Week 10 & 11- Term 2 - 2026

 

E rua tau ruru, e rua tau wehe, e rua tau mutu, e rua tau kai

Two years of wind and storm, Two years when food is scarce, Two years when crops fail, Two years of abundant food

After long waiting, prosperity comes at last

Week 10 22 Pipiri -  26 Pipiri Year 11 Casio Calculator Competition - Mon 22 Year 12 Music Concert - Mon 22 CST301 Trip - Mon 22 DRA210 Assessments - Various students out during the week Tues 23 - Fri 26 SLANZA Readers Cup - Tues 23 LEF's Due - Wed 24 Year 11 - 13 French Film - Wed 24 PHY201 Assessment Trip to UC - Thurs 25 and Fri 26 Junior Speech Competition - Thurs 25 Year 12 - 13 Antarctic Heritage Trust Conference - Thurs 25 Phrase of the week: Turituri	Week 11 29 Pipiri -  23 Hōngongoi Alison Harper Drama Competition - Mon 29 - Tues 30 Junior Art Exhibition - All Week Year 11 Music Concert - Mon 29 @ 7pm CST301 Skills Trip - Mon 29 PED301 Les Mills - Tues 30 (am) Year 13 Music Concert - Tues 30 @ 7pm Building Evacuation p1 Wed 1 Junior Dance Showcase - Wed 1 @ 6pm Jane Austen Essay Competition - Thurs 2 Senior Writing Competition - Fri 3 Last Day Term 2
Assembly -  Mon - Year 10 Wed - Sports Awards Year 9 - PAC	Assembly -  Mon - Year 9 - Gym Year 12 - PAC Wed - Matariki Year 13 PAC
Meeting  Mon: TWH Tues: Staff Meeting Thurs: Nil	Meeting  Mon: Junior HoD  Tues: Learning Area Thurs: Nil

Information for Staff

1. The AI Literacy Gap in Schools: A new report on students aged 9–17 reveals a growing disconnect between AI use and AI understanding. While most students are using AI tools to support their schoolwork, many lack a basic understanding of how these technologies work. The findings also show that students who struggle academically are the most likely to rely on AI. What does the data tell us, and how can schools help students become informed, responsible users of AI? Further information and reading can be found HERE.

2. Nano Banana in Gemini: If you are wanting to create new images around key concepts for your subject area, you may want to explore Nano Banana. Instructions and ideas around how it can be used in secondary schools can be found at An introduction to Nano Banana for secondary school.s

An example prompt that I used for senior Biology was: "create a visual of negative feedback model in humans for homeostasis"

You need to describe what you want your image of. This is what it produced.....

Week 9 - Term 2 - 2026

 Ruia te taitea, kohia te kai rangatira

Scatter the sapwood, gather up the chiefly food

Gather the best, reject the bad

Week 9 15 Pipiri -  19 Pipiri Year 11 Major Production - Tues 16 - Fri 19 Non Uniform Day - Tues 16 PED301 - Les Mills (am) Manu Kōrero - Thurs 18 - Fri 19 New Zealand Cross Country Champs - Sat 20 & Sun 21 Year 12 Formal - Sat 20 Phrase of the week: Kia tere	Week 10 22 Pipiri -  26 Pipiri Year 11 Casio Calculator Competition - Mon 22 Year 12 Music Concert - Mon 22 CST301 Trip - Mon 22 DRA210 Assessments - Various students out during the week Tues 23 - Fri 26 SLANZA Readers Cup - Tues 23 LEF's Due - Wed 24 Year 11 - 13 French Film - Wed 24 PHY201 Assessment Trip to UC - Thurs 25 and Fri 26 Junior Speech Competition - Thurs 25 Year 12 - 13 Antarctic Heritage Trust Conference - Thurs 25 Phrase of the week: Turituri
Assembly -  Mon - Year 13  (PAC) and Year 11 (Gym) Wed - Manaakitanga	Assembly -  Mon - Year 10 Wed - Sports Awards Year 9 - Gym
Meeting  Mon: Nil Tues: Learning Area Thurs: PCT	Meeting  Mon: TWH Tues: Staff Meeting Thurs: Nil

Information for Staff

1. 2027 sabbaticals

Applications for the 2027 round of sabbaticals for teachers and principals are open and will close on 30 June. For more information, your eligibility and to apply, visit:
 
Sabbaticals, study awards and study grants – Education Workforce
 
Any pātai, email teacher.studyawards@education.govt.nz.

2. Just a reminder about the Gemini integration into Google classroom and how you can use this with your lesson planning.

Week 8 - Term 2 - 2026

Whāia te mātauranga hei oranga mō koutou

Seek after learning for the sake of your wellbeing 

Week 8 8 Pipiri - 12 Pipiri OMIYA High School Visit  - Mon 8 - Tues 9 HoLA meeting p 1 - 3 - Mon 8 Life Education for Year 9, p1 & Year 10 p2 Tues 9 SPACPAC Expo - Tues 9 LEF and EC's due - Wed 10 Phrase of the week: Titiro mai (Look here)	Week 9 15 Pipiri -  19 Pipiri Year 11 Major Production - Tues 16 - Fri 19 Non Uniform Day - Tues 16 PED301 - Les Mills (am) Manu Kōrero - Thurs 18 - Fri 19 New Zealand Cross Country Champs - Sat 20 & Sun 21 Year 12 Formal - Sat 20 Phrase of the week: Kia tere
Assembly -  Mon - Year 9 (PAC) and Year 10 (Gym) Wed - NZ Volunteering	Assembly -  Mon - ) Wed - Manaakitanga
Meeting  Mon: PL embed Tues: Learning Area Thurs: Nil	Meeting  Mon: Nil Tues: Learning Area Thurs: Nil

Information for Staff

1. Thank you again for the success of the use of Recognitions in the last round. We had 834 awarded to various students across the school, either around improvement in work/attendance/behaviour, or for the outstanding work/effort/help etc in their various classes.

We have certificates that are ready to go out to students at the various year level assemblies over the coming weeks.

2. Just a quick preview re the interior of our new buildings. We had a workshop around the colour update and it was great to see this in 3D. At the next staff meeting I will give more of an update - but here is a preview of a typical teaching space found on Level 1.

Week 7 - Term 2 - 2026

 Kia māia!

Be bold and adventurous

Week 7 1 Pipiri - 5 Pipiri King's Birthday - Mon 1 PED301 Les Mills (am) Tues 2 Canterbury Cross Country - Thurs 4 BUS301 Trip - Thurs 4 Big Sing - Fri 5 UC French Immersion Day - Fri 5 Canterbury Rockquest Finals - Sat 6 Phrase of the week: Whakarongo mai (Listen here	Week 8 1 Pipiri - 5 Pipiri OMIYA High School Visit  - Mon 8 - Tues 9 HoLA meeting p 1 - 3 - Mon 8 Life Education for Year 9, p1 & Year 10 p2 Tues 9 SPACPAC Expo - Tues 9 LEF and EC's due - Wed 10 Phrase of the week: Titiro mai (Look here)
Assembly -  Mon - Nil (King's Birthday) Wed - Assembly - Environmental Year 13 (PAC)	Assembly -  Mon - Year 9 (PAC) and Year 10 (Gym) Wed - NZ Volunteering
Meeting  Mon: Nil Tues: Professional Learning Thurs: PCT	Meeting  Mon: PL embed Tues: Learning Area Thurs: PCT

Information for Staff

1. A couple of quick reminders re AI and the resources that are available online through the Ministry of Education and NZQA.

Ministry of Education  has available a fact sheet on the use of AI tools in marking assessments and a FAQ fact sheet on AI use in schools that is worth a read through as well as school case studies as to what changes they have made re assessment practice.

NZQA also have guidance around AI and assessment.

Week 6 - Term 2 - 2026

 Ma roto hoki kia ora ka pai te korero

If the inner man is refreshed, the conversation will be agreeable

Good health promotes constructive thoughts and discussion

Week 6 25 Haratua - 29 Haratua Freaky Friday dress rehearsals - Mon 25 - Tues 26 NCEA Parent Evening in PAC from 6pm - Tues 26 Musical Production Freaky Friday - Wed 27 - Sat 30 LEFs due - Wed 27 GEO201 Trip - Wed 27 Inter-School Senior Debating - Thurs 28 Numeracy CAA - Thurs 28 Canterbury Squash Champs - Sat 30 - Sun 31 Phrase of the week: He pātai tāku (I have a question)	Week 7 1 Pipiri - 5 Pipiri King's Birthday - Mon 1 PED301 Les Mills (am) Tues 2 Canterbury Cross Country - Thurs 4 BUS301 Trip - Thurs 4 Big Sing - Fri 5 UC French Immersion Day - Fri 5 Canterbury Rockquest Finals - Sat 6 Phrase of the week: Whakarongo mai (Listen here)
Assembly -  Mon - Year 12 - PAC Wed - Assembly - Samoan Language Year 9 (PAC)	Assembly -  Mon - Nil (King's Birthday) Wed - Assembly - Environmental Year 13 (PAC)
Meeting  Mon: TWH Tues: Learning Area - Phase 5 feedback Thurs: Nil	Meeting  Mon: Nil Tues: Professional Learning Thurs: PCT

Information for Staff

1. The Forgetting Curve and the Science of Learning

Hypothesized by German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus in the late 19th century, the Forgetting Curve is a mathematical formula that describes how information is lost over time when there is no attempt to retain it.

The curve reveals a harsh reality about our brains: we forget the vast majority of what we learn incredibly quickly. Typically, the drop-off looks like this:

• Within 20 minutes: You lose about 40% of what you just learned.

• Within 24 hours: Roughly 70% of the information is gone.

• After a week: As much as 80% to 90% has evaporated.

  
  
  

The curve is steepest right after the learning event. After that initial sharp drop, the rate of forgetting levels off, leaving you with a tiny fraction of the original data stored in long-term memory.

With this in mind, think about how often you are creating space for regular retrieval practice and our ākonga putting their memories to the test. Check out the following article "3 Ways to Help Students Overcome the Forgetting Curve" there are a couple of great strategies that you could use in your classroom - simple yet effective.

Week 5 - Term 2 - 2026

 E hia motunga o te weka i te māhanga?
How many times will the weka escape from the snare?
Once bitten twice shy

Week 5 18 Haratua - 22 Haratua Year 13 Biology Camp - Various classes out over the week Whānau Hui - Tues 19 Reading CAA - Wed 20 Rockquest Heats - Fri 22 - Sat 23 Writing CAA - Fri 22 Manu Kōrero Day Wānanga at CGHS - Sat 23 Phrase of the week: Kua rite? (Are you ready?)	Week 6 25 Haratua - 29 Haratua Freaky Friday dress rehearsals - Mon 25 - Tues 26 Musical Production Freaky Friday - Wed 27 - Sat 30 LEFs due - Wed 27 GEO201 Trip - Wed 27 Inter-School Senior Debating - Thurs 28 Numeracy CAA - Thurs 28 Canterbury Squash Champs - Sat 30 - Sun 31 Phrase of the week: He pātai tāku (I have a question)
Assembly -  Mon - Nil - All students in Ako Wed - House	Assembly -  Mon - Year 12 - PAC Wed - Assembly - Samoan Language Year 9 (PAC)
Meeting  Mon: Junior HoD meeting Tues: Learning Area Thurs: PCT	Meeting  Mon: TWH Tues: Learning Area - Phase 5 feedback Thurs: Nil

Information for Staff

1. You may have noticed that there is a new icon at the top of your Gmail - Studio.

This is an AI powered tool to help with your workflow. An example is that it may provide a summary of your unread emails, or auto-add any email attachments to your Google drive.

2. For those of you who are Gemini AI users, then check out the 'tools' - 'Guided learning' feature. This acts like a Socratic guide and is a great tool for students to work with when studying. Have a go at putting in an NCEA question. It will help unpack the question for the students and they ask questions and then give feedback on the answer. Next questions are askes to help unpack the detail needed.

3. In Gemini - if you put '@' before an app, it connects to your grail, docs etc. This means it can search through and find information quickly. Try @gmail or @docs and follow this with the information you want to find, or summarise.