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Term 4 Week 1

Newsletter 2024

Principal's Message

Kia ora Wairarapa College whānau,

It’s hard not to get excited as we enter the final stretch of the school year! At the time of writing, there are just 8 weeks left until we conclude what has been another busy and rewarding year. While the countdown is on, there’s still plenty of time to make the most of the opportunities ahead and finish strong.

This term, we will also be celebrating the outstanding success of our students. I strongly encourage all whānau and friends of the college to join us at our Prizegivings and Awards evenings.

With wisdom and courage, kia mātau, kiā māia.

Ngā mihi nui,

Matt White

Principal Tumuaki

Student Success

Congratulations to:

Lola McCartney who was elected student BOT representative.
Sophie Alexander-Hodson who was selected to attend the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge Leadership Summit.
Ella Crabtree is now one of 12 SADD national leaders and the only one from the Wellington region.

Our NZ Secondary Schools Clay Target Championship representatives - William Corlett-Galyer and Jack Heynes - who made the shoot-off (final) for the junior single barrel in the South Island Champs. Jack also made the shoot-off (final) for the single rise National Champs and finished 6th overall.

Le’Sharn Reiri-Paku and Charlie Carroll who played for the NZ Māori U18 Ngā Whatukura rugby team.
Mitchell Shields who played for the Hurricanes Secondary Schools’ team.

The following students who were named in the Wairarapa Bush U18 team: Tom Clarkson, Ethan Davidson, Austin Grant, Bayle Griffin, Murphy Henrickson, Mitchell Shields, Nikora Tyacke, Lincoln Waight, Cory Bracewell, Charlie Carroll, Le’Sharn Reiri-Paku, Tim Rodier, Vinnie Swanson, Harvey Thompson and Konnor Vainu.

The Wairarapa Bush U16 team members which included the following students: Bayle Griffin, Tim Rodier, Taylin Hunter, Leeroy Pomare-Turner, Anthony Saumamao and Dane Hemedez.

Lexi MacPherson who played for the Manawatū Under 18 Girls’ in the Hurricanes Youth Tournament.
Brooke Miller who became a four-time National Boxing Champion at the age of 16 at the National Amateur Championships in Christchurch winning her Gold Medal in Junior Girls 57kg Class.

Liberty Jones and Mackenzie Tait played for Wellington at the New Zealand Squash Age Group Nationals. Wellington won the Teams competition and Mackenzie Tait seeded 2nd and Liberty Jones seeded 3rd. Liberty achieved 4th in New Zealand Squash Age Group Nationals U15. Mackenzie Tait who achieved 8th in the New Zealand Squash Age Group Nationals U19.

Our Athletes With Disabilities Ten Pin Bowling team - Harry Bayliss, Lachie Dunbar, Amelia Troke, Cody Walker - who were winners. Amber McGillicuddy achieved the best female score of 97pts and Arthur Phillips achieved the best male score of 122pts.

Our Wairarapa Māori Sport Awards nominees: Sam Payne, Charlie Carroll and Le’Sharn Reiri-Paku.
Lisa Ford, Rose Kawana, Ayla McRae and Bella Faárodo have gained a place in the Wairarapa U19 Football team, who play in Napier over Labour weekend.
The following Motorsport students had successes at a national level:

Ethan Hunter

• 1st 12-16yrs 85cc Taupō Winter Series (6 months of racing)

• 1st 12-16yrs 85cc South Waikato Series (5 months of racing)

• 2nd u15yrs 125cc while racing the smaller modified 85cc bike (105cc)

• 3rd 85cc New Zealand 2 Stroke Nationals.

Melee Hunter

• 3rd Jnr women’s Taupō Winter Series

• 2nd Jnr Women New Zealand 2 Stroke Nationals

Staff Success

Congratulations to:

Mr Mike van Woerkom, Head of Mathematics, who received the Paul Sergeant award at the Wairarapa Hockey Awards.
Mr Stacey Grant who was a NZ Māori U18 Ngā Whatukura Kairahi, NZ National Māori Selection management team and Wairarapa Māori Sports Awards nominee.
Mrs Keely Riwai-Couch (Senior A Netball Coach) and Mr Richard Etti (1st XV Rugby Coach) are Wairarapa Māori Sports Awards nominees.
Mr James Lainchbury, teacher of Digital Visual Communication and Visual Art, has had his artwork feature on the Mokotron Ōhāki music video.

Kapa Haka Festival

During Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, Wairarapa College had the privilege of hosting the annual Wairarapa Kapa Haka Festival, organised by REAP Wairarapa. More than fifty groups participated, making it a vibrant and memorable event with students from across the region showcasing their talents.

The festival kicked off with a pōwhiri, warmly welcoming all schools onto our grounds. Wairarapa College’s kapa haka group had the honour of opening the festival with their performance.

Over the course of two action-packed days, we witnessed a wide range of performances, each reflecting the hard work, dedication, and emotion put in by the students. The festival not only highlighted kapa haka at various skill levels but also brought together people from diverse backgrounds and cultures to celebrate te reo Māori and Māori culture.

Some kura brought multiple groups, while others performed with just one, but the spirit of enjoyment and unity was shared by all, making it a fantastic way to close out the term. We would like to extend a huge thank you to the incredible team that made this event possible. A special acknowledgment goes to Mrs Trudy Sears from REAP Wairarapa for her outstanding coordination and dedication to organising the festival. We are also deeply grateful to the kapa haka tutors who led our groups with passion and skill, helping students bring their best to the stage. Additionally, we want to thank the Wairarapa College student helpers, whose hard work behind the scenes ensured the day ran smoothly. We could not have done it without the support from each of you who contributed to the success of this amazing event.

Jamie Tidy (Tuakana)

Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori

This year Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori was an enormous success after the accumulation of many hours of work which allowed staff and students to enjoy a range of activities and learning opportunities. Throughout the week, we implemented "Kōrero Cards" as a fun initiative to encourage the use of te reo Māori. When students used the Māori language correctly, staff members would sign their card, and once the card was filled, it could be redeemed for a prize. This proved to be an effective way of increasing the daily use of Māori language among students which was an enormous success.

Ngā Tuakana, our Māori Leadership rōpū organised a series of activities for the junior school during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, as the timing coincided with the senior school exam week. On Tuesday and Thursday, Nga Tuakana facilitated three different activities based the tuakana-teina model. Activities included making fry bread, learning Ki-o-Rahi, and practicing the new school haka.

Staff members also took part in a Kaiakotini held at Mākoura College on the Friday evening. They went on to perform the following week at a school assembly, showcasing their efforts to the wider school community. Karawhiua te reo Māori!

Jamie Tidy (Tuakana)

Sports Caps

In previous years, the 1st XV rugby players who have played in 30 games for the team have been awarded a "Cap'' in recognition of the achievement and as a mark of their seniority in the team. Their "Cap" is presented to them at the conclusion of their 30th game. Playing a further 20 games sees the Cap endorsed with the number "50" being embroidered onto their cap and the achievement acknowledged at assembly.

Earlier this year we made the decision to apply the awarding of Caps to the members of other codes 1st teams, both male and female having done some work to balance the relativity of the achievement across the codes. The practice originated in 1886 in football when English players were presented with a white silk cap with red rose embroidered on the front.

A list of those students awarded caps follows and we congratulate all of them on their achievement and honour.

Sporting Caps

Lisa Ford - Football 100 Caps
Toby Nelson - Hockey 100 Caps
Samuel Payne - Hockey & Cricket 100 Caps
Sam Freeman - Hockey 100 Caps
Theo Sears - Hockey 100 Caps
Charlie Carroll - Rugby 50 Caps
Le'Sharn Reiri-Paku - Rugby 50 Caps
Mitchell Shields - Rugby 50 Caps
Sovaia Sabutu - Netball 100 Caps
James Kawana - Basketball 55 Caps
Tohi Valakvi Jellie - Basketball 55 Caps

Mental Health Awareness Week

Kia ora Whānau

In the final week of last term, we acknowledged Mental Health Awareness Week. The theme this year was 'community and connectedness'. Our school leaders ran various activities which saw staff and students come together for sports matches, shared kai and quizzes. Over half of 15-24 year olds in NZ suffer from anxiety or depression. We need to be talking about this and removing the out-dated stigma that surrounds mental health.

Year 13 students have been emailed to encourage those going on to live in hostel accommodation to get their Meningitis vaccinations. The full course is to have two injections, eight weeks apart. Meningitis can be deadly and too many kiwi kids have gone off to university and contracted this illness. Please contact your GP and get your child vaccinated, or get in touch if you need support facilitating this.

Going into exam season, it’s important to keep an eye on general wellbeing. Do not be afraid to reach out for help. We are blessed to have a supportive pastoral team at Waicol who are available to chat to if students need support.

As exams draw near, it is important that you get enough rest to allow you to function at your best during the day. Attached is a link from the Ministry of Health website about sleep. There is also more information about ‘sleep hygiene’ available online. Sleeping (info.health.nz)

If you have any concerns about your child’s health, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. This is a free and confidential service provided by Tu Ora Compass Health.

Ngā mihi

Claire Marara

School Based Nurse

nurse@waicol.nz

022 495 8933

Careers and Pathways

Vocational Training – UCOL Courses

Most students have now finished their 2024 UCOL course this year, with only a handful of courses still running into November, and we couldn’t be prouder of all their achievements within their courses! In the next few weeks, we should receive the final reports from UCOL for each student, which will be emailed home to students and family.

It’s been great to see Year 12 students who completed courses this year apply for courses at UCOL for 2025 to continue their pathway of interest. Applications for 2025 courses are still open – any interested Year 11 or Year 12 students can collect an application form from the Transition Office (by Room 54) during interval or lunch. All available courses for school students can be viewed via this link: https://www.ucol.ac.nz/programmes/in-school

Work Experience Placements

2024 has been a great year for work experience placements, with our students covering a wide variety of fields and areas of interest. Most have now finished their placements, with a few keen students continuing into the remaining weeks before exams start. We would like to thank the following employers and businesses who have graciously given their time to having our students in their workplaces:

· Butchery @ Pak’N’Save

· Aunties Café

· Nick Scott Building

· Martinborough School

· Wairarapa Mitsubishi

· Supreme Automotive Refinishers

· Wairarapa Diesel

· King and Henry

· Hill Country Horses

· Winter Logging

· Hayne Electrical

· Sign Factory

· Mitre 10 Mega

· Daytech Engineering

· McFadzean Cattle Company

· Time Beveridge Contracting

· PGG Wrightson Masterton

· The Coffee Ride

· Ronald King Farming

· Lamberts Engineering

· Norwoods

· Big Daves Mechanical Services

· Deco Precasters

· Flex Fitness Masterton

· Electric Blue Electronics

· Tranzit Coachlines

· C E Spray Collision Repairs

· PGG Wrightson Martinborough

· Longbush Builders

· J&R Fencing Contracting

· A&K Plumbing

· Loader Construction Engineering

· Martinborough Electrical

· Martinborough Plumbing and Gas

· Lorna Potter Hair Spa Health

· Joe’s Tyres

· Power Related Services LTD

· Workshop Carterton

· Inspire Living

· Waterwise Wairarapa

· Greytown Kindergarten

· Engage Electrical

· McCarthys Transport

· Wairarapa Bush Rugby Union

· Blair Ruscoe Building

· Active Explorers Masterton

· RJM Panel and Paint

We also want to give a massive shout out to ServiceIQ and their Red Shirts in School Programme. We were able to secure spots for five of our students to complete five days of work experience at The Warehouse – Masterton. The students enjoyed their time, learning important retail skills. Massive thanks to Cris (ServiceIQ) for her time and workshop session, and Ella Kokx and Louise Studholme for their check in visits. If you think your business may be keen to have a student for work experience, please contact Sarah Craig (scraig@waicol.nz or 063700400 – ext 774).

We have a great opportunity for Year 10 students coming up in Junior Activities Week (Week 9, Term 4) to complete a three-day work experience placement on Tuesday 10th, Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th December. If you are keen to take a young person on for a three-day placement, please contact Sarah on the details listed above.

Course Planning University Visits

We have had a number of universities visit this term for course planning sessions with our departing Year 13 students. These sessions have been informative and eye-opening for students, who now understand the complexity of juggling compulsory and elective courses in the first year of university.

Any student who is still contemplating tertiary study, whether at university, polytechnic, or private training, and would like a hand with next steps, please contact the Career and Pathways team (details at bottom of email). We will ensure someone can meet with you to discuss your pathway.

Many thanks to the universities who made time to visit us last term:

· University of Otago, Lincoln University, Victoria University of Wellington, University of Canterbury.

University Open Days

Last term, we took groups to both Massey University (Palmerston North Campus) and Victoria University of Wellington (Kelburn Campus) for their annual open days. Both groups had a great time, attended lectures, participated in competitions and activities and of course, ate the free food! We are looking forward to taking more groups of keen students next year.

Course Selection Evening

It was great to see so many incoming and current students, and their families, at the course selection evening which was held last term. This was a great opportunity for students to understand what’s on offer here at the college and help them decide their subject choices for the coming year. We had our own Careers and Pathways display board on show giving a taste of our subject options at senior level. Subject selection is now closed – students who need or want to change their options will need to contact their dean.

Youth Learner Licence Course

Held by Wairarapa REAP, senior students were able to participate in last term’s Youth Learner License course and pass their Learner Driver test. Congratulations to all students who achieved this – we hope to see you all out and about practicing over the summer!

Wairarapa REAP are holding the last 2024 Youth Learner Licence course from Monday 2nd – Wednesday 4th December. Any students aged 16 or older at the time of the course can participate and sit the license test - the course fee is $140 and school will pay $40 towards the cost, meaning you only pay $100 (which includes test fee of $96.10) – please contact Sarah (scraig@waicol.nz) if you require the course enrolment form.

Tahatū Pilot

Last term we were invited to participate in the Tertiary Education Commission’s pilot on the new career navigation website Tahatū. This is a new innovative website created by the Tertiary Education Commission to help people consider their career options. The website isn’t final yet, however we will continue to check it’s development and see how we can best utilise it for the college.

Upcoming Term 4

Term 4 is showing to be as busy as usual for our senior students as they head into exams.

We encourage any students who are planning to leave college at the end of this year to contact our team and touch base about your options. We are keen to see students heading into the adult world with a plan in place!

We are always looking at ways to imporove our involvement with students across all year levels – if you think there is something we can add to our repertoire, please let us know!

Jane Tiley, Sarah Craig, and Rachael Cato

Careers and Pathways