Dates to Remember

13 March

Athletics Sports

14-15 March

Russell-McVeagh Regional

Debating

30-31 March

Pantomime Performances

2 April

Last day of Term 1

History Trip to Europe

departs

8 April

Science Trip to Europe

departs

20 April

First day of Term 2

M a r c h 2 0 1 5 I s s u e 2

N e w s l e t t e r

Proudly Karamu l Proudly Hastings l Proudly Learning

Cnr Grove & Windsor Avenue,

PO Box 346,

Hastings 4156,

Hawke’s Bay,

New Zealand

Telephone: +64 6 878 7139

Facsimile: +64 6 878 7937

Email: admin@karamu.school.nz

www.karamu.school.nz

Congratulations to our Student Leaders Head Students

Area Leaders

Uniform Shop Hours

Wednesdays

1.15 –1.45 p.m.

and 3.00 to 4.00 p.m.

Jasmin Rorrison (Deputy Head Girl), Yahaira Williams (Head Girl), Mr M O’Grady (Principal), Reuben Hinton (Head Boy),

Te Moana Bartlett (Deputy Head Boy)

There are more 2015 Leaders’ photographs on the back page of this newsletter.

Back Row (L - R): Larissa Huata-Lucas (Culture), Liam Karekare (Culture), Wilson Pearse (Sports), Sarah Davison (Academic)

Middle Row (L - R): Isaac Cox (Performing Arts), Coco Kerckhoffs (Academic), Jessica Stowe (Sports), Levi Cox (Academic), Bongani Sikupa (Sports)

Front Row (L - R): Hera Kahukura (Culture), Chantel Slade (Performing Arts), Alana Rowsell (Performing Arts), Jaime Stewart (Academic)

0

F r o m t h e P r i n c i p a l

K A R A M U H I G H S C H O O L

“The virtue of a man ought

to be measured not by his

extraordinary exertions but

by his everyday conduct.”

Blaise Pascal

French mathematician and

philosopher

It’s hard to believe that we are already past the half way point for this term. Summer sport is

now entering the play-off stages of many competitions and preparations have begun for the

winter codes, which kick off in term two. The students are in a buoyant mood as they

appreciate how well they are doing and the weather has certainly done its bit in allowing our

students to enjoy the outside surrounds of the school during the breaks.

It’s appropriate for me to reflect on the challenges schools face in getting the best possible

levels of achievement for their students.

I’ve always believed there are six or seven key elements that help a school to be successful:

· Building a positive culture that values and celebrates achievement

· Emphasising the importance of learning and that it is for life

· Providing a relevant and flexible curriculum that engages students in learning

· Developing a friendly, safe and supportive environment

· Being firm, fair, consistent but deeply caring when managing student behaviour

· Providing a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities

· Developing a school community that values its teachers and support staff.

We are always aiming to maintain, or if possible improve, in these areas so that our students

get opportunities to succeed. We appreciate the support we get from families in doing this

and I thank all parents for this. Our partnership in these areas is vital.

We all need goals. For our students it may be improving their reading or attendance or

relationships. For others it may be improving their performance in a sporting code, or a music

or drama performance and for others it may be improving their achievements in NCEA.

Our school vision statement “Proudly Karamu, Proudly Hastings, Proudly Learning” fits really

well alongside the goals of our students and we constantly remind them of this fact. There is a

great quote by inspirational speaker Tony Robbins that I often recount to students, “Focus on

where you want to go and not on what you fear.” I’ve long held the belief that the biggest

obstacle for anyone who wants to improve, and achieve, is a fear of failure. I recently

reminded students at assembly that we work hard here to provide great opportunities for

them. Therefore, if they don’t understand and want to do better to help build their future

then it is really important to ask for help. There is no problem that cannot be fixed.

Regards

Martin O’Grady

K A R A M U H I G H S C H O O L

Our NCEA students are now well into their academic programmes. An important factor in NCEA success is meeting assessment deadlines. Each subject has set both milestone check points and assessment dates. These are detailed in the Term One Assessment Calendars.

Karamu High School regards meeting deadlines as very important. Students who fail to meet milestones to an acceptable standard will be required to catch up the work in the supervised Homework Centre, while those who do not meet assessment deadlines will not gain credits for the NCEA Standard. It is very disappointing when students miss out on credits because they did not meet a deadline. Continuing to not meet deadlines will result in intervention meetings with parents. Milestones are also used by the school and NZQA to ensure authenticity – that the work is the student’s own work. Milestones help students gain better success in internal assessments.

Parent Portal on the Karamu High School website shows attendance, NCEA credits and whether or not milestones have been met in each subject. Assessment Calendars and NCEA for Parents and Students can be found on the Karamu High School Website under the Academic pull down menu.

Regards June Clark

Congratulations to the junior school for the way they have begun the year. The majority of our students have established sound routines and are meeting the high expectations of work completion and homework required. Please remember that there is always homework to be done, even if you are reading through your notes for the day and summarising your understanding. Don’t forget to highlight areas you are struggling with and see your teacher about them.

During Sports period and form class time it is great to see all of our readers busy at work. Please remember to bring your reading materials to ensure that you are making the most of this valuable time.

Regards Michael Leitch

As we near the end of week six, I have been very impressed with the punctuality of our students. It is wonderful to see students here by 8.30 am every morning so that they are ready to start work at 8.35 am.

It has been a very busy six weeks for everyone here at Karamu but the students are following our routines and regulations. The Year 13 students have stepped up and are leading the way for the rest of the school. Many of them have adopted a senior mentor role, working with Year 9 form classes and other Year 9 individuals. This initiative has begun well and is a testament to the responsible nature of the senior students.

Thank you to those many Year 9 parents who took the opportunity to meet the teachers recently. This was a pleasant and relaxed occasion. It is reassuring to know your son or daughter is happy and settled at their new school.

I am looking forward to the Athletics Sports on Friday March 13. This is always another great fun-filled day in the calendar.

Please feel free to contact me with any concerns about your son or daughers’s welfare.

Regards, Wayne Wooster

Deputy Principal—Curriculum and Assessment

Deputy Principal—Junior Curriculum

Deputy Principal—Student Management

“No man will make a great

leader who wants to do it all

himself, or to get all the credit

for doing it.”

Andrew Carnegie

US industrialist and

philanthropist

“What you do has far greater

Impact than what you say.”

Stephen Covey

Author of “Seven Habits of

Highly Effective People.”

“Leadership and learning are

indispensable to each other.”

John F Kennedy

US President

1961-63

K A R A M U H I G H S C H O O L

NCEA Success

NCEA Level Cups: Grace Duncan (Year 11), Coco Kerckhoffs (Year 12), Scarlett Garvey (Year 10)

Year 13 High Achievers Back Row (L – R): Georgia MacKenzie (NZ Scholarships in Media and History, Karamu High School Cup for Level 3 Humanities and Karamu Arts and Humanities Scholarship, Excellence endorsement), Isabelle Mulders (Excellence endorsement), Justin Alsleben (NZ Scholarship in History, Excellence endorsement), Laura Wills (100 Club badge in Physical Education) Front Row L( – R): Simon Glew (NZ Scholarship in Statistics), Anicka Ward (Excellence endorsement), Jonathan Carr (NZ Scholarships in Statistics and Chemistry, Karamu High School Cup for Level 3 Sciences, Karamu High School Cup for the Best Level 3 results, John Wiffen Memorial Science Scholarship, Excellence endorsement, 100 Club badge in Statistics and Calculus)

100 Club Badges for gaining 100% excellence credits in a subject. Back Row (L – R): Emma Bone (L2 Drama), Sarah Davison (L2 Biology, Business studies), Mason Templeton (L1 Physical Education), William Wilks (L2 Digital Technologies), Kees Bakker-Reynolds (L2 Art - Design), Sam Thorpe-Loversuch (L1 Geography), Yahaira Williams (L2 Physics). Middle Row (L – R): Jamie Thompson (L1 Te Reo Maori), Georgia Boyes (L1 History, Media, Dance), Grace Duncan (L1 Music, Visual Art), Tahlia Hopkins (L2 Biology), Dylan Tonks (L2 DVC), Coco Kerckhoffs (L2 Chemistry, English, Maths, Physics), Ashleigh Mosen (L1 Visual Art), Tiffany Buckley (L2 Media), Front Row (L – R): Scarlett Garvey ( L1 Maths, Visual Art), Shanae Mullooly (L1 Media), Ailsa Laurie (L1 History), Nadia Rasell (L2 Art - Design, Art - Painting, DVC) Kate Jacobs (L2 Art -Painting), Larissa Hoogendoorn (L2 Photography), Emily Griffin (L2 Photography).

Each year, Karamu celebrates the success of exam candidates by holding a special assembly to honour those who achieved a merit or excellence endorsement. Parents and friends are invited to see the certificates and cups awarded. Students who receive an excellence endorsement are also awarded with silver academic honours badges.

P a g e 5

K A R A M U H I G H S C H O O L

Level 2 Excellence Back Row (L – R): Yahaira Williams, Sarah Davison, Te Moana Bartlett, Poppy Savage Middle Row (L – R): Jasmin Rorrison, Nadia Rasell, Tiffany Buckley, Tahlia Hopkins, Levi Cox, Emma Mackereth Front Row (L – R): Jaime Stewart, Baileigh O’Donoghue, Larissa Hoogendoorn, Chantel Slade, Coco Kerckhoffs

Level 2 Merit Back Row (L – R): Larissa Huata-Lucas, Benjamin Prebble, Stanley Chilton, Wilson Pearse, Reuben Hinton, Angus Fulford, Dylan Tonks, Isaac Cox Middle Row (L – R): Natalie Pallesen, Tayla Hunnam, Alana Rowsell, Breanna Lenz, Georgia Walker, Mikaelah-Grace Radtke, Sarah Morley, Jessica Stowe, Gabrielle Frewin Front Row (L – R): Dayna Carswell, Brooke Linnell, Alysha Morgan, Mitchell Turner, Natasha Mudgway, Bella Murdoch, Keriana Salisbury, Holly Keesing-Schermann, Emily Griffin

Level 1 Excellence Back Row (L – R): Zoe Hannay, Ally Janssen, Tyler McCourt, Max Ward, William Wilks, Wai Tupaea, Mason Templeton, Jim Missen, Ezra Cash, Sam Thorpe-Loversuch, Mikel O’Connell Middle Row (L – R): Ailsa Laurie, Christopher Sutton, Georgia Williams, Grace Duncan, Emma Bone, Isla Christensen, Ashleigh Mosen, Abigail Hussey, Georgia Boyes, Kate Jacobs, Scarlett Garvey Front Row (L – R): Mia Braddock, Shayne Brown, Caitlyn Clark, Grace Lyndon, Serena Newton-Clark, Shanae Mullooly, Kendal Gowan, Jeriel Sajan, Hannah Stiver Absent: Romaine Crawford, Grace Nolan

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K A R A M U H I G H S C H O O L

NCEA Success

Year 10 Students with NCEA endorsements Back Row: Mathew Lindsay (Merit Maths), Kate Jones (Merit Maths, Science), Holly Davison (Merit Maths, Excellence Science), Toby Hunter (Merit Science), Michaela Horsefield (Merit Maths), Bethany Cox (Merit Maths, Science), Tayah-Daisy Coleman (Merit Maths), Martha Wilson (Merit Maths, Science) Centre Row: Jack Chamberlain (Merit Maths, Science), Jacob Fraser (Merit Maths), Caleb Brothers (Merit Maths, Science), Taylor Epplett-Fletcher (Merit Maths), Phoebe Hinton (Merit Maths, Excellence Science), Oliver Chamberlain (Merit Maths, Excellence Science), Kody Giddens (Merit Maths), Josiah Barlow (Merit Science) Front Row: Georgia Hopkins (Excellence Science), Jamie Wharepapa-Gray (Merit Maths), Reuben Lyndon (Excellence Science), Niko Slade (Merit Maths, Science), Emily Hammond (Merit Maths, Science), Hannah Hemi-Robinson (Merit Science), Ella McKay (Merit Maths), Scarlett Garvey (Merit Science, Excellence Maths, Overall Level 1 Excellence endorsement, 100 Club Visual Art and Mathematics)

Level 1 Merit Back Row (L – R): Sophie Wells, Alex Hape-Tonihi, Pounamu Tipiwai-Chambers, Joshua Nicol, Yvaan Hapuku-Lambert, Ethan Murray, Zack Matthews, Morgan Nitschke, James Lowe, Kees Bakker-Reynolds, Liam Urquhart Third Row (L – R): Boston Pollock, Connor McGhee, Claudia Hintz, Tasia Pishief, Kendall Laking, Brad Petitclerc, Charlotte Rameka, Arihi Tonihi, Jaymie Wright, Joshua Waite Second Row (L – R): Dominic Cacace, Summer Wynyard, Jamie Thompson, Danika Thorpe, Lieze Marais, Tanisha Fitzgerald, Zion Harris, Brooke Hatton, Emma Moat, Michaela Pearse, Laura Winstone Front Row (L – R): Tori Cowan-Smith, Nakitah Hall, Rochelle Mercer, Ashleigh Blackman, Amy Webber, Mikayla Neil, Ellen Wykes, Jacqueline Funnell-Potts, Hannah Taylor, Jesca-Lee Bron Absent: Darnah Chenery, Gurkamal Bhangal, Madison Gaiger, Cate Laing, Kendall Lucas, Samuel Thompson

A number of students in Year 10 work a full NCEA course in mathematics and science. Those who achieved merit or excellence subject endorsements were recognised at a special assembly. In addition to these courses, some student do other NCEA work as well. Scarlett Garvey achieved a full NCEA Excellence endorsement from Year 10.

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K A R A M U H I G H S C H O O L

Mr Jeremy Wright was schooled in Central Hawkes Bay and completed a Bachelor of Visual

Art before moving on to a Diploma in Teaching at Massey University. At Karamu, he will be

teaching Year 12 Automotive, Year 11 Building Industry as well as Junior Technology clas-

ses. He is a practicing artist and a keen outdoorsman. He was keen to work at Karamu after

hearing 100% positive feedback about the school when he inquired about the school.

Mr Clancy Cummins has taught previously at Auckland Grammar, Koc School in Istanbul

and Kingsway College in Auckland, where he taught English and Media. He is teaching

English part-time this year while working on his Masters degree.

He loves running, music and movies and has a puppy called Marlowe.

He sees Karamu as a warm, inclusive and fun environment where students are well

grounded and see the value in their education.

Joni Dawson

Relay for Life

Forty Karamu students took part in the Hawkes Bay

Relay for Life to raise both funds and awareness for

the Cancer Society on the last weekend of February.

The event, held at the Regional Sports Park, started

at 2 pm on Saturday and concluded at 10 am the

following day.

Additional highlights for students included winning

their section of the tug-of-war competition, on-

going basketball competitions and the delicious

baking provided by many of the parents. Despite

tiredness and sore legs, all the students enjoyed the

participation and the camaraderie of the weekend.

Great leadership was shown by senior students in

organising this event, which was supervised during the weekend by Mrs Cooper and various other staff members.

Tired, but happy, Karamu students after the Relay for Life.

Year 13 Breakfast

Year 13 students, their parents and teachers met for breakfast at the Hastings RSA on 26 February,

for the Year 13 breakfast. This annual event is a chance for Year 13 parents, teachers and students

to meet in an informal way and to listen to an interesting, motivational speaker.

This year’s guest speaker was former student John O’Shaughnessy, who is now Acting Chief

Executive Officer of the Hastings District Council. He spoke of the importance of finding something

you are interested in and pursuing it and of taking opportunities as they come. He shared his

experience of going to Harvard for extra education and ending up in the same room as Barack

Obama, who had come to address the class, as a way of illustrating that students from Karamu are

not limited in their opportunities.

(Photo from Hastings District Council website)

Mr John O’Shaughnessy

Year 9 Meet-the-Teacher Night

The Year 9 Parents-Meet-the-Teachers evening, held on 4 March, began

with an address to the parents by Mr O’Grady and Year 9 Dean, Mrs

Crawford. During this more formal part of the evening, parents were able

to view slide shows of various events their sons and daughters had been

involved in this year, such as The Big Day Out.

Parents then went to meet form teachers in their classrooms and ask any

questions. Senior mentors attached to each form class also introduced

themselves to the parents and helped to answer questions. These senior

students join Year 9 classes for Wednesday form time to help the new

students to settle into life at high school.

The evening concluded with an informal time for parents, students and staff

to mingle. Year 12 Hospitality and Food and Nutrition students provided

food for the event and served it.

This annual event is a great opportunity for parents and staff to meet in a

friendly way. Parents and staff mingle informally.

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K A R A M U H I G H S C H O O L

For more information about Karamu, visit www.karamu.school.nz or our FaceBook page.

Congratulations to our School Leaders

Back Row (L - R): Larissa Hoogendoorn, Mikaelah-Grace Radtke, Emma Mackereth, Jayden Black, Angus Fulford, Breanna Lenz Front Row (L - R): Haylee Nolan, Tayla Hunnam, Shannon Walford, Chinayd O’Sullivan

L - R: Shaniece Eagan, Brooke Linnell, Emily Griffin, Mitchell Turner, Sarah Morley, Harrison Walmsley-Bartlett, Jack Holden, Eleazer Spooner, Stanley Chilton, Adam Ward, Poppy Savage, Aries Moore-Wilson, Tiffany Buckley, Baileigh O’Donoghue, Keriana Salisbury, Dayna Carswell House Leaders by house Heretaunga: Aries Moore-Wilson, Poppy Savage, Adam Ward, Emily Griffin Kaweka: Stanley Chilton, Baileigh O’Donoghue, Sarah Morley, Shaniece Eagan Te Mata: Brooke Linnell, Eleazer Spooner, Mitchell Turner, Harrison Walmsley-Bartlett Tuki Tuki: Tiffany Buckley, Keriana Salisbury, Jack Holden, Dayna Carswell

House Leaders

Community Leaders

Medical Issues

If your son or daughter has a medical condition such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy or allergies, please check with the school office to make sure they are aware of the condition. It is important for them to know so they can treat your son or daughter quickly in the event of any problems.

For any questions, please contact the school nurse Karyn Cardno on 027 233 6893 or the School Office 878 7139.