Week 4 - Term 3 - 2019

Whāia te mātauranga hei oranga mō koutou 

Seek after learning for the sake of your wellbeing 

This whakatauki refers to the importance of learning for it is key to your wellbeing. If you follow the path of learning, the world will be your oyster. 

Week 4  12 Ākuhata - 16 Ākuhata Geography Week Trainee Teachers from UC start - Mon 12 Middle Leaders - Coaching and Mentoring PLD - Mon 12 (2 - 4pm) UC Course Planning - Mon 12 Junior Alison Harper Tues 13, p 3 and 4 Ski & Snowboard Cant Champs Tues 13 Year 11 History Lecture - Tues 13 (morning) Parent Portal Opens for Subject choice - Wed 14 Cycling Litolff/Dawe Cups - Wed 14 Art History UC - Fri 16 Pretty Smart talk - Year 9 and 10 - Fri 16 Year 11 Semi Formal - Sat 17	Week 5  19 Ākuhata - 23 Ākuhata 13TOU - Aoraki Mt Cook - Mon 19 - Tues 20 Lilia Tarawa Visit - Mon 19 (p4) Subject Choice Afternoon - 2.30 in Gym - Mon 19 Winter Sport Ends - Wed 21 Lip Sync - Thurs 22 May Campbell Anderson Essay - Thurs 22 Basketball Ends - Fri 23 Massey & Victoria Open Days - Fri 23 Gymsports NZSS Champs - Sat 24 - Sun 25
Assembly - WED Year 13 Assembly - PAC	Assembly - WED Year 10 Assembly - Gym - Camp Information Year 12 Assembly - PAC
Meeting  Staff	Meeting  Staff

Information for Staff

1. Update re Digital Examinations from NZQA: 
I have had a chance to hear about the future direction of digital examinations from NZQA. A couple of things that might be of interest to you all moving forward:
a. Pilot surveys in 2018 show a very high % students commented positively around the use of digital examinations and student comments are not changing over time – the platform is becoming faster, easier, feels better, tidier. 
b. Foreign language examinations will go online in 2020.
c. By 2021 they anticipate that there will be a quality robust platform for digital examinations that will not just be for the substitution of digital for paper examinations. For example one of the things that they have trialed is adding in interactive components. In Level 3 Biology it could be a skull that is able to be rotated and manipulated and the students may have to use the skull to discuss the eating habits of that particular animal. They have also trialed a game based model of examination with Level 1 Biology, a journey of a microbe through the gut. Examinations will be more about constructing an experience and commenting on it.
d. In Mathematics, they are currently working on a package that will allow online examinations, so this will be on the cards.
e. NZQA are even thinking about where students sit the examination, rather than in any classroom, why are Science exams not allowed to be sat in Science classrooms? Why can't Te reo exams be sat in the same classes where learning occurs?


Image from: https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/future-state/digital-assessment-ncea-online/

2. Also on assessment, the MOE has just released the 'expressions of interests' for teachers to be part of the expert panels for the review of the upcoming change to achievement standards. The are starting with Level 1 Science, English and Visual Arts. See the link below to find out more information.

https://gazette.education.govt.nz/notices/1H9wJR-expressions-of-interest-to-join-review-of-achievement-standards-expert-group/