Upcoming Events
- School Holidays – Saturday 28th September – Sunday 13th October
- Production Performance – Thursday 3rd October – Saturday 5th October
- IEMs – Monday 14th October
- First day of timetabled classes term 4 – Tuesday 15th October
- RAMs Training – Tuesday 22nd October
- Labour Day – School Closed – Monday 28th October
- NCEA Exams – Tuesday 5th November – Friday 29th November
- Staff Only Day Years 1-6 – Tuesday 12th November – School Closed for Instruction Years 1-6
- Staff Only Day Years 7-13 – Thursday 14th November – School Closed for Instruction Years 7-13
- Canterbury Anniversary – Friday 15th November
- Graduation – Friday 29th November
- Ao Tawhiti Film Festival – Monday 9th December
- End of Year Community Picnic – Friday 13th December
- Summer Holidays – Saturday 14th December – Sunday 26th January
- Staff Only Day – Monday 27th January – School Closed for Instruction
- IEMs – Tuesday 28th January – School Closed for Instruction
- IEMs – Wednesday 29th January – School Closed for Instruction
- Staff Only Day – Thursday 30th January – School Closed for Instruction
- Friday 31st January – Mihi Whakatau – 9am. Year 1-6 all students in HB 10:30am – 3:00pm. Years 7-13 NEW students in HB 10:30am – 12:20pm. Years 7-13 All students in HB 1:00pm – 3:00pm.
- Normal Timetable Begins – Monday 3rd February
- Waitangi Day – Thursday 6th February – School Closed
Message From Anita
Kia ora koutou
Thank you all for your support and contributions to term three. This has been a fabulous term which has developed an exciting theme of students taking the lead at our kura. I am so proud of our ākonga who created leadership opportunities for themselves and, in doing so, have enhanced the experiences of their peers.
We have had younger tamariki take the lead in workshops in the Friday hapori sessions on Floor One. It is great to watch the pride shown by the younger students as they become experts, sharing knowledge and skills with students and teachers. This is ako (meaning to both teach and learn) in action. We have also had older rangatahi take the lead in kura initiatives. Congratulations to the formal committee, Hannah, Isla, Lia, Frida, Neith and Izzy for organising and hosting an outstanding formal. Congratulations to Eve and Charlotte who are directing a school production of The Importance of Being Earnest. Well done to Flynn who took on a leadership role sharing his kapa haka knowledge, helping to lead the practices and performance at the Art Gallery. Great work Emma who organised an Avon River clean-up which was attended by a number of our students, staff and whānau. Thank you to Liam, Rumi and Daniel for teaching younger students how to plant a native forest at the Climate Action Campus. Apologies if I have missed any other examples of student leadership this term. If I have missed you out, then let me know and I will acknowledge you in the next newsletter.
At our kura we encourage and support student-led initiatives. The best learning often takes place, when you are teaching or leading others. If your child has an idea they would like to try, or a skill they would like to share, or an opportunity they would like to investigate then let their Homebase Learning Advisor know. We will aim to provide time, resources and people to support your child in their chosen endeavour, as that is our special character in action.
Term Four this year will be different than other years. We will run our normal timetable for the first three weeks, until our senior students depart for the year. We will then run two three-week blocks of learning for our year 7 – 10 students. Our timetable will change to accomodate the different classes, and there are fabulous classes to choose from. You will have the opportunity to explore thse options at IEMs, and I encourage you to support your child to make some choices outside their comfort zone. Please take advantage of the opportunity to try something new.
I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday break. I look forward to seeing everyone back for our Summer term.
Ngā mihi nui
Anita
Messages from Senior Leaders
Term 4 EOTC and RAMs training
There are just two more RAMs sessions scheduled for this year. These sessions take half an hour and cover the basics of what to expect when supporting off-site activities as a whānau volunteer. Dates for the remaining RAMs sessions are:
8:30 – 9:00am, Tuesday October 22
2:30 – 3:00pm, Wednesday November 20
Please complete the RSVP form, if you are intending to come along. https://forms.gle/KvrJVWtPrMTWQis28
Huge thanks once again to our parent volunteers for your continued support with Education Outside the Classroom. We couldn’t do it without you!
Megan Taylor
Videographer Needed
Hagley College and Ao Tawhiti have joined forces in employing a mental health advocate, Susan Ayson and a social worker, Alana Whitcombe. Both of these people do an incredible job at supporting our students and caregivers, but the funding for these positions is limited. We have set up a trust, called The Waipapa Trust to raise funds through sponsorship and grants. We would like to create an information video, so people can see the value that Susan and Alana bring to our schools. If you have the skills and the time to create this video then we would love to hear from you. Please contact Anita if you would like to talk this through in more detail.
Anita Yarwood
Class choices for Y7-10 students in term 4.2 and 4.3
When the senior students go on exam leave in week 4 of Term 4, the timetable will look a little different – see below. In yellow and red we will be running numeracy and literacy classes. These classes run for the whole 6 weeks from week 4-9. All the other classes run for just 3 weeks each, so you get to sample lots of different things across the term.
We have now published the descriptors for the 4.2 and 4.3 classes. To see them, go to the usual place in Arotahi – https://arotahi.aotawhiti.school.nz/course-list – and use the ‘Term’ drop-down menu to select 4.2 and 4.3. During the IEMs, students should let their HBLA know what classes they want to take.
Megan Taylor
News/Notices
Spring Market at the Climate Action Campus
Medications at Kura
Please register any personal student medications with the school office.
We have a secure medication administration process in place. When your student needs medication, at school, please chat with us. We will complete a medication form and create a plan to ensure safe storage, communication, and administration.
While it might be convenient for students to carry medications including over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen and antihistamines, we require all medications to be securely stored in the first aid room. This helps prevent accidental medication ingestion or misuse.
By following this policy, we can create a safer and healthier learning environment for all students. Thank you for your support.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact jonelle.matthews@aotawhiti.school.nz
Jonelle Matthews
Mobile Music School
Please send expressions of interest to the email address below if you would like this programme considered in 2025.
Counsellors Corner
Bridget Scott, Counsellor, MNZAC Level 2, ph/txt 027 829 4485 bridget.scott@aotawhiti.school.nz
Miriam Denney, Counsellor, MNZAC Level 4, ph/txt 021 795 309 miriam.denney@aotawhiti.school.nz
Susan Ayson, Registered Nurse, Mental Health Advisor, ph/txt 021 916 067 susan.ayson@aotawhiti.school.nz
Ao Tawhiti Production 2024
This year’s student directed production is The Importance of being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. The play tells the story of two men, Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, who both assume the identity of a fictional man named Ernest, leading them both to fall in love and find an assortment of problems along the way. Our wonderful cast has been working hard all year, and we’re looking forward to bringing this show to you on the 4th – 5th of October.
This is the link for tickets. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoawIuRGuXeLoyWPKZtNZVivXwYmx0Q34S4szHO6t54M5BOA/viewform
Charlotte & Eva
South Island Secondary School Indoor Climbing Competition
Over the two day competition, Xanthe, Leroy, Pippin & Rhys came 4th overall and second in the mixed category.
Great team work, camaraderie and fun, completing 50+ climbs each over the two days.
Craig Perry
Cheapskate Skating School
What a fun afternoon we had with George from Cheapskate Skating School! Some of our Year 1 – 6 tamariki set a goal to extend their skills on the skateboard, and it was exciting to see their progress.
Through the session, the tamariki were able to improve their body awareness, balance, and confidence on the skateboard. They had a blast learning new techniques and practising their skills, all while having fun.
We’re grateful for the opportunity to enhance their skating abilities and look forward to more sessions in the future!
Mary Lee
Term 3 – Adventure Based Learning
It has been a great term working with an awesome group of enthusiastic ākonga. They have always been willing work together to take on new challenges (especially when the challenge gets them outside and active)
Matt Parkes
Yr 13 Planting and Deforestation Education Project
Year 13 students Rumi, Daniel, and Liam took a group of younger students to the Climate Action Campus to educate them about native wildlife and deforestation. After teaching in the classroom, they furthered the learning outdoors by participating in Native tree planting.
Also at the CAC was the US Ambassador of NZ and Samoa, who was highly enthused and supportive of this project after discussing it with the three students.
Rumi, Daniel & Liam
Whānau Night – Child-led Workshops, Board Games, and Shared Kai
HB Takahe (Melva) and HB Kākāpō (Mary) had a lovely whānau night filled with fun, child-led workshops and board games we’ve learned from the Teece Museum.
Parents had the opportunity to learn how to use apps like ibisPaint, ClipAFlip, Minecraft, and Onshape, as well as play one of our favourite outdoor games, “Bob Down.”
We had a fantastic turnout, with many whānau joining us to experience some of the learning and play that take place. It was also a great opportunity for parents to meet, get to know each other, or simply catch up.
These events truly bring us together and reflect our core values of whanaungatanga and aroha
Mary & Melva
Art Classes – Ao Tawhiti Parent
Birds and Words
Year 2 and 3 students from Homebase Ruru have been creating art based around the Bird of the Year and Conservation Week. These artworks focus on the natural world around us and celebrate birds, words and spring! These wonderful artworks and the children’s writing was exhibited at South Library for the month of September.
The children chose their birds of interest and used observations to draw them. These were then collaged into a painted background that is the natural habitat of the bird. We took a trip to the library to see the show and gave each other feedback! I was very proud of all the children’s art works and commitment to this creative action!
Jenny Ward
Formal 2024
The Formal was held at the Town Hall in the Avon Room on Saturday September 14th. The theme of the formal was Fairy Tale, which was exemplified by the wonderful outfits and beautiful decorations. The formal this year was organised by Hannah Martin, Lia Manning, Frida Ricks, Izzy Staiger, Neith Absalom and Isla Rogerson. They did a fabulous job and the community would like to thank them for hosting such a wonderful event.
eVelocity
Jake, Conn and Rayyan spent Saturday 21st September at the Air New Zealand Academy of Learning working on their eBike for the competition in late October. The also enjoyed exploring some of the aircraft in the hangar.
Matt Parkes
Adventure Based Learning
ABL team challenge to Margaret Mahy obstacle course: Teams had to manoeuvre their bucket of water from school to the Margaret Mahy playground and then over, under and through a range of obstacles.
Matt Parkes
Thanks for your New World Stamps
A huge thank you to everyone who donated their New World stamps. We have so far managed to collect 10 large oven proof containers which will be really useful.
They are handy for storing food as well as cooking so we are very grateful.
Kay Hayes
Exhibition featuring Ao Tawhiti graduates
“Fragile! Don’t Bend!” is and exhibition put on by the Ara Applied Visual Arts and Photography Year 2 students and is held just down the road at Boxed Quarter on level 2. It features three Ao Tawhiti/Unlimited graduates, Emily Hickling, Caitlin Brown and myself and we’d love to invite the Ao Tawhiti community to the exhibition. Opening night 4:30-7pm October 15th and running 12-4pm 16th-20th October.
Hannah Dent
KeyChain library
In a PINs workshop, the ākonga worked extremely hard making keychains..(some of which were extremely fiddly). The concept behind this is to make use of all those little nick nacks lying about and turn them into something useful by repurposing them as keychains. The Keychain Library has a simple motto, “Take a keychain, Leave a trinket”.
With the trinkets/nick-nacks that are left behind will be made into more keychains to gift, pop on school bags, use for keys or anything really.
It is located on level 4 outside 4.2 . Pop past and make use of our new and unique library.
Evan Kiddey
We have been busy this term!
– Dance with Eve
– Kick boxing with senior PE
– Community gratitude hui
– Basketball Wednesdays with Harry
– Senior PE leadership
– Friday art activities
– Star jam for Jump Jam
Sarah Marshall
Parent Help – Literacy and Numeracy Lab Floor 4
We would like to say a huge thank you to the parents who have been coming in on Monday mornings and Wednesday mornings to help level 4 students.
The extra one on one help is very much appreciated and is such a benefit to student directed learning.
We mostly appreciate your flexibility and your ability to roll with whatever happens. Some days we never quite know who needs help with what so your flexibility is brilliant.
We will be continuing this in term 4 if anyone is available. If you haven’t had a go yet and are interested you could email kay.hayes@aotawhiti.school.nz and I can chat to you about how it works.
To sign up to volunteer please follow the link and add your name to the table in the document.
Parent Help Floor 4 Mondays 9.00 10.00
Parent Help Floor 4 Wednesdays 9.00 – 10.00
Many many thanks
Kay Hayes
2024 Ski Trips
Of the 5 ski trips we had planned in 2024 we were lucky to get up the mountain for 3 of them. The weather was a mixed bag with one day snowing all day and one classic sunny spring day. Whatever the weather all 3 days were very successful and we had a great time. I personally really enjoy having the opportunity to learn with students of all ages and parents and staff. It is always a pleasure and I really enjoy the community building that happens each time. We have a very lovely small group of students and parents that have been going for a few years and each year we grow as we bring in a few new people. Next year we would love to have you come along too.
Thanks to all the whanau who come along and help make the days smoother and easier for students.
Skiing or snowboarding is a great adventure for all ages and we often find students have an amazing sense of achievement after they try it.
Kay Hayes
NZIS (NZ Institute of Sport) Sports Coaching & Leadership Course Term 3
For one day per week this term 15 students from Ao Tawhiti have completed this course gaining Level 2 Coaching credits towards NCEA.
Students have really loved the environment at NZIS, the tutors, cafe and relaxed atmosphere. Their tutor T says they were the best class she has taught in a long time and she really looked forward to her time with them. She said the students really came out of their shells, gelled really well together and gave it 100%.
Anne-Marie Hampton
Niko’s whittling workshop
My name is Niko and this is the whittling workshop that I ran at the CAC for my IEM whittling goal.
At my workshop, I taught people how to sharpen some sticks safely using knives. My Dad and Grandpa were there to help do it with us.
We made a fire to cook on, using wood we found around the CAC.
We used the sticks to wrap the damper on and stuck marshmallows on to cook in the fire.
We also cooked potatoes in the fire.
It was lots of fun and I want to do it again!
Suze Keys
Kiwi Christmas Books – Ao Tawhiti Parent Initiative
Student Business
HB Piwakawaka Halswell Trains
Charis Huhta
Youth Search and Rescue
This is the first year this programme has run in Christchurch. Find more info here: https://ysar.org.nz/?
4SCI: Insect Mania
This term in 4SCI we have been looking at Nature of Science and the four strands that make this up:
– Understanding about Science.
– Investigating in Science
– Communication in Science
– Participating and Contributing
As part of our unit on Participating and Contributing in Science, we had a visit from the Canterbury Museum with their insect collection as well as a real life entomologist (someone who studies insects).
The students asked lots of curious questions and got to look at a vast range of insects, both international and native species, up close!
Jess Dewhurst
Senior Science Camp
For the final week of Term 3, a group of 32 senior science students piled into vans and headed down to Ōtepoti Dunedin for four jam- packed days!
Day 1: The first day involved driving down to Dunedin with a stop off to see the Moeraki boulders. We then settled into our accommodation at the Dunedin Holiday Park in St Kilda.
Day 2: We spent the morning at Orokonui Ecosanctuary, where we learnt far too much about spiders as well as seeing the Takahē and learning about the kaupapa of the Ecosanctuary. For the afternoon we headed to the Anatomy Museum at the University of Otago where students were able to look around at the vast range of specimens they have to help teach students about the anatomy of the human body.
Day 3: We were up bright and early heading out to the Portobello Marine Research centre run by the University of Otago. Students had the opportunity to participate in a citizen science project, collecting data on plankton species found in the harbour. We then got to explore the centre and see what projects and research is on the go. For the afternoon, Students were back at the Uni of Otago campus meeting the Physics department and getting a tour of their lab facilities.
For our accommodation this night, we headed to the Otago Museum where we spent the night at the museum. This section of our trip involved a trip to space in the planetarium, turning Greg into a mummy, and sleeping over in the science discovery centre.
Day 4: We spent the morning in the butterfly house and exploring the museum before heading off in the vans back to Ōtautahi Christchurch.
Overall, a great trip, lots of fun and cool science opportunities!
Jess Dewhurst
Other Notices
Learn to Surf Lessons kick off in Week 1 of Term 4.
Six week course for $195. All equipment provided. 2 hour lessons.
Great instructors.
1:6 ratio so everyone gets plenty of individual attention.
Weekdays 4.30 pm or weekends 3.30pm.
Students can register online here :- http://surfcoach.co.nz/register/secondary-school-package-register-here/
As always our classes fill quickly so students need to register early.
For further details contact:
Aaron Lock
Canterbury Scholastic Surfing Inc.
Tel. 326 7161
Email: aaronlock@surfcoach.co.nz
Website: http://www.surfcoach.co.nz
AUDITION ANNOUNCEMENT!
Ahoy there me hearties! Luminaires is seeking singers, dancers and actors for their next major show, “Pirates of the Curry Bean”
For ages 8-25. No experience necessary.
For more information and to register go to https://forms.gle/PaGDwAc7gNDMP49P7
If you have any questions or would prefer to be involved behind the scenes then find us on social media or email us luminairescharitabletrust@gmail.com
