Kia ora te whanau o te Kotuku

It was great to be able to see the return of some of special events this year post COVID. This week it included our annual swimming sports where the champions will be celebrated at their respective assemblies next week. The School wide haka practice on Wednesday ahead of the inter-house competition took place and is a great spectacle.
On Thursday evening we were able to welcome our new to Rutherford whanau to the school for our annual barbecue, again something that has not been able to occur due to the pandemic. There was a great turnout and a real sense of whakawhanaungatanga on the night.

Finally, Athletics today, which is the only event where the whole school can get together as whole.  It was good to see the students representing their houses, high levels of participation and the competitive spirit that remains important here at Rutherford. Unfortunately the weather did deteriorate and the event was brought to an abrupt conclusion earlier than anticipated with all students back in class by midday. We did manage to get a lot of the events completed despite it all. Thank you to all the parents and caregivers that were able to pick up students to take them home early.

Polyfest is just around the corner, and it is great to see and hear the sights and sounds of groups practicing ahead of this event. After a three-year hiatus this is another positive step forward to support the engagement of our students and a return to the wairua that we remember.

Thank you to all staff and volunteers from within our community who are helping provide the opportunities in the areas of sport, and the arts. These opportunities create valuable connections and often are the basis from which lifelong memories are created. The importance of these activities for our young people’s development cannot be understated.

There will always be challenges and obstacles in our path along life’s journey. We can’t forget the challenges that many people across Auckland and throughout the country are facing. I urge that we be grateful for what we have and look to embrace the current moment and possibilities that this provides.

THIS TOO SHALL PASS
Once there was a king who summoned all his advisers to meet him before he went to war. He had fought and won many battles, and wanted his advisers to give him wise advice that would encourage him when he lost, and at the same time, keep his head level when he won.
The advisers came back with several ideas, but they were all rejected by the king. Fearful for their lives, the advisers climbed a very tall mountain to meet with a wise old oracle who lived there. The oracle gave them words of advice for the King.

The next day, the advisers met with the King and presented him with a ring they had made. Inside the ring were four words inscribed in the gold.
The four words were: “This, too, shall pass”.

Just as they did long ago for the King, these four words remind us that every moment will pass. In times of extreme happiness, we need to gently remind ourselves to keep a level head and not be too full of ourselves – for this, too, shall pass. In a moment of extreme sadness, we can remind ourselves not to stay devastated, or lie awake at night worrying, for this, too, shall pass.

Much of our life is made up of moments that pass by. Worry and regret serve little purpose. Victory and triumph last only an instant.

As Mother Teresa said, “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

School Uniform

Rutherford College uniform is available at the Uniform Shoppe in Rosebank Road. They have supply issues with the junior polo shirt and school hat at the moment. New stock will be arriving within the next two weeks. The demand this year has far exceeded previous years which has resulted in the shortage unfortunately.

Rutherford College uniform is gender neutral. Any item of the uniform can be worn by students but they must stay with the junior uniform selection for years 9-11. The white blouse/polo and blue skirt is only available to students in years 12 and 13.

After receiving feedback from the community we have made the decision to allow junior and senior students to wear the blue cardigan and vest if they wish to. Generally speaking this was for senior students but after considering the reasons why some students may prefer to wear these items we are happy for anyone to purchase these two items as part of their uniform.

Changes to the School Day

• 27 February – students in Years 12 and 13 will be rostered home from 12.35pm to allow staff to undertake professional learning. Years 9 – 11 will have normal classes for the full day with no change to their timetables.
• 9 March – Full school will have photographs taken for ID Cards
• 16 March – Teacher strike day – no scheduled classes on this day.

Every Minute Counts
Did you know that being 10 minutes late every day equates to a week off school a year. Arriving late for school can have a negative impact on the learning of our rangatahi as they can miss out on important instruction and this can also disrupt the teaching and learning of their class. Students can also feel whakama about walking into the class late and this can lead to increased truancy. Arriving on time helps prepare rangatahi for the punctuality expectations of life in the workforce.

We do understand that traffic in Auckland can be difficult but urge all caregivers to plan for this if they are dropping students to school. We also understand that there are times when being late is unavoidable but again urge caregivers to keep this to a minimum.

We operate a high trust model for lates with our students but will inform parents when a pattern of lateness is becoming apparent. Students do have to sign in when late and caregivers can contact the school on the portal with any explanation (click on Report Absence). A reminder that parents and caregivers use the Magic Link to access the Portal. You will get a code sent to your email address which will provide you with access.

8.30 – Arriving before class starts allows students to get settled and ready to learn

8.50 – Students are rushed and unlikely to be ready to learn

8.51 – The start of the lesson is missed and the rest of the class is disrupted

9.00 – 10 minutes late means 7 days of schooling is lost a year.

9.05 -15 minutes late means 10 days of schooling is lost a year.

Arriving at 8.30 for an 8:50* start is a habit for success.
*School starts at 8:55 on Wednesday

School Gates

The work is progressing well for the installation of gates at the front and back entrances. This will allow better security for our grounds during school hours as well as overnight. It is important to note that this in no way restricts access for the community to use the grounds outside of classroom hours. There will be provision for accessing the sports hall and fields after hours. However, I would remind you all to not drive into the school if you are picking up or dropping off your son or daughter. Drop off points should be in the streets surrounding the school. This is especially important while construction is underway as access is down to one lane.

Upcoming Events

24 Feb – Progress Reports are now available on the School Portal. Another progress report will be available in March. The progress report provides a quick snapshot of how your son or daughter is settling in at school.
8-11 March – Polyfest
9 Mar – ID Photos
21 Mar – Western Zone Athletics
06 Apr – School Cross Country and end of Term 1

Kia kaha

Gary Moore