Principal's Comment

Kia Ora Kevinians and Supporters of the College,

This week the serious business of examinations has continued at the College with NCEA assessments following on from the CAA or Common Assessment Activities which our junior students sat last week. CAA's are the tests of literacy and numeracy that need to be passed in order for students to qualify for NCEA certificates. Students who sit complete NCEA Level 1, 2 or 3 courses in New Zealand from this year forward will not be eligible for the certificates unless they have passed both the literacy and numeracy CAA's, no matter how many 'credits' students may collect. This system is replacing the old 'literacy and numeracy standards' where certain standards across the subjects qualified as literacy and numeracy 'rich' enough to qualify the students as being literate and numerate.

At this stage with the refresh of the NCEA standards at Level 2 scheduled to launch, we are not sure how the literacy standard for university entrance will look. Previously, if students sat certain literacy rich standards at Level 2, they collected enough credits (10) to count as having 'university entrance literacy requirements'. This week, the Senior Leadership Team has been undertaking course counseling with our year 10 cohort with regards to the Cambridge trial for 2024. Under the Cambridge system, students qualify for NZ universities if they have three AS or A level passes as the literacy requirement is built into these. Most of our students have been keen to give Cambridge papers a go as well as mixing in some NCEA at Year 11.

In whatever systems students are working, anywhere in the world, the difference between success and failure is attitude and well established learning behaviours such as time management, note taking, revision techniques and prioritizing. If you feel that you would like some help to establish these sorts of routines with your young person, don't hesitate to get in contact.

Today, I have included a picture of Lorenna with her 'Remembrance Day' garden. In 1945 President Harry Truman called upon American citizens to observe November 11th as 'Armistice Day' which both honors those who have died in war and those who continue to attempt to build peace.

Have a peaceful weekend.

God Bless

Jo

Principal's Comment

 Kia Ora Kevinians and Supporters of the College,

I would like to begin this week by thanking the numerous supporters of the College who have been in touch with my staff and myself this week to offer support in the wake of the newspaper headlines we have had to deal with. Your support, your rational approach to the facts and your maturity in understanding that we have complaints systems which provides clarity and fairness of process, gives me great peace. I would also like to thank the staff of the College, who despite the reputational and personal risks to themselves, continue to support students to head into the outdoors, many for the first time in their lives, in a culture that seems to be keen to pretend that life is a zero risk game. Our investigation into our camp is due to be completed by next week. There will be a procedure for sharing that information with parents which will be communicated in the coming week.

It has been a week also of celebrations as we said farewell to our Year 13 cohort and some of our Year 12's at senior prizegiving. As usual Simba was stealing the show, and despite some technical issues, the night went very well. I thought our Top 6 dance was fantastic and it was very special to see Eugen Dupu, our Presiding Member graduate his last daughter Lena. The biggest star of the night has to be, as always, our Dux of the school Chloe Wilson. We will be excitied to see 'where to from here?' for Chloe. Best of luck to all of our graduates. We will miss you!

Our Foundation Community Builder Kara Cox has asked all graduates to please send her a non -school email which we can use to keep in touch with our Alumni. If your graduating young person has not done that yet, can you please remind them to?

Finally, I took this snap today of some of our junior students enjoying the sun on our new -old seats. I say new - old, because these seats were rescued by Mr Kerry Ryan many years ago from the old Carrisbrook rugby ground. After languishing in the Stables for many years, we have finally started putting them to use around the grounds.

Have a great weekend.

God Bless

Jo