Week 6 - Term 3 - 2026

      Mauri tū mauri ora

An active soul is a healthy soul

Week 6 24 Here-turi-kōkā - 28 Here-turi-kōkā Mon BOT meeting - finance  Year 12 Leadership Summit  Wed Aurora Festival  LEF's and EC's due  Market Day in the Quad  Thurs Aurora Festival  Dance Showcase  Te Kura Exams  Fri Aurora Festival  Big Sing Finale  Non-Uniform Day - Library Dress Up  UC Open Day  Tournament Week  Cycling 2 Day Tour (Sat & Sun)	Week 7 31 Here-turi-kōkā - 4 Mahuru Tournament Week  Mon BOT Meeting  Tues  SPACPAC Speeches  Tournament Week:  Junior SS Basketball (Sat-Tues)  Hockey Federation Cup - 1st XI (Sun-Sun) NZ Badminton Champs (Sun-Wed) SISS Equestrian (Sun-Fri)  NZ Football Tournament (Mon-Fri)  SISS Netball Tournament (Mon-Thurs) Canterbury SS Duathlon (Mon-Thurs) SI Basketball Champs (Wed-Sat)  NZSS Rugby Champs 1st XV (Thurs-Sat) SISS Climbing Event (Thurs & Fri)  SISS Ski & Snowboard Champs (Fri & Sat)
Assembly Mon - Year 13 Assembly (PAC) Wed - Book Week/Spoken Word/BOT nominations Assembly            Year 13 in PAC	Assembly Mon - Year 9 (PAC) and Year 10 (Gym)  Wed - Aroha Assembly             Year 11 in PAC
Meeting  Mon: TWH Meeting  Tues: Staff Meeting  Thurs: PCT Meeting	Meeting  Mon: PL (Embed)  Tues: Nil Thurs: Nil

Information for Staff

Listening for Learning

Tolhurst’s work on listening has been a recurring reference throughout my studies. Although her work primarily focuses on coaching and mentoring, the principles of effective listening she explores are relevant across all aspects of the teaching profession.

I have put together a slideshow highlighting some of the key insights and gold nuggets from her guide (apologies for the slightly blurry images). Let me know if you want me to share the entire reading with you.

New Zealand Assessment Institute

The New Zealand Assessment Institute (NZAI) is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that promotes effective assessment practice across the education sector. Through professional learning, publications, research, conferences, and school collaboration, NZAI supports educators to strengthen assessment practice and improve learner outcomes (see the knowledge centre).

Please see the linked information for further details about NZAI, its resources, and opportunities to connect with its work. You can also follow NZAI on LinkedIn and Facebook for regular assessment insights and updates.

Question 6: Literacy 

What literary device is used in the sentence: "The wind whispered through the pōhutukawa trees."

A. Hyperbole
B. Personification
C. Simile
D. Onomatopoeia

Question 6: Numeracy

A phone plan charges $18 per month plus $2.50 per GB of data used. If someone uses 4 GB, what is the total cost?

Week 5 - Term 3 - 2026

  

Whāia te mātauranga hei oranga mō koutou

Seek after learning for the sake of your wellbeing

Week 5 17 Here-turi-kōkā - 21 Here-turi-kōkā Academic Week and Tongan Language Week  Mon Year 9 Zoology Trip  Tues Year 11 Drama Performance Tūranga Trip  Wed Cantamaths  Thurs Photos - Sport & Cultural  Year 11 Art Portfolio Marking  Year 12 May Campbell Anderson Essay Compt.  Fri Photos - Sport & Cultural  Year 11 Art Portfolio Marking  Cadenza (Fri & Sat) 9ANP Observatory Trip  Massey and Victoria Uni Open Days	Week 6 24 Here-turi-kōkā - 28 Here-turi-kōkā Mon BOT meeting - finance  Year 12 Leadership Summit  Wed Aurora Festival  LEF's and EC's due  Market Day in the Quad  Thurs Aurora Festival  Dance Showcase  Te Kura Exams  Fri Aurora Festival  Big Sing Finale  Non-Uniform Day - Library Dress Up  UC Open Day
Assembly Mon - Year 11 Study Assembly (PAC) Wed - Tongan Language/Academic                   Assembly            Year 12 in PAC	Assembly Mon - Year 13 Assembly (PAC) Wed - Book Week/Spoken Word/BOT nominations Assembly            Year 13 in PAC
Meeting  Mon: HoLA Meeting  Tues: Staff Meeting  Thurs: Nil	Meeting  Mon: TWH Meeting  Tues: PL (CoL)  Thurs: PCT Meeting

Information for Staff

Update from KAMAR

There has been a recent KAMAR update so Michelle has created a quick guideto accessing the data dashboard. 

Article recommendation from Julie Olsen 

Here’s the link to an article titled The Frictionless School: What Should a School Do with Difficulty?

 

Principles of Adult Learning 

It is timely to recognise teachers as adult learners and consider what supports meaningful professional learning and engagement, especially when teachers are expected to navigate and implement substantial changes to curriculum, pedagogy and practice.

According to Knowles, Holton and Swanson (2015), the principles are more accurately described as six assumptions of andragogy—their model of adult learning.

1. Need to know – Adults want to understand why they need to learn something before investing in it.

2. Self-concept – Adults see themselves as self-directed and autonomous learners.

3. Experience – Adults bring significant prior experience and knowledge that influences how they learn.

4. Readiness to learn – Adults are more ready to learn when learning is relevant to their current roles, needs or circumstances.

5. Orientation to learning – Adults tend to be problem-centred and focused on applying learning to real situations.

6. Motivation – Although external factors can motivate adults, internal motivation is particularly important.

Question 5: Literacy 

Choose the correct sentence.

A. The deputy principal excepted the invitation.
B. Everyone was excepted to attend the meeting.
C. Everyone was expected to attend the meeting except those on leave.
D. The principal expected everyone accept those on leave.

Question 5: Numeracy

A shirt costs $60 and is reduced by 20%. What is the sale price?

Week 4 - Term 3 - 2026

 I orea te tuatara ka puta ki waho

A problem is solved by continuing to find solutions

Week 4 10 Here-turi-kōkā - 14 Here-turi-kōkā Arts Week  Mon Writing Club workshop  Tues Inter-School Senior Debating Compt.  LipSync Wed Ensemble Concert  LEF's due  Thurs Arts Dress Up Day  Eton Senior Maths Compt.  Senior Speech Compt. Ski/Snowboard Cant. Champs Fri - Teacher Only Day	Week 5 17 Here-turi-kōkā - 21 Here-turi-kōkā Academic Week and Tongan Language Week  Mon Yearr 9 Zoology Trip  Tues Year 11 Drama Performance Tūranga Trip  Wed Cantamaths  Thurs Photos - Sport & Cultural  Year 11 Art Portfolio Marking  Year 12 May Campbell Anderson Essay Compt.  Fri Photos - Sport & Cultural  Year 11 Art Portfolio Marking  Cadenza (Fri & Sat) 9ANP Observatory Trip  Massey and Victoria Uni Open Days
Assembly Mon - Year 10 CAA Assembly (PAC)             Year 12 (Gym)  Wed - Arts Assembly            Year 13 in PAC	Assembly Mon - Year 11 Study Assembly (PAC) Wed - Tongan Language/Academic                   Assembly            Year 12 in PAC
Meeting  Mon: Junior HoD Meeting  Tues: Learning Area Meeting  Thurs: PCT	Meeting  Mon: HoLA Meeting  Tues: Staff Meeting  Thurs: Nil

Information for Staff

Here's a helpful table from Marcelle: 

Pause Before You Post - a simple but powerful video suggestion from BLS that forces us to critically reflect: 

Does my child want this shared? 

Could this affect their future privacy? 

Am I creating a digital footprint on their behalf that they may not have chosen for themselves? 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QL1FmBaof8 

Question 4: Literacy

Choose the correct sentence.

A. The principal principle was fairness.
B. The principle thanked everyone at assembly.
C. The principal welcomed the Year 9 students.
D. The principle of the school gave a speech.

Question 4: Numeracy

A bus leaves at 8:35 a.m. and the trip takes 1 hour 45 minutes. What time does it arrive?

Google for Education Updates 

ISTE conference Google tool announcements.

A large collection of updates were announced at the ISTE conference in the USA in June. We covered a selection in our recent 'learn with Google' session - see the recording here.

Google Summit for 2026

I just wanted to make sure everyone saw the exciting news: the Google Summit for 2026 has been confirmed for Otautahi, Christchurch on October 8th check out the Summit info and registration at this website - please share this with your team and school clusters or networks.

Gemini Academy Term three

We are hosting a virtual Gemini Academy for New Zealand educators, later this term. These are fully funded upskiling sessions, held during an nz afterschool timeslot, over 4 weeks. At the end of the series you can sit your Gemini certification too !

Register to grab your spot here 

Google Vids competition

Our GEG (the google educator group) is running a Google vids competition this term. This is open to all nz schools and aims to help you integrate the power of Google vids into your teaching program. See all the info at this site

Twice a term, the GEGnz also hosts a webinar called the mid evening show. These focus on a theme and encourage participation - check out the past editions here  

Many individual tool updates have also been announced, especially in Google Classroom which is getting a whole redesign. You can check out all the updates on this slide deck