From the Principal
Kia ora koutou, the new year has begun and I want to welcome all Year 9’s, new students and staff to the school. On Thursday we enjoyed a barbeque with our new students and their families. It was an opportunity for them to meet their teachers and have a look around the school.
We also have a number of new teachers this year. I welcome them too and know that they are looking forward to beginning their work at our school and making a difference for our students. They are Mrs Christine Ward (Mathematics), Ms Ashmita Darshani (Humanities), Mr Craig Arnold (Humanities), Mrs Ranjeeta Devi (Science) and Ms Ani Kolff (ORS), Miss Moore (Kaiāwhina-Teacher Aide), Miss Colvin (Kaiāwhina-Teacher Aide), Mr Manawatu (Kaiāwhina-Teacher Aide).
2022 was similar to the last two years in that it was disjointed and provided some uncertain moments for our students and staff. However, amongst all of that I am very proud at the level of achievement in NCEA over the year. Nearly all statistics were above national averages with 84.5% of our Year 11 students achieving the Literacy and Numeracy requirements. Very pleasing NCEA Level 1-3 results reflect the resilience, dedication and effort put in by all over the past year. For those heading off to further training or university, I wish them all the best and know that they have the ability and strength to prosper wherever they head to next.
Over the next few weeks, we will be celebrating NCEA Level and Subject endorsements with our students. They should be proud of what they have achieved, yet also have an eye to the future and what they can still accomplish. Dreams are free but success only comes through hard work and dedication.
We are currently reviewing our lunch time process. What will not change however, is that any student leaving school for lunch must go home for lunch, not into town or anywhere else. I have noticed that students are bringing electric scooters to school. These are to be parked outside H block foyer only. Students are responsible for them whilst at school and must not allow others to ride them.
Some key messages and reminders for students as we start the new year:
- Uniform is not a choice. Schools have the right to insist on a uniform code. Please ensure your children come to school in correct uniform. We have made some changes to the uniform which will ensure that it remains tidy and cost effective for families. The current uniform is still fine this year. Call the school if you are unsure. We have spare uniform items if a child is temporarily unable to find a uniform item. We want the child to be the difference, not what they wear. Students continually not in correct uniform may be unable to represent the school.
- Better attendance = better academic progress and success, this is undeniable. Please support us by encouraging your child to attend every day to make the most of their education. Students with unsatisfactory attendance will not be able to take advantage of the many co-curricular activities offered. This includes the Ball, Sports Teams and Positions of Responsibility. Please contact the school if you have any concerns over attendance. The EDGE app is available to all parents so that attendance can be checked regularly.
- School is their job; their reward is an education to build a career on. Any after school activities/work must be balanced with the demands, expectations and workload from school.
- Technology is welcomed and strongly encouraged at school to support learning; however, phones are not to be used in class by any junior student. If you are unsure about what technology is appropriate for school, please contact the school for a guide to the appropriate technology. Remember this technology will support work both at school and in the home.
- Inappropriate use of technology will see it removed from a student. All technology use is at the discretion of the teacher.
Last week we ran two boot camps to support our Year 9-10 students become more familiar with the technology that they will be using and the TEAMS online platform used by the school. This will make them more effective and responsible users.
I am looking forward to the year ahead. There will be challenges again I am sure, but if we work together then we will end up stronger and better placed to deliver the quality education that your children should expect.
“He waka eke noa”.
We are all in this together.
From the Board of Trustees
As another new year gets underway I’d like to welcome both our returning, new students and whānau to our school community. I hope you’ve been able to have some holiday time over the summer and enjoy this beautiful place that we live in.
Over the break the Board of Trustees have been working with the Senior Leadership Team to develop our strategic plan for the next three years. This process has given us the opportunity to consider all feedback that we received through the survey last year while deciding which aspects of the school really need our attention over the years ahead. We are very close to finalising this document and look forward to sharing it with everyone very soon. Whilst putting the plan together we realised that there are some key things that will make a big difference to how the school runs, and some of these are already being put in place as the year gets started.
It was great to see the good results for our NCEA students last year, so congratulations to everyone on your achievements on that front. Whilst NCEA results give us some insight into how students are going, they aren’t the only measure of success that is important for our students. We hope that Buller High School is a place where students and staff can learn to work positively together, show care and respect for each other and ensure that everyone feels safe and included in the school community.
I know the last few years have thrown more than their fair share of challenges at us, so we hope that 2023 allows us to enjoy a more settled year that enables us to focus on the things that are really important for our students. We look forward to working with the wider school community throughout 2023 to ensure that it’s the best it can be for everyone involved in the school.
Ngā mihi,
Glenn Irving
Student Services Corner
Kia ora te whānau,
I am really excited for 2023 and watching our Rangatahi grow and develop. Typically, my corner of the newsletter has advice and information on managing feelings and emotions, self-care, and self-awareness. I contribute this information to the newsletter as part of my counselling role at BHS. Being the first newsletter for 2023, I would like to explain what I do at BHS.
For the past six years I have been SENCO (Special Education Needs Coordinator). Joe Burns is now in charge of this department, his email is joe.burns@buller.ac.nz. This role includes Special Assessment Conditions (SAC), Special learning needs, Assistive technology, Educational Psychologist reports and Learning difficulties.
I will continue to teach in the Health and PE department and continue my practice as the school counsellor.
Wishing you well for 2023!
