Kia ora te whanau o te kotuku

Academic Tracking
In conjunction with our focus on student wellbeing, staff will be following a process of academic tracking, designed to ensure parents receive timely information around senior students’ progress and performance across assessments. Subject teachers, Heads of Faculty and deans will be working closely in the use of a range of intervention strategies from using our school’s WARM conversation process to requesting attendance at departmental tutorials.

WARM Conversation Process
What is the story – What has happened? Identify the challenge or obstacle.
Affect – Who is being affected and how.
Repair the Harm – What needs to happen and what is required to put this right.
Move Forward – When do we check in on progress and what will you do differently in the future.

For ongoing concerns around performance, you may receive an email detailing the subject and the incomplete assignment. For non-submission of work or missed credits, this contact may take the form of a letter or phone call from the Head of Faculty.

From Term 2, there will be a new report format available via the parent portal on the last Friday of each month. This summary will reflect the current position for each student and summarise the credits on offer for each subject, those passed (including grades) and those still to sit. This will enable parents to monitor progress across each term.

The Magic Pebbles
Students often wonder why they have to learn so much when sometimes they cannot see the point.

There is an old legend about a group of shepherds who were preparing to go to sleep one night when suddenly the sky lit up with a celestial light that shone down upon them.  Being shepherds, they knew something wonderful was going to happen and they waited with eager anticipation.  At last, a voice spoke from the heavens.  It said to them, “Gather as many pebbles as you can find, put them in your saddlebags.  Travel a day’s journey and tomorrow night will find you glad and will find you sad.”

They had expected the revelation of something great for them and for the world.  Instead, they had been told to do something that made no sense at all.

Grudgingly, the shepherds bent down and picked up a few pebbles and put them in their saddlebags. The next day they travelled their day’s journey and that night made camp. They decided to empty the pebbles from their saddlebags. To their astonishment, the pebbles had disappeared and in their place were sparkling diamonds. The leading shepherd turned to his companions and said, “The voice spoke the truth, tonight we are glad and we are sad.  We are glad because we have these precious diamonds, but we are sad because we did not pick up more pebbles.”

We do not know in life, which pebbles are going to turn out to be diamonds.  Everything you learn without knowing why you are learning it, is a pebble.  Take opportunities that are right there in front of you and choose to learn all you can now, pick up as many pebbles as you can, and you will be able to look forward to a sparkling future full of diamonds. The more pebbles or opportunities you grasp the greater number of diamonds you will end up with as part of your kete.

Over the Easter weekend, there is an opportunity to refresh in readiness for the last part of term 1. I strongly encourage students who have worked hard and are on track because they have completed their 50% of what is required to enjoy a well-earned short break. For those who may not yet have contributed their expected 50% of the work, I strongly encourage that they use some of the time over the 5-day break to close the gap.

Rutherford College 60^th Reunion – 9-10 April
School will close early on Friday, 9 April to allow us to prepare for our 60^th Reunion. Students will be released at 1:25pm. Buses will depart at 1:30pm except for the 013 that will depart at its normally scheduled time. We look forward to seeing past current and future students over the two-day event.

Assessment Calendar – Term 1, Week 10
due Wednesday 7 April
11 ELC and EL3 US28068 – all week
11 PAL AS90966 – all week
12 ELB US31002 – all week
12 ELD US31035 – all week
11 English AS90856
12 Travel US24731

due Thursday 8 April
11 ELC and EL3 US28068 – all week
11 PAL AS90966 – all week
12 ELB US31002 – all week
12 ELD US31035 – all week
13 Outdoor Education US24663
13 Geography AS91432

due Friday 9April
11 ELC and EL3 US28068 – all week
11 PAL AS90966 – all week
12 ELB US31002 – all week
12 ELD US31035 – all week
13 Outdoor Education US24663
11 Art Design AS90917
12 Mathematics Combined (MAC) AS91036
13 Physical Education AS91499
13 Police and Uniformed Services US9681 and US29363

Nga mihi nui
Gary Moore