From the Principal…

From the Principal…
Kia ora koutou
Parents’ Newsletter – Wednesday 12 November, 2014
Week 5 - Term 4.
Te Kura Tuarua O Mawhera
Greymouth High School
One of our students, Taine Menzies, has again been very sick and
is in Christchurch Hospital. All of our thoughts are with Taine, his
twin sister Brielee and family.
If you catch the bus to school but are “ineligible” for a free bus
service then you will be aware of changes from Ritchies for next
year. Ritchies are doubling their cover charge to $200 per child per
term and will only accept payment in full, in advance. There is no
consideration for split families, sickness or varying term length. We
need to be clear that Greymouth High School has no say over this,
and neither does the Ministry of Education. However, I have asked
the Ministry to consider how we can respond as I expect that this
will cause a big problem for lots of our families. For the record, I
am strongly opposing this action by Ritchies and am working to see
what we can do to come up with a better solution.
We were honoured on Wednesday 12 November to be visited by
the Minister of Education, Hon. Hekia Parata. The Minister met with
two Year 10 classes and congratulated our staff on the hard work
we have put in to improve the performance of Greymouth High
School. She then met with our Board and some students to discuss
issues in education. The Minister’s key initiative is Investing in
Educational Success, which if we opt in will involve our whole
school community so I’d urge you to Google the phrase and see
what you think: I certainly felt the Minister’s enthusiasm.
Nga mihi
Andy England
Principal
Paid Union Meeting
From lunchtime on Friday
14th November there will be
a Paid Union Meeting (PUM)
for the PPTA union of which
most of our teachers are
members. This means that
we cannot run classes Period 5
on Friday 14th November.
Buses will operate at the usual
time; however it would be very
helpful if you are able to
collect your child from 1.20pm
on Friday. Alternatively, we will
offer a range of supervised
activities here at school for
students who cannot go
home.
What’s inside?
Front page: From the Principal.
Page 2: Board Matters.
Page 3: Student Achievements.
Pages 3-5: School News.
Page 5: Sporting News.
Page 6: School Calendar.
Page 7: Greymouth Christmas
Carnival.
School Contact Details:
PO Box 192, Greymouth 7840
Telephone: 768 0472
Fax: 03 768 6293
Email:
[email protected]
Website:
www.greyhigh.school.nz
Board Matters - ‘Proudly helping to drive our future’.
We would like to wish the best to our students for their end of year exams which
started this week. While success can be measured in different ways, their success is our
success as a school community.
We were also excited to meet the Education Minister Hon Hekia Parata on the 12
November to celebrate our school’s return to self-governance.
Planning for next year and beyond
The Board is newly appointed after several years of the school being governed by
Commissioner, Christine Nijdam.
The Board is really enthusiastic and is going through a process of getting its “feet under
the desks” learning and being trained in the particular leadership and governance
matters that relate to the Education Sector.
The School has been well set up with a Long Term Plan for the future (our Charter) and
the school Policies. Thank you to the Commissioner, the Senior Leadership Team and all
those people involved in its development.
The Board is in the process of updating the Charter now with a full review in the New
Year. Thanks for all the valued contributions to the Community Survey.
We live in an ever changing and even more rapidly changing world. We need to make
sure we are doing everything we can to ensure our students are given every
opportunity to be the best they can be.
Other Activities
Key Board Committees have been established:
- Policy Review Committee (Lisa Smith and Jenny Barrow)
- Finance and Property Committee (Linda Calder, Margaret Crawford and Mel
Sutherland)
- Disciplinary Committee (full Board as appropriate and required)
School Support Services have been appointed to prepare a 10 Year Property Plan for
the School.
You can contact the Board of Trustees by:
1. Email: [email protected]
2. Write to - Board of Trustees, Greymouth High School, PO Box 192, Greymouth
Mel Sutherland
Board Chairperson
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Student Achievements
Principal’s Awards
This is an accumulative list of all students who have achieved Principal’s Awards this
year.
Year 9
Amelia Whyte
Ben Williams
Caitlin Solomon
Shania Anderson
Matthew Flannagan x 2
Angus Watson x 2
Griffin Neame
Jaime Laughton
Mikayla Sweetman
Ella Hauraki
Campbell Smith
Rachel Crawford
Max Rubbo
Cody Robinson
Caleb Anderson
Teneille Bone
Brooklyn Rutherford
Lachlan Richards x 2
Shia King
Yasmin Waters x 2
Jonas Williams
Tyla Foster
Mason Hunt
Jasmine Trevathan
Jenna Haussmann x 2
Emma Burrows
Tess Beirne x 3
Prue Bourke
Bailey Nicoll
Jessica Gibson
Regan Simons
Jonathon Keene
Brooke Smith
Felicia Calder x 2
Ainslie Campbell
Susan Du Preez x 2
Rebekah Fox x 2
Hannah Rissman x 3
Courtney Allison x 3
Katie Rissman x 2
Jessica Radics
Tyler Robinson
Sophie Molloy
Kate Wilkins x 2
Kate Campbell x 2
Thomas Kilkelly
Liam Latta
Patrick Matthews
Piper McGeady
Jenna Stenhouse
Harrison Pinnock
Matt Gardner
George Rubbo
Emmie-leigh Perrin
Oliver Rose
Aimee Boote
Chester Mama x 2
Lucy Miedema
Emily Lorimer x 2
Tyler Batchelor
Reid Winter
Aidan Stewart
Ellie Cockfield
Ingrid Van Rijnsoever
Kieran Russell
Isaac Stratford x 2
Timmi Aplin-Barrett
Maggi Johnson
Patrick Bell
Anise Theurillat
Rebecca Lomax x 2
Bailey Stevens
Azabeth Gardiner
Daniel Fisher x 5
Chontelle Mortimer
Aleisha Griffiths x 3
Anastasia Sheehan
Heather Evans x 2
Year 10
Kayla Goodman
Dylan Robertson
Jolene Black
Tyler Kanara-Haru
Leah Lemon
Celeste Bowman
Kelly Lachlan
Brianna Wilson
Shavannah Kemp-Poulton
Year 11
Logan Holden-Boddy
Year 13
Ruby Manson
Jade Finkle
School News
Uniform
ALL Year 11 & 12 students on site need to be in full school uniform.
This includes exams.
Mawhera Services Academy – Bush
Bash Exercise
The team were dropped off at the bottom of
Kakawai Peak, which is off Marsden Road. We
headed off along a muddy goat track, our house
(packs) on our backs, pushing through pain and
muscle fatigue, up the steep hill that led us to a trig
station which was the highest point. The team then
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pushed through uncharted territory to get to our first night lock, which was on top of a
ridge with a 100m drop on two sides. We had to prepare our sleeping area with our ET
(entrenching tool) and saw to make the ground habitable.
We erected our hutchies just as heavy rain hit us. Individually we rustled up our dinner
just as night fell, so it was off to bed. Next morning we got woken up at 05.30 and
given 30mins to pack all of our stuff up and move out. We walked up steep hills,
through sticky mud and moss, pushing through vines and leaping over slippery trees all
with our homes still on our backs. We arrived at the hut at about 1300 hrs, having
covered 15km by compass, protractor and map, confirmed with GPS. The team started
to cook lunch, until the Team Leader Rayner
Basalaj said ‘pack up, keep walking down the hill’.
Another 3km away following another goat track
we came out on to Omoto Valley Road where we
were uplifted by van and taken back to the
Academy.
As a newbie to the academy and tramping, I
found it enjoyable, rewarding and extremely tiring
and difficult. I would definitely do it all again.
Having finished this exhausting tramp I have
achieved the pre-requisite to attend the Queen
Charlotte Sound Tramp, a 78km tramp over three
days.
Renee Molloy
Mawhera Services Academy
Senior Study Leave
Timetabled classes for seniors will continue to run until Friday 21st November.
Students with exams
Study leave starts on Friday 7th November for students with external exams.
However, students may continue to attend timetabled classes to further prepare for their
exams or they may be on study leave at home.
Students who are not entered for exams
Students who have fully internally assessed courses should continue to attend classes and
complete the set work. If all work is complete then they will not be required to attend.
All students
While attending school during the period 7th - 21st November students should be in uniform
and must be in their normal timetabled rooms during this time. Students cannot choose to
"hang out" at school or to work in rooms where teachers have other classes operating.
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Student Café Focus Group
Harrison Pinnock and Josh Brears from 9RE are working as part of a
focus group for changes to the school cafeteria.
Year 13
Year 13 students were treated
to morning tea with staff last
Thursday and posed for a
photo in their togas!
Karoro Learning - ACE Courses enrolling now:

Dog Obedience Training 11 Nov - Tuesdays

Cheese Making – Hokitika - 15 November

Upholstery Course – W/E 29/30th November

Learners Licence Workshops - Every Friday!
Planning for 2015
Soap Making, Making your own cleaning products, Seafood Cooking Workshop, Sewing
classes, Yoga workshops & classes, Waitangi Workshop – Understanding the Treaty,
Learn Spanish , Silkscreen Printing, Learn Guitar and more….
www.karoro.co.nz
0800 938 3224
Sporting News
Bluelight Boot Camp
On Wednesday 5 November, the
Bluelight Boot Camp Team went to
Karoro learning and participated in the
police PCT test. What a challenge!!
Jumping over and rolling under
obstacles, dragging 'bodies', pushing
trailers, jumping through windows and
over fences. It’s fair to say Miss
Sibtsen and Ms Schwabe will never
make the cut as police officers,
however some of the students did
extraordinarily well!!
Cara Sibtsen
HOD Phys Ed/Health/Outdoor Ed
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Calendar
November
Friday 14 November
Wednesday 19 November
Friday 21 November
Thursday 27 November
PPTA Pain Union Meeting. See front page of newsletter for details.
7.00pm Board of Trustees meeting in the school Library Annex.
Last day for senior classes.
7.30pm Senior Prizegiving in Coxon Hall.
December
Monday 1 December
Tuesday 2 December
Wednesday 3 December
Thursday 4 December
Monday 8 December
Tuesday 9 December
Westland Anniversary Day.
Last day for NZQA exams.
John Parsons: Sessions with Year 9 & 10 students.
Year 13 Leavers Dinner @ Shantytown.
Junior Prizegiving.
Year 9 - 2015 Orientation morning.
Student Absences
If you know that your child will be absent from school please contact us on our new
absence line: 0800 GREYHIGH (0800 473 944)
Homework Club is held every Wednesday from 3.15 - 4.15pm in the Art Room. All
year levels welcome!
Maths Tutorials - Room 2, lunchtime on Tuesday. ALL welcome.
Senior English Tutorials. The library is available 3.30 - 4.30pm every Thursday
as a senior English study space for the rest of this term. At least two English teachers
are in the library ready to help with your questions every Thursday, and computers and
tablets are also available. All senior English students are welcome.
Uniform Shop Hours
Only a few remaining until the end of the year!
Thursdays – 12.00 noon until 6.00pm
 13 November 2014
 20 November 2014
 27 November 2014
 04 December 2014
Greymouth Christmas Carnival & Parade
Saturday 6 December
Carnival: 10.00am – 3.00pm, Parade starts at 1.00pm
For more information, please make contact on email:
[email protected]
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