A Word from Natasha

We are happy to welcome our new Senior High School staff to the Rototuna High Schools. We had a memorable pōwhiri on the first day back involving the whole school which embraces our Rototuna High School commitment to the concept of community. It was a valuable experience for all new members of our school, both students and staff, to feel that they are all connected to this place and with the people of this school.

The Senior High School staff are currently working through an induction programme which will prepare them to teach in our innovative space. I will continue to provide information on our developments on my blog so that you will be able to see what we are doing and how things are progressing.

Our Staff

8 Specialist Curriculum Leaders appointed

• Vicki Ladd - English [AP at Ngaruawahia]

• Jenny Mangan - Technology  [Waikato University]

• Shannon Brown - Performing Arts [Hamilton Boys High School]

• Christopher Langley - Humanities [Fairfield College]

• Jatin Bali - Science [Auckland Grammar School]

• Andrew Marshall - Maths [British Berlin School]

• Lianne Moore - Visual Arts [Auckland Grammar School]

• Anna-Marie Keighley - Health and Physical Education [Whangaparaoa College]

Specialist Teachers appointed

• D’Arcy Belfield - Technology [Wintec]

• Jordan Neil - English [Westlake Boys High School]

• Hannah Lerke - Science [Fraser High School]

• Anaru Keogh - Te Reo Māori [DP at Ngā Taiatea Wharekura]

• Bijendra Prasad - Physics, Mathematics with Calculus [Hillcrest High School]

• David Green - Pathways, English [Te Kura - New Zealand Correspondence School]

Learning  - Subject Choices

Most often secondary schools choose options in Term 3. This is often done to assist schools in making their staff appointments for the following year. This is not the case for us as we have made these important decisions already. The teachers will now be spending some time coming to grips with their new environments and creating the programmes for the students in 2017. Here is our timeline for selections for 2017:

End of week 6, Term 4 (Friday 18 Nov):   

Course selection booklets given to all enrolled students from Rototuna Junior High

Course selection booklets available for prospective students

End of week 8, Term 4 (Friday 2 Dec):

Course booklets returned

Community Information

We will continue with a fortnightly newsletter on alternate weeks to the Junior High School for the rest of this year.

There will be a Community Information Evening in Week 7 to discuss the course booklets that are going out to students in Week 6 and to answer any questions that you may have around course selection for students in their first year at the Senior High School.

Uniform

The uniform will be sold from NZ Uniforms. They have advised us that the uniform should be ready mid January. They have also assured us that the issues that were had at the beginning of this year with the Junior High School will not occur. The main reasons are: We have less students starting and the Junior uniform is available earlier (now) for the Junior students that are starting. If you do experience any issues please feel free to contact Megan Barry at the Senior High School.

Learning Advisories for 2017

The Learning Advisory is a model that we will continue to use at Rototuna Senior High School. The model is based on evidence for the difference that can be made for students in both academic and personal success. We are currently getting information from both students and staff to ensure we place students with an advisor who can support and challenge them. Please ensure you have indicated that your student is coming to the Senior High School, so that we can place them in an advisory as we go through the process.

Start Date 2017

We will be starting on the school year for 2017 on Thursday 2 February. We will welcome all new students to the school and will then progress to our advisory programme.