Term 1, Issue 2, 20 February 2019

 A Word from Fraser 

Welcome to week 4 everyone, our first week of Learning Modules and Flight Times for 2019. There has been plenty of excitement and some nerves from both teachers and students this week as we launched into our full range of learning programmes. It is brilliant to see the engagement from our learners from the outset. I am excited to see our learners soar with their learning over the coming semester and year!
 

In keeping with our focus on establishing very clear expectation and routines at RJHS, we have begun Ahurea time this week including our Iwi assemblies. Each fortnight we will have a focus at our assemblies that connects with our SOAR to positive behaviour expectations and the social and emotional learning programme that takes place in advisory. Each fortnight I will give the students some challenges aligned to SOAR. It would be awesome if these challenges and themes could be topics of discussion at home, this really reinforces the positive discussion and activities happening here at school during advisory and lesson times. Here are my challenges for the fortnight:

• Can you make someone who is new to our place and looking lost or lonely feel better?

• Can you offer to help make our spaces better?

The social and emotional learning focus is around defining growth mindset and what is your personal best? We want to be clear that doing your best is not necessarily being the best!

Hopefully that can spark some discussion at home around the dinner table!

A quick but big thank you to all of you who helped out on EOTC trips and camps. This has been a huge success, with many new friends made, challenges taken on and achieved! We can’t do this with plenty of whānau (family) support so thanks heaps!

Schoology at RJHS

Within the next 2 weeks new parents/caregivers to the school will receive login details from Schoology for your own parent access accounts, and existing parents will be linked to their children who started in 2019. Schoology is the learning management system we use that has functions such as resource sharing between teachers and students, submission of student work, and progress-tracking to encourage both students and parents to engage with learning progress and develop student agency.

We are also working towards it being a reliable platform for communication with family and community, about all things in school life: learning, sports, arts and culture, opportunities, events and notices.

In the first instance, we would invite you to log in and view your account, and manage your account settings - such as email alerts you recieve and also download the Schoology app onto your smartphone if you have one, to manage receiving alerts if you want to, or turning them off if you don’t. Accounts are generated using supplied email address, so instances where 2 parents in a family have enrolled with the same email address, only one account will be created.

Later this term, we will alert you when students have received their first more formal feedback and grades in their modules - our ‘Rich Learning Experiences’. Until then, you are welcome to browse course materials as they are posted, and keep an eye on the messages coming through the Updates feed.

Drop-Off and Pick-Up Parking and Safety

A quick but important message for all of those people who are doing pick-ups and drop-offs here at school. No-one is to park on grass verges at any time. This is a significant safety risk when vehicles then attempt to leave crossing footpaths that have student pedestrians. This may mean a longer wait but it also ensures everyone stays safe. If you don’t like the wait in your vehicle you may want to consider meeting your child at a mutually agreed spot further from school at 3.30-3.40pm. They can catch up with friends on this walk and you avoid the traffic overload at the school gate!

If you are directed by staff when in the parking area please note that we are just trying to keep everyone safe! A polite and respectful response is much appreciated.

Attitude Talks

On Tuesday 5th March, students across Years 7 to 10 will be attending a presentation from Attitude. Attitude are New Zealand’s largest external health provider.

Our Year 7 and 8 students will be receiving a presentation called 'Friendship Factor'. This presentation covers topics such as building positive and healthy relationships, handling rejection, dealing with conflict and bullying. This fits alongside the focus for our advisory programme this term which is building relationships.

Our Year 9 and 10 students will be receiving a presentation called 'Hauora'. This presentation covers the idea of holistic well being and how teenagers might interpret different areas of their own well being. The programme gives young people an idea on how to tackle their teenage years and become the best version of themselves that they can be.

Click below for more information about Attitude and their presentations:

If you have any further questions, please email bryceclapham@rhs.school.nz, kendallpears@rhs.school.nz, or ritaharre@rhs.school.nz

Testing at RJHS

In the next few weeks of school our students will sit the Listening Comprehension Progressive Achievement Test (PAT). The PATs are done once a year in Term 1 and they are important for us to track learning progress over time.  

We 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.

Your child can discuss his or her Listening PAT Reports and e-asTTle tests results with you over the next few weeks, and a data report will be sent to you later in the term. This will help your child identify his/her areas of strength as well as areas to work on this year.

RJHS Curriculum Framework 2019-2020

Here at RJHS we have a 2 year curriculum framework that ensures students can have access to a broad and balanced curriculum, as is directed by the Ministry of Education and the New Zealand Curriculum document, for Year 7 - 10 students. Our Curriculum Leaders and teaching teams have designed how learning works best for their Learning area, across 4 Semesters (2 years). Learning at these curriculum levels needs to be spread across such a period as it is not possible to learn everything, in every learning area, every year. As well as the key content being covered, we also ensure the CLOAK, and learning dispositions, is at the centre of curriculum design, as well as key skills and capabilities specific to each Learning Area.

You can click on the button below to see out 2019-202 Curriculum Framework to see what is happening in each Learning Area, each semester.

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