Our Head Students for 2023 are:

Matthew Biddington, Bella Sheridan and Rialette Bronkhorst represented the school at the last Cullen Breakfast for 2022. There was a mix of excellent speakers including the Wellington City Missioner, the new Mayor Tory Whānau, Louis Clareburt (with his Olympic Swimming gold medals) and Joy Cowley. A very interesting and worthwhile opportunity for our young leaders, which was made more special by the fact that Bella and Matthew are both committed, competitive swimmers.

Daniel van Straaten has been playing for the Tawa College 1st XI cricket team since he was in Year 9. He has recently been appointed captain of the team for 2023. His pre-season training over the Christmas holidays is paying off and he created some Tawa College history over the last two weekends. In the season-opening round of the Premier 2 grade, on Saturday 4th February on the Tawa College main field, he scored 107 runs not out, batting 142 balls and setting up his team for a solid win over Wairarapa College.

But then he did it all again the following Saturday 11th February, again on his home ground, scoring 103 runs not out. Scoring back-to-back centuries in two weeks at his home ground, both not out, is a bit of history as it has not been achieved by a Tawa College student since online scoring and stats started in 2010, but likely from even before then.

Also with his 107 not out on 4th February, he became the highest all time run-scorer for the Tawa College1st XI since electronic records began in 2010 and probably before - in 67 matches for the 1st XI, he has so far amassed 1,641 runs at an average of 39 runs per innings. With this year's play still to come. Well done and big congratulations.

Here he is raising his bat/helmet and being clapped off the field by the opposition at the end of the innings.

Tawa College Manaaki Night Wednesday, March 1st 2023

Everyone is welcome - entry is free.

Manaaki Night is a biennial event hosted by Tawa College. It is an evening that encompasses speakers and stands from professionals and support groups around the theme of physical and mental health and well-being. It is a chance to come together as a community to listen and talk with specialists, and to gather information and support on all areas of your or others' health and well-being.

Organised by representatives from the Tawa College Manaaki PTA (Parent Teacher Alliance), Manaaki Night aims to build a supportive school community and a strong partnership between parents and teachers. It has the overall aim to increase health and well-being in our community and give people clear information about where they can go for help.

The first Manaaki Night in 2021 was a great success. In 2023 we have 18 stands and five fabulous speakers confirmed. There will be a sausage sizzle and entertainment on the night.

Please see our website https://www.manaakinight.nz/ for more information. (Soon this will be updated with the speakers and booths for 2023.)

Please contact Debby on (021 263 8659) if you are interested in having a booth or need more information or email us on tawamanaakinight@gmail.com

The Careers Department is located in T Block. Students at all year levels are welcome to visit and explore pathway options and collect information. To discuss your interests, talents, and career aspirations, or if you have no idea of what is next for you, you can make an appointment with Mrs Wiltshire (kwiltshire@tawacollege.school.nz). Whānau and friends are welcome to attend appointments with you.

Universities, as well as other providers such as QRC (Queenstown Resort College), PIHMS (Pacific International Hotel Management School), Whitireia/WelTec, NZ Defence Force, will be visiting the school during Term I giving presentations and answering questions. All students are welcome to attend. Their presentations will be advertised in the school notices as well as on posters around the school or students can contact Kath Gillum, kgillum@tawacollege.school.nz, for more information.

Short Courses are a great opportunity to gain some insight into possible career pathways. These courses range from 1 or 2 days taster courses, up to 5 to 10 days. Some courses have NCEA credits attached.

Please check the student notices for upcoming courses or you can email Kath Gillum kgillum@tawacollege.school.nz to make an appointment to chat and register your interest. Kath is located in T Block, T12.

A variety of courses are available including:

• Tourism: Cruise and Hotel, Flight Attending, Sales in Tourism, Hotel Management, Uniquely Māori
• IT: Cyber Security and Ethical Hacking, Introduction to Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, 2D Animation, E-Sports Tournament
• Beauty Therapy: 10 week Beyond Beauty Block Course, Make-up Artistry, Behind the Scenes to Beauty
• Customer related courses: Communication & Teamwork, Group Leadership, Lifeskills, Sports Coaching, Security, Bartending
• First Aid Course
• Respond to Small Emergencies (Level 3)
• Youth Responder (Level 2)
  
• Cookery
• Baking
• Hairdressing/Barbering
• Introduction to Nursing, Introduction to Nursing & Paramedics
• Trades: Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing, Automotive
• Introduction to Youthwork
• Animal Care/Vet Nursing
• Commercial Dance
• Art & Design
• Screen Production
• Maori & Pacific Performing Arts
• Music
• Barista Training + work experience @ TC Beanies (on-site @ Tawa College)

If you have an interest in any of these, please come and chat to Kath in the Careers Department.

There is an opportunity for Year 12/13 students to complete a course to learn the skills to be employed as a swimming teacher. Students do not need to have a swimming background, however, you do need to be proficient and confident in the water. The course includes a two day training course as well as 10 working shifts of unpaid work. Interested students need to contact Mrs Wiltshire for further information. kwiltshire@tawacollege.school.nz

A Year 9 student came into the library at lunchtime today, looking at all the books he said “There’s a lot of knowledge in here!”...

Mā te kimi ka kite

Mā te kite ka mōhio

Mā te mōhio ka mārama

Seek and discover

Discover and know

Know and become enlightened.

‘Learning is a journey. It starts with a conscious effort to seek knowledge. Upon seeking you will surely discover a brand new thing or see a familiar object in a totally new light. Eventually the things you know will lead you to become wise beyond your years.

Seek, Discover, Know, Be Enlightened.’

https://www.thetereomaoriclassroom.co.nz/2019/07/whakatauki-wisdom-te-reo-maori/

Our school library is open every school day from 8:00am - 4:00pm. We are only closed at Interval. Students may issue up to five items at a time for three weeks and can renew what they have loaned online or here in the library.

Our Library catalogue is available 24/7 from direct links on E2Learn and Schoolbridge.

We also subscribe to an eplatform called Wheelers. Students can issue ebooks and audio books anytime. Our eplatform also has a special Wellness Collection so that students can find guidance and inspiration whenever they need it. The address for the eplatform is: tawacollege.wheelers.co or use the links also available on E2learn and Schoolbridge.

We do not charge overdue fees, but we do ask students to care for our precious resources and return them so that others may borrow them. An overdue email notice will first be sent to the student. If items are not returned or renewed, an email will be sent to students and caregivers. If items have been overdue for several months, our last resort is to send an email to the caregiver requesting payment.

We hope students who issued books over the summer holidays have enjoyed their reading! It is now time to dust off the sand and return these items to the library please! If you find any Tawa College resources hiding at home - it's never too late to return them, we are always happy to have them back so please return them to the library or the Office.

We will be recruiting student volunteers to help us run the library at lunchtime. Applications to be a Student Librarian in 2023 will be available on ‘Club” day and from the Library.

We have two great displays, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and our theme - February is Love of Reading Month. We have selected the hottest books of 2022, so if you're in need of a date for Valentines Day, come and check them out - they are hot! Hehe!

Hei konā mai

Elaine Smith

Library Manager

The School App continues to be an accessible source of information about the school and is used by many caregivers to notify school of absence. It will also be used to push out information throughout the year and in emergencies - please subscribe via your app store.

The Tawa College website is for parents and caregivers to find information about the school.

E2Learn is the site for students to find information about the day to day running of the school.

We would like to acknowledge Mandy Russell and her team at the Tawa Community Centre for creating uniform drives and recycling of Tawa College uniform items so that all students have access to college uniform. They have done an amazing job of collecting, distributing and raising funds to support our college families. Your collaboration with the college is very much appreciated.

We have been advised by Metlink that the upcoming road works due to begin near the college will affect the bus stops used by our students.

This concerns the McLellan Street area, where Wellington Water will be undertaking a waste water replacement project. The project is due to commence on February 15th and will run through until the end of June.

The Metlink bus routes affected are numbers 60 and 402:

* Eastbound closure – there will be no impact

* Full Road Closure – impacts Route 60 (students will be directed to the Main Road, stop 3918) and route 402 detours via Linden Avenue

* Eastbound Closure and part closure of roundabout - impacts route 402 detour via Linden Avenue and buses replacing trains/ Metlink buses travelling up and down Duncan to Hinau Street

It is important to note that when the full closure is in place, any students who use the route 60 school extension will have to walk to Main Road, and cross over the road at the crossing to the bus stop 3918.