Tēnā koutou e te whanau o te Kura a Rohe o Whaingaroa
We are not just any school in any country but a school proudly situated in Raglan, Aotearoa, New Zealand; a school that values and honours its bicultural heritage and is a truly unique and inspirational learning environment to be part of.
We are at the beginning of our 7th week and we all cannot believe how quickly this term is flying by. I want to thank everyone for your support in what has been a busy start to the year. We have of course been blessed with beautiful weather for most of this school term – long may this continue. Overall, our students have settled positively into their learning this year. There are many innovative and motivating learning opportunities available to them and we will bring you examples of this throughout the school year.
SCHOOL NEWSLETTER PUBLICATION DATES
All school newsletters and upcoming events will be published on the school website under PRINCIPAL NEWS so that you are able to access them more easily. Our regular School Newsletters will be published Thursday Weeks 3, 7 and 10 in every school term on the following dates:
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 | |
| Week 3 | N/A | 20 May 2021 | 12 August 2021 | 4 November 2021 |
| Week 7 | 25 March 2021 | 17 June 2021 | 9 September 2021 | 4 December 2021 |
| Week 10 | 15 April 2021 | 8 July 2021 | 30 September 2021 | 16 December 2021 |
We will also post video vignettes (fortnightly) and photographic snapshots/stories of our school in action (twice a term) throughout the school year.
POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR FOR LEARNING (PB4L)
We use our school vision, mission statements and values (listed below) to assist us to build and maintain positive relationships between our staff, students and families. We believe that the language is appropriate to all adults and children within our learning community. We have recently introduced a school wide rewards programme across the school to acknowledge and encourage our students to meet our school wide behaviour expectations. Early signs indicate that students are receptive and they are responding well.
Vision: Mana Rangatahi / Empowering Young People
Mission Statement: Whakanuia te mātauranga i te taiao kākano rua / Celebrating Education In A Bicultural Environment
Values:
- Manaakitanga – We are respectful, kind and empathetic
- Kaitiakitanga – We are caretakers of Te Ao Maori and Our World
- Whanaungatanga – We are inclusive and connect genuinely with others
- Poutama – We are resilient and aspire to excellence
COVID-19
We are currently in Alert Level 1 and as you know we have also been in Alert Level 2 this term already. The Board of Trustees and staff want to reassure you that we are planning (but hoping that we will NOT have to use) for COVID-19 an Alert Level 3 or Alert Level 4 status – both of these require some online distance learning from home protocols.
LEARNING CONVERSATION – Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 March
We understand that these timeframes may not work for all. If you were unable to take up this opportunity to meet with the teachers of your children, you are very welcome to contact the office and to request an alternative time to meet.
SCHOOL STRUCTURES 2021
We are operating as Kura Tuakana (Years 7-13) and Kura Teina (Years 0-6 English Medium and 0-8 Māori Medium) this year. We have used the past 6 weeks to support staff and students to navigate specific changes (e.g. Years 7-10 students have subject teachers this year and Years 4-6 students are home roomed vertically). We are very grateful to our families who are also navigating these changes, with some informing us directly how these changes have impacted on their children/s learning.
STUDENT SCHOOL LEADERS
The following students are in our Senior School Student Leadership team for 2021. This week we announced and congratulated the Head Students from this group.
- Brie Bennett (Y13) – HEAD GIRL
- Ashton Bicknell (Y12)
- Taliah Edgecombe-Pearse (Y13)
- Sienna Harding (Y12)
- Sophie Higgins (Y12 – DEPUTY HEAD GIRL
- Connor Marquand (Y13) – HEAD BOY
- Tom Robinson (Y13) – DEPUTY HEAD BOY
- Leila-Rose Skeates (Y13)
SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT
We are in the middle of a school wide painting plan for our exterior buildings, planning for the arrival of new classrooms and the upgrading of existing classrooms. We will keep you informed with progress being made – but you are all very welcome to come into school, to walk around and to have a look.
OUT OF SCHOOL HOURS VISITORS
The school wide perimeter fence was built by the Ministry of Education and completed earlier this term to assist our staff to keep some of our junior students safe. This is because we are surrounded by main roads and water and some of our students are not able to self-manage well enough to remain within the school grounds. This means that our school gates are opened every morning before 8am, locked again at 9.10am, opened again at 2.50pm and then locked again at the end of the school day by our security staff person. We ask that our school community respects these guidelines and do not climb over gates to get into the school grounds. The pedestrian gate adjacent to the main entrance and the administration / office block is always unlocked to allow visitors to enter the school after they have signed in at the school office. We appreciate your patience with this change of process.
SCHOOL OPEN HOURS
School begins at 8.50am and ends at 3.00pm. We are doing well with the punctuality of most students at the beginning of the school day. In Kura Teina (Years 0-6 English Medium and 0-8 Māori Medium) the classrooms are opened by the teachers at 8.20am. Please be aware that if your child comes to school before this time that the teacher will be busy with classroom preparation and/or engaged in meetings with colleagues. We appreciate the support of our families with this arrangement. If for any reason, your child needs to be at school earlier, please attempt to let the school know as we do not have any staff on playground supervision before 8.20am.
STUDENT CELL PHONES 2021
Students are discouraged from bringing cellphones to school. Recent international research along with feedback from staff and students in our own school clearly indicates that cell phones at school are a major distraction for our students. Cellphones have been used inappropriately by students in our school during 2019 and 2020 in the following ways;
- Failing to hand in the cell phone at the start of a class as requested;
- Intimidating and bullying others, including sexting;
- Videoing students fighting and participating in other inappropriate behaviour;
- Taking photos or videos of students or staff without their permission;
- Accessing social media and gaming sites during class time;
- Producing disrespectful messages to or about staff or other students;
- Forwarding or storing photos or videos taken illegally.
The following guidelines are designed to ensure that the learning of all students is maximised, while minimising any potential for distraction.
- If students choose to bring a cell phone to school, it must be switched to ‘silent’ and deposited in the ‘cell phone box’ at student reception. This ensures that the phone is not a distraction to anyone in or around the office. The phone can be collected at the end of the day.
- In an emergency, parents/caregivers should contact the main office. Office staff will quickly convey a message to students. Students falling ill during the day will report to the office staff, who will contact parents and caregivers.
- If students do make the decision to bring a cell phone to school they do so at their own risk. Raglan Area School is not responsible for any loss or damage caused to any cell phone.
- Parents and Caregivers may apply for a Cellphone Exemption for their child. This request must be made to the Principal.
- Consequences will be enacted with students who are not following these guidelines.
Ngā mihi nui
Louisa Barham
PRINCIPAL/TUMUAKI
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