Trident Pānui
Term 4, Week 10
Principal's Message
This is the culmination of a year of hard work, challenges and opportunities for our junior students and we are delighted to celebrate it with you all.
All these challenges and opportunities are available only because of our extraordinary staff and I want to start by thanking them for their mahi on your behalf this year. Our support staff welcoming you to reception, our grounds people keeping the school pristine, our finance, admin, technicians, learning support team of coordinators and classroom support, careers team, future’s academy team, teachers, Deans, Heads of Department, Senior Management - each and everyone of these contributes to the positive experience you have at school and holds your wellbeing and success at the heart of what they do.
Particular thanks are due to those staff who are leaving us this year - Mr Loft, Mr Williamson, Mr Pinckney, Whaea Poihaere and Ms Burt.
Students, if you have visited my office over the last ten years you will have seen a notice board with the statement -
Ko te reo te pou hiwi o te whare - which I understand to mean that language is the backbone of the home.
This statement for me has two contexts - first the idea that through our language we hold up our culture, through te reo, te ao Māori is enacted and brought alive, and secondly a more whimsical image of the talking in the whare, the exchanging of so many words and stories and ideas that the air is filled with a noise which figuratively holds the roof in place through its very volume.
In either context what is clear is that language is fundamentally important.
The greater the vocabulary that you hold, the more clarity you bring to your thinking, to your knowing and to your understanding.
In Aotearoa we are uniquely placed when it comes to language. We have the privilege and the responsibility of having two official verbal languages, English and Te reo. When I say this is a privilege, it really is. Te reo can articulate aspects of Aotearoa which English cannot achieve in single words. Take the word “whānau” - this concept of a close community which is family and relatives and friends has no equivalent in English. We can say “family” and we can say “friends” and we can say “community” but we cannot encapsulate in a single word what whānau means to each and everyone of us living in Aotearoa. Take the title “matua” or “whaea” - when a teacher is called by either of these terms it resonates with a warmth and respect which “Miss’ or “sir” simply cannot achieve.
But it is also a responsibility to honour and maintain te reo. This unique and beautiful language allows us to access te ao Māori in all its richness. It allows this for all Kiwis - Māori and Pakeha. We have a responsibility to keep this national language on our tongues, to use it and extend our learning of it. To fight to protect it as the taonga that it is.
Whilst I have been principal, one of the legacies that I celebrate is the Mataatua rotation for all students in Year 9. Every student at Trident has the opportunity to engage in tikanga and te reo Māori. Whilst this is only a tiny step in terms of learning the language, it is an important acknowledgement of the responsibility we have to keep te reo alive and vibrant. I hope that over time, Trident extends this to ensure that learning te reo is prioritised.
This was my last junior Prize-Giving as a member of the staff of this wonderful school - after twenty years teaching and holding a range of leadership positions within Trident. I am proud of what we have achieved since I became Principal in 2020 and the foundations we have laid for our new Principal Mikaere October. I have been working with Mikaere over the last weeks and I can tell you he is ready to take on the challenge of running this complex and ever evolving community of learners with enthusiasm, skill and integrity and I know you as our school community will welcome him and support him in this most privileged and rewarding role.
Finally - everyone, stay safe this summer. If you’re travelling, listen to the updates from Waka Kotahi, and make wise decisions whilst you're holidaying to ensure that Te Whata Ora is not overwhelmed by people needing medical care. Students help out around the house, do your chores willingly and even joyfully - read a book, stay off your phones and come back next year ready for new adventures and challenges.
Kia Manawa Nui.
Ngā Mihi,
Adrienne Scott-Jones
B.A. (Hons), P.G.C.E
Principal
Important Dates
Thursday, 1 February - Year 9 Powhiri Evening (5:15pm)
Friday, 2 February- Year 9 students and Year 13 Tukana Teina students
Wednesday, 7 February- Full School Back
Junior Prize giving
Congratulations to all our junior students!
It was great to have whānau and friends together to celebrate the achievements of our junior students.
Year 9 DUX- Kate Stables
Year 10 DUX- Morgan Barraclough & Andie Martin
SEC Prize Giving
Congratulations to all our SEC students!
Thank you to all the students, staff and whānau in the Special Education Centre for an awesome year.
Camp Week
Students had a ton of fun on camp week, whether they were on away camps or home-based ones. There were plenty of exciting activities for students to get involved in.
These camps are about more than just fun; they provide opportunities for students to learn, grow, and build lasting memories together.
Massive thank you to everyone who supported camps this year, making this experience possible for our students.
2024 Stationary
Uniform
For information about our school uniform, we have a price list available on our website - https://www.trident.school.nz/uniform-and-practical-matters
Our uniform can be purchased from NZ Uniforms.
2024 Enrolment information
To see our prospectus, Year 9 subject selection booklet and learn about our Academic extension programmes, please see our website- https://www.trident.school.nz/2024-enrolments
Our enrolments interviews will be available from beginning of next year from Tuesday, 23 January. To book an appointment, please call the office on 07 308 8159.
Happy Holidays
We wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas!
We look forward to seeing everyone in the New Year.
Trident Health Services
Location: Te Aiōtanga
School Nurse: Monday to Friday from 8:30am until 3:00pm.
For all general health needs.
Doctor: Dr Astrid de Jong
A doctor is available every Tuesday from 9am until 11am.
Physiotherapist:
A physiotherapist is available on Tuesday morning.
Appointments for these services can be made through the school nurse.
This is a free, confidential Health Service.
Trident Bank Account Details
Bank Account 12 3253 0004257 00
You may pay any sports or extra curricular fees directly to our bank account.
Please enter student name of student ID in the deposit details.
School App
Go to the App Store or Play Store on your phone and Search Skool Loops
Once downloaded open the App on your phone and select Trident High School
The App allows you to notify the office of an absentee, view daily notices and access to the parent portal.