Read some of the highlights from this term.

Kia ora te whanau ō te Kōtuku

A Term to Celebrate at Rutherford College

As we come to the end of another busy and successful term, it is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the many achievements that have made this such a memorable few months for our school community.

One of the highlights of the term was our outstanding production of The Addams Family. Our students delivered a performance of exceptional quality, showcasing remarkable talent, creativity, and professionalism both on and off the stage. The production was a testament to the dedication of our students, staff, and volunteers who worked tirelessly to bring the show to life.

Alongside the success of The Addams Family, our Studio Show and LUV Music provided memorable evenings of music and performance, highlighting the depth of talent across the college. Our Rutherford Concert Band and Kotuku Brass have continued to perform to an exceptionally high standard, while students representing West City Band achieved outstanding success at the National Concert Band Festival in Cambridge. The West City Youth Band, which includes many Rutherford students, was awarded a Silver Award and received P. J. Snowling Award, a new award recognising the outstanding performance by a community youth band. We also congratulate Harry Donald, Charlotte Marriott and Max RobbMarkham, who performed with the West City Adult Band, earning a Gold Award for their outstanding performance. 

Harry Donald has also been named as a member of the New Zealand National Secondary School Brass Band. He competed in the Auckland Band Association Competition recently with 1st in the Under 19 Not Slow Melody, 2nd in the Under 19 Slow Melody, 2nd in the Under 19 Ensemble.

These achievements are a wonderful reflection of the strength of Rutherford's Performing Arts programme and the commitment of our students, tutors, and Performing Arts staff.

We were also incredibly proud to be named a finalist in the inaugural Ministry of Education National Excellence Awards. This recognition reflects the commitment of our staff, students, and community to continually striving for excellence and innovation in education. Although we did not win, this recognition is reward for the hard work by staff and students.

Another significant milestone was the completion of our new Student Services Centre. This purpose-built facility will provide a welcoming central hub where students can access pastoral care, guidance, and wellbeing support in a modern and student-focused environment. We look forward to it being open in Term 3.

Our annual International Cultural Evening once again demonstrated the rich diversity of the Rutherford community. With spectacular performances, delicious food from around the world, and outstanding community support, the evening celebrated the many cultures that make our school such a vibrant and inclusive place to learn.

Academic excellence also featured strongly this term, with our talented Readers Cup team achieving an outstanding second place, reflecting the enthusiasm and dedication of our students to reading and learning.

Across the school, our House system continues to go from strength to strength. Increased participation in house competitions, leadership opportunities, and community events has helped foster an even stronger sense of belonging, school pride, and healthy competition among our students.

Community connections have remained a key focus throughout the term. Our Parent Breakfast provided a wonderful opportunity for whānau to connect with staff and students in a relaxed setting, while our annual Quiz Night proved to be another enjoyable evening that brought families, friends, and supporters together while raising valuable funds for the school.

Looking to the future, we are delighted to have received confirmation that Rutherford College has qualified for a new six-classroom teaching block in response to our continued roll growth. This significant investment reflects the confidence families continue to place in our school and will provide much-needed additional teaching spaces as we continue to grow.

It has been an action-packed and highly successful few months for Rutherford College sports, with our students shining locally, nationally, and on the world stage! Here are some of the highlights of our students' outstanding achievements this term:

International & National Representatives

• Touch Rugby: Ruby Godfrey proudly represented New Zealand as part of the Ngā Tai o Te Raki Touch Team at the Homegrown Touch Series.
• Football: Evie Colegate earned the incredible opportunity to wear the silver fern, representing New Zealand at the OFC U-15 Tournament.
• Flag Football: International opportunities continue to knock! Jett Felix-Croft, Jakob and Thomas Hollier earned back-to-back selections to head to Los Angeles, USA, to compete internationally. Sienna Hiko was also selected to represent NZ at this tournament for the first time.
• Athletics: Amy Thomson delivered a powerful performance on the international stage, competing in the Under 18 2km Steeplechase at the Oceania Athletics Championships.
• BMX: Braxton Gillard will be representing New Zealand at the BMX World Championships later this month.

National & Regional Champions

• Martial Arts and Wrestling Mastery: Aryan Liddell brought home a spectacular gold medal in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the Summer Slam Nationals. At the North Island Wrestling Championships in Katikati, Aryan competed in the Under 13, 62kg division and claimed 1st place, becoming the North Island Champion in his weight class.
• Table Tennis: Peyton Chun showcased immense talent in the South Island Table Tennis Championship, claiming a well-deserved Bronze medal. 

There are no doubt many more such accomplishments that I haven't highlighted here. These achievements are only possible because of the commitment and support of our students, staff, whānau, alumni, and wider community. Thank you for being part of another outstanding term at Rutherford College. We look forward to building on this momentum and sharing even more successes in the months ahead.

I wish everyone a safe and restful holiday break. 

Ngā mihi 

Gary Moore