From the Senior Leadership Team

Today the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced its updated timeline for the national curriculum refresh. The MOE has been reviewing and refreshing the national curriculum since 2019, the first time it’s been reviewed since being introduced in 2007. The curriculum will be updated in stages, with the priority being the primary school English curriculum (years 0-6), followed by English and mathematics for all year levels (see details below). For years 11 to 13, the national curriculum will be broken into subjects to more clearly align with NCEA achievement standards and with senior secondary programmes of learning. 

Last week we met with the MOE and their appointed architects to progress our master planning process. We currently have 12 additional classrooms on the field behind A-block that cater for the significant roll growth we have experienced over the past three years, but these classrooms are not permanent. The master planning process will decide where we will build new, permanent classrooms, as well as additional administration/office space. This is a big project that will also look at additional parking, walkways and landscaping etc, and will even involve some existing buildings being replaced or upgraded. We will update you next term on how this is progressing.

Paparoa Speech Competition - Monday 17th June

Good luck to Tiaki Worsfold and Lachie MIllard who are representing the Y7 & 8 students at the Paparoa Speech Competition. The competition is being held at the Sports Pavillion in Paparoa and next week we will be able to update the school community on how the competition went. 

Poetry Cafe - Wednesday 26th June

The Year 7 students of Otamatea High School have been learning about poetry and writing their own poems and are holding a poetry café where they will share and recite their poems. 
This will be held in A block at Otamatea High School. Parents and caregivers are invited to this event, however, for catering purposes we require whanau to RSVP. 

Year 7 parents have been sent an invitation via email and encouraged to please RSVP by 19th June to sarah.bland@otamatea.school.nz 

Here are some images from last years, celebrating the poetry learning and creative table displays. 

Producers and Consumers Event - Year 8  product showcase

Parents caregivers and whanau are invited to the school hall 12pm on Wednesday 3rd July to view the Year 8 students' product showcase. Students have been learning about the rights and responsibilities of consumers and producers, as well as advertising language, and product development. Here are some photos from last years' event. This is a wonderful event for students to showcase their ideas and creativity! 

Bus routes

Earlier this week Mrs Cadman sent emails to every family to confirm students' current addresses and bus routes. Please check your junk/spam folder if you haven't received one. Thank you to everyone who responded with updated details. There is no need to reply if your information is correct. Later this term or early next term a review of our current bus routes will be conducted to ameliorate the chance of overloading. 

Out on duty

Whilst out on duty this week it was great to see so many students challenging each other in a variety of sports and games. Since the total cell phone ban, we have seen an increase in students positively interacting with each other (in person) between classes, rather than peering at their phones. The increased physical activity for many students should also improve their engagement in class and general wellbeing.

Rotorua Tourism Trip

Last week, the Level 2 & 3 tourism class went down to Rotorua to experience and explore Aotearoa’s tourist capital and some of its iconic tourist attractions. The three days we spent in Rotovegas were jam packed with heaps of fun activities. We started off at Agrodome where we learnt about all the kinds of breeds of sheep and watched a shearing demonstration which was highly educational. The next day, we got up early and headed to Whakarewarewa Thermal Village, we were guided through the historical site and learnt about the way the descendants have carried on their traditions. We had the opportunity to try some amazing corn there, which was cooked naturally in a hot pool that was as hot as 200°. Later in the day, we headed up the gondola to the Luge and versed one another down the exhilarating tracks. Some brave students even tried out the sky swing and Haven nearly took out Lucy on the way down, but everybody left safe and unharmed!!
We finished off the trip late at night high up exploring the Redwood Treetop Walk, surrounding the trees was an impressive light show with other awesome visual displays. 
We would like to give Mr Cooling and Ladene a big BIG thank you for taking us down, you guys made the trip epic!