Stratford High School: http://www.stratfordhigh.school.nz Vol20 Issue 1

Stratford High School

February 18, 2020

Photos from around the school this term: year 13 students at leadership camp, welcome Powhiri, TSSSA beach volleyball, tabloid sports, Te Rangimarie Starbuudy presentation and senior student leaders.

Welcome to 2020, a very special welcome to all our new students, whanau and staff. We are looking

forward to you being part of our school community in 2020 and beyond. I hope that you all had a wonderful break over the summer, enjoying time with family and friends. I encourage you to keep open lines of communication with the school and contact us directly if you have any concerns. We are sure you will enjoy your association with our school. Our newsletters are available at the beginning of each month. They are emailed to parents/caregivers, available on the school website http://stratfordhigh.ultranet.school.nz/WebSpace/ or a link will be posted on the EDGE app.

The beginning of the year has been very hectic but enjoyable and I would like to thank the staff for all their work in ensuring a smooth start. It was very pleasing to see the large number of parents and whanau who attended our Year 9 Powhiri. Your sons and daughters are entering an exciting and challenging time in their educational journey and you can be assured that we have quality people here who will assist them to accelerate their learning and provide a range of other opportunities. The afternoon saw the Year 9 and 13 students involved in tabloid sports. It was a time of great hilarity, allowing students to participate and the Year 13s to put into practice the leaderships skills they learned at camp.

Our school values are:HONEST (Pono) – Be truthful with yourself and othersEXCEL (Hiranga) - Give everything your bestAROHA (Aroha) – Show care, compassion and considerationRESPONSIBLE (Haepapa) – Do the right thingTOLERANT (Manawanui) – Be patient, be understanding

We would like all students to live out these values while at Stratford High School.New staff:We welcome several new staff members to our school this year. Mr Dirk Vermeulen and Miss Hima Doluwe-Gedara (Maths department), Mr Mark Thornton-Pett (Science department) and Mr Nicholas Orr (Music). In addition, Whaea Jo will be in school on Monday and Tuesday as our counsellor while Mrs Albers undertakes further study.Learning Support Coordinators:The Central Taranaki Kahui Ako was allocated four learning support coordinator positions. The coordinators are: Maree Stark, Joanne Lourie, Katherine Bathclear and Lisa Dent. The coordinators will work from Avon School but will be working across all 14 of our schools. Lisa Dent will be based at Stratford High School and will work with our school.

Student Leadership TeamWe named our student leaders last week and House leaders will be named in time for athletics on Monday 24 February. Senior student leaders are: Trint Kelsen (Head Boy) and Courtney Tippett (Head Girl). To assist these students this year we have appointed a Deputy Head Boy and Girl. Ethan McGrath and Maddie Butler are our deputies for 2020. The rest of the student

leadership team is Hannah Patterson (Student Council), Kala Fakavamoeanga (Kaitataki), Julia Howatson (Arts Captain), Nancy Kirk (BOT), Charlotte Mitchell and Simon Clegg (Sports Captains). Congratulations to these students and I look forward to working with them this year.

Timetable for 2020:This year we will be operating a 10 day timetable rather than the 6 day timetable we have operated in the past. The new bell times are on the school website: http://stratfordhigh.ultranet.school.nz/Web/60/Each Wednesday period 3 will be a utilities period when we will hold either full school assembly, deans’ assembly or house assembly. If there is no assembly then students will have form time in which tracking of progress and attendance monitoring will take place. We have introduced a programme called “Career Central” that form teachers can use during this form time.

Every student at Stratford High School can achieve; this means being the best you can be. Make the most of the potential you have been given. That is attainable for all students. It is important to start Term 1 well, which means start as you plan to continue. During this term you will lay the foundations for the success for the rest of the year. One of the most powerful influences on how well a student does at school is the student themselves. Students need to have a ‘can-do’ and ‘give it everything’ attitude if they are to reach their potential.

My expectations of every student are simple. I expect every student to:• Make learning their priority• Come to school each day prepared for learning• Take responsibility for themselves and their behaviour• Wear their uniform correctly and with pride• Look after the school property and learning

environment• Respect themselves, other students and staff• Work hard to reach their potentialThe key to our continued success as a school is the partnership between school and home. If we work together and support each other, our young people get a huge advantage. Please stay in touch with what is happening at school and do not hesitate to contact us is there is anything you want to discuss. Together we can ensure that students fortunate enough to attend Stratford High School continue to receive the best possible education.

We ask that parents remember the following as we start an exciting new year at Stratford High School.

ATTENDANCE + ATTITUDE = ACHIEVEMENT

From the PrinciPal’s Desk

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8.45 – 9.00 FORM CLASS9.00 – 10.00 Period 110.00 – 11.00 Period 211-00 – 11.30 INTERVAL11.30 – 12.30 Period 312.30 – 1.30 Period 41.30 – 2.15 LUNCH BREAK2.15 – 3.15 Period 5

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Finally, I hope that the return to school has been a positive experience and that all students are looking to seize the opportunities that the school has on offer in academic, cultural and sporting pursuits, as well as in service to the school and its community. No reira tena koutou katoa.Philip Keenan, Principal

WELCOME TO NEW STUDENTSAre you new to school?Are you a parent of a year 9 student?Welcome and warm greetings. Settling into a new school takes time and can be a bit daunting at first. However, we have several supportive initiatives in place to ensure that our students have a good day at school learning.Some tips for new parents to our school:• Ask your child how their day at school has gone. Ask about

their year 13 buddy and what activities they have taken part in together.

• Ensure that your child has eight hours of uninterrupted sleep each night, so they are ready for their next day at school.

• If they are anxious, if they become quiet or seem not to be making friends, let me know as the school can be of help.

Peer SupportAll year 9 students have a peer support person from year 13. They will meet regularly with this person in a group situation. Together they follow a programme to introduce them to a new school, to support them as they make new friends and offer a listening ear to ensure that they know the expectations at Stratford High School. The peer supporter is a friend to encourage, motivate and care.

DeansEach year level has two deans/staff who work alongside them. They are: Alex Hickford and Jeff Walker (year 9), Peta Apperley and Bill McGeoch (year 10), Jodie Sullivan and Colin Franklyn (year 11), Jocelyn Baldwin and Richard Armond (year 12), and Riejanne Campbell and Dan Kerr (year 13) If you have any concerns, please contact them. They are always happy to help.

Usage of the School PoolI would like to mention a concern that we as a school have which involves our school pool. Several students and friends are climbing the fence outside of school hours to have a swim. This is particularly dangerous and under new Health and Safety rules could mean that the school will need to close the pool. Not only are these people trespassing on school property, some of the groups are damaging the outside of the changing rooms. The school pool is open at lunchtimes for students to swim.

Class and Form PhotosClass and form photos were taken on 10 February. Students and caregivers will have the opportunity to purchase these photos once they have been processed. Further information and order forms for these will be available from the school next

month. Watch the daily notices and Facebook pages.

EDGE PARENT PORTALOur caregiver/parent portal is open on MUSAC EDGE. The parent portal enables authorised caregivers to see core information about their child including up-to-date attendance, school reports, NCEA summary timetables etc. All students should have been through a computer orientation programme and have access to the EDGE to see their timetables and other notices.Karla Ralph, Deputy Principal

RELAY FOR LIFEThis year the Relay 4 Life is going to be held at the TET stadium in Inglewood on Saturday 28th March. Students who choose to sign up and get involved in this community event will be asking for donations to help support the Taranaki Cancer Society. Last year our school raised more than ever! 2020 we want to go even bigger as the Cancer Society doesn’t receive any direct government funding. They rely on the support and generosity of the community. The money raised through Relay 4 Life stays in our region and helps people in our community. So get involved! Come along and donate Alex Hickford, TIC Relay 4 Life

Year 13 students dressed for dinner at the recent leadership

camp.

UNIFORMWe encourage pride and a strong sense of belonging. Most students are coming to school in full uniform and looking neat and tidy. Please continue to check that your child has the correct uniform and is wearing it and no non-uniform items when they leave home in the morning. Students must wear correct uniform with no extra hoodies, caps, etc. from school as well as too school. Currently, we are noticing students wearing incorrect socks, canvas shoes, non-regulation caps, incorrect earrings and have facial piercings.We will confiscate non-regulation items from students who are persistent offenders. Students with incorrect uniform should report to the SLT for a uniform pass and should have a note explaining when they will have the correct uniform a uniform pass will not be given for facial piercings. If you need help with affording uniform, please ring the school. We can help with the second-hand uniform items through the PTA Sales.

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arounD the school:EXPECTATIONS OF JUNIOR PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSESIt is our philosophy that if a student is too sick to do physical education then they are too sick to be at school. If students are unable to participate due to injury a note is required from a parent or a guardian. Should a student be unable to participate for three or more consecutive lessons a Doctor’s Certificate will be required.• To take an active part in all lessons and therefore

become physically educated.• When someone is talking to the class, everyone is

listening.• On the sound of the whistle – stop, look and listen.• Students are required to wear correct PE gear. This

includes black shorts and a Stratford High School PE shirt (appropriate shoes are optional). If for some reason this gear is not available students are required to bring a note (from a parent or guardian) explaining the reason for the incorrect gear. In this case it is important that students bring alternative gear, so they can still take part.

• It is expected that on swimming day’s students bring both swimming togs and PE gear, as the weather dictates what we do.

Denise Kay, HOD Physical Education

School Payments/InvoicesAll students will have received an invoice for their subject costs for 2020. Please check your invoices to ensure you have been charged for the correct subjects. You will need to advise Mrs Terry, Executive Officer of any changes.If you have an automatic payment you can ring or email Mrs Terry (ts@stratfordhigh.school.nz) and ask that the amount is taken from your account. It is not too late to start an automatic payment and if you do, we advise that $10 per week is a suitable amount for a single student especially if they are intending to participate in extracurricular activities.

Payments can be made at the student office or main office between 8:30am and 4.00pm. When paying by direct banking please include your child’s first and last name. Account details are: TSB Bank, Stratford 15-3947-0328379-00The following fees and costs are compulsory.• Subject material fees – these cover materials supplied

for personal use and are compulsory.• Hireage of musical instruments• Sports fees - fees vary between the different codes• Field trips - only occur in some subjectsCosts of participation in extra-curricular sports and activities that remain unpaid may limit the student’s involvement in these activities in the future.Mrs Terry, Executive Officer

UniformStudents and caregivers are reminded that the summer uniform is being worn this term. If there are issues with any part of the uniform, students need to bring a note and report to a SLT member (Mrs Visser, Mrs Ralph or Mr Keenan) before school starts in order to get a uniform pass. We do have items which we can loan to students.Our thanks to those families who have donated uniform items to the school. Please contact the student office if you wish to inquire about any items for sale.Students can purchase plain black KUKRI jackets by ordering one through Mrs Merson at the sports office. The next order will be sent this term.

Donation of second-hand uniformWe are always grateful to receive any items of school uniform that can be sold. The PTA run our second-hand uniform shop and are very short of PE tops. If you have one you are willing to donate or have sold on-behalf-of, please leave it at the front office. School jackets are another item that could be sold on-behalf-of.

Student Drivers and passengersThe school keeps a register of student drivers and any passengers (to and from school only). Both drivers and passengers are required to have parent/caregiver permission and should be bringing home forms for such at the present time. This information is available to parents to view on their child’s profile and is an important part of keeping your child safe at school.Melanie Visser, Assistant Principal

Lunch passesA student can apply for a permanent lunch pass if they live locally and have parental permission to go home for lunch. They are not allowed to take others with them. Application forms available at the student office. This is an important part of keeping your child safe at school.Melanie Visser, Assistant Principal

PINECONES FOR SALETe Rangimarie students are collecting pinecones for sale. $10 per bag. Please phone 765-6039 extension 735 to order. Proceeds will go to purchasing sensory resources for the students of Te Rangimarie.

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PE SHIRTSIf any senior student would like to donate their old coloured pe shirt to the school, it would be appreciated. All students now have the new shirt but we find these shirts useful during house events. Please leave with your name in the student office.Denise Kay, HOD PE

Are you looking for casual or part time work?Come and join the aquatics industry! The Stratford District Council are looking for lifeguards to join the team at the TSB Pool Complex. If you have a passion for water and think you have what it takes, then apply online now! To apply visit, www.stratford.govt.nz or to talk about what the role involves call in and see the team at the TSB Pool Complex or phone 06 765 6275.

CAREER CENTRAL APPThis year Stratford high school has decided to use a digital platform called Career Central. This platform has been used in the career department for the past year on a trial basis and it is now being rolled out school-wide. Career Central is used to help our

students set goals and keep track of achievements both within and out of school. Career guidance is a huge part of the platform. We encourage our students to look online and check out information on jobs available or try out a Bullseye servey to help guide them to career opportunities tailored to them. Students will be encouraged to use this during the utilities period each week. To view online and get the full experience search up Career Central NZ on your phone or device and download. Your child will need to log on using their school Microsoft account.

CYBER SAFETYDear parent,You are in control of your child’s online activities. Are you concerned about your child’s online activities? The school endeavours to educate students about acceptable online behaviour but you can find more information by looking at https://www.netsafe.org.nz/

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NCEA NEWSThis year the role of Principal’s Nominee (for NZQA matters) is Mr Wayne Smith. Please contact him with any queries regarding NCEA/NZQA matters either by email (sw@stratfordhigh.school.nz) or by phone (7656039).

Congratulations to all the students who had a successful year in 2019 in gaining NCEA, University Entrance and course endorsements. We will be celebrating their academic success in assembly in the weeks ahead.

• “NCEA – A Handbook for Parents and Students” will be available online by the end of this week. The booklet describes the key features of NCEA, includes a timeline of key events and outlines the policies and procedures practised at Stratford High School. You and your child are advised to read through this booklet so that you are familiar with our requirements and expectations (especially regarding attendance).

• A number of classes are beginning or moving towards internal assessment activities and it is important to impress upon your sons and daughters the need to be present before and during assessment, to attempt every part of the assessment, to complete them on time and to do the best that they can. If they are offered resubmissions, they need to turn up at the times allocated by their teacher.

• There are several students involved in Distance Learning programmes this year – STAR, Correspondence School, Trades Academy, 3+2. Credits from their courses contribute to their NCEA results. This learning is self-directed, and the students involved must remain committed to completing their units of work on time to gain the credits available. The students have periods and a room allocated in their timetable to do this work, but some time should be allocated for homework as well.

• Students will have received their 2019 exam papers back from NZQA. A reminder that the opportunity for a review or a reconsideration of any results closes on Friday 21 February. If students are unsure about something, they should bring their papers in and ask their teachers for their opinions. Applying for a review or reconsideration is the student’s responsibility and they can get the details they need through their student login.

An NCEA Information evening for parents, caregivers and whanau will be held in our school library at 7.00pm on Wednesday 26 February.Wayne Smith, Principal’s Nominee

Absence ProceduresAbsences from school have been proven to have a major impact on student learning and achievement. The process for all students (Year 9-14) is as follows:1. Parents/Caregivers ring into the school in the morning

letting us know that a student will not be at school.2. On their return to school, the student must bring a signed

note from the parent/caregiver identifying the period of absence and clearly stating the reason for it.

3. On the morning of their return, the student will collect an “Explanation of Absence Slip” from either the student office, their form teacher or their first period teacher to which the note will be stapled. The student is then required

to show this to their class teachers and get the teachers signatures. On completion of this, the slip is then given to the form teacher.

For NCEA students, this process is very important, especially for absences during assessments (see the section on this in the NCEA Handbook). If students are away for three or more days for medical reasons during an assessment, a medical certificate is required.Students with known absences ahead of time (e.g. going on family holiday, national swimming champs) are required to bring a letter addressed to the Principal two weeks beforehand requesting leave.Your full support with our system will be much appreciated.

STUDENT SIGNING OUT PROCEDUREImportant information on the process of allowing students to leave school during the day:• If your son/daughter needs to leave school early for an

appointment, they must have a note signed by a parent/guardian. The student then gets this countersigned by a member of the Senior Management team and takes it to the Attendance Administrator who issues an “Out-of-School” pass.

• However, if you need to sign your son/daughter out at short notice during the day please be aware that the office staff may not be able to get your child straight away. While they will do everything they can to help, it may not be possible immediately. If you anticipate needing to get your child out urgently it would be helpful to give at least half an hour of notice. You can phone the school office on 765-6039.

• Please DO NOT send your child a text message and expect them to be let out of class and to leave the school grounds without following this process.

If you are aware that your child will be absent in the future a letter must be given to the Principal so that the school will be able to correctly mark attendance. Several students are giving notes to form teachers or class teachers without Mr Keenan’s permission for the absence. If this happens your student will be marked with an unjustified absence regardless of what type of absence, it is. This may also affect their NCEA results.Thank you for your co-operation.

Key Term 1 DatesMon 17 to Fri 21: Y9 TOPEC visitsFri 24 Feb-Day10: Learners licence training dayMon 24 Feb-Day1: SHS Athletic sportsWed 26 Feb-Day3, SHS Swimming sportsThurs 27 Feb-Day4, TSSSA Lawn BowlsFri 28 Feb-Day5: Auckland Uni Liasion Visit; Paid Union

meeting for PPTA 1.30pmTue 3 Mar-Day7; Boys Gillette Cup cricketWed 4 Mar-Day8; L1 Ecoscience fieldtrip; TSSSA RogaineThu 5 Mar-Day9; Girls Venus Cup cricketFri 6 Mar-Day10, SHS teacher only day; second learners

licence dayMon 9 Mar-Day1: Taranaki Anniversary Day

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SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD, KEEPING YOU INFORMEDWho are we?The SHS PTA are a group of enthusiastic parents who support the school in a variety of ways.What do we do?• Supporttheschoolatmeetingsandevents• Actsasoneoftheprimarycommunicationvehiclesfortheschoolcommunity• Run second hand uniform sales• ProvidetheDuxMedaleachyear• Providelockersforstudentstohire• ProvidefundsforcurriculumareasforprojectswithintheschoolWho should be involved?All parents and caregivers are invited to attend any meeting of the PTA.PTA meetingThe first meeting for the SHS Parent Teacher Association will be on Tuesday 3 March starting at 7.00pm in the school staffroom. nd does not involve running fundraisers but instead is involved in supporting students and staff in their learning and facilitating communication between the parents and the school.

STRATFORD HIGH SCHOOL AND TARANAKI SECONDARY SCHOOLS SPORTS EVENTS 2020Term 1 – 27 January-9 AprilDate Event VenueThursday 20 February TSS Tennis Hawera Lawn Tennis Club Monday 24 February SHS Athletics SHS FieldWednesday 26 February SHS Swimming Sports SHS PoolThursday 27 February TSS Bowls 3Five TBCTuesday 3 March Gillette Cup Boys Cricket HaweraWednesday 4 MarchThursday 5 March

TSS RogaineVenus Cup Girls Cricket

Lake Mangamahoe, NPLHawera

Friday 6 March Teacher only DayMonday 9 March Taranaki AnniversaryTuesday 10 March TSS Road Cycling Hickford Park, Bell BlockThursday 19 March TSS Athletics TET Stadium, InglewoodSaturday 21March Taranaki Hour Adventure Race UnknownSunday 22 March TSS Mountain Biking Lake Mangamahoe, NPLMonday 23 March TSS Golf Croquet (South) Hawera Park Croquet ClubTuesday 24 March SHS Triathlon SHS and surroundsSunday 29 March TSS Triathlon Ngamotu Beach, NPL

Monday 6 April TSS Orienteering Pukekura Park, NPLTuesday 7 April TSS Competitive Golf Stratford Golf Course

Winter SportsNetball: The school enters teams into the Stratford Satellite competition. SHS A, 3A and 4A may also play in a Secondary School League during the 2020 season.Basketball: The school enters teams into the local leagues as well as Junior & Senior Girls and Boys teams which play in the Taranaki wide secondary school competition.Hockey: The teams are entered into Taranaki Secondary Schools leagues.Football: 1st XI Girls and Boys play in the Taranaki Secondary Schools league. Rugby: All teams are entered through the Central Rugby Club into the Secondary Schools Leagues. The school 1st XV plays in the Jack Porter tournament each year.Volleyball: Teams are entered in the local club competition at the TET.TAITA EXCHANGE: This year it is our turn to travel to Taita College for our sports and cultural exchange in term 2. All arrangements to be confirmed during term 2.The full sports calendar is on the school website. Dates are subject to change.