Term 1. Week 2.  Issue 1. 7 February 2018

A Word from Fraser

We are now in Week 2 and I am very pleased to say that we have made a superb start to the year.  I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all of our new students; we hope you take every opportunity to soar at RJHS life.

We are also pleased to be welcoming the following new staff:  

Fiona Ransfield, our new ILA (Inclusive Learning Assistant) in Paepae Roa

Natalie Walker (NWL) in Te Aho Tapu

Elisa Garrido (EGA) in Te Aho Tapu

Olivia Hoebers (OHO) in Aho Rei

Tania Flintoff (TFL) in Aho Rei

Natalie Smith (NSM) in Pūreke

Gail Abbitt (GAB) in Ngoi

Sharin Singh (SSN) in Ngoi

Bridget McGrath (BMC) in Ngoi

Kimberley Modlik (KMD) in Whenu

Jody Nixon (JNI) in Taniko

Esther Prendergast (EPR) in Taniko

Noema Watene (NWT) in Taniko

Danielle le Heron (DLE) in Aho

Cendrine Pfister (CPF) in Aho

We are fortunate to have such high calibre staff joining our amazing RJHS team.

Our students are all based in their Advisory and Hapū groups until the end of next week. Over the next two weeks our students will be experiencing some amazing outdoor experiences with their teachers and peers.  A special thanks to Cameron Burrows, our EOTC Leader, who has done a superb job in bringing the EOTC programme together for 9 Hapū.  Thank you also to the Hapū leaders and your teams for the time you have put into organising your particular Hapū EOTC events.  

EOTC experiences bring huge benefits to our Advisories and Hapū groups as our teachers and students really get to know each other in a setting outside of school.  This is an opportunity to connect and form close relationships between students and staff.  Strong relationships are the foundation of effective teaching and learning once we are back at school.  

And of course EOTC provides our learners with the opportunity to challenge their mindset, learn new skills and develop their interpersonal and leadership skills.  

A huge thank you also to the parents and caregivers who have given up time to come along and enjoy these experiences with us.  We truly appreciate your time and contribution. Again this is another relationship that will benefit as the year goes on from these experiences.

One of the features of our EOTC programme is the inclusion of a community service task.  We believe in making difference to our community and we know from past experience that this experience has a positive impact on the students and the community. Community service partnerships couldn’t take place without some committed volunteers from our community, another relationship we really appreciate.  

This time in advisories over the first three weeks is vital for equipping our students with all the tools they need to immerse themselves in the Module and Flight Time learning from the start of Week 4.  Students are doing a range of learning activities aimed at equipping them with the ability to set their goals and identify what is on top for their learning as we start the year.  During this time they are participating in a range of cooperative activities, testing, goal-setting, reflection and of course EOTC tasks.

For those of you new to RJHS I want to encourage you to make contact with your child’s advisory teacher over the next few weeks.  This is a very important relationship as they should be the first port of call if you have any queries or concerns.

Upcoming and Important Dates

11 February - Weetbix Tryathlon

19 February - Semester 1 Courses begin

21 February - RHS Swimming Sports 4-8pm

26 February - Student Leadership applications open

28 February & 02 March - Senior Netball Trials

7 & 9 March - Year 9 & 10 Netball Trials

14 & 16 March - Year 7 & 8 Netball Trials

14 March - Student Leadership applications close

16 March - Student Leadership positions announced

22 March - Hapū parents meet and greet - 6-7pm

30 March to 03 April - Easter Weekend, school closed

13 April - Term 1 Ends

Rototuna Sports Park

Stage 1 Earthworks

From Wednesday, 7 February, contractors working for Hamilton City Council will begin earthworks on the site of the future sports park planned for Rototuna – the patch of bare land adjacent to our school.  

The contractors will be levelling the park surface, Stage One of an anticipated three-year development.

The earthworks will be significant and you will see the land barricaded off with a combination of earth bunds and fencing so it cannot be accessed or used as a shortcut. The project will involve heavy machinery including trucks, tractors and diggers. We are urging all members of our school community to keep well clear of the site while work is underway.  

Vehicles will be accessing the site from the North City Road end, so we may see a slight increase in traffic in the area.

Please take care around the site of this work, which is expected to last about eight weeks.

Expectations

On Time ready to learn

Students are expected in learning spaces by the start of the block time. Students who are not are marked as late. Three late arrivals requires follow-up by the LA including home contact.

Devices & headphones

When teachers or students are speaking to the wider group or smaller group of learners laptops are expected to be closed. Headphones should never be in ears when instructions are being given or collaborative/group based tasks are taking place.

Phones should not be seen during lessons-they should be turned off or on silent and away in pockets.

Students turning up with no equipment

This was quite a big issue last year. This is one of the most basic ‘self-management’ strategies so it is important that we all have the same expectation that students arrive in class with the equipment they require to ensure learning can happen.

Uniform, We are ambassadors of RJHS and represent with pride.

Most common issues last year were footwear, socks, hoodies and shirts etc underneath uniform. Footwear all black, socks plain black or white. Under shirt plain Black or plain white (winter only). No hoodies. Any non uniform items will be confiscated and returned to parents/guardians.

Assessment for Learning at RJHS 

At Rototuna Junior High School we use a variety of information to get to know our students and their learning needs.  As well as in-class observations, samples of student work, and SOLO rubrics, we also use information from standardised testing.  We use this information to identify learning strengths and areas of need, informing our teaching and learning programme planning.    

In the first five weeks of school our students will sit the Listening Comprehension PAT. PATs are done once a year in Term 1 and they are important for us to track learning progress over time.  The Listening Comprehension is important because it assesses a student's comprehension of texts read to them. This focus reflects the New Zealand Curriculum (MOE, 2007) requirement that students make meaning of ideas or information in the listening mode; it also reflects our understanding of the intention of key competencies (thinking critically).  Listening comprehension is vital for making progress through the curriculum.

In weeks four and five students will also complete e-asTTle testing in Mathematics and Reading.  These tests have been designed to more narrowly focus on the strands/topics for this semester.  The e-asTTle tests are more specific to the current module contexts. Your child’s e-asTTle individual learning pathway is helpful to show strengths and areas to be achieved. The benefit of using this assessment tool is that we can also use similar assessments at the end of the semester to measure learning progress over the first two terms.

Over the next few weeks your child’s teachers will discuss the Listening PAT reports and e-asTTle tests results.  This will help your child identify his/her areas of strength as well as areas to work on this year.   

Learning Advisory Term 1

Learning Advisories are a key part of reaching our school Vision. The goals of the Advisory curriculum are to develop the dispositions embedded in our CLOAK and to empower our students to be:

Connected to their learning and their communities

Inspired as learners and as citizens

Soaring academically, personally and socially

The Term 1 Learning Objectives are:

1.  To be able to relate well to others and manage different relationships.

2.  To feel connected to RJHS and identify as a member of our community and develop a

     sense of belonging.

3. To effectively and ethically use digital communication tools such as emails,

    documents, drives and presentations.

Each week Advisory time will include aspects of our Health and Physical Education curriculum, one-on-one time with the Advisory Teacher (goal setting, reflection on learning, etc.) and academic coaching (course selections, identifying areas of need, etc.).

The Learning Advisory teacher is someone you and your child can go to for help and support.  They are your ‘go to’ person at RJHS.

Student Leadership Opportunities

At Rototuna Junior High School we seek to develop leadership skills and potential in our students. There are many ways leadership is fostered such as Student Hapu Leaders, Ambassadors,  Sports council, Manaaki Tauira and through the many music, drama and school groups and clubs.

Our main formal leadership opportunities are our Student Hapu Leadership team, Ambassadors,  Manaaki Tauira and Sports Council. Applications will open on the 26th Feb and close on the 14th March. Please see your Hapu Leaders for more information or go to the Cloakroom.

Bussing to School

BUSIT have plans to bring the 4 Flagstaff, 16 Rototuna and RC Rototuna Circular buses directly to the school from early this year. They’ve made route and timetable changes to allow these services to run up to the school, but this is based around the extension to Kimbrae Drive opening. The work on the road has not yet been completed so all buses will run along Borman Road until the new road opens. In the meantime buses will stop on Borman Road, near Chesham Street. Students can walk through to school via Chesham and Chadwick streets, and the walkway.  Visit busit.co.nz for more information on local bus routes – student BUSIT card fares are $1.70 each way.

Thanks – and we’re sorry we can’t start the service from Day One of Term One. The best laid plans of mice and men and all that!

Susi Marinkovich | Team Leader – Customer Focus

Waikato Regional Council

M: 021 680 267

P: 07 859 0935

E: susi.marinkovich@waikatoregion.govt.nz

Hamilton Marist Rugby Club

Competition Grades 2018 Teams

**Pre-season Skills & Fitness Training**

Calling all 11th – 13th Grade Rugby players

Sunday Sessions 10am – 12pm at Marist Clubrooms

March 11th, 18th, and 25th

Please be there as from these sessions we will be developing

the competition grades for the 2018 season.

The 25th March sessions will be simulated games to create the teams.

Also if you are keen to coach or manage a competition team grade team

please contact us.

Steve Burgess 027 335 8866 or

Email Hamilton.marist.junior.rugby@gmail.com

Please remember to bring a drink bottle, boots or sneakers and a great attitude!!  

Itinerant Music Lessons

We are looking forward to another year of making music together and encouraging students to grow their talents and passions further. If you are interested in learning an instrument or having vocal tuition, all of the information is set out in the link below. The Itinerant Music Scheme is a Ministry of Education initiative that gives students the opportunity to learn an instrument at school from highly skilled and experienced music teachers at a minimal cost. Lessons run during school time for 30 minutes each week.

This is a fantastic opportunity so please read the information on the link below and complete the google form. If you wish to continue from last year you will need to complete the google form also.

Any queries please feel free to email me.  Email:  helenmackenzie@rhs.school.nz 

Procedures for Absences/Sickbay/Lost Property

Please report all absences to the school by calling (07) 8540541 - press 1 for absentees, or by emailing absences@rhs.school.nz preferably before 8:30am on the day of the absence. You will need to provide a reason for the absence for our records.  

Absences are unjustified unless the student is too sick to attend school, or has suffered a family bereavement.  After three consecutive days of medical absence a medical certificate must be provided to the school.

Reminder:  When students are feeling unwell, they are to go to their teacher to get a sickbay referral.  The nurse/first aider will then contact home if necessary.  Students are NOT to contact their caregivers directly.  Please do not come to collect your child unless you have heard from the school.

Lost Property:  there are lost property bins in Hapus and in Student Services.  There was quite a number of items picked up yesterday, if your child has missing items please check with Student Services.