From the Principal

There have been a number of significant developments over the holiday period.  It is with pleasure that we welcomed two new members of staff.  Ms Carys Paul has returned to the school in her new capacity as our head of physical education and health.  Carys will be joined for the first two terms with Sarah Bateup who is teaching PE and maths. Mr Michael Waller has been appointed Head of Languages.  We look forward to the contribution these staff will make in their new roles in the school.

The Board of Trustees spent considerable time summarising the information gained from the surveys that parents, students and staff completed in the last term of 2011.  This information has been used to review our school charter and to create a series of strategic directions for the future of Westland High School.  I know the Board were appreciative of the response given to the survey and for the positive ideas for moving forward that were forthcoming. Below I have reproduced the front page of the new charter document which outlines our vision, mission statement and the values we as a school believe to be import for our students and staff.  Your feedback on these would be of value as the document is intended to be “a living document” that can and should reflect our community’s aspirations for our youth.

Our Vision

Whakatere i ā tātou haerenga
‘Navigating our Journeys’

Our Mission

‘Westland High School will provide an exciting, supportive and positive learning community, which encourages achievement, fosters a co-operative spirit and celebrates diversity, so together we develop the knowledge, skills and values necessary to navigate life journeys.’

Values

Excellence/Kairangi: in all aspects of school life. Strive for your personal best and celebrate success.

Manaakitanga: uplifting, fostering, and nurturing the mana of ourselves and others and the principles of honesty, integrity and accountability.
Inclusion and Equity: creating a sense of belonging by embracing and celebrating diversity.

Innovation and Creativity

Whanaungatanga: fostering and maintaining relationships between people, communities and environment.

While we are still looking at the detail of our NCEA results we were very pleased to note some exceptional achievement from students.  In future newsletters we will celebrate in greater depth individual achievement.

One of our goals for 2012 is to review communication between school and home. To this end I would be interested in feedback on the content you see as valuable in these newsletters and how frequently you think we should produce them.

Many of you will be aware that for the next term and a half the administrative staff have moved into the Library while alterations to the main office area and entrance are completed.  We still have an open door policy for parents and caregivers, in fact it is very open door at the moment, and we have meeting areas that we can use should you wish to have a confidential conversation with any member of the Senior Leadership Team (Ms Hutt, Mr Manual or myself).

Over this coming weekend the school is providing the facilities for the “Relay for Life” run by the Cancer Society to acknowledge both those who have survived cancer and those who have lost their battle with the disease.  You are welcome to come down to the school between 3pm on Saturday and about 11 am on Sunday walk around the track or just to lend your support by your presence. I would remind all who come that it is an alcohol and smoke free event.

During the first week of school our year 13 students participated in some leadership training.  This was very successful and I wish to thank Mr Garside for organising the event and the staff at Shantytown who help provide sections of the programme.

I want to take this opportunity to remind students in particular, that the year will be as successful as you allow it to be.  We want you to succeed but only you can guarantee the results. We will enjoy joining you on your learning journey.

Ferg Harding
Principal

ICAS Exams

The International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS) provides an opportunity for all Years 7 – 13 students to gain a measure of their own achievement in an external testing situation. It provides teachers, parents and students with comprehensive reporting of results in the areas of English, Mathematics and Science.

All students receive a certificate and an individual student report indicating which questions they answered correctly and their score compared with the rest of the students tested. The tests are an excellent preparation for National tests and the student report is useful for highlighting your child’s strengths and weaknesses. The UNSW certificate and individual student report are also suitable for your child to include in a portfolio.

High quality UNSW certificates are awarded for each year level as follows:

• High Distinction to the top 1% of entrants
• Distinction to the next 10% of entrants
• Credit to the next 25% of entrants
• Participation to all other participating students.

All students who achieve the highest score in each year level receive a UNSW medal. These medals are presented at either a Medal Presentation Ceremony or at a school assembly. Students must sit on the official sitting dates to be eligible for a medal.

The entry fee per student is as follows:

• Science – Exam on the 6th June 2012.  To be paid by the 27th April  ($7.50)
• English – Exam on the 31st July 2012. To be paid by the 22nd June ($7.50)
• Mathematics – Exam on the 14th August 2012. To be paid by 22nd June 2012 ($7.50)

NB. There will be no entries accepted after the published deadline for that particular examination.

Please hand in the total entry fees by the earliest closure date of your chosen exams, to the school office.

We can also offer Computer Skills, Writing and Spelling.  If you wish to enter your child in any of these please email me at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before the 23rd of March for information. There is no guarantee of entry if you miss this deadline.

To assist your child to prepare for the International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS), past ICAS test papers can be purchased from EAA online at www.eaa.unsw.edu.au These test papers provide a good indication of the types of questions used and their difficulty and give children experience in the ICAS format. Sample practice questions can also be downloaded from the EAA website.

ICAS is an initiative of Educational Assessment Australia (EAA). EAA is a not for profit organisation owned by the University of New South Wales (UNSW).

For more information please visit the EAA website at www.eaa.unsw.edu.au or phone Iain Mitchell at school or 755 6226 at home.

Youth Declaration Conference

Want to have your say on New Zealand’s future? Youth Declaration is a national conference for high school students. Participants discuss issues that matter to them, as well as learning from experts and workshops. You will create a declaration that is presented to New Zealand leaders Youth Declaration is held in Auckland from the 13^th to 16^th of April. Go to www.unyouth.org.nz for more information or see Mr Mitchell.

Instrumental Music Lessons 2012

This year the school will be offering lessons in piano, violin, singing, drums and woodwind. There is a $50 annual levy for the instrumental music program. Students will receive a 20-30min lesson weekly.  Lessons will generally be in small groups. Individual lessons may be possible for senior music students.

There is a limited amount of instrumental hours and lessons can fill up fast.  The program operates on a first-paid-first-service principle.

Further information can be found in the instrumental information pack, or obtained from Mr Shawcross.