glendowie news - Glendowie College

glendowie news
Friday, 13th February 2015
Dear Parents, Caregivers & Whānau,
More Academic Success
NZQA scholarship results were released
this week. Our students gained 23
scholarships, including two outstanding
scholarships. This is a superb result that
staff, students and whānau can be very
proud of.
Upcoming Events:
17
Y9 Information Evening - 5pm
Also the number of students gaining
NCEA endorsed with merit or excellence
are outstanding. I’ve provided more
detail about these below.
The
scholarship and endorsement results
demonstrate that Glendowie students
are among the top in New Zealand.
20
Athletics Sports Day
On Monday, students attended the annual swimming sports. This was a fun
day of participation and swimming for your house, alongside very talented
swimmers competing for top honours. A huge thanks to our sports staff Mr
Crummer, Mrs Beattie, and other staff who organised and ran this event.
March
It’s hard to believe that it’s week 3 of term 1 and the summer holidays are
becoming a distant memory. Students have settled into classes and sports
are under way.
23-27 MAADI Cup
February
16, 17 Year 13 Leadership Days
23-27 Summerfest
25
BOT Meeting - 6pm
27
Eastern Zone Athletics
10-12 ERO Visit
12
Parents’ Association Meeting
I look forward to attending the ‘Head of the Harbour’ Rowing Regatta this
weekend at Lake Pupuke.
Scholarship Success
Our students gained 23 scholarships in 2014 – including two ‘outstanding’ scholarships! Outstanding
scholarships are awarded to the top 0.3% of students in a subject across New Zealand and are a huge honour.
This is a fantastic result. It reflects the commitment of staff who had a goal in 2013 to lift the number of
scholarships. The scholarship winners were:
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Manon Blackman (English, History)
Paul Fitzgerald (Chemistry)
Christine Geronimo (History)
Evie Gillan (Physical Education)
Jacob Haugh (Accounting)
Isabella Hawkins (English)
Laura Hay (Classical Studies)
Alana Lancaster (Physical Education)
Andy (Chi Hung) Wong (English)
Sonia Mijatov (English, Art History, Photography)
Dominic Murrell (Statistics)
Clark Samuel (History)
Emma Sandford (Classical Studies)
Diana Simumpande (Photography – Outstanding)
Adam Szentes (English)
Zen Takahashi (Economics, Japanese)
Cameron Tuckey (Statistics – Outstanding)
Adam White (History, Classical Studies)
I believe that ‘it takes a village to educate a child’. In praising these students and their subject teachers, I also
acknowledge the involvement of staff across the school and parents in supporting this achievement.
w: glendowie-college.school.nz
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p: +64 9 575 9128
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e: [email protected]
glendowie news
Merit and Excellence Endorsements – a top school in New Zealand
Just below scholarship are merit and excellence endorsements. These are awarded to students who gain over 50
credits in merit or excellence at their respective level. It is a challenging academic goal.
At Glendowie College it is now standard for (well) over half of each year group to achieve NCEA endorsed with
either Merit or Excellence. This puts us above the national average for decile 10 schools in New Zealand, and
well above the overall New Zealand average. We are one of the top academic schools in New Zealand.
Outstanding!
In 2014 our endorsement rates (i.e. the percentage of students achieving NCEA who did so with an overall merit
or excellence endorsement) were:
2014
2013
Level 1
61.5%
72.8%
Level 2
56.8%
50.8%
Level 3
58.1%
56.3%
The level 3 results are superb. They have been above the national decile 10 average for the last two years, i.e.
placing our students at the very top of New Zealand.
Level 2 results continue to improve and are at the decile 10 average. Level 1 results are solid, but have dropped
to below what we expect. Curriculum leaders are now reviewing individual subject data and analysing how we
will return level 1 endorsements to expected levels in 2015.
Meet the Principal – Cottage Meetings
The cottage meetings mentioned in the last newsletter will be held in the college library at 7pm on Tuesday
24th and Thursday 26th February. We will provide drinks (juice) and sweet nibbles.
As these have filled up, I will run another meeting on Tuesday 10th March @ 7pm. If you would like to attend
this evening, please contact my PA (Debbie Lawn) and she will book you in. You can phone her at school (p:
575 9128), or email her on [email protected] .
Parents Association
I had the pleasure of attending the first Parents’ Association meeting for 2015, and meeting a group of highly
motivated parents who support the students and staff of Glendowie College.
This group generously donated $500 to the college welfare grant, which will be matched by the local office of
Barfoot and Thompson. These funds are distributed to students or families facing financial hardship; to
support their child’s education at the college. It is administered by the college’s guidance counsellor – Glenda
Nielson. We are very appreciative of these donations.
The Parents’ Association is a fun way to get involved at the school, and to meet other parents. They meet
twice a term in the evening. If you want to join or find our more, email the chair Nicole Parish
([email protected]). There’s also information on the school website (about us … parents association)
and some of the team will be at the Year 9 Parents’ information evening to talk to.
Thank you to Nicole and the team for your hard work and support.
R Dykes
Principal
w: glendowie-college.school.nz
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p: +64 9 575 9128
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e: [email protected]
glendowie news
Swimming Sports
th
Students participate in the annual Swimming Sports (Monday 9 February).
House Points
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1st place
2nd place
3rd place
4th place
665 points
580 points
567 points
406 points
America
Pacific
Asia
Europe
Teacher Only Day … Hot off the Press
Today has been a professional learning day for staff as
they discuss the following topics:
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2014 NCEA analysis
ERO pre-visit information
Māori & Pasifika Achievement strategy
Key Competencies
It is invaluable to have a solid block of time to gather all
staff together and discuss how we can keep improving our
teaching programmes. We appreciate the cost of this day
to you and students, and thank you for your support.
w: glendowie-college.school.nz
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Staff review the college’s mentoring process of Māori &
Pasifika students as part of Teacher Only Day
p: +64 9 575 9128
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e: [email protected]
glendowie news
Building Programme
This week we agreed with the ministry to receive two relocatable classrooms (prefabs) in term 2. They are due to
arrive in term 2 and will be placed on the field behind the Hammer block. They will be brand new, with one
specially designed to accommodate our growing dance classes.
These are a short-term solution while the college works with an architect to develop a long-term master plan for
the campus as a whole. In developing a master plan the BOT and college will ensure that all work is carefully
thought through, and that we deliver the best possible campus for our students – now and into the future.
This master plan will be based on modern learning theory and school design to provide indoors (e.g. classrooms,
breakout spaces) and outdoors (e.g. student quads, sports facilities) environments.
The purpose of this master plan is not that we will refurbish the whole school over the next 2-3 years. That would
be lovely, but is not realistic. It does mean that as we start new projects, such as the construction of the new
building over the next two years, we will do it in a co-ordinated way that reflects the overall long-term needs and
values of our students and community. It will also enable us to look strategically for extra development
opportunities that we may be able to bring forward.
We will keep you informed as we work through this process.
ICT Induction for Year 9 Students
In Week 1, year 9 students attended an assembly provided by the Tech Busters and our ICT Manager to provide
information about the ICT facilities available at the college. Some of the topics were the appropriate use of ICT
tools while at school, how to stay safe on-line, setting up WiFi access on personal devices, how to use Google
Drive, and health and safety information regarding digital device use.
During week 2, each year 9 form class attended a session in the ICT Lab where the students were supplied with
instructions on how to log in to their school network account and Google Apps account. Students also learnt how
to use “GC Net” - our online learning management system. These sessions provided students with all the
information they need to use the ICT facilities here at the college.
2015 Musical Production ‘Grease’
This year’s production is the well-known musical ‘Grease’. The students for the lead roles were announced last
week, with Luke Peterson as Danny and Lauren Hunter as Sandy. Rehearsals for this show which features muchloved songs and lots of spectacular dancing will get underway soon.
Keep 14th to 18th May free for this must see show and start thinking about your costume for the dress up opening
night. Anyone willing to assist in any way please contact Mrs Stone, [email protected].
w: glendowie-college.school.nz
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p: +64 9 575 9128
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e: [email protected]
glendowie news
Outstanding Scholarship in Photography
Diana Simumpande (Year 13, 2014), received an outstanding
scholarship in Photography in the NCEA exam results
announced this week.
Diana Simumpande
Diana's folio has been selected by the NCEA markers to be
part of the annual Top Art tour - a selection of the top year 13
Visual Arts Folio boards - and will tour schools and other
locations throughout New Zealand this year.
A photo from Diana’s folio photos
Duke of Edinburgh
The Duke of Edinburgh program is going from strength to strength. This year we expect in excess of 100 students
to participate in the program. Enrolment forms can be collect from Student Services and need to be handed back
to Mr Thompson in Student Services no later than Wednesday, 18th February 2015.
The training weekend will take place at Whatipu Lodge in
the Waitakere Ranges on 28th February and 1st March. If
any parents are keen to help out with the program they
can contact Mr Thompson on
[email protected].
This year we would like to welcome a new teacher Ms
Susan Phillips who will be running the Bronze Award. Ms
Anna Vincent will run the Gold Award and Mr Richard
Thompson will run the Silver Award scheme.
Congratulations to the Gold students from last year who
completed the Te Paki Coastal Track in December 2014.
They walked for 4 days and completed 70km carrying
everything on their back.
DOE students at Cape Reinga
w: glendowie-college.school.nz
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p: +64 9 575 9128
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e: [email protected]
glendowie news
2015 Deputy Head Prefects
Congratulations to Joshua Oliver and Paige O’Connor,
our Deputy Head Prefects for 2015.
Athletics Sports Reminder
The annual Athletics Sports will be held next Friday, 20th February. Students will compete in track and field events
raising points for their Houses.
All competitors must be changed into P.E. uniform shorts and a House colour T-shirt or singlet or P.E. top when
competing. Points are awarded for participating in a House coloured T-shirt or singlet.
House colours are: America – red, Asia – yellow, Europe – green, Pacific – blue.
Students are not permitted to compete in events in mufti or inappropriate clothing. House costumes are allowed
but students are not to participate in track and field events in them. They must change into P.E. shorts and House
coloured T shirts when participating. Students may come to school with some face paint as long as this is done at
home (no paint at school).
Students are reminded to bring sunscreen, a hat and to drink lots of water during the day.
Opportunity of a Lifetime!
If you would like more information about the History trip to
Vietnam in April 2016, contact Michelle Simpson
([email protected]) at the college.
w: glendowie-college.school.nz
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p: +64 9 575 9128
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e: [email protected]