Kia ora koutou
Students and staff have started the Term in a very positive way. We have already enjoyed the Cross-country last week, which always seems to be the signal for the Winter Terms.
We acknowledge the difficulties that the new timetable brings and appreciate the many mechanisms staff, students and parents are using to make this work for students’ learning.
As well as the new timetable students are engaging well with the mobile phone ban. There has been some confusion relating to times that students are allowed phones. This is due to the nature of the junior students finishing earlier and senior students starting later.
This guidance that has been given is inclusive of all students. This means that for this term, we are asking students to keep their phones away from 8:10am until 3.25pm for ALL students during the entire school day. (2:20 pm on Wednesdays)
Upcoming Dates
This Term is a busy one for many reasons, I have outlined some upcoming dates for your diaries. We apologise that some of these dates mean that students are not at school but please understand that these dates are set externally, such as the PPTA Union meeting (contractual obligations) and Teacher only day. ( Ministry of Education requirements)
PPTA Paid Union Meeting – 16 May
The PPTA have provided notice of their intention to hold a Paid Union Meeting on Thursday, 16 May. Teaching staff will be off-site this morning.
Year 12 and 13 students will start at 11.55, Year 11 students will start at 12.40. Year 9 and 10 students will stay home for online learning, learning to be provided for students on Schoology for period 5.
If your child is under 14 and requires supervision on this day, please contact your child’s Dean. We have a number of non-union staff who will supervise your child.
Upcoming Dates
8-9 May Level 3 Production – To kill a mockingbird.
8-10 May Music Roadshow
9-10 May NZ Careers Expo
14 May Open Evening, 5:45 pm to 9:00 pm
16 May PPTA Paid Union Meeting
23 May Whānau Hui
31 May Teacher Only Day
3 June KING’S BIRTHDAY HOLIDAY
5 June SMP Jazz Mid-Year Concert, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, ARA
6 June UC Discovery Day
6-7 June Manu Kōrero Speech Competition
7 June Big Sing Regionals
11 June Ashburton College Sports Exchange
11 June Showquest Performance Evening
11-13 June Chamber Music Districts
17-21 June ARA Jazzquest – Combo Contest
20 June Midwinter Christmas Concert
20 June Senior Parent Teacher Conferences, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
25 June Senior Parent Teacher Conferences, 1:45 pm to 5:15 pm
25-27 June Northwest Festival, Aurora Centre
27 June End of Semester One
28 June MATARIKI
1 July PTA Meeting, 7:30 pm, Staffroom
1-5 July Solo Performance Exams
5 July End of Term 2
Ngā Mihi
Andrea Magson
