Week 2 - Term 2 - 2023

 He maurea kai whiria!

 Ignore small matters and direct effort toward important projects 

This whakatauki encourages us to keep things in perspective, to not get bogged down by the small things, the little details, but instead to maintain our focus on the vision, on what is important. It could be used to keep people on track, and/or to remind us/people to maintain focus on what’s important even in the face of great complexity.

Week 2 1 Haratua - 5 Haratua Geo301 FT to Franz Josef - Mon 1 - Wed 3 Senior Dance and Drama showcase 6pm - Tues St Margaret's College Halls Talk - Tues 2 Otago Maths Competition - p3 and 4 - Wed 3 LEF Reports Due - Thurs 4 Basketball starts - Fri 5 Building evacuation practice - Fri 5 Otago University Open Days - Sun 7th - Mon 8th	Week 3 8 Haratua - 12 Haratua Otago University Open Days - Mon 8 Canterbury Road Race - Mon 8 Strike Day - Tues 9 Year 12-13 Careers Evening - Tues 9 Building evac - End of interval/p3 - Wed 10 Winter Sports start - Wed 10 Careers Expo Chch Arena - Thurs 11 - Fri 12 Behind the scenes - Year 9 and 10 - Thurs 11 Music Concert - 6.30pm in PAC - Thurs 11 Otago Uni Visit - Thurs 11 Year 13 Rostered home
Assembly -  Mon - Year 11 PAC Wed - Sports Awards	Assembly -  Mon - Year 10 (PAC) Wed - House assembly
Meeting  Learning and Teaching - Mon 1 Learning Area - Tues 2	Meeting  TWH and Junior HOD's - Mon 8 Tues - Nil

Week 1 - Term 2 - 2023

 Haere taka mua, taka muri; kaua e whai

Be a leader not a follower

Week 1 24 Āperira - 28 Āperira Teacher Only Day - Mon 24 School starts at 8.30am Students return - Wed 26th	Week 2 1 Haratua - 5 Haratua Geo301 FT to Franz Josef - Mon 1 - Wed 3 Senior Dance and Drama showcase 6pm - Tues St Margaret's College Halls Talk - Tues 2 Otago Maths Competition - p3 and 4 - Wed 3 LEF Reports Due - Thurs 4 Basketball starts - Fri 5 Building evacuation practice - Fri 5 Otago University Open Days - Sun 7th - Mon 8th
Assembly -  Mon - Nil  Wed - Welcome Back	Assembly -  Mon - Year 11 Wed - Sports awards
Meeting  Nil	Meeting  Learning and Teaching - Mon 1 Learning Area - Tues 2

Information for Staff

1. Welcome back to Term 2.

For the Teacher Only Day on Monday, your HoLA/HoD will have let you know the details of what you will be doing in your Learning Area and when.

If you need to go back and reference the refreshed NZ Curriculum - Te Mātaiaho as part of your Level 1 planning, please consider the Know, How, Do framework - you can find the draft HERE. 

Alternatively, the MOE Curriculum Leads have put together a summary page with links to online resources - see HERE.

Week 9 Term 1 - 2023

 Hoea tōu waka! 

Go for it! 

Literally: Paddle your canoe.

Week 9 27 Poutū-te-rangi - 31 Poutū-te-rangi Summer Tournament Week  Rowing - Maadi Cup - All week Volleyball National Champs - All week 9TAA SS Taonga Hunt - Mon 27 Brave Presentations - Mon 27 p3 - Year 13 p4 - Year 12 p5 - Year 11 9JEJ SS Taonga Hunt - Tues 28 MAO101 Marae Trip - Tues 28 DRA101 Assessment p4-5 - Tues 28, Thurs 30 and Fri 31 Volleyball Satellite Champs - Tues 28 - Thurs 30 Possible Strike Day - Wed 29th (TBC) Basketball - 3x3 Tournament - Wed 29 - Sat 1 9DEM SS Taonga Hunt - Wed 29 (TBC) Cycling - SI Schools MTB - Thurs 30 Waterpolo - SI Champs - Thurs 30 - Sun 2 9CTG SS Taonga Hunt - Thurs 30 Otago Maths Comp -Thurs 30 p 3 & 4 South Islands Athletics - Fri 31 - Sat 1	Week 10 3 Āperira - 7 Āperira DRA301 Assessment p4 - 5 - Mon 3 9MOC SS Taonga Hunt - Mon 3 Level 1 - 3 Art folio exhibition - Tues  - Thurs 6 Junior Parent Teacher 4 - 7pm - Face to face - Tues 4 Otago Uni Visit - Tues 4 DRA301 Assessment p4 - 5 - Wed 5 Junior Parent Teacher - online - Thurs 6 Good Friday - Fri 6 School Holidays begin - Fri 7 - Sun 23
Assembly -  Mon - Year 12 - PAC Wed 29 - TBC	Assembly -  Mon - Year 9 and 10 Values Assembly (Gym) Year 13 - PAC Wed 5 - Academic Scholar's (Blazer)
Meeting  Learning and Teaching - Mon 27 Staff - Tues 28	Meeting  Nil

Information for Staff

1. Achievement standards: A competence to mastery to exceptional model - every secondary teacher should read the 'white discussion paper' around how we define excellence and whether this needs to change as the new standards are introduced in 2024.

The discussion document can be downloaded via the link below.

 

		Achievement	Achievement with  Merit	Achievement with Excellence
		Competence	Mastery	Exceptional
Definition		Having the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully and/or efficiently perform critical functions or tasks in a defined setting.	Having control or superiority over a particular activity, or command or grasp of a subject.	Having the required knowledge and skills to an extremely high degree (extraordinary), enabling impressive performance that sets them apart.
Graduate Profile		A learner who has demonstrated competency has achieved the outcomes of the significant learning at the relevant curriculum level. They may show evidence of ongoing development of knowledge and skills, but overall, have sufficient knowledge and understanding to progress to the next step on their pathway.	A learner who has demonstrated mastery has shown a thorough and advanced understanding of all aspects of the significant learning with no obvious deficiencies. They are able to apply their knowledge and skills with a high level of proficiency in different contexts.	A learner who has demonstrated an exceptional level of performance has an intuitive grasp of what is required. They are able to think critically, provide evidence and rationale to support their fresh ideas, and consistently respond to any given context in unusual ways.
Sample activities		Sample activities are available in the discussion document.

2. Here are a couple of articles to continue the our exploration of AI.

Using AI to help to organise lesson plans

The Dangers of AI

This one is a bit gloomy but has some good links to other articles and highlights some issues for ourselves and our students.

Week 8 - Term 1 - 2023

 Ahakoa taku iti, he iti matā

Although I am small, I am razor sharp. Nā Te Rākaitauheke (Ngāti Kurī Rangatira)

Te Rākaitauheke was a short, hairy man. When his strength was questioned by Te Puehu and Te Aweawe, Te Rākaitauheke uttered this whakatauākī.

Week 8 20 Poutū-te-rangi - 24 Poutū-te-rangi Marg Thorsborne RP Training for all staff - Mon 20 - starting at 1pm School finishes at the end of p3 @ 12.05 Volleyball ends - Mon 20 Cricket - Regional Gillette - Tues 21 - Wed 22 Non Uniform day - Tues 21 Peer Support p1 - Tues 21 Cycling - Can. MTB champs - Wed 22 Summer Sport ends - Wed 22 LEF's due - Thurs 23 at 2.40pm Swimming - Canterbury Champs - Thurs 23 HoLA StEADA meetings - Thurs 23 (various) Rowing - Maadi - Fri 24 - 2nd Marg Thorsborne TP training for Deans - Fri 24	Week 9 27 Poutū-te-rangi - 31 Poutū-te-rangi Summer Tournament Week  Rowing - Maadi Cup - All week Volleyball National Champs - All week 9TAA SS Taonga Hunt - Mon 27 Brave Presentations - Mon 27 p3 - Year 13 p4 - Year 12 p5 - Year 11 9JEJ SS Taonga Hunt - Tues 28 MAO101 Marae Trip - Tues 28 DRA101 Assessment p4-5 - Tues 28, Thurs 30 and Fri 31 Volleyball Satellite Champs - Tues 28 - Thurs 30 Basketball - 3x3 Tournament - Wed 29 - Sat 1 9DEM SS Taonga Hunt - Wed 29 Cycling - SI Schools MTB - Thurs 30 Waterpolo - SI Champs - Thurs 30 - Sun 2 9CTG SS Taonga Hunt - Thurs 30 Otago Maths Comp -Thurs 30 p 3 & 4 South Islands Athletics - Fri 31 - Sat 1 HoLA Planning Day - Thurs 30
Assembly -  Mon 20 - Year 9 PAC  Year 10 - Gym Wed 22 - Prefect Led	Assembly -  Mon - Year 11 Gym Year 12 - PAC Wed 29 - Academic Scholar's (Blazer)
Meeting  All Staff PLD - Marg Thorsborne - Mon 20 Learning Area - Tues 21	Meeting  Learning and Teaching - Mon 27 Staff - Tues 28

Information for Staff

1. ChatGPT continues to be the 'hot topic' in education on a number of online platforms. You may be interested in this blogpost "100 Prompts for Teachers to Ask ChatGPT". 

Alice Keeler has made a quick video on how to use ChatGPT to enable differentiation of resources in a lesson. Another possible time saver for teachers which enables students at different levels to access the relevant information.

2. Digital Kete - a new website that has been released with digital resources for New Zealand Teachers. It includes some great resources for Aotearoa New Zealand Histories curriculum that support both kaiako and ākonga.

3. You may also like to explore the website He Kōrero - there are a number of videos that share NZ stories/ animations and resources to help learn about kaupapa Māori.

Week 7 - Term 1 - 2023

 Tōku reo, tōku ohooho, tōku reo, tōku māpihi maurea, tōku reo, tōku whakakai marihi!  Language is the key to understanding.

Week 7 13 Poutū-te-rangi - 17 Poutū-te-rangi Level 2 Art History Field Trip - p5 - Mon 13 Gateway Health and Safety course - Mon 13 Canterbury Athletics Prelims - Tues 14 Polyfest Showcase Evening - Tues 14 @ 7.00 pm GEO101 Fieldtrip to Aoraki - Wed 15 to Fri 17 Year 9 Camps 4 and 5 - Wed 15 to Fri 17 Bowls - Canterbury South Island Champs - Wed 15 PPTA Strike Day - Thurs 16 Rowing - Pre Maadi camp - Fri 17 - Sun 19 Volleyball Canterbury Champs - Fri 17 - Sun 19 Canterbury Athletics finals - Fri 17 Polyfest - Sat 18	Week 8 20 Poutū-te-rangi - 24 Poutū-te-rangi Marg Thorsborne RP Training for all staff - Mon 20 - starting at 1pm School finishes at the end of p3 @ 12.05 Volleyball ends - Mon 20 Cricket - Regional Gillette - Tues 21 - Wed 22 Non Uniform day - Tues 21 Peer Support p1 - Tues 21 Cycling - Can. MTB champs - Wed 22 Summer Sport ends - Wed 22 LEF's due - Thurs 23 at 2.40pm Swimming - Canterbury Champs - Thurs 23 HoLA StEADA meetings - Thurs 23 (various) Rowing - Maadi - Fri 24 - 2nd Marg Thorsborne TP training for Deans - Fri 24
Assembly -  Mon 13 - Year 12 NCEA (PAC) and Year 13 in the Gym Wed 15 -  Unity Week	Assembly -  Mon 20 Wed 22 - Prefect Led
Meeting  Learning Area - Tues 14	Meeting  All Staff PLD - Marg Thorsborne - Mon 20 Learning Area - Tues 21

Information for Staff

1. Upcoming PLD - ImpactED are running a series of PLD focus that you may be interested in. The most relevant is run by Jackie Brown, who you have worked with here with your Learning Areas. She is hosting a series of 4 workshops - NCEA: Redesigning curriculum to realise the intent of the new NCEA big ideas. This could be a good opportunity for a couple of staff to work with others. Please register and put through your PLD application in the normal way.

2. Saving yourself time - On Monday, I listened to a Webinar on how to use AI to save time as a teacher. The recording of the Webinar is below. There are a few tips that you might find useful about how we can harness AI to our advantage. Such as writing a worksheet to use on a topic, possible lesson plans, even references if you give a few key attributes.

I was also reminded of the comment bank tool in google classroom. If you are finding your are putting the same comment in regularly - put it in the comment bank space first, then this can be reused over, saving yourself time as a teacher.

Open up the comment bank when you are in the students google doc, via google classroom.

Click on add a comment as per usual - you can then add in a key word, which will then display the comments in your bank with your key term and select the one that is the most appropriate.