From the Principal's Desk

Term One of the 2011 school year passed with us continuing to be fully staffed and with our staff providing courses and programmes which enabled our students to excel across the whole spectrum of school activities, both individually and in teams; and in academic and co-curricular programmes . These holidays will see new shade sails erected by the PTCA, rooves being chemwashed and the covered ways being re-roofed. Other projects under consideration are repainting the pool and replacing the gymnasium roof.

The school, as well as being part of the Youth Apprenticeship Scheme, has been successful in becoming a Trades Academy school - one of nine nationally and the only one in Northland. This means we are able to offer senior students courses in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and wood processing. This programme will be further enhanced when we add fishing in 2012/13 and will be overseen by Mrs Stella Clyde.

Helping students achieve to their full potential has always been one of the main goals of Otamatea High School and the reformatting of our Academic Counselling programme will ensure that all families will be fully aware of what a student needs to do to be successfull.

2010 saw the introduction of four major innovations at our school as well as the continued introduction of the Revised Curriculum. These included Tutor Groups, where students are helped with their academic work, the shift to hour long periods on a six day cycle which resulted in fewer changeovers in the school day, the roll out of KnowledgeNet, our Student Learning System designed to ensure that parents and students have access to course information and requirements at all times, and finally, the expansion of The Learning Centre to cater to the individual needs of up to 25% of our students. These programmes have been further refined and enhanced this term. After having tutored students in the Academic Counselling programme the teachers involved met with their parents during the last week of Term One providing them with a great deal of information about theri child's progress to date. This included theri goals for the year, possible career focus, attendance, course outlines and credit targets. Each of the student's teachers also gave an indication whether they were on track to achieve a successful academic year. All parents and students found the programme worthwhile and appreciated the discussion. At the end of the interview parents were given a 'where to from here' guide and some hints on how they can help at home. Research indicates that positive parental involvement in their child's education accounts for approximately 60% of academic success. The Academic Counselling programme is Otamatea High School's way of ensuring that each of our students has a personalised education programme which has been thought through and discussed with their parents. 

Our students continue to achieve excellent results academically. In the 2010 NCEA examinations our Year 10 Academic Pathway class achieved 100% success in Level 1 Science. This is the schools way of making sure that all students, whatever their talent, are challenged in their learning.

We had a successful term in the sporting arena with swimming, athletic and cricket teams performing to a high standard. The stand-out individual student was Diva Ratu who won a number of junior swimming titles at the Northland Secondary School Championships. Our Triathlon teams and individuals also achieved well. The Kapa Haka group performed exceptionally well at Whangarei Girls' High School where the Tai Tokerau Festival was held. They also performed twice to a packed hall (once for the High School and the other for the community and Primary schools) prior to them leaving for the Festival.

The highlight of the term was learning that seven ex-students, who started working toward their Duke of Edinburgh Awards while at school under the tutelage of Mrs Robyn Bruce, have now gained their Gold Awards. What a fantastic effort.

Now is a good time to remind our school community of our school vision 'Star Seekers - Dream Catchers' and our school emblem 'The Kauri Tree'. The roots of the Kauri represent the strong historical support and experience from which students can learn and forge their future. The trunk, represents the knowledge and wisdom that students gain from their learning at school coupled with the social skills and work ethic they acquire from their parents and extended families. Celebrating each students unique talents and providing them with an individual pathway of learning encourages them to look beyond the present (star seekers), represented by the branches of the Kauri Tree. When climbing their chosen branch students can focus on and achieve (catch) their dreams through commitment and hard work and with support from the extended school community. The Board of Trustees has carried out an extensive review of our Charter which has been re-written. They are now reviewing our school vision 'Star Seekers - Dream Catchers' and feedback will be requested in the form of a survey.

Finally, a thought for Term Two. "What is really important in life? Sitting on the beach? Looking at television eight hours a day? I think that we have to appreciate that we are alive for only a limited period of time, and we will spend most of our lives working. That being the case, I believe one of the most important priorities is to do whatever we do as well as we can. We should take pride in that."  Victor Kermit Kiam (1926 -)

 


Regards

 

 

Haydn Hutching