Kia ora e te whānau

We were blessed with beautiful weather on Monday and Tuesday which got things off to a great start to the term. Students look happy to be catching up with friends, and it has been great to see them back ready to learn. We have had a number of new students join us this term and I trust that their time with us will be positive.

Thank you to the PFA who have organised the Bingo Fundraiser tonight at the Green Island Rugby Club. It will be a great night out and the raffle prizes that our PFA members have organised, look amazing! Don’t miss out.

Below is the email sent home towards the end of last week. I am including the messages again below for those of you who may not have cleared your inbox.

Some winter sports have already begun, and others are beginning next week. All the best to our Trinity teams. Respectful sportsmanship, committing to practices, supporting one another, showing up looking proud of our college, and playing as a team, is such an important part of school sport. Good luck for the season.

We are still in the Easter season which continues until Pentecost Sunday – an Easter season filled with hope, joy, and celebration.

“Lord, I offer You profound thanksgiving that I may join in the celebration of Your Resurrection! I thank You for loving me so much that I have been invited to participate in the new life won by You. Amen”

Small Timetable Change

Due to staffing changes for term two and beyond, we have needed to change the placement of classes on an odd Tuesday. From this coming week, period 4&5 on a Tuesday has swapped around every 'odd week' in the timetable. Musac Edge show this change on student timetables.

'Phones Away for the Day'

A reminder that we began 'phones away for the day' after Easter. All schools in New Zealand will have this in place from the start of Term Two. Except for a small number of confiscations, students have been very respectful of the new legislation and we have heard very positive comments from students about how this is helping their learning and break times with friends. As parents, we ask that you don't text or phone your children during the school day. Instead, phone the college office with a message that will be passed on. Students will also be expected to use the office phone if they need to pass on a message or let you know about after school arrangements. The easiest option is to make use of email. Students have access to their emails throughout the day via their devices. Thank you for your support in this matter.

Uniform, Jewellery, Gel Nails, Shaving, Shoes

We have a uniform policy set by the Board, and this must be followed. This includes jackets or extra layers for warmth - blazers for years 11-13 and the junior school jacket are the only acceptable outerwear for students. Casual hoodies, sports jackets and puffer jackets will be removed to the office if they are worn. As colder days begin, please consider them wearing extra layers under their shirts rather than on top.

Jewellery is not permitted for any student except for a watch, one plain finger ring, one plain gold/silver ear stud in each ear. Religious or culturally significant jewellery e.g. crucifix or pounamu may be worn. No other jewellery including facial piercings are permitted. Nose studs will be required to be removed, (however students may wear a clear plastic nose stud in the event of infection etc).

‘Formal’ season is beginning, and I know that students enjoy the opportunity to get gel nails as part of their attire for special evenings. Unfortunately, nail polish is not to be worn to school. Students will be asked to remove gel nail polish (at their own expense) should they choose to wear it to school. We have nail polish remover at the office for those students who forget to take off 'normal' nail polish before coming to school.

Shaving: with the current trend towards facial hair, some of our young men are choosing not to shave regularly. We have shavers in the office if this is the situation for your young man – however I am sure that shaving at home will be more comfortable!

Shoes: All students, unless they have a note from home, are required to wear black school shoes (unless they are in PE) throughout the day including to and from school. Some children change into sports shoes for interval and break which is fine, but they must change back into their school shoes after this. Changing into sports shoes after school to go to town 'because they are more comfortable', is not an option. Instead, students should bring a set of casual clothes to change into before going to town if they want to wear sports shoes.

Attendance

You may have read in the media about the government's focus on attendance. This is always a focus for us, not just when it is in the political arena. There are significant links between attendance rates and achievement - attendance concerns include regular lateness and making appointments during school time when it is possible to make them after school. We are required to report attendance to the Ministry weekly and this includes our deans required to report on interventions for students with less than desirable attendance. If we all have a focus on making sure that children are making the most of the great privilege that education is, then your child's progress and achievement will improve accordingly. The first class begins at 8.50 sharp and all our young people should be in class ready to start.

Staffing

We welcome back Ms Jordan Bone as teacher of 7BAR, after her year's leave. Where we have been able to stretch our staffing resources, we have done so.T Therefore we have been able to create an extra Year 11 English class to relieve the pressure in a couple of big classes. Similarly, Mr Bede O'Callaghan will work with the year 10 English classes for the rest of the year as an extra resource to provide a small group or team-teaching model. I hope this will help our year 10s to have the extra support required for the upcoming NCEA co-requisite reading and writing exams. We also welcome back Mr Richard McNaught from his term's study leave. I know he is looking forward to getting back into the workshop with his students. Mrs Kate Mullen is teaching a year 10 Maths class for the rest of the year, and the periods she is away from her 9MULL class will be covered by Miss Courtenay Barnes.

Mrs Gretchen Beardmore began her new role in the office this Monday. Gretchen may be the person you now speak to when you ring the office. She will also be the person students speak to when they are leaving and arriving to school via the office, so you may receive a call from her to check on appointments etc. Please be patient with her while she 'learns the ropes'!

Calendar

We are looking forward to the start of the winter sports season, and to the musical production 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' in week 4. We will celebrate Trinity Day on May 24th and a reminder that King's Birthday weekend will be a four day weekend for our young people due to our Kāhui Ako Teacher Only Day on May 31st when all staff will be involved in professional development. There is plenty else happening this term so remember to use the live calendar on the website to keep abreast of events.