Week 8 - Term 4 - 2025

 Kua hua te marama 

Something has completed a full cycle 

This whakatauki could be used to celebrate success/a project coming to term. It can also be used to reflect on the cyclical nature of things. 

Week 8 24 Noema - 28 Noema NZQA examinations - All Week Year 10 Camps - All Week Junior Clearance begins - Mon 24 Rugby - Condor 7s Tues 25 - Sun 30 LEF's due - Wed 26 Ako Teacher reports due - Wed 26 Senior Condor 7s - Fri 28 - Sun 30 Cricket - 1st XI - The Willows	Week 9 1 Tīhema - 5 Tīhema Prefect Leadership Camp - Mon 1 - Wed 3 World Challenge - Africa 2025 - Leave Mon 1 Junior Ako conferences - Mon 1 Otago Girls' Cricket Match - Mon 1 Junior Prizegiving - Thurs 4 Junior Reports uploaded to portal - Thurs 4 Year 9 short film & musical showcase - Thurs 4 @ 6pm Sod turning for new build - Thurs 4 @8am Last Day - Thurs 4 Athletics - NZSS Champs - Fri 5 - Sun 7
Assembly -  Mon - Nil Wed - None	Assembly -  Mon - Year 9 Values - Gym Year 10 Values - PAC Wed - None Thurs - Prizegiving (am)
Meeting  Mon: Nil Tues: Department Thurs: Nil	Meeting  Mon: Nil Tues: Department

Week 7 - Term 4 - 2025

 Me te rangi ka paruhi

Like a beautifully fine, calm day

Beauty is a pleasure to behold

Week 7 17 Noema - 21 Noema NZQA examinations - All Week South Island Junior Volleyball - all week Year 10 Camps - all week Tennis - Cant. Junior Champs - Tues 18 - Wed 19 Sevens Tournament - Tues 18 Water polo Junior SI Cup - Thurs 20 - Sun 23 Junior Subject Reports due - Fri 21 Touch - Cant. Champs - Sat 22 - Sun 23	Week 8 24 Noema - 28 Noema NZQA examinations - All Week Year 10 Camps - All Week Junior Clearance begins - Mon 24 Rugby - Condor 7s Tues 25 - Sun 30 LEF's due - Wed 26 Ako Teacher reports due - Wed 26 Senior Condor 7s - Fri 28 - Sun 30 Cricket - 1st XI - The Willows
Assembly -  Mon - Nil Wed - None	Assembly -  Mon - Nil Wed - None
Meeting  Mon: Learning and Teaching Tues: Learning Area Thurs: Nil	Meeting  Mon:  Tues: Staff meeting Thurs: Nil

Information for Staff

1. Your professional reading for the week - "What Socrates Might Say about AI in Education?"

The article draws a parallel between Socrates' historical warning about the invention of writing, that it would diminish true memory and understanding and contemporary anxieties surrounding Artificial Intelligence in education. It argues that new technologies, from the printing press to the internet and now AI, initially trigger fears of shallowness and cognitive laziness, but history shows these tools ultimately spur educational evolution. To adapt, it is suggested that educators must shift pedagogy away from rote recall toward fostering critical thinking, metacognition, and authentic, problem-based assessments to ensure AI becomes a partner for deeper learning, not a shortcut.

2. OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) TALIS survey on usage of AI in primary and secondary teaching: You may be interested to see how New Zealand teachers compare with other countries around AI use. See the recent article in the New Zealand Interface magazine: https://interfaceonline.co.nz/2025/11/11/ai-usage-in-teaching-and-how-kiwi-educators-compare/

Week 6 - Term 4 - 2025

 Whāia te mātauranga hei oranga mō koutou

Seek after learning for the sake of your wellbeing

Week 6 10 Noema - 14 Noema NZQA examinations - All Week Year 10 Camps start - Mon 10 - Wed 12 Junior Rank Lists to PWL - Mon 10 Junior Prizewinners and Specials into Kamar - Wed 12 Junior LEF's due - Wed 12 International student trip A&P show - Thurs 13 Canterbury Anniversary day - Fri 14	Week 7 17 Noema - 21 Noema NZQA examinations - All Week South Island Junior Volleyball - all week Year 10 Camps - all week Tennis - Cant. Junior Champs - Tues 18 - Wed 19 Sevens Tournament - Tues 18 Water polo Junior SI Cup - Thurs 20 - Sun 23 Touch - Cant. Champs - Sat 22 - Sun 23
Assembly -  Mon - Nil Wed - None	Assembly -  Mon - Nil Wed - None
Meeting  Mon: Te Whare Hauora Tues: Learning Area Thurs: Junior HoD (am)	Meeting  Mon: Learning and Teaching Tues:  Thurs: Nil

Information for Staff

1. If you are interested in the annual Hui Rangahau Graham Nuthall Researh Symposium for 2025 - this year it is on the 19th November. This is a free event, that can be watched online or attended in person. The topic is:

This year’s Graham Nuthall Lecture explores how high-quality assessment can drive real improvements in student learning. Since 1999, UC’s Centre for Assessment and Monitoring (CAM) has provided New Zealand primary and secondary schools with evidence-based assessments and surveys grounded in world-leading educational research. CAM’s tools offer schools robust statistical data and comprehensive online feedback, enabling better decision-making, planning, goal setting, and reporting at the student, subject, and school level.

Details and sign up can be found at https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/news-and-events/events/2025/hui-rangahau-graham-nuthall-research-symposium-2025

Week 5 - Term 4 - 2025

 He kotuku rerenga tahi

A White heron flies once

This is used on an occasion when something very special and unusual takes place.

Week 5 3 Noema - 7 Noema Building Evacuation - Mon 3 Senior End of Year reports are generated and sent - Mon 3 10SOC Climate Campus Trip - Tues 4 NZQA Examinations begin - Tues 4 Staff First Aid Course - Wed 5 Attitude Presentation Year 9 - P1 Wed 5 Attitude Presentation Year 10 - P2 Wed 5 NZQA Briefing Year 11 p5 - Wed 5 Last Day Year 11 - Wed 5 Year 10 Camp Staff to Forest Lodge - Thurs 6 International Christmas event - Fri 7 Volleyball - Canterbury Junior - Fri 7 - Sun 9	Week 6 10 Noema - 14 Noema NZQA examinations - All Week Year 10 Camps start - Mon 10 - Wed 12 Junior Rank Lists to PWL - Mon 10 Junior Prizewinners and Specials into Kamar - Wed 12 Junior LEF's due - Wed 12 International student trip A&P show - Thurs 13 Canterbury Anniversary day - Fri 14
Assembly -  Mon - Year 9 (PAC) Wed - None	Assembly -  Mon - Nil Wed - None
Meeting  Mon: Nil Tues: Staff Thurs: Nil	Meeting  Mon: Te Whare Hauora Tues: Learning Area Thurs: Nil

Information for Staff

1. As we know, the drafts for the remainder of the Learning Areas were released on Tuesday. Make sure you also read through the updated Te Mātaiaho document which gives an overview and update of where the curriculum is heading as a whole. It gives an overview of the Learning Area structure, and outlines the capabilities that are common for all of the Learning Areas.

If you have not yet looked at this document, then you may want to specifically look at the suggested (?) time allocation for each learning area (pg.13). The junior HoD's and the HoLAs will have this tabled at their next meeting to share thoughts and ideas regarding the implications for our year 9 and 10 programs.

2. Clickview has had a refresh. Make sure you check out the platform and resources on offer. by checking out some of the resources to familiarise yourself with the refreshed platform. 

• What’s New in ClickView – A short 3-minute video highlighting key improvements.
• ClickView Blog – A great overview of the new platform.

Week 4 - Term 4 - 2025

 Whāia te iti kahurangi ki te tuohu koe me he maunga teitei

Shoot for the stars and you might hit the moon.

Week 4 27 Ōketopa - 31 Ōketopa Labour Day - Mon 27 Level 3 DVC Exhibition - Tues 28 Level 1 and 2 Art Exhibition - Tues 28 LEF's due - Wed 29 Senior Prizegiving - Wed 29 - all staff to be at CBHS by 5.30pm at the latest. Year 13 Ako teachers will need to be there by 5.15pm. Zonta Sports Awards - Thurs 30 Year 9 Volleyball to Blenheim - Fri 31 - Sun 2 Year 13 Levers Dinner - Fri 31 NZQA briefing p5 for Year 12 - Fri 31 Last Day Year 12 - Fri 31 Year 9/10 Cricket to Greymouth - Sat 1 and Sun 2 Rugby South Island Sevens - Sat 1	Week 5 3 Noema - 7 Noema Building Evacuation - Mon 3 Senior End of Year reports are generated and sent - Mon 3 10SOC Climate Campus Trip - Tues 4 NZQA Examinations begin - Tues 4 Staff First Aid Course - Wed 5 Attitude Presentation Year 9 - P1 Wed 5 Attitude Presentation Year 10 - P2 Wed 5 NZQA Briefing Year 11 p5 - Wed 5 Last Day Year 11 - Wed 5 Year 10 Camp Staff to Forest Lodge - Thurs 6 International Christmas event - Fri 7 Volleyball - Canterbury Junior - Fri 7 - Sun 9
Assembly -  Mon - None Wed - Final Assembly - Year 13	Assembly -  Mon - Year 9 (PAC) Wed - None
Meeting  Mon: None Tues: Learning Area Thurs: PCT	Meeting  Mon: Junior HOD Meeting Tues: Staff Thurs: Nil

Information for Staff

1. Your professional reading for the week:

Barak Rosenshine’s principles of instruction.  These are fantastic, well-respected evidence based strategies that have had a resurgence. His research was very robust using a range of observational and data analysis of expert teachers in the US. Subsequent research supports this work. UNESCO also published his work (Principles of Instruction) This article has some really great relevant classroom examples. 

His famous paper is here and a good blog explaining why it is so well regarded. The teacher toolkit has a PLD slideshow show that may come in useful for future professional learning discussions.

And for those who prefer a short video - here is the first principle explained.

Week 3 - term 4 - 2025

 Ka whāngaia, ka tupu, ka puāwai 

That which is nurtured, grow then blossom 

This whakatauakī reminds us that is we take the time to nurture and support then growth will occur. 

Week 3 20 Ōketopa -24 Ōketopa Senior Clearance begins - Mon 20 Year 13 Music Night - Mon 20 Māori and Pasifika Celebration evening - Tues 21 Year 11 - 13 Prizewinners to be entered in Kamar - Tues 21 Combined School Orchestra - Wed 22 Level 2 Visual Art marking - Thurs 23 Level 3 DVC Exhibition - Thurs 23 - Fri 24 Acland High Tea - Thurs 23 Junior Writing Competition - Fri 24 Pink Day - Fri 24 YES Regional Finals - Fri 24	Week 4 27 Ōketopa - 31 Ōketopa Labour Day - Mon 27 Level 3 DVC Exhibition - Tues 28 Level 1 and 2 Art Exhibition - Tues 28 LEF's due - Wed 29 Senior Prizeiving - Wed 29 Zonta Sports Awards - Thurs 30 Year 9 Volleyball to Blenheim - Fri 31 - Sun 2 Year 13 Levers Dinner - Fri 31 NZQA briefing p5 for Year 12 - Fri 31 Last Day Year 12 - Fri 31 Year 9/10 Cricket to Greymouth - Sat 1 and Sun 2 Rugby South Island Sevens - Sat 1
Assembly -  Mon - Year 10 (Gym) Year 11 (PAC) Wed - Sports Awards	Assembly -  Mon - None Wed - Final Assembly - Year 13
Meeting  Mon: Te Whare Hauora Tues: Learning Area Thurs: Nil	Meeting  Mon: None Tues: Learning Area Thurs: PCT

Information for Staff

1. Thank you for being so accommodating this week where the Culture of Learning team have been in and out of classes collecting observational data to enable us to have a snapshot of pedagogy across our classrooms.

As we look to explore next steps for us as a kura, you may be interested in reading the articles below: 

Aotearoa / NZ researcher, famous for work on Te Kotahitanga Effective Teaching Profile and more recently ‘Teaching to the North-East’ books and prioritising the warm and demanding mantra for culturally sustaining pedagogy. This recent paper (you may just want to read the introduction and findings) analyses the warm and demanding pedagogy and reviews its origins (from working with indigenous communities in Alaska). Its findings show that positive relationships and the insistence on high academic and behavioral standards, even if it means being less "warm" in specific interactions, have positive outcomes for learning without negative consequences for the student-teacher bond. This interview with Russell by Nina Hood gives more insights into Russell Bishop’s key ideas. Russel’s strategies and examples are useful but would benefit with a greater range of  ‘checking for understanding / formative strategies.