BOARD UPDATE June 2019
Kia ora koutou I hope Term 2 has ended well for you – it has felt a very busy term with plenty going on within and outside of the school curriculum. I enjoyed attending performances of ‘Hairspray Jnr’ our first school production in seven years . This was a huge undertaking and many congratulations to the students involved and to all the staff that supported them. Thank you to parents and whānau for supporting the performance and all those students who played an active role. The same might be said of our Fia Fia night and Pasifika Fusion – how good it was to witness our College win the kava bowl for best cultural performance, and to see this award come back to Levin again! I had the privilege of watching both Waiopehu and Horowhenua Colleges celebrating together after the event. It was wonderful to see our students enjoying their…
Quad Bike Training
The Level 1 and 2 Horticulture students have been enjoying learning new skills on the quad bikes including reversing with a trailer and a lot on the skills needed to avoid tipping! Not only have they increased their skills but they have grown in confidence. They will be assessed early next term on the quad as well as fencing and maintaining small engines and tools.
Lighting Up The College
Horowhenua College opened its doors in 1940 and is celebrated as the only secondary school built in NZ during WWII. The iconic main building is also celebrated, being only one of two colleges in NZ with this unique architectural design. 78 years later we still celebrate and are very proud of this heritage building as it represents the many successful students who have passed through its doors over the years. Recently, the Horowhenua District Council have completed their plan for future development of our town and the region. Highlighting significant buildings contributes to the futuristic plan for the enchancement of our town. HDC therefore generously provided a financial grant to install downlights across the college frontage. The outcome is even better than expected. Our thanks goes to HDC for enabling this to happen. It is something for our whole town to be proud of.
GRIP Leadership Conference
On a very wet and windy Wellington Monday, the Prefect Team went down to the GRIP Leadership Conference at Pipitea Marae. There were a number of thought provoking sessions on topics such as the nature of leadership, how to improve school culture and how to increase participation in school activities. We were a significant group of 13 in a gathering of 150, and the students made the most of the opportunity to talk with other leadership teams, pick their brains for ideas, and make contacts for further contact. A good day was had by all. Miss Mattheus Ngaio House Dean
NUA Fit
A new sporting initiative has been established at Nua. The brainchild of our PE Department and sports prefects, the NUA Fit programme has been running for all of Term 1. Consistently there have been about 50 students participating all term. The programme’s main aim is to help our students prepare for the winter sporting season ahead, enabling participants to improve their overall fitness and sustain themselves for longer in the sporting arena, but also in the classroom and other school environments. NUA Fit also caters for all our young athletes, with the intention to help nurture the sporting success that exists within our school, in order to guide students to their full potential. Above all, NUA Fit allows students to exercise in a social setting at their own pace. Many students already enrolled in the programme have found the course productive. Our Year 12 girls get a kick out of…
Meijo University Senior High School Visit
We recently had 35 students join us from Meijo University Senior High School in Japan for four days. They became part of our college right away through a powhiri which was held to welcome them. During their time here they participated in various activities including English classes, cooking and rock climbing. We were treated to the students’ lovely singing skills at assembly, and on their last day they were farewelled by the International Committee, host family members, and the buddies who had made them feel welcome. Christina Cameron International Prefect
Chile Exchange
After spending 5 months in Chile I have definaitely achieved my goal of becoming more fluent in Spanish. However, there’s so much more that you can get out of an exchange. I loved being absorbed by the culture of my host country in the way that isn’t possible as a tourist, and being able to compare it with New Zealand’s culture. I felt that family and generosity were more valued in my host country, whereas in New Zealand we focus on our “professional” lives and aren’t as open to strangers. Some of the most memorable aspects of any exchange are the unexpected things, the things that you might not have know about prior to departure. Things like the national holiday being celebrated for an entire week, plus the traditions of getting your face pushed into your birthday cake and staying up until midnight on Christmas Eve to open presents! Christina…
Congratulations to our Librarian
Congratulations to Carole Brungar, our college librarian and published author on her recent award. The Annual Independent Publisher Book Awards honour the year’s best independently published titles from around the world. The awards are intended to bring increased recognition to the thousands of exemplary independent, university, and self-published books released each year. The awards reward those who exhibit the courage, innovation and creativity to bring about change in the world of publishing. Independent spirit and expertise comes from publishers of all sizes and budgets and books are judged with that in mind. Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded to winners in national subject categories, regional categories, and e-book categories. Ms Brungar won the gold medal for The Nam Shadow in paperback catergory: Best Fiction, Australia/New Zealand/Pacific Rim region.