by Christopher Waugh | Sep 18, 2019 | Notices
Today we heard a pitch from ex-student Lincoln Haworth who is running for the local council. One of our greatest hopes in our work with you is to see you head out into the world and make a positive impact. It fills us with pride to consider that our own ex-students will end up in positions in society where you contribute to the greater good.
We reflected on the practice examinations that have just been completed. These will make an excellent foundation for the preparation phase leading into the final exams next term. You’ll receive an NCEA progress report at the end of the term – but before then, we urge you all to have a look at your credits to date and make sure you’re still in a secure position to achieve UE. Regardless of what your next step is, we consider this qualification as the benchmark for the completion of your school career. If you think you’re in a marginal place for the qualifications you need, let us know!
And on the subject of communication – another party who we encourage you to keep in the loop is your family. You’re now juggling plans for 2020, applications for trades, apprenticeships, scholarships, tertiary study and accommodation and your workload for school – most of these processes place you at the centre: but your family are still as interested as ever in everything that goes on in your life. Take the time to keep them in the loop. Tell them where you’re applying. Tell them how you made the decision. Reassure them when you meet a deadline. Explain University Entrance to them (especially explain that it’s not just for university!) and show them how your course will support your gaining that qualification this year. And, possibly most important of all, bring them close if things aren’t going well. If your practice exams fell apart. If you’re behind on internals. If you’re worried about not making it across the line – tell them! Make a rescue plan together.
Students in the Community Final Feedback
Remember that in order to get the recognition that you so richly deserve for the countless hours of volunteer work you have done this year, you must complete the Students in the Community Final Feedback form before 5:00pm on Friday 27th of September.
Careers Dates and Info:
- AUT Skype course planning September 19th at 1:30 pm with Pablo
- Canterbury University Course Planning Friday 20th 8:35 am with Dan in the Library
- Victoria University course planning Friday 20th 1:20 pm with Poppy in Room 23
- Massey University Course Planning at MAC Wednesday 25th 3 pm in the Library
Jobs
We are contacted by employers at this time of the year who are seeking long-term employees in Wanaka for 2020. Please make sure Charlotte is aware that you are actively seeking employment and check out the MAC Careers website for advertised jobs at careers.mtaspiring.edutronic.net
CVs
You are advised to send us
your CV before leaving school so we can offer feedback. If you
would like to meet with us to get some help with that then please
just ask.
Plan A and Plan
B
Most students have a Plan A
for next year, which is great. We always recommend having a Plan B
as well, so keep this in mind. If you are struggling, remember you
are our priority and we are here to help.
Stay close to Charlotte’s careers website careers.mtaspiring.edutronic.net to keep yourself up to date with scholarship opportunities, CV guides, summer jobs and tertiary application information. Better still, click on the “follow” tab at the bottom right and get everything new emailed directly to your inbox
Home Study – Commences 19 September 2019
by Christopher Waugh | Aug 29, 2019 | Notices
Today we focussed on kindness. Charlotte and I consistently benefit from your kindness, and we could not over-state the difference it makes to us when we receive a word of appreciation or acknowledgement. We asked to you to consider now whether you afford the same dignifying respect to each other – particularly the others in your social world who may be more on the margins. Do you go to the same trouble to think about what life must be like for them, and do you act with the same generosity of spirit that Charlotte and I experience? We would really like to think so.
Today we also said “break a leg” to Liz, who is off to Krakow on a writing residency. She’ll be back in November, and Sarah has taken over her office and role in the meantime if there’s anything you need. Remember the sic website is sic.mtaspiring.edutronic.net
Don’t forget that our school scholarships application closing date is this Friday.
You can still download the information and forms here:
The Rotary Scholarship team require hand-written submissions on this separate form:
Careers Info:
Stay close to Charlotte’s careers website careers.mtaspiring.edutronic.net to keep yourself up to date with scholarship opportunities, CV guides, summer jobs and tertiary application information. Better still, click on the “follow” tab at the bottom right and get everything new emailed directly to your inbox
Home Study – Commences 29 August 2019
KINDNESS, BY NAOMI SHIHAB NYE
Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.
Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.
Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.
Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
It is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.
From Words Under the Words: Selected Poems. Copyright © 1995 by Naomi Shihab Nye.
by Christopher Waugh | Aug 14, 2019 | Notices
This week our primary focus is on ensuring everyone is clear and well-planned in your application for scholarships for tertiary study. The deadlines for these are coming thick and fast – and in this case, unquestionably: nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Massive School Scholarships List:
The Rotary Scholarship team require hand-written submissions on this separate form:
Careers Week Info:
Stay close to Charlotte’s careers website careers.mtaspiring.edutronic.net to keep yourself up to date.
Plans for 2020
Reminder to please complete the form HERE (even if you are still unsure!)
Home Study – Commences 15 August 2019
Special Assessment Conditions
If you are a student who is entitled to Special Assessment Conditions in your NCEA Examinations, please contact Vicki Ashton to respond to her request for confirmation of the specific support provision you require this year
by Christopher Waugh | Jun 7, 2019 | Notices
by Christopher Waugh | May 23, 2019 | Uncategorised
This week’s Year Level meeting was packed full of goodness. Thanks to Ruth and Madi for your awareness raising activity in relation to safe driving. There’ll be more to come on that one.
Year 13 Clothing and Appearance
The subject of Year 13 student uniform and appearance is a live one at the moment. Charlotte and I are working on ensuring a proper consultation process is put into action, and our best effort at representing your views has been published in the position paper in a previous newsletter to you. You continue to be welcome to contribute to that document and process with your views.
In the interim, Mr Crosbie, in his position as Assistant Principal, has made a temporary determination specifically about facial hair. He has said that students may not be excluded from class due to their having facial hair, however students should be asked to be clean shaven. Teachers have been asked to refer a student to Mr Crosbie if they refuse to comply with the direction to shave. In addition to this, students may approach Mr Bosley to get a written exemption from the requirement that they shave.
If you would like any help navigating this contested territory at the moment, please be invited to come to us.
Asserting your Basic Rights as a Citizen
Today’s main topic in our Year Level meeting concentrated on the rights that we all have to live free of harassment and persecution. These are rights that apply to all New Zealanders, and are not specific to school. Here’s a summary of the recourse available to you if you feel your rights or dignity have been impinged upon.
In addition to the right to dignity, free expression and freedom from persecution, there are special rights awarded to minors and people in state education.
- You can speak to, or write to the person concerned, outlining your objection and asking them to desist.
- Charlotte and I, as your Deans are employed to advocate for you in the school. We can mediate meetings, help you write letters, advocate for you and provide practical and emotional support. We can also help you make contact with further agencies.
- You can speak to, or write to the Senior Leadership Team at the school. (Mr Crosbie, Mr Shephard, Ms Ashton and Mr Bosley.)
- You can approach the Board of Trustees, either via your student representative, Bronson Toghill, or by making direct contact with the Chair.
- The Ministry of Education can be contacted here.
- Often you can get support from Advocacy Groups whose role is to support people who experience breaches to their rights due to many diverse aspects of their being, such as gender, sexuality, sexual identity, disability, race and religion. We can assist you to get in touch with these groups.
- New Zealand has an organisation called the Citizen’s Advice Bureau who are there to assist all citizens with advice about rights, responsibilities and to connect us with agencies designed to support our rights as citizens. They have a very useful “frequently asked questions” section.
- The Human Rights Commission have a number of departments whose job it is to advocate for New Zealand citizens whose rights have been infringed.
- Make a free appointment with Community law Otago. They have lawyers who can advise you and who can also take on your case if they choose to. They do not charge for this.
- It would cost you, but you can also instruct a Lawyer to represent you.
If you do experience an incident where you believe your rights have been infringed upon, whichever path you follow, you also have a right to have another person present in either a silent or an advocacy role. Often it is not advisable to try to have these conversations by yourself.
Remember, our assertion was that in challenging everyone around us to treat others with fairness and dignity, and calling each other out if we believe we’ve fallen short of these standards is how we fulfil our obligation to build a healthy and positive society.
It’s also useful for you to note that if you impinge upon the rights of others, they also have recourse to the same remedies that you would if the situation were reversed. As you are now entering the world of adulthood, and thus become eligible for the rights of an adult citizen, you also take on the commensurate responsibilities.
Home Study for Weeks 15-16
This fortnight’s Home Study list is possibly our longest yet. You continue to impress us with your self-discipline. This achievement is made all the more impressive as your Students in the Community volunteer hours are also now part of the criteria for Home Study.
As long as you meet the Home Study criteria (zero unjustified absences and an average score of over 3 for your fortnightly grades) and have clocked some volunteer hours on the Students in the Community site, you are free to leave the school during your study periods.
Charlotte’s Notices:
- Telford Taster Weeks – for those interested in Equine Studies, Apiculture, Farm Skills and Stock Management you may want to look into a holiday Telford Taster Week
- NZ Broadcasting School and ARA Polytechnic Christchurch invite you to a meeting next Wednesday 29th to learn about their courses ranging from Outdoor Ed to Nursing and from Performing Arts to Engineering. As this is National Teacher Strike Day this meeting is currently planned for 11 am at Relishes Cafe.
- Winter Sports Programme; if you plan to take part in a winter snowsports programme you will need to complete an application form for Mr Bosley and meet with your deans to discuss how we may best support you. Please check this process with the Sports Coordinator.
- Aspiring Leaders Youth Forum: The Aspiring Leaders’ Forum is an annual event that brings together 120 young leaders from around Aotearoa to discuss leadership from a narrative point of view. This year’s forum will be held from 27-30 June in Wellington. This opportunity is supported by Rotary. Check with us for details.
- Free Career Planning! Sign up under the passion fruit on the MAC Careers Website to join a small group of students on Wednesday afternoons for 4 weeks and work with a trained facilitator on nailing your next steps.
- First Aid course – this Saturday’s course starts at 9 am sharp in Rooms 23 and 24.
Enjoy the rest of your week everyone.
With warm regards
Charlotte, Liz and Chris
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