, sports fees or other costs can be paid promptly on Flo2Cash. See payment insructions below.
Our Student Services Team is focusing on current students as well as working with the families of prospective students who plan to attend Hamilton Girls’ High School in 2017. The Administration Team has enjoyed preparing various publications this term as well as undertaking the Student Representative Election for the Board of Trustees. This is an important role and ensures students have a voice when major decisions are made at the governance level. Our Graphic Designer is also in the process of collating our 2016 yearbook and has gained valuable insight from our senior students regarding what the yearbook means to them and how they want it to represent their time at the school.
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To use Flo2Cash follow these simple steps:
1. Go to the HGHS Website. 2. Click on the Parent Portal. 3. Log in to see your daughters information (you will need your username and password). 4. Choose “Fees with Flo2cash” from the left hand menu. 5. Choose which items you would like to pay (does not have to be full amount) and tick the check box. 6. Follow the simple instructions to complete your payment via Internet Banking, Credit Card or Debit Card. 7.You will receive a receipt within a few minutes and your Kamar account will update immediately.
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Payment for yearbooks can be made via the parent portal using the Fees with Flo2Cash link online, or in person at the Finance office. Thank you to those families who are completely up to date with their school accounts as well as those who chose to pay the school donation; your support is greatly appreciated. We know term 4 is a busy lead up to the
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ACADEMIC NEWS GIFTED AND TALENTED EDUCATION On Wednesday 7th September we were joined by a speaker, Christina Ferrick, from Open Country Dairy who is a Food Technologist. Christina has experience in quality assurance which means she ensures the quality of the food her employer produces meets all quality and food safety standards. She was able to talk about her experience in the industry and provide those that attended her talk with some ideas about possible careers in the Food Tech industry! It was great to have such an enthusiastic speaker who was passionate about her industry.
ART This term has whizzed by in the Art Department with Senior portfolio deadlines just around the corner. All Level 1, 2 and 3 Art students are working with added focus and the results are looking amazing. Year 9 Maori Arts and Craft Pepeha and Mihi are both integral to knowing where we are from and from whom we originate. Closely linked are understandings of whakapapa and history. Year 9 MAC students have been working on a project to connect these elements in a culturally creative way. Each student focussed on their whanau, whenua and community, those things that matter to them. Students work explored Maori or cultural symbolism in colour, these were then taken into digital format and worked on lastly with a hand carved
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wood block print. The resulting artworks were original, vibrant and highly personal. Ka rawe te mahi o nga tauira! There are workshops on Monday 26th, Tuesday 27th and Wednesday 28th of September week 1 of the School Holidays for scholarship students from 9.30-3.00pm.
Josh Keyes artworks inspired me to do this painting because of his message. I decided to use a wolfe because of how people are hunting them because they are coming onto their property. Ironically that property used to be theirs and it is because of human development the wolves are now forced to go on those farms. I liked that the artwork has meaning as usually my works don’t have a meaning. I learn’t that I can actually use acrylic paint and I was quite surprised at how well I could control the paint.
Academic News
Highlights for the term included work from Year 10 students.
Aimee Hudson
Rebecca Dyer We researched the artist Juan Travieso, whose work focussed on endangered animals and other animals linked to that animal chain for example the prey. So in my work I have the prey of the forest, the Leopard, with the gazelle included. I liked the colours, because I used neutral colours in the background and I put brighter contrasting colours in geometric shapes around the animal. They represent how man overtakes the environment. I’m proud of this work because I’ve never really painted by myself before and I’ve never tried painting fur detail and it looks so real, I can’t believe I did it.
Keylan Austen
Melissa Joll
I also studied Juan Travieso. I loved adding in flat colour because it made the animal detail stand out, and it also created some interesting spatial effect. I didn’t know I could substitute animal details for bright vibrant shapes of colour and still make a representation of the animal or tree in my work. I enjoyed doing all of the little details because it was new and my first time experimenting with details. I am really looking forward to taking art next year.
Sophie Rider
Chloe Bayliss
Kimiora Whaanga
All Year 10 students have begun credit banking and are using wet and dry media to produce artworks. When asked how they felt about beginning Level 1 NCEA in Year 10 the general feeling was one of great excitement and getting a head start on NCEA. Certainly the works being produced show great skill and maturing of understanding in preparation for Level 1 in 2017.
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ENGLISH For this newsletter, the English Department has opened its files to showcase some wonderful pieces of work from the Year 9 and Year 10 classes. Although this is only a small sampling of what has been covered, we believe they are truly representative of the creativity that goes on in each lesson.
Visual Language
Wonder – a novel by Raquel J. Palacio
Celebrating Matariki Matariki Poem:
Let us know when crops are good, Matariki stars Tupu-a-nuku,Tupu-a-rangi,Waiti,Waita,Waipuna-a-rangi And Urangi Let us watch the tiny eyes, the eyes of God Let us learn from the past and remember those who passed Let us celebrate the earth with music, family and food Let us plant a tree and sleep under the stars Happy New Year Matariki stars
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Academic News
Written Language Poetry workshop
As part of the Hamilton Book Month celebrations, a free poetry workshop was held on National Poetry Day, Friday 26 August for year 10 students. Paige Ace, Bryre Aish, Kathryn Haydock,Tehana Piggott and Stella Slomp from 10XA attended the workshop led by Glenn Colquhoun who is a poet, children’s writer and Kapiti GP. The girls spent an enjoyable afternoon receiving tips and ideas on ways to look at the world and improve their poetry writing, gaining some new skills and inspiration. Here are some photos and poems from the day: Oh God, oh God, Oh God oh why? Why must it be now? Why must I die? What happened to hopes? What happened to dreams? Now all I can hear, Is high pitched screams. It’s dark, It’s dense, I’m scared, I’m tense,
Pink, orange, yellow Words falling from tripping tongues Cheeks flushed in lamplight The wonder of being young. Red, blue, green Words screamed, songs left unsung The bitter wish that things Were the same as when they were young.
This never ending battle, This ongoing fight, It’s all its fault, That I see the light, My time has come, I shed a tear, My soul leaves, My body stays here,
Black, white, grey Hope lost like breath from lungs Promises forgotten and faded Because they rushed when they were young
-Stella Slomp
I cannot breathe, I cannot see, This officially is, The end of me.
-Tehana Piggott
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LANGUAGES International Languages Week
The International Languages committee and Multicultural committee ran activities during lunchtime to highlight the different cultures and languages spoken at this school. These activities included a lesson in Salsa dancing, international film watching, and a tutor group challenge. All those who participated had a great time learning about different cultures and the opportunities that learning a different language could lead to. The week ended with an international themed mufti day. It was nice to see the different cultures represented within our school. There was also a football competition between the students that study languages. Spain won convincingly, with France coming second and Japan third. Thank you to everyone who helped organise or participated in these activities.
ESOL
International Week
This is always a fabulous week at HGHS. There were activities at lunchtime every day, and the Canteen sold international food each day. The International Mufti day was on the Friday and everyone enjoyed seeing the students who shared their culture through their clothing for that day.
Open Day
It has been a busy time in the English Language Department this month. Some of our students made speeches to groups of parents for Open Day, they talked about how helpful it is to be in a class of English Language Learners like themselves. It took courage for them to do these speeches in a language that is not their native one and we were proud of all of them. Thank you to Amine Mire, Lorena Alvarado Angulo, Bulou Vosailagi, Esitia Tupou and Rosie Inoke who spoke very well.
Farewell to Ms Lucy Harper
Our Homestay coordinator and Teacher Aide, Ms Lucy Harper has decided it is time for her to retire. The students Ms Harper has worked with during her time at HGHS brought along food for a shared lunch giving her a wonderful, though sad farewell. We are thankful for the dedication and hard work she has invested in her roles.
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Academic News
MATHEMATICS
As Senior students have now completed their formative assessments it’s a good time to reflect on what you have achieved so far and what you can do next in preparation for the External NCEA Examinations starting in November. Notice where you are placed within the following matrix and decide what you can do to progress down the levels to a deeper level of understanding. Ask your subject teacher for assistance if you’re unsure. Remember there is ongoing lunchtime tutoring available in M1.1 for all students; see you there!
SOLO Reflection Rubrik for Preparation for Exams SOLO Level
Preparation for Exam
During the Exam
After the Exam
Uni-Structural
I read my Notes and could understand some of the main ideas
I could read the question and understand at least one thing to do
I can identify what I know on each topic from the exam.
Multi-Structural
I practised exercises on each topic and had questions to ask to improve. I summarised /highlighted my Notes.
I could give factual answers to I understand where my gaps some questions. I could give are and know what I need to evidence for some answers. practise before Externals. I know where to find more examples to practise.
Relational
As I revised I found connections between topics. I developed strategies to memorise key facts/ideas. I constructed a ‘map’ which linked ideas.
I could explain ideas and make links between ideas. I could apply my knowledge to several situations
I know why I didn’t do well in some areas, and know where to seek help to improve.
Extended Abstract
I reflected and recognised areas where I needed to do more revision. I created new notes/exemplars to think more deeply about the material.
I could apply my knowledge to unfamiliar situations. I could make generalisations related to the question and justify my answers.
I can reflect on my performance, create a plan for improvement. I will create ways to link ideas, research topics further, seek out new examples to practise.
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY Robocup National Competition
Our Robocup team - Fatimah Bahadori,Vichhikar Kim, Nivedita Lal and Brooke Williams headed to St Kentigern College, Auckland on Saturday 10 September to compete in the National Robocup Competition. There were 58 teams from primary and secondary schools around New Zealand taking part in the various categories. They were entered in the Senior Rescue section. There were four rounds of rescue missions and the third round was their most successful round of the competition. Though they didn’t place at the Nationals, they have learnt a great deal about robotics including how to problem solve on the run and fix any programming and construction issues as a team. It was a great experience and an opportunity to observe the other robotics competition areas such as Soccer and Senior Rescue Premier.
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SCIENCE Open Day
Open day was a successful event for the Science Department. A large number of senior students and science staff demonstrated science activities for the prospective 2017 students and their caregivers. The Science Prefect Charlotte White, introduced the activities to the parents and their families for both sessions. She got involved with many activities as well.
Y13 Biology
The Year 13 Biology students are busy studying the last topic of the year -Plant and Animal Responses. This topic is an external examination. Year 13 Biology students have been investigating some animal responses experimentally. Below is a photo of some students investigating woodlice behaviour.
Y13 Biology Zoo Trip On Wednesday the 7th September 94 Y13 Biology students visited Auckland Zoo. This was a great day enjoyed by all. There were two lectures related to the upcoming external exams. One on human evolution and the other on animal behaviour. In addition they attended a hands on activity on human evolution both biological and cultural as well as completing animal behaviour activities by observing zoo animals. It was a great day.
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Academic News
SOCIAL STUDIES As part of the Government unit for Year 9 Social Studies, 9M1 had the opportunity to speak to leader of the labour party, Mr Andrew Little as well as the Prime Minister. The class spent 2 weeks organising questions, getting them approved and researching about political parties in New Zealand and the different parties which are involved in each party. On Tuesday 16th August the class skyped the Prime Minister. We had half an hour with Mr Key and asked him questions about National party policies that effect teenagers in New Zealand today, as well as asking him about how long he works for each day, who is the most intimidating person he has ever met and whether or not he has Netflix just to mention a few! Following our chat with the Prime minister the class then followed this with a chat with leader of the opposition, Mr Andrew Little. This proved to be a valuable experience and an opportunity for the class to get to know the major
differences between the two major political parties in New Zealand. The class were very grateful for the opportunity to speak to both leaders and it was great preparation for our upcoming class political party debates and electorate.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH 1APS and 2PED
On Sunday 28th August the 1APS and 2PED classes participated in the Cambridge Half Marathon and 10KM events as part of their current achievement standards.The classes have been training hard for a number of weeks for the event. The 2PED class participated in the 10KM event. The class has been training progressively for Term 2 and 3 for the event as part of achievement standard 2.8. All girls who participated in the event did exceptionally well with a number of students finishing in the top 10 for their event. Special mention must go to Tatiana GlassieMorgan, who finished 3rd overall in her age group. This
was our last community running event for the year and a huge congratulations to the class for their effort and participation throughout the year. The sun was shining and as the temperature rose so did the realisation by Level 1 APS that some of them would be out running for 3 hours completing their half marathon. It is no easy feat for a runner of any age so to turn up ready to run was a huge achievement in itself. We bid them a fond farewell and waited with bated breath to see who would come in first. A huge congratulations to all the girls who completed the run and special mention to Sydney Richardson who came in first in the youth category.
Cycling Velodrome On 2nd and 12th August the 1APS cohort went to Cambridge to learn how to cycle on a velodrome. At first the prospect was daunting for many due to the 43 degree angle of the track on the turns but, after some expert coaching from Matt Archibald (Bronze medallist in the time trial at the 2015 World Championships) the students flew around the track. Even more amazing that we were able to ride the same boards that our new Olympic Silver medallists in the sprint ride on in training.
Mount Wellington Cycling Championships
Results for Mya Anderson for National Individual Cycling Champs held in Mount Wellington Sat/Sun Individual Time Trial: 6th Hill climb: 12th Criterium: 1st (won gold medal and jersey) 15
Judo Article 10 Sport - Dean Devich All three 10 Sport classes participated in Judo classes throughout Term 3 at the Metro Judo Club. During these classes the students have been taught by our instructor Terry various skills - how to break fall, throwing techniques, ground fighting and hold-downs. The idea was for the students over the weeks of training to implement their learning of these skills within a competition environment where the girls were matched up to fight. It was great to see all the girls getting involved and essentially seeing their skill and confidence levels grow throughout the lessons. A BIG thank you to Tery our instructor for taking time out of his day to teach 3 classes. Mrs Johnstone, Mr Devcich and Ms Kingsford Results: Group A Group B 1st Mele Akokava 1st Azriyah Te Hira-Whare 2nd Waimaatao Hira 2nd Molly Anderson 3rd Grace Manihera 3rd Miria Inia
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Services Council
SERVICES
COUNCIL
This year the Heads of Schools and the Service Council joined forces to support the Waikato Women's Refuge. We aimed to raise funds and collect specific goods (canned food and toiletries) to donate to this wonderful cause. There were various daily events that Houses were in charge of leading each day. House points were at stake which provided another incentive for everyone to get involved in and give generously. We were privileged to have an AMAZING guest speaker on Tuesday, Rowena McEvoy; affectionately known as ‘Rowie’. She was very inspiring and we are so grateful that she shared her story with us on how she has become a “Powerful, Passionate, Positive Person” (foot stamp). She set our girls the challenge of creating their own courageous stories. On Monday about 450 cans were collected from tutor groups and on Tuesday over a thousand toiletries. On Wednesday
there was a mufti day to collect funds and during the lunch break we had 2 Olympian Medalists - Shakira Baker & Terina Te tamaki, taking photos with students to raise money. On Thursday we had a Walk-A-Thon, and to finish the week we had the 'Chop The Mop' event, where students volunteered to have their hair cut and funds collected for the cause; their hair was also donated to Pantene Australia to make wigs for cancer patients. Mr Devcich raised approximately $400 to have his zz top looking beard removed!
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CAREERS We recently held our annual Subject Selection / Careers Evening at school to give the students the opportunity to make informed decisions about subjects for next year. Both teaching staff and outside education providers were available for students and parents so they could make links between what is being studied at school and pathways beyond school.
There are also a number of online resources available to assist students with decisions about their future pathway. www.schoolconnect.co.nz // www.careersnz.govt.nz // www.nomajordrama.com // Schoolleaver.nz
Interesting article from University of Auckland’s LinkNews Parents - the first career advisers Empirical evidence suggests that parents are the key influencers in the career decisions of their children. The question is – how relevant is their advice? Is it based on their personal biases, or is it based in the reality of the world of work we now live in? Parents often desire a linear career pathway for their children, believing this is the way to a secure income and stability in life. However, this isn’t always true, as the working environment has changed significantly in recent decades and is now much more flexible. Strict parental expectations for careers can create an atmosphere of anxiety for students. What parents of school and tertiary-aged students need to know is that the concept of a ‘job for life’ is now outdated. It may have once been the norm, but these days, according to Statistics New Zealand, Kiwis are changing jobs frequently. Switching up jobs, companies and even whole industries every couple of years is commonplace. Obviously for some positions – doctors, lawyers and
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engineers, for example - specific degrees are necessary. But for many jobs, qualities that help a student stand out can be developed through a variety of different subjects and qualifications. What matters most in the job market Parents should embrace the notion that it’s not always a specific qualification that leads to opportunities. To stand out in the job market, it’s the capabilities a student grows and develops through their study, combined with other activities including part-time jobs, volunteering, internships, hobbies and more, that make the difference. People are much more successful studying what they’re good at and what they enjoy compared to something they're pressured into. If a student can articulate what they can offer to an employer and demonstrate they are flexible, adaptable and have learning agility, they will be able to gain employment in a variety of industries and will be better positioned to progress their career and remain employable throughout life. (source: LinkNews University of Auckland)
Careers
GATEWAY Gateway Health and Safety Course Recently all Gateway students were given the opportunity to complete a Workplace Health and Safety Course. With the introduction of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, having an understanding of what it involves and how it may affect them in their future workplace is significant. The emphasis was on applying safe work practices in the workplace and hazard identification and risk assessment procedures. Students who completed the one day course not only gained useful knowledge, they can now add this course completion to their CV and were able to gain 8 credits towards their NCEA Level 2 and 3. Feedback about how positive the students were was well received - well done girls!
ARTS
AT HGHS
On Friday 19th August 45 students competed in the Annual ITM Orchestra Festival at Waikato University. Our first competition group was the School Orchestra. They played a variety of dramatic and incredible orchestral pieces, such as Star Wars, Chariots of Fire, Second Storm, The Magic Flute Overture, Royals and finishing up with In the Hall of The Mountain King. This performance landed the group with an overall award of bronze. Next came the Trouble Clefs, the school guitar group.They played three songs, Time for Change by Nathan Aish, The Gypsies and A Simple Melody which was written by Mike Anker, our Itinerant Tutor. Their smooth and rehearsed playing earned them a silver placing.
The Samba and then Wahine Aulelei played in the percussion section playing a variety of rhythmic music by various composers. The pasifika drumming group, Wahine Aulelei’s strong performance earned them a bronze award. Overall our Samba percussion group came out on top with a gold award, and a merit certificate with a prize of $100. Finally The newly formed Wind Band played music especially arranged for them by Clive Burrell our fantastic wind tutor. This new group performed well for a first competition and also received a bronze award.
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A huge thank you to everyone who supported our wonderful production of GREASE. The entire season every single seat at every single performance was sold out. Feedback was that the standard of the performances of principals, chorus and band were excellent, the onstage cast were also supported by an amazingly efficient and creative team of stage crew, lighting, sound, wardrobe and makeup people who gave the show its professional polish. All worked as a well oiled machine, with people behaving well and having a lot of fun, and it was a very happy show for all concerned. Well Done to all those who were in it. If you have ever thought of being in a school production, but haven't been bold enough to try out, start singing in the shower now, and give it a go next year. It's an amazing experience that you will remember for your whole life.
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Arts at HGHS
HORACE MOORE JONES 1868 - 1922 A granddaughter of WW1 artist Horace Moore Jones, Ange Paykel, wants to keep her grandfather’s artistic spirit alive and inspire future generations. This incredibly generous gift, includes a sculpture for Hamilton Girls’ and Hamilton Boys’ High Schools, a student art travel scholarship, and an artist in residence fund to be shared by the brother and sister schools. On Thursday 13 October 2016, Girls’ High will unveil a commissioned work by celebrated artist Virginia King. This will be followed in 2017 by a commission for Hamilton Boys High by another leading New Zealand artist. Moore Jones was the art teacher at Hamilton High School from 1918 to 1922. We know him as the artist of the watercolour ‘Simpson and His Donkey’ which was about Simpson who with his donkey carried many wounded in the Gallipoli Campaign. Horace Moore Jones’ works are held in Australian and New Zealand Museums including the Waikato Museum and a statue in his memory was recently unveiled in Victoria St.
DRAMA CLUB.
Every Wednesday lunchtime Drama Club meets in the Black Box Theatre (J4). So far this year Drama Club students performed in the Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Competition, performed a spoof on Shakespeare plays to a lunchtime audience, and are currently working on a Medieval play and Morris Dance for performing at Halloween. Drama Club is open to all who are very keen on Drama and the idea is that you will learn things as well as having fun putting together and performing plays. All welcome, Wednesday lunchtime in J4
PASIFIKA Talofa
Kia Orana
Mauri
Aloha
Malo e lelei
Fakalofalahi atu
Ni sa bula
Halo
Warm Pasifika Greetings Our special focus is to raise the academic achievement of our senior Pasifika students. We are excited to be offering our PBN performers NCEA credits this year; Level 1 has been completed and we endeavour to work on Level 2 and Level 3 over the next month. It is heartening to see the slow but steady progress our girls are making. We invite parents to support the Pasifika Council and encourage your daughters to take advantage of the Pasifika Study Centre where we have two session times every Thursday, at lunchtime and after school. There are a team of dedicated teachers who are available to provide extra tuition. We have received positive feedback from the girls who have been attending these sessions.
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SPORTS AT HGHS
WINTER TOURNAMENT WEEK
Congratulations to all the teams and athletes that travelled away for Winter Tournament week.
Hockey
The 1st X1 Hockey team travelled to the North Shore to compete in the Hockey tournament. The team finished third in their pool which meant they competed in the Marie Fry tournament. The team went through the rest of the week unbeaten and finished first in the Marie Fry tournament and are now the 17th best Hockey team in NZ. The 2nd X1 Hockey team competed in the Chris Arthur Cup held in Hamilton. The team played well all week and were competitive across the field. The team MVP for the week was Kayla Lomas, for her team spirit, her hard work and her constant encouragement of the team.The team finish 8th overall.
Basketball
The Junior Basketball team travelled to Rotorua.They play well all week and made the final where they came up against St Peter's.The team fought hard right to the end but unfortunately St Peters took the win. Well done to the Junior Basketball team finishing 2nd at the Regional tournament. The Senior Basketball team also had their tournament in Rotorua. Similar to the Junior Basketball team the players fought hard to make the final where they also came up against St Peters. Despite a spirited effort they also came second to qualify for the National tournament to be held in Palmerston North during the first week of the school holidays. Congratulations on a great result.
First XV Rugby
The first XV Rugby team qualified for the Top 4 tournament in Palmerston North. As 2 times defending champions they played St Mary's in one of the semi finals. It was a tough hard fought battle with St Mary's getting a slight lead. HGHS drew even with limited time left on the clock. Despite some staunch defence St Mary's managed to cross the line to take the 22-17 win. After a day's rest HGHS came up against Kaipara College, a new team to the top 4 format. Again the 3rd and 4th playoff was a tough encounter. Unfortunately Kaipara came out on top with a 10-7 win. Congratulations to the 1st XV being the 4th best rugby team in NZ.
Premier Netball team
The girls made a great start beating Katikati, Thames, Kerikeri and Matamata. This meant that the team were top of our pool and crossed
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with Otorohanga and St Marys. The team beat both schools and drew against Morrisville in the afternoon. This set up a game against One Tree Hill, which the team unfortunately lost . That afternoon we found that we had qualified for Top 4 which meant we were guaranteed to go up to A grade in 2017. On the final day of UNISS the team played Mt Maunganui and then St Dominics for 3rd and 4th. The last game was a thriller going in to double extra time. All in all the girls were stoked with achieving their goal and making A grade for 2017
Cycling
The national secondary schools individual cycling competition took place in Auckland over the weekend. Mya Anderson represented the school and came 6th in the Individual Time Trial and 12th in Hill Climb on Saturday. On Sunday she competed in the Criterium (7 laps of a 1.5 circuits) taking out 1st place. Mya finished 5th overall.
Congratulations Mya on fantastic weekends results. Mya will now work towards NZSS Team and Road Cycling competition (30km Road Race and a Points Race) in 3 weeks time.
First X1 Football The 1st X1 football team travelled to Nelson to compete in the NZ secondary schools national tournament. The team finished top of their pool to face Rangiora in the top 16 playoff. With a gutsy fight back the team beat Rangiora 4-3 to progress through to the quarterfinals where they came up against Rangitoto. This was another come from behind win to progress to the semi finals. In the semi the 1st X1 faced St Peters. Unfortunately they lost this game which meant they played off for 3rd and 4th against St Kents. Despite battling hard to the final whistle the girls finished as the 4th best team in NZ. This is a fantastic result. Congratulations to all the players involved. Well done to all the players that went away to represent HGHS at the various sporting events. A big thank you to the staff that also went away to support the teams: Mr Watling and Carolyn for Basketball, Mr Devcich for Rugby, Mrs Hita for Netball, Miss Holt and Jacqui for Hockey and Mrs Whaanga for football - your support is greatly appreciated.
3RD XI HOCKEY HGHS 3rd XI, ably captained by Kat Parker, finished a very pleasing third in the Girls C Grade competition recently.This was a notable achievement as there are several first XIs in this grade. The team scored a total of 74 goals (10 more than our nearest rival) and only conceded 9 goals over 14 games, which was the least goals conceded (equal with only one other team). Their largest result was 20-0 against St Peters Senior A team. Top Scorer was Stacey Woods with 17 goals, but the goals scored were spread over 9 players. Thanks go to Marcus Snowball for such positive, thorough coaching, Toni Snowball for her great organisational skills as manager and Judith Lander as assistant coach.
2 XI HOCKEY
2ND XI STUDENT REPORT
This year the HGHS 2nd XI hockey team was fortunate enough to play in the National 2nd XI tournament. We finished at the top of our pool after 3 games of hockey. On Wednesday we played Christchurch Girls High School and drew 2 -2. We had extra time and with no team scoring we competed in penalty shoot out. Unfortunately we were unable to take the win. We played 2 more games during the rest of the week finishing 8th out of 15 teams, Rangi Ruru took out the tournament. Our team is grateful to Greer leonhart for stepping in and coaching , Jacqui Sutton for Managing and Jeff Rosemergy as assistant coach
The 2nd XI team began their tournament on Monday 29th of August with two games in one day.The first was against a very physical Tauranga side. This ended in a o-0 draw. In the afternoon we faced St Cuths, who had achieved 2nd place in 2015. We came away with a very convincing 2-0 win. The team was ecstatic.The next day we played our local nemesis, Waikato Dio and managed to hold onto our 1-0 lead until the end. This placed us 1st in pool. Going into Wednesday’s cross over game our hopes were high and we were wanting to get into top four. At full time we were 2-2. We went into drop off 9 aside for 5 minutes, then 7 aside for five minutes, then penalty shoot out. We had played 75 minutes of hockey and had to go into sudden death shoot outs. Sadly we lost. Exhausted both physically and mentally, the team pulled together. This was better than we had hoped. It was a huge learning curve and the girls played with heart and determination. Facing Villa Maria the next day meant the girls had to lift themselves. They played as they had all week, with determination and aggression. We kept the score even at 2-2 until the dying minutes of the game and Villa came away with the win. Our team still came off the field smiling, knowing that they had played a great game of hockey. On the last day, playing off for 7th and 8th, the team again faced St Cuthberts’. They scored 2 very quick and decisive goals in the first half and although we had lots of opportunity we just couldn’t find the back of the net. We kept them scoreless in the second half. Overall, the week was a great success. The team played amazing, quick passing, aggressive hockey.The team MVP for the week was Kayla Lomas, for her team spirit, her hard work and her constant encouragement of the team
NZ U15 Touch team Congratulations to Te Amai Hudson, Kiriana Nolan, Haylee Epiha who have just returned from Australia representing New Zealand in the U15 Girls Touch Team. The team competed at the Australia National Youth Championship. They did really well representing Hamilton Girls High School, further acknowledgement to Te Amai who was the captain of this team. We are very proud of all of these girls.
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Cups and Trophies All Cups and Trophies from last year’s senior and junior prizegivings need to be returned to the student reception by the beginning of Term 4.They will need to be engraved with this year’s recipients so we need them back! HOST FAMILIES NEEDED FOR VISITING JAPANESE COLLEGE STUDENTS HGHS has partnered with Ritsumeikan Keisho Junior High School, Japan to bring approximately 25 Japanese students to the Waikato as an exciting way to share our New Zealand culture and the English language. We are seeking local area families who would like to act as host to a student. The students will be between the ages of 14 and 16 years old are scheduled to arrive on Sunday 16th October, and will be staying in Hamilton for just over two weeks. They will leave on Wednesday, November 2nd. Host families are expected to provide students with their own room, 3 meals every day and transport to and from school. The exchange program can be incredibly rewarding not only for the visiting students, who get to experience NZ life first-hand but also for the host families. A homestay fee will be paid to host families to contribute to costs.
Please note that we have a responsibility to ensure that international students are well informed, safe and properly cared for, through following the Pastoral Care of International Students Code of Practice 2016. To ensure the safety of the students, a police vet check will be conducted. A mandatory host family orientation will be held at Hamilton Girls’ High School on Tuesday, October 16th. For additional requirements and more information on how to become a host family, please email principal@hghs.school.nz or morgank@hghs. school.nz or alternately call Kylie Morgan on 021 878 227.An information form will be e-mailed out to you.
MICHAELA FOSTER TEAM CAPTAIN - FIFA U17 WORLD CUP New Zealand Women’s U17 football captain Michaela Foster is proudly continuing the family name as she prepares to lead her side out at the FIFA U17 World Cup in Jordan this month. The left back is the daughter of All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster which could be the reason she conducts herself around a footy pitch so well. The talented Hamilton Girls’ High School player will look to create her own piece of history come September 30 as her side will look to first get past football giants Mexico and record only the second win for an NZ U17 Women’s side competing at a FIFA World Cup. Foster said her team’s preparation could not have been better leading up to the tournament. The New Zealand side is fresh from a tour of China where they played world-class teams Japan, Canada and China and that experience has given them the standard they need to perform at to progress in the tournament. “Our tour to China really helped our preparation,” said Foster. “We were able to experience some high quality football, and it was needed.We were able to realise some our weaknesses we need to work on, which will be very helpful going into the World Cup.” Foster said the team’s main aim for the FIFA U17 World Cup in Jordan was to progress from their group and make history as the first New Zealand team to do so. “We’ve been treating all of our warm-up matches as if we were playing at the World Cup, so it’s important for us to get in that mind-set, so we know how to prepare when the tournament starts.” Foster loves the challenge of leading her team and she knows that if they are going to progress they have to deliver a team effort in all three of their matches.
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“It’s not just me helping the girls, we have a really good leadership team within the group so it takes a bit of pressure off me and makes my job easier. It’s important for me to know each girls role in the squad so I can help with team morale, which will give me a better understanding of our strengths and weaknesses.” Head coach Gareth Turnbull said Foster is the perfect fit for the job. He believed her composure and poise will allow her to showcase her leadership skills on a global stage. “She’s an incredibly intelligent player and with that she can see and read the game quite clearly,” said Turnbull. “There is a real presence around Michaela, extremely well respected from the playing group and the staff. She has that real aura and mana about her and she is able to get the most out of the players, which is something that’s rare. It’s difficult to showcase those leadership skills at this age but out of anyone in the group she stood out the most.”
The New Zealand team is:
Goal Keepers: Anna Leat, Nadia Olla, Ashleigh Emery Defenders: Claudia Bunge, Ally Toailoa, Michaela Foster (Captain), Rebecca Lake, Amber Phillips, Francesca Grange Midfielders: Grace Jale, Alosi Bloomfield, Nicole Mettam, Malia Steinmetz, Sarah Krystman, Maggie Jenkins, Rose Morton Forwards: Hannah Blake, Jacqui Hand, Samantha Tawharu, Emma Main, Saskia Vosper
HAMILTON GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL Term 4 EMPOWER Self Defence Course The school is aware that we need to ensure our students are prepared and able to defend themselves should they end up in an unpredictable situation.We have put together a 4 week course to meet this need.The first course will run at lunchtime (details below) If there is demand for a before school or after school session we will arrange this.
EMPOWER Self Defence Course
EMPOWER 1 Training Course Course Duration: 4 Weeks. Total 8 Sessions, Term 4. Classes: 2 Lunchtime trainings per week. Mon, Weds, Friday.
Course Aims: Student Requirements:
1. Generate Self Defence Awareness for students. 2. Develop Tactics & Mindset foundation for EMPOWER 2 Course.
1. Parent consent to participate. 2. Attend all sessions
Facilitators: 1. Les Hayes (Primary Instructor and HGHS Programme Co-ordinator) 2. Wheturangi Male Teacher (assistant) 3. Female Teacher (assistant) Course Student numbers: 20 Class Length: 40 minutes Course Fee: $25
Course Content - EMPOWER 1 Course Recruitment Meeting What is Self Defence, Course Overview, Benefits gained.
Les Hayes Les has worked at HGHS since 2010. His role as a programmes Co ordinator includes facilitating courses that encourage students to aim high, develop mental and physical resilience and self confidence. Helping students to develop into confident achievers. He has had 25 years experience training in Martial Arts giving him an indepth knowledge of Self Defence, work experience and training in identifying threat and de-escalation strategies.
His Martial Arts Education includes: Systema Krav Maga Brazilian Jujitsu Karate Kickboxing
Week 1 Class 1: Class 2:
Defence Tactics - Standing and Ground Escapes from grabs and Defensive Postures MindSet Revision, Refinement and Vocal Empowerment
Week 2 Class 3: Class 4:
Defence Tactics - Escapes from the Ground Escapes using Strikes MindSet Revision, Refinement and Body Language
Week 3 Class 5: Class 6:
Defence Tactics & Situational Awareness Revision - Refinement & Building Awareness Defence Tactics & Situational Awareness Revision - Refinement & Awareness Drills
Week 4 Class 7: Class 8:
Practical Assessment Part 1 Practical Assessment Part 2
Sign up using the link below
https://docs.google.com/a/hghs.school.nz/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfS2W9eFO3wiv2YFxtQoLfpSOatZcAHPi8q4U9OqMx-qMDzA/viewform Tactics: actions on - staying safe. Observe: active monitoring. Awareness: situational awareness.
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NCEA Key NZQA Dates
Start checking your results on the NZQA Database
5th April
(Updated on the 5th day of each Month)
School has stopped accepting payment.
NZQA Fees
All NZQA fees must be paid directly to NZQA. You can download a Payment form from the NZQA website.
Financial Assistance (Will receive late applications)
School’s deadline – 10th June 2016
Last Date to Withdraw from External Exams Last Date to Withdraw from Internal Standard
School’s deadline – 12th August 2016 Students can no longer withdraw from external exams
Unless you have been given an adequate assessment opportunity
NCEA
School’s deadline – 18th November 2016
External Examination Timetable
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Course Endorsement
Students will be able to have their strengths in individual courses recognised with a course endorsement at Merit or Excellence. Students will gain an endorsement for a course where they achieve: 1. 14 or more credits at Merit or Excellence at the lower level that supports the endorsement 2. at least 3 credits from externally assessed standards and 3 credits from internally assessed standards (Physical Education, Religious Studies and level 3 Visual Arts will be exempt from this) 3. sufficient credits in a single school year.
Certificate Endorsement
Students studying for NCEA Levels 1, 2, and 3 certificates will be able to achieve these qualifications with Merit or Excellence endorsements. 1. Merit endorsement = 50 credits at Merit (or Excellence) at the same level, or higher. 2. Excellence endorsement = 50 credits at Excellence at the same level, or higher. 3. Credits can be accumulated over more than one year for the purposes of certificate endorsement. 4. In any one year a learner will be awarded an endorsed certificate only at the highest level of endorsement recognised that year except when a learner has achieved two or three NCEA qualifications in a single year.
School contact
Mr Mitchell is the Principal’s Nominee (NZQA Liaison) at the school. You can contact him by: E-mail: mitchellm@hghs.school.nz Phone: 07 839 1304 EXT 839 Mail:
Mr Mitchell Principal’s Nominee PO Box 4082 Hamilton
KEY DATES 24-26 SEPTEMBER 14 SEPT - 7 OCT 21 SEPT - 11 OCT 21 SEPT - 11 OCT 26-29 SEPTEMBER 30 SEPT - 2 OCT 4-7 OCTOBER 13 OCTOBER 20 OCTOBER 24 OCTOBER 25 OCTOBER 26-28 OCTOBER
NZ National Schools Road Cycling Championships French Trip Japan Trip Spain Trip NZSS Basketball ‘A’ National Championships NZSS Ki O Rahi Championships NZSS Netball Arts Prizegiving - 6pm Sports Awards - 6.30pm Labour Day Maori & Pasifika Awards - 6.30pm Junior Examinations
Hamilton Girls’ High School PO Box 1267, Hamilton 3240 Phone 07 839 1304 Fax 07 834 1394 administration@hghs.school.nz www.hghs.school.nz