N e w s l e t t e r 6 N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 7

Rotorua Boys’ High SchoolAd Astra Per Aspera

Whaia Te Iti Kahurangi

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Special Events Department News Young Achievers

The School ShieldA very real symbol of our school is the School Shield. This is present on our uniform, letterhead, vehicles and buildings. It is the visual representation of our school, and most who live in Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty recognise it as the key image that has been associated with our school for over a century.

Our Shield, however, is not only a visual symbol, it also reflects very clearly a set of values, beliefs and relationships which we as a school stand for. Our Shield represents much to do with the philosophy of the school, and our commitment to the education of young men of the city over the decades. Our Shield represents our desire to aim high and to reach for the stars. It is compatible with our vision “to become the outstanding Boys’ High School in New Zealand”.

The Shield, as it stands today, was fully developed by 1928. This was when the Maori head atop the central shield, which was designed in 1915, was the last feature to be added to it. The scroll beneath the central shield with the Latin Motto had been the first additional feature to be added to it in 1927. There are six key elements to our crest as follows:

1. The Open Book – this of course refers to learning and education.

2. The White Rose of York – this is a traditional heraldic symbol and demonstrates the historical relationship of our country to Great Britain.

3. The Lion – again this is a traditional heraldic symbol particularly common to Grammar Schools, demonstrating the relationship of the school to British traditions. Furthermore, the Lion stands for strength, courage, honour and pride, and the determination to never give up, and to overcome adversity.

4. The Crown – this demonstrates the relationship of the school to the Sovereign and the Crown. The Crown is also a symbol of authority and leadership. It is about setting in place, a pathway for success in life and working towards realising one’s ambitions with determination and enthusiasm.

5. The Maori Head – this is symbolic of the relationship of the school with Ngati Whakaue, and acknowledges the 1880 endowment by Ngati Whakaue of the land for the establishment of the new Town of Rotorua in 1881. The position of this Maori Head atop the central shield is indicative of the value given to this relationship.

6. The Latin Motto – this Motto was selected by Mr A.R. Ryder (Principal from 1927-1931) from a public competition held in Rotorua for this purpose in 1927. It has been translated to represent “To the stars through adversity” or “To the stars through hard work”.

More recently and more appropriately perhaps, given the bi-cultural make up of school today, the Maori equivalent “Whaia Te Iti Kahurangi” was added in 1990. This is now boldly displayed on the front of the main school building for everyone who arrives at the school to see.

Since 1915 this Shield has been worn with pride and has been our own special and particular symbol. More than that, it is a statement of what is important to our school community. Our Shield tells the story of our school and that story is as appropriate today as it was when it was first designed, and then modified as the school developed in its early years. The result is the defining symbol of our school today.

Interhouse Haka

From the Desk of the Principal

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Nga mihi nui ki a koutou me te tangi hoki ki a ratau kua riro atu.

Term 4 is now well underway and we have just a handful of school days left before Senior Prizegiving. At this time all staff and students are clearly focussed on completing work and preparing for externals.

Senior Prizegiving will be held on Tuesday 7 November at 10.00am and the start of Junior Examinations will take place on Wednesday 8 November 2017. NCEA Externals for Senior Students start on Thursday 9 November 2017. It is a busy time.Senior Prizegiving Advertisement in a Box

Senior PrizegivingIt is important that all Seniors clear their school account and meet all financial and administrative obligations prior to prizegiving. This is really important as so many of the costs associated with Prizegiving are directly met from the General Activity Contribution students and families make to the school.

All students can go to the student counter to check the status of their account.

Similarly, all students must also have a very clear understanding of where their NCEA and Junior Certificate credit balance sits relative to their year level qualification. We want to leave no stone unturned in our attempt to get all our students to meet their obligations and to gain their year level qualification so that their pathway into 2018 has as many opportunities for them as possible.

At the same time students who already know that they have gained the credits necessary for their year level qualification are encouraged to take particular notice of the number of endorsements they have so they too can work to moving from Achieved to Merit to Excellence if possible. It is important that the traffic light system that we use to keep staff informed of where each individual student is at is also shared by the students themselves and families.

In this regard senior students who at the time of Senior Prizegiving have not met the academic requirements of their year level qualification will be required to return to school following prizegiving through until Friday 17 November 2017 or until they have achieved the necessary requirements. Our school continues to operate the senior school timetable right through until 17th so that again, every student has the support and the opportunity to meet their year level qualification.

Remember our Academic Goal for each year level is a 90%+ pass rate.

Congratulations Mr DaltonA special achievement for Mr Dalton and indeed for our entire school came with the announcement that Mr Dalton has been appointed Principal at Aquinas College in Tauranga starting with the beginning of the 2018 school year.

Mr Dalton has been a wonderful Deputy Principal and before that an outstanding Head of Faculty but more important still is the fact that he is a remarkable Teacher and his students achieve remarkable results.

Our school will acknowledge and farewell Mr Dalton at the appropriate times before the end of the school year but at this time we simply acknowledge and congratulate Mr Dalton on his promotion

StaffingFurther to the detail about Mr Dalton above the school is currently receiving applications for a Deputy Principal replacement for Mr Dalton and a very strong field of applications have been received.

I am hopeful that at Senior Prizegiving the new Deputy Principal will be announced.

At this time of the year the school also seeks to appoint staff necessary for the new school year and for what we expect to be an increased student roll. In this regard three appointments of new teachers for next year have been confirmed and it is my pleasure to introduce these three new staff for our school for 2018, they are:

Mrs A Hay B.Ed (Music), Dip. Tchg., F.T.C.L Violin PerformanceCurrently a Senior Teacher at Mokoia Intermediate School, Mrs Hay will teach Music, Drama and English.

Mr B Kanara B.EdMr Kanara is a Practicing Engineer and brings a wealth of Engineering experience to our Technology Faculty. Mr Kanara will teach Hard Materials Subjects in the Technology Faculty.

Mr J Te Huia B.PhEd., P.G.Dip.Tchg.Mr Te Huia is a First Year Teacher and a Graduate of Otago University and he will teach within the Physical Education, Outdoor Education and Health Faculty.

Rotorua Boys’ High School

Senior Prizegivingto be held in the

War Memorial Assembly Hallon

Tuesday 7 November 2017at 10.00am

Correct Number 1 School Uniform must be worn by all students attending Senior Prizegiving

The school will formally welcome these new teachers at the beginning of 2018.

Student TrusteeRecently the annual election for the Student Trustee to the Board of Trustees was held and congratulations to Temuera Hall (right) who was the successful candidate. Temuera joined the Board for his first Board Meeting on Wednesday 25 October. Congratulations Temuera.

Rotorua Young AchieversCongratulations again to our seven Rotorua Young Achievers who received their awards at a Civic Function on Monday 30 October 2017.

YLead Year 12 LeadershipAgain this year the school hosted the Rangatira YLead Conference for Year 12 students from the New Zealand Super Eight Schools and their sister schools and this year our school was represented by ten young men who were challenged and tested and given much to reflect on as part of this leadership training programme.

Our Ten representatives were:• Rishay Anand• Manny-Patrick Crawford• Daniel Gray• Temuera Hall• Hohaia Macfarlane• Te Okiwa Morgan• Joape Nagera• James Scott• Poukohe Sorenson Tawhara• Bradley Wiggins

Year 10 Leadership CampRecently 20 promising leaders from Year 10 were selected and undertook an Outdoor Pursuit Centre Programme in Turangi over the course of week one of this term. These boys like their Year 12 counterparts were challenged and introduced to a number of concepts appropriate to the development of good leadership skills.

Our 20 young men that attended camp were has follows:

• Pumi Black• Kelvin Cunliffe• Jorge Everson• Connor Franklin• Manaia Hapi• Sameed Khan• Pita King• Tukaha Kokiri-Tangaere• Finlay Martin• Xavier Mitchell-Winsor• Whatukura Mohi• Herewini Ngatai• Toataua Porima• Evan Richards-Ward• Hikurangi Ruwhiu-Edmonds• Kahutia Te Hau• Ngakohu Walker• Keden Wichman• Nicholas Williams• Bless Perese-Elliott

Enrolments 2018The school has been very pleased with the level of enrolments for 2018. Already our hostel is at capacity and we are now putting further applications for the hostel on a waiting list. At the same time numbers for Year 9 in 2018 are at record levels and we are making adjustments in our planning for these increased numbers.

Should there be further enrolments any students who have not yet enrolled should make contact as soon as possible with the appropriate Dean. Early knowledge of student numbers for 2018 certainly helps with planning.

2018 Year DatesThursday 25 January Teacher Only DayFriday 26 January Teacher Only DayMonday 29 January Auckland Anniversary DayTuesday 30 January First Day for Years 11, 12 and 13Wednesday 31 January First Day for Years 9 and 10Friday 30 March – Tuesday 3 April Easter Break Friday 13 April Last Day of Term 1Monday 30 April First Day of Term 2Wednesday 4 July Last Day of Term 2 for studentsThursday 5 July Teacher Only DayFriday 6 July Teacher Only DayMonday 23 July First Day of Term 3

Ad Astra Per AsperaWhaia Te Iti Kahurangi

To The Stars Through Hard WorkA

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Friday 28 September Last Day of Term 3Monday 15 October First Day of Term 4Thursday 13 December Last Day of Term 4 2017 YearbookAt this stage our Marketing and Communications Manager Ms Dana Kinita is busy compiling our 2017 Yearbook and again I am confident we will have a beautiful compilation of 2017 events captured in this year’s yearbook.

Our yearbook will be available for pickup by those students who have completed all clearance requirements after Junior Prizegiving on Wednesday 13 December and from this date through until the office closes for Christmas on Friday 22 December 2017.

Footloose AuditionsIn 2018 the school will produce the musical Footloose and already auditions have been held in this regard. The school has been very pleased with the strong response from both our boys and girls at RGHS for roles within Footloose 2018.

The leadership of Footloose will be:Director Mr John DrummondMusical Director Mr Cameron HayChoreographer Mr Turanga Merito

Opening Night is on Friday 15 May, please save that date!

School’s Master PlanFurther to the Master Property Plan that I included in the last newsletter I can advise that there has been a change that has been captured in a second version of that exciting Master Plan and again I attach the second version to keep our community informed of developments in this regard.Insert Plan

The school was also pleased to receive the First Draft of the new Science Faculty that will be built in the space

between A Block, the Tech Block and current Science Block. We are hopeful that construction on this new Science Block will start in 2018.

Police Studies

A new initiative for our school as you will see in Mr Dalton’s comments later in this report is the introduction of Police Studies as a Year 13 Subject both at our school and at RGHS. This subject provides an opportunity for our Senior Boys to complete this course successfully and gain an early entry into Police College and a career in the Police Force in the first part of the year that follows their Year 13 year.

This programme has been achieved by an excellent collaboration between Unitec in Auckland, the New Zealand Police Force, The Royal New Zealand Police College and our two schools. Students undertaking this programme can gain up to 29 Level 3 credits of both unit standards and achievement standards plus a Level 4 certificate.

I do take this opportunity however to acknowledge all the partners in this development and thank them for their support of our schools and our young people. Further details as mentioned follow in this newsletter.

Best wishes to all Students, Staff and Families as work continues towards achieving academic goals set for 2017. I am sure in my Annual Report at Prizegiving this year it will capture a year of significant success and achievement across all the programmes of our school.

Again, I take this opportunity to thank all members of our school community for their efforts and their support this year.

Best wishesAnd keep up the good work!

AC Grinter Principal

From the Desk of the Deputy PrincipalTeaching & Learning

Introduction to Police Studies Aotearoa In the previous Newsletter, I outlined the new courses of study being introduced into the senior curriculum. We were overwhelmed with the response to our new Police Studies course in particular. This will be a programme offered in association with Unitec and the New Zealand Police to help prepare our young men for entry to Police College/Police Training at the beginning of 2019. The course will provide students with an understanding of the knowledge, skills, attributes and attitudes associated with policing in New Zealand. In the first week of this term, representatives from Rotorua Boys’ High School, Rotorua Girls’ High School, Unitec and the New Zealand Police spent a day planning the programme that will be offered. The group has developed what looks to be a very exciting and engaging programme that will offer students a wide range of learning opportunities, both theoretical and practical. The course will also offer a number of field trips, including a trip to the Royal New Zealand Police College in Wellington. This programme has strong support from New Zealand Police and presents a wonderful opportunity for our young men.

Upon successful completion, students will receive a Level 4 Unitec Certificate and up to 28 Level 3 NCEA credits.

Option Selection for Year 10, 2018Year 9 students will be asked to complete their option forms in Week 5. Students must choose three options for study alongside their core subjects in Year 10.1. Students are permitted to choose two options from Table 1 and one option from Table 2, OR three options from Table 1.2. The options in bold lead to course pathways that are University Entrance approved.

Students wishing to select a sports academy will undertake a trial in their current Year 9 academy classes. Students who are not currently in an academy class and wish to gain entry in 2018 will need to have their selection selection approved by HOD Sport and the applicable Director. You are encouraged to discuss this with your son now so that he is prepared to make his selections with his House Group Teacher in Week 5.

Extension to the senior timetableStudents in Years 11-13 have senior prizegiving on Tuesday, 7 November. This marks the final official day of timetabled classes for these students. In the interests of supporting our students meet their academic goals however, we will ensure that students can access their classes and teachers in their timetable until November 17. It is our hope that students will see this as an excellent opportunity to work with their teachers on resubmissions and further assessment opportunities so that they can continue to attain credits and/or work towards certificate and course endorsements. It is expected that students attending on these days are in full school uniform. These classes are optional, however, for students who are at risk of not achieving, we are placing an expectation on their attendance. Year level Deans will be making contact with students and their families in this regard.

Mr M Dalton - Deputy Principal Teaching and LearningEmail: mdalton@rbhs.school.nz Twitter: @_mattdalton

LEADERSHIP AWARDS-TERM 3

Leadership

Congratulations to the following students who gained Leadership Awards in Term 3.

Year 9Marangai Wainohu-Savage (Cultural) - 9T, Year 9 Band member, Enrolment Tour Band, Rockquest / Pacifica Beats, Te Aitanga a Tane Kapa Haka, Junior Basketball, Targeting Junior Certificate with Merit or better, Achieving with Excellence in Maori Performing Arts, Tikanga, Chinese

Robbie Thomas (Academic) - 9A, Gained Junior Certificate with Excellence (totalling 70 Excellence credits so far), 100% Pass Rate, Achieving with Excellence in Chinese, English, Rugby Academy, Tikanga, Mathematics, Music, Performing Arts, Science and, Social Science, U14 Elite Rugby, Junior Cricket, Jubilee Scholar, 100% Attendance

Riley Hine (Citizenship) - 9E, Waikato Young Leaders Day, Development Phase in Golf Academy, RBHS Golf Team at Te Puke Tournament, Well respected amongst students and teachers, One of the Top 3 Year 9 Academic students, Has Gained Junior Certificate with Merit but is aiming for Excellence, 100% Pass Rate, Achieving with Excellence in Art, English, Golf Academy, Maori, Music and, Social Studies, 100% Attendance

Matthew Wynyard (Sporting) - 9A, Junior Football 2nd Place U16 Competition, 1st Xl Football National Tournament, Junior A Futsal 3rd Place BOP Competition, Junior Certificate Aiming for Excellence, 100% Pass Rate, Achieving with Excellence in Chinese, Football Academy, Mathematics, English.

Ngaru Omichi (Citizenship) - 9A, Waikato Young Leaders, Grading at end of year for Black belt 1st dan in Karate, Has competed Nationally and Internationally, Coaches at Gosokuryu Club, Top 3 Placing Academically in Year 9, Aiming for Excellence in Junior Certificate, 100% Pass Rate, Achieving with Excellence in Chinese, English, Maori, Performing Arts, Physical Education

Year 10Xavier Mitchell-Winsor (Sporting) - 10X, U15 Rugby, Debut for 1st XV against Francis Douglas College as Year 10 student, Targeting Excellence Junior Certificate, 100% Pass Rate, Achieving with Excellence in English, Rugby Academy and, Technology

Aidan Tonge (Sporting) - 10A, Junior and Senior Basketball, Outstanding performances at National Tournament and throughout the season, Hairspray Production, Targeting Junior Certificate with Excellence, 100% Pass Rate, Achieving with Excellence in Chinese, English, Basketball Academy, Mathematics and, Social Studies, 100% Attendance

Jared Hamilton (Sporting and Academic) - 10A, Junior and Senior A Basketball, Outstanding performances at National Tournament and throughout the season, Hairspray Production, Attaining Junior Certificate with Excellence, 100% Pass Rate, Achieving with Excellence in DVC, English, Football Academy, Tikanga, Mathematics, Social Studies and, TechnologyPumi Black (Citizenship) - 10T, Good team man at U14 Rugby Tournament, U14 Touch, Te Aitanga a Tane Kapa Haka, Hillary Outdoors Leadership Programme, Targeting Junior Certificate

with Merit or better, Achieving with Excellence in Maori Performing Arts

Tuakana Tuaine (Cultural) - 10B, Rockquest / Pacifica Beats, Positive contribution to Music Department, U14 Touch, Rotorua Touch Association Referee, Targeting Junior Certificate with Merit or better, Achieving with Excellence in Art, English, Tikanga, Music, Physical Education

Keden Wichman (Academic) - 10A, Gained Junior Certificate with Excellence (totalling 73 Excellence credits), 100% Pass Rate, Achieving with Excellence in Chinese, English, Basketball Academy, Tikanga, Mathematics, Science, Social Science and, Technology, Has also gained 29 Excellence credits at NCEA Level 1, Junior A Basketball, Hillary Outdoors Leadership Programme

Year 11Sharne Perham (Sporting) - NZ U17 Basketball, Senior A Basketball, On target to Achieving NCEA Level 1

Michael Stanley (Academic and Sporting) - NZ Gymnastics team, Coaches gymnastics locally, Gained NCEA Level 1 with Excellence, GPA 100 (80+ Excellence credits), 100% Pass Rate, Achieving with Excellence in English, Chinese, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, 100% Attendance

Joshua Vandy (Cultural and Academic) - Gained NCEA Level 1 and Targeting Excellence, 100% Pass Rate, Achieving with Excellence in Mathematics, Biology and, Chemistry, Hairspray Production, Stage Challenge, Choir, Super Eight Drama, 1st XI Hockey

Te Rama Reuben (Citizenship) - Works hard, helps other students with their work and is already making himself invaluable to Nelson House through participation and leadership, Gained NCEA Level 1 and Targeting Excellence, 100% Pass Rate, Achieving with Excellence in English, Mathematics and, Sciences, U15 Elite Rugby, Waka Ama J16 Men

Josh Kirikino (Cultural) - Leading Role Hairspray Production, Outstanding contribution and leadership throughout the production practices and performances, Dance Tutor for RIS Performing Arts Workshop, Leadership of Nelson House Choral, Choir, Stage Challenge, Te Aitanga a Tane Kapa Haka, Targeting NCEA Level with Merit or better, Achieving with Excellence in Dance, Maori Performing Arts and, Music

Junta Hamano (Academic) - Attained NCEA Level 1 already and Targeting Merit, 100% Pass Rate, An outstanding achievement for an International student with English as Second Language, Super Eight Colts Rugby, Debuted for 1st XV Rugby, BOP U16 Rugby, 100% Attendance,

Tukimihia Simpkins (Sporting) - NZ Schools Rugby League Team, BOP U16 Rugby, 1st XV Rugby, 1st XIII Rugby League, Aiming for Merit or better in NCEA Level 1, Achieved with Excellence in English and Physical Education

Year 12Daniel Gray (Academic) - Leading Year 12 Academic, Gained NCEA Level 2 with Excellence, 100% Pass Rate, Achieving with Excellence in History, English, Mathematics, Biology and, Chemistry, Cricket T10

Rishay Anand (Citizenship) - Love Soup Volunteer, SADD Committee, Year 10 Mentoring Programme, 1st Xl Football, Has attained NCEA Level 2 with Excellence with 50/56 credits at Excellence, 100% Pass Rate, Achieving with Excellence in English, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology and, Physics, 100% Attendance

Rhayvon Mihaere (Cultural) - High level of involvement in Performing Arts, Hairspray Production, Stage Challenge, Super Eight Drama, Raukura Kapa Haka, Has gained NCEA Level 2 with Merit but is aiming for Excellence, Achieving with Excellence in Dance and Music

Matene Te Whata (Sporting) - NZ Grappling Champion, Super Eight Colts Rugby, Social Basketball, Has attained NCEA Level 2 with Merit already and has 13 remaining credits for Excellence, Achieving with Excellence in English, Physical Education, Chemistry, Physics and, Mathematics,

Ellis Breadmore (Sporting) - Outstanding Leadership 1st Xl Football, Most Valuable Player chosen by other teams at National Tournament, Senior Futsal, NCEA Level 2 Aiming for Merit or better, Achieving with Excellence in Physical Education and Mathematics

Year 13Lee Tuhakaraina (Citizenship) - Key part to getting Love Soup initiative up and running and has remained committed since the beginning, Ball Committee member, great role model for younger students in everything he is involved with, Choir, On target for NCEA Level 3

Tom ‘Ale (Sporting) - National Secondary Rugby League Player of the Tournament, NZ Schools Rugby League Team, 1st XV Rugby, Pasifika Role Model, Targeting NCEA Level 3 with Merit, Achieving with Excellence in Physical Education

Damian Munro-Ireland (Sporting) - Outstanding performances at National Hockey Tournament, 1st Xl Hockey, Love Soup Volunteer, On target for NCEA Level 3, Achieving with Excellence in Chemistry

Renati Waaka (Cultural and Academic) - Hairspray Production, Choir, Stage Challenge, Love Soup Volunteer, SADD Committee, Aiming for Excellence NCEA Level 3, Achieving with Excellence in Dance, Calculus, Statistics

Jimmy Rogers (Academic) - Working consistently to Achieve NCEA Level 3 with Merit, Achieving with Excellence in History, E-Sports Team

Year 9 Dean Ms M Hartley mhartley@rbhs.school.nz ext 827Year 10 Dean Mrs K Hemana khemana@rbhs.school.nz ext 803Year 11 Dean Mrs C Zilionis czilionis@rbhs.school.nz ext 895 Mr K Botha kbotha@rbhs.school.nz ext 895Year 12 Dean Mr H Lockwood hlockwood@rbhs.school.nz ext 836Year 13 & 14 Dean Mrs R Mudge rmudge@rbhs.school.nz ext 880 Mr G Hunt ghunt@rbhs.school.nz ext 895International Students Mrs T Grinter tgrinter@rbhs.school.nz ext 837

From the Deans

From the Year 9 Dean Ms M HartleyKia Ora Whanau,

I cannot believe we are in Term 4 already! This year has flown by so quickly, and on the 14th of November we welcome to our school the Year 9s of 2018 for our annual Orientation Day!!It is timely to remind your son not to start relaxing just yet. There are still 6 weeks of this term to go for our Junior Boys, and this six weeks can make a huge difference.

As a cohort, our results are looking really good. At this stage of the term we can predict a pass rate of 93% for our students – what an amazing achievement, considering we still have time to improve this even further! What students need to consider now is the endorsement they are striving to achieve. An Excellence endorsement requires 50 of their 80 credits to be at Excellence level, whilst a Merit endorsement requires them to achieve 50 out of their 80 credits, at Merit and/or Excellence. What goal did they set themselves at the beginning of the year during House Group?

We currently have 9 students who have passed with Excellence endorsements, and another 21 who have already gained Merit endorsements. Remembering our Year 9 boys get offered approximately 125 for the year, the great news is that with some students still having 40 or more credits to come in this term, to gain an endorsement is still well within reach for most of our Year 9 students. Please push your son to work to their potential to achieve this.I have received a few emails lately from frustrated teachers who are constantly handing out basic stationery to students in class. Please set your son up for success by ensuring he has the necessary equipment he needs for each class; pens, pencils, eraser, ruler, exercise books and/or iPad.

I look forward to celebrating your son’s success with you at Junior Prize Giving, held here in our school Memorial Hall on Wednesday 13 December. In the meantime, if you have any questions regarding your son’s academic progress, please email me at mhartley@rbhs.school.nz or alternatively phone on 3486 169 ext 827.

Ms M Hartley (M.Ed.L.(Hons), B.Ed., Dip. Tchg.) Year 9 Dean

mhartley@rbhs.school.nz

From the Year 10 Dean Mrs K Hemana

Kia Ora Raukura whānau,

Whaia te iti kahurangi – to the stars through hard work

Inaugural Year 10 Formal – Celebrating SuccessThis year we will be hosting a Year 10 Formal at Skyline Skyrides for those students who are demonstrating the values of a Raukura young man.

Formal invitation letters have been given to the students and they may begin to make plans to attend this prestigious event. The idea is to provide our students with an event to celebrate the hard work they have put in to achieving their goals. We want to strengthen our endorsements, improve attendance and more importantly celebrate success. Here are the finer details:

Date: Thursday 16 November at Skyline SkyridesTime: 6:30 (doors close 7pm) – 10:30pmCost: $75pp includes dinner, gondola and danceDress code: Formal

Tickets on sale at school: Wednesday 25th October and close on Friday 10th November

Congratulations to the 110 boys who received an invitation. If there are any queries or concerns please see the Dean as soon as possible.

Ms K Hemana (B.Ed., P.G.Dip.Ed., P.G. M.Sp.Tchg. (Hons.))Year 10 Deankhemana@rbhs.school.nz

From the Year 11 Dean Mrs C ZilionisMany students have already achieved the 80 credits necessary to gain NCEA Level 1, a huge congratulations to them.

A further congratulations to the following students who have achieved an Excellence endorsement. This means that they have achieved at least 50 credits at Excellence level:James Baldwin 99Michael Stanley 90

Breyton Westrupp 82Kahurangi King 73Manaia Harawira 71Mate Radics 67Fraser Raukawa-Phillips 53Jordan Urwin 52Te Ahurei Epapara 51Jimah Ruland-Umata 50A reminder that timetable classes will be running for the next two weeks after senior prizegiving. Therefore

From the Year 12 Dean Mr H Lockwood

Kia koutou nga matua o nga manukura Tau tekau ma rua o Raukura, tena koutou.

An update on how the year has progressed. Crunch time; as our Year 12’s complete their final period’s of class time, as we near prize giving on Tuesday the 7th November.

Just thought i would start with a huge congratulations to those students who have meet the requirements to complete NCEA Level 2 achieving 60 Plus credits at Level 2 or 3. To date we have 89 students who have passed 60 plus credits.

A reminder that timetable classes will be running for the next two weeks after senior prize giving. Therefore Year 12 students have an opportunity to complete resubmissions and students who are below the 60 credit mark are encourage to attend.Finally I must congratulate the following students who have passed with an Excellence Endorsement 50 Excellence credits at Level 2:Hohaia MacfarlaneRhayvon MihaereSavisesh RajanDaniel GrayTeina GrantRishay AnandErick Alvarez Canales

I wish all Year 12 students good luck for their up coming exams and wish them a safe and enjoyable summer break.kia pai o koutou ra whakataa

Nga mihi nui,

Mr H Lockwood (B.Sp & Ls.,Dip.Tchg.)Year 12 Deanhlockwood@rbhs.school.nz

any Year 11 students that need to complete resubmissions or who are below the 80 credit mark are encour-aged to attend.

Good luck to all the students in their upcoming exams and have a safe and enjoyable summer break.

Ms C Zilionis - Dean of Year 11 (B.A., Dip.Ed.)Mr K Botha - Acting Dead of Year 11czilionis@rbhs.school.nz

From the Acting Year 13 Dean Mr G Hunt

Tēnā Koutou Katoa

As our 2017 year comes to its conclusion, I want to congratulate those student who have passed internally. A special congratulations to those students who have endorsed with Merit or Excellence.

Merit endorsed studentsAli Al Omari (52) Michael Godfery Kepa (58) Kewarei Hawkins McClutchie (50), Grayson Hayward (55), Trent McVarnock (52) Tawhaarangi Taylor (50), Jimmy Rogers (50)Students working towards Merit Endorsement Hagan Plaisted (48)Those students who have endorsed with Excellence (50 Excellence credits)Tawharau Mohi (53), Nathan Kenah (53) Guillaume Martel (53) Nikora Wade (88), Rehua Selwyn (86), Whakaaio Nopera (53)Students working towards ExcellenceArona Clay (46), Dury Mapu Takuira (45), Sean Osborne-Curtis (44), Barnabas Radics (45), Renati, Waaka (42)

To all students preparing for externals I want to wish you the best of luck. However, passing exams is not luck, it’s about preparation! Below are ten tips to help you study and lessen those exam anxieties!

Remember if you ‘Fail to prepare, then prepare to fail’ Vince Lombardi

Ten study tips Don’t leave it until the last minute. While some students do seem to thrive on last-minute cramming, it’s widely accepted that (for most of us) this is not the best way to approach an exam. To help sort out your time management, set up a timetable for your study. Write down how many exams you have and the days on which you have to sit them. Then organize your study accordingly. You may want to give some exams more study time than others, so find a balance that you feel comfortable with.

Organise your study space Make sure you have enough space to spread your textbooks and notes out. Have you got enough light? Is your chair comfortable? Are your computer games out of sight?

Try and get rid of all distractions, and make sure you feel as comfortable and able to focus as possible. For some people, this may mean almost complete silence, for others, background music helps. Some of us need everything completely tidy and organized in order to concentrate, while others thrive in a more cluttered environment. Think about what works for you, and take the time to get it right.

Mind maps Visual aids can be really helpful when revising. At the start of a topic, challenge yourself to write down everything you already know about a topic - and then highlight where the gaps lie. Closer to the exam, condense your revision notes into one-page diagrams. Getting your ideas down in this brief format can then help you to quickly recall everything you need to know during the exam.

Practice on old exams One of the most effective ways to prepare for exams is to practice taking past versions. This helps you get used to the format of the questions, and - if you time yourself - can also be good practice for making sure you spend the right amount of time on each section.

Create a study group Get together with friends for a study session. You may have questions that they have the answers to and vice versa. As long as you make sure you stay focused on the topic for an agreed amount of time, this can be one of the most effective ways to challenge yourself.

Take regular study breaks While you may think it’s best to study for as many hours as possible, this can actually be counterproductive. If you were training for a marathon, you wouldn’t try and run 24 hours a day. Likewise, studies have shown that for long-term retention of knowledge, taking regular breaks really helps.Everyone’s different, so develop a study routine that works for you. If you study better in the morning, start early before taking a break at lunchtime. Or, if you’re more productive at night time, take a larger break earlier on so you’re ready to settle down come evening.Try not to feel guilty about being out enjoying the sunshine instead of hunched over your textbooks. Remember Vitamin D is important for a healthy brain.

Snack on Brain Foods You may feel like you deserve a treat, or that you don’t have time to cook, but what you eat can really have an impact on energy levels and focus, so keep away from junk food. Keep your body and brain well-fuelled by choosing nutritious foods that have been proven to aid concentration and memory, such as fish, nuts, seeds, yogurt and blueberries. The same applies on exam day - eat a good meal before the test, based on foods that will provide a slow release of energy throughout. Sugar may seem appealing, but your energy levels will crash an hour later.

Plan your exam day Make sure you get everything ready well in advance of the exam - don’t leave it to the day before to suddenly realize you don’t know the way, or what you’re supposed to bring. Check all the rules and requirements, and plan your route and journey time. If possible, do a test run of the trip. If not, write down clear directions.

Work out how long it will take to get there - then add on some extra time. You really don’t want to arrive having had to run halfway or feeling frazzled from losing your way. You could also make plans to travel to the exam with friends or classmates, as long as you know they’re likely to be punctual.

Keep HydratedAs a final tip, remember that being well hydrated is essential for your brain to work at its best. Make sure you keep drinking plenty of water throughout your revision, and also on the exam day.

It’s been a pleasure to act as your Year 13 Dean for 2017. I wish you all the very best for your future endeavours. Finally to Mrs Mudge we will all see you back next year stronger than ever! Arohanui ki a koe.

Mr G Hunt (B.Sp.& Ex.Sci., Dip.Tchg)Acting Dean of Year 13 ghunt@rbhs.school.nz

MATHEMATICSWhilst our Seniors were busy finishing off their final Internal Assessments and preparing for their Preliminary Examinations, our Junior students also had a full on term last term! 9A, 9E, 10A and 10E took part in the ICAS, where they sat an assessment to judge their individual strengths and weaknesses. Overall 111 students participated and 5 were awarded Distinction, 11 Credit and 9 Merit!

Congratulations go to the top 5 boys in Year 10, who were:Kalem CardonSameed KhanEvan Richards-WoodNick Williams Aidan Edhouse

And the top 5 boys in Year 9 were:Miles TapsellMax HarveyRobbie ThomasWilliam DavisWill Florence

The Accelerate class in both year 9 and 10 completed the Australian Maths competition. There were 9 boys who were awarded a Credit grade, meaning they have placed above the national average of where they should be in New Zealand for their year level. The boys listed below should be congratulated for their efforts.

The following boys are from 9A: William Davis - he received a score of 64 and is within the top 28% of his year in New Zealand.Max Harvey - he received a score of 57 and is within the top 44% of his year in New Zealand. Robbie Thomas - he received a score of 64 and is within the top 28% of his year in New Zealand.

The following boys are from 10A: Aidan Edhouse - he received a score of 49 and is within the top 42% of his year in New Zealand.Jared Hamilton - he received a score of 45 and is within the top 53% of his year in New Zealand.Kirimaniania Jonathan - he received a score of 47 and is within the top 47% of his year in New Zealand.Sameed Khan- he received a score of 59 and is within the top 22% of his year in New Zealand.Evan Richards-Ward - he received a score of 44 and is within the top 56% of his year in New Zealand.Nicholas Williams - he received a score of 54 and is within the top 31% of his year in New Zealand.

At the end of last term we sent 4 teams from Years 9 and 10 to Otumoetai College to compete in the MathsMind competition. MathsMind is an annual junior mathematics competition. Schools in the wider Bay of Plenty Region are invited to send teams of Year 9 and Year 10 students. The Year Nine contest was first, followed by the year 10 event. Each team had 20 problems to solve in the

DEPARTMENT NEWS

SOCIAL SCIENCES

Social Sciences 2017 Trip to Otago and FiordlandAt the end of September 15 students from Geography, History and Tourism flew to Queenstown to explore the stunning environment at the southern tip of Aotearoa. We initially spent three nights based in Queenstown. Time was spent in the city with a number of Fergburgers being consumed.

A great day was spent on the Kawarau River jetboating and panning for gold. Thomas Lickfold found a gold nugget!! Visits were made to the

allocated 45 minutes. With 5 points being awarded for each correct answer, the winners are the teams with the highest number of points. In the event of a tie, time became the deciding factor.Each team had four members. One student was appointed the ‘runner’ and had the task of taking written answers to the nearest judge. The judge either recorded a correct answer, or gave the question back and requested the team has another attempt to obtain the correct answer.There was a lot of activity and a lot of noise! Our boys were strong competitors and represented the school well despite missing out on a prize. Well done to our teams:

Year 9:Justise Apiata William Davis Aidan DonoghueWill Florence Yannick Martel Reagon Nicholson Matiu Te Rei Robbie Thomas

Year 10: Nicholas Beamish Kalem Cardon Aidan Edhouse Kirimaniania Jonathan Sameed Khan Evan Richards-Ward Kahutia Te Hau Ngakohu Walker

Mrs E Couch (B.A. (Hons.), M.Sc., P.G.C.E)Teacher of Mathematicsecouch@rbhs.school.nz

Looking down on Doubtful Sound. A stop on the climb up from Lake Manapouri.

skifield on Coronet Peak and a wander through Arrowtown. A trip over the Crown Range to Wanaka was highlighted by a visit to Puzzle World.The two days in Fiordland added a whole new dimension to the trip with a spectacular day on Lake Manapouri and then traversing the divide to Doubtful Sound. It certainly will be a trip etched forever into the boys minds.

Mr R Holiday (B.A, Dip. Tchg - HOD Social Science Email: rholiday@rbhs.school.nz

AccountingGetting down to the nuts and bolts of Accounting. Understanding basic accounting for small

Mrs K Nicholls (BMS.,Dip. Tchg) Teacher of Accountingknicholls@rbhs.school.nz

Working hard in Year 13 Accounting.

Tourism Our senior Business and Tourism students had a great day visiting behind the scenes at Air New Zealand and New Zealand Tourism in September. Old Boy Andrew Baker and now Cultural Development Manager at Air New Zealand also dropped in to say hello to the boys.

Mrs S Davids (B.Com.,Dip.Tchg.) Teacher of Tourismsdavids@rbhs.school.nz

CHINESEOn October 6, we had a Chinese speaking competition today at lunch. There were only three boys registered to compete. However, the performance was quite outstanding, in terms of pronunciation and delivery. They came with Year 11 students who are learning Chinese. Each boy had been taught by one of the Chinese students (students who learn Chinese) Joshua Vandy, Jack Cater and Breyton Westrrup Doohan Robson won the competition with his beautiful pronunciation and effort - he did it without cue cards! Jack Carter took the second place. Jimah Ruland -Umata and Michael Stanley were the judges of the competition.

The Mayor of Gisborne, Meng Foon visited our school last month to have a korero about the significance of learning Chinese. He opened his heart to our boys and shared his personal life experience with us.

SCIENCE

Mrs W Chen (B.Ped., Dip. Tchg)Teacher of Chinese wchen@rbhs.school.nz

Throughout Week 1 of Term 4, our Year 9 classes studied conservation as a part of the Conservation Week run by the Department of Conservation. Students learnt about what is precious in the New Zealand environment. They investigated how we protect it from pest species and unsustainable activities. Our boys also had a chance to learn the deeper meaning of Kaitiakitanga before finishing the week with a debate on the use of 1080. The photos are of boys in our 9X class. We would like to thank Kevin and the team at the local DOC office for lending the traps and tunnels to Raukura

for the week.Mr A Williams (B.Sc., M.Tchg.) Teacher of Scienceawilliams@rbhs.school.nz

Wharepapa Mahaki-Lake, Kahukura Waipoua-Bryers, Lachlan Robinson and Mikaere Albert.

ENGLISHAt last we are into the summer term for 2017. For our seniors in particular, the pressure is on. Students are working to complete or resubmit their internal NCEA assessments and hoping to have a solid set of credits towards Level 1, 2 or 3, prior to the external NCEA exams. These commence at the end of Week 4 and on Monday, 13 November, our Year 11 boys will be the first to sit their English exam which begins at 9.30 am. Many seniors are wanting to endorse English as a subject in the NCEA exams. To endorse, they must have a total of fourteen credits at Merit or Excellence level in English, and at least four of those must be attained in the external exam.

Junior students will write their end of year exams in Week 4, from Wednesday, 8 November. Year 9 boys will sit an hour’s Asttle test and, at another sitting, will write a Response to Text Essay paper, also for an hour. Year 10 boys will similarly sit their Asstle test and will have an additional ninety-minute exam, a Response to Text Essay and a paper on Language, Grammar, Punctuation and Reading Unfamiliar Text.

English teachers are working relentlessly at present to help prepare all our students to do their best work in the forthcoming exams and are encouraging the boys to aim to reach their potential.

In Term 3, The Great Debates were held in The Millennium Centre on the evening of Monday, 25 September. Students from every year level in English made up the five teams and all in the English Faculty were hopeful that we would successfully defend our trophy possession. Although our students fought valiantly, Girls’ High were victorious. Our congratulations are extended to the winners. Our successful team on the night, the Year 11 debaters, was comprised of Mate Radics, Mana Vercoe and Bretton Westrupp. Mate also won best speaker of that debate. We will look forward to regaining the trophy in 2018.

Mrs M Allom mallom@rbhs.school.nz

TECHNOLOGYEngineeringThis year, the Level 3 Engineering project was a repurposed wheel rim barbeque .The students started the project by MIG welding two steel rims together to form a chamber. They then decided on the door size and cut it out using a plasma cutter. Some students displayed creativity by giving their barbeques an artistic, steampunk look. This particular design works well due to oxygen that gets sucked into the chamber from holes underneath when the hot air rises.

James Hodge’s barbecue with an artistic handle. Isaac Perenara preparing a meal for his family.

Year 11 Furniture and Timber TradesOne of our most popular projects in the technology department is the Cape Cod Chair.

Year 11 Dretyn Harris (left) with his completed engineer’s vise.

Year 11 Kaia Cole (right) with his completed

Toolmaker’s Clamp

Mr C Botes (H.Dip.Tech.,Dip.Tchg.)

Teacher of Technology and Graphics

cbotes@rbhs.school.nz

SPORTS NEWS

Two RBHS students competed at New Zealand Short Course Swimming Championship recently as part of the Swim Rotorua Team:James Baldwin (15yrs) placed 6th in 50 freestyle and 8th in 100 freestyle;Jo Nagera (17yrs) competed in three events in the 17-18 year age group, placing 13th in the 50 backstroke. Jo qualified for the open age ‘D’ Final and achieved a national ranking of 31st fastest 50m backstroke male with a time of 27.86 seconds.

James Baldwin also competed over the weekend at the Central North Island Swimming Championships. Twenty-six swimming clubs brought teams, from Palmerston North to Auckland. James was an integral part of the Swim Rotorua Team which for the first time ever won the trophy for the top club.

James was on outstanding form, with two 1st places in the 14-15 year age group in 50m and 100m free, one 2nd in 200m back, and six 3rd places – in 100IM, 200IM, 50 and 100 back, 50 fly and 200 free. He was also part of the Men’s open age Swim Rotorua relay teams which placed 1st and 2nd.Both James and Jo have qualified for National Age Group Championships in 2018.

Congratulations.

Mrs C Bayliss Swim Rotorua

Swimming

Rugby 7sThe Bay of Plenty Secondary Schools Sevens Tournament was held recently.

Our U19 team placed third and have qualified for the Condors Sevens.

Our U19 Development team came runner-up in their division as well as the U15s. The U14s came fourth.

Year 13 student Tamatoa Tanga loves working at Rotorua Motor Works each week.

“I like doing this sort of work because it’s a lot more hands on then being in the classroom,” he says.

“I help out at the workshop everything mechanical. I love it.”

Owner of Rotorua Motor Works, Elad Ronen, said Tamatoa was his first Gateway student they’ve taken on.

“My own experience as a kid and lacking that support. I thought I could reach out and be involved in the community. Tama is the first in the Gateway programme but we’ve had other people, and have been doing things with local trusts. We also run women’s workshops sometimes on Saturday.I think the fact that they have something to do and it’s constructive and positive. It gives them an incentive and a sense of focus. At the end of the day when I speak to Tama, I don’t boss him around, I nurture him. For us it gives us pleasure to see a kid have focus which might give him a career one day.”

If you want to explore your career pathway in the real world, please see:Mrs Boulton or email yboulton@rbhs.school.nzMrs Y Boultonyboulton@rotoruaboyshigh.school.nzHOD Transition/Gateway

GATEWAY

OFFICE HOURSThe school office is open daily from 08.30am-3.00pm during term time. Parents and members of the public are urged to undertake any business with the school office during these hours.

Reception Hours are: 8.30am – 3pm - Monday to Friday

ATTENDANCE HOTLINE

Parents are urged to use the Attendance Hotline to inform the school of your son’s absence. The Attendance Hotline is 349 5137.

RBHS WEBSITE

Parents are reminded that the school has a website and this may be accessed at the following address: www.rbhs.school.nz

STATIONERYStationery lists can be downloaded from the Officemax MySchool website, www.myschool.co.nz/rbhs. They are also available in store or from the School Office. Officemax offers very competitive pricing and by purchasing through them the school receives rewards.

UNIFORM SHOP HOURS

The last day for the Uniform Shop in 2017 is:

Wednesday 13 December

We would like to advise that our Uniform Shop will be open at the following times for parents to purchase items required for 2018;

Office & Shop open 15th January 2018 (Mornings only)

Shop 8.30am - 12.30pm (15 - 20 January) 8.30 - 2.30pm (23 Jan - 10 Feb) 8.30am - 11.30am Monday & Wednesday for rest of the year.

OFFICE INFORMATION

ROTORUA BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL

YOUNG ACHIEVERS 2017

Hayze Perham Leadership and Excellence

in Sport

Rehua Selwyn Leadership, Academic Achieve-ment, Excellence in Sport and

Performing Arts

Kewarei Hawkins-McCluthieAcademic Achievement and

Excellence in Sport

Nathan KenahLeadership, Academic and

General Excellence

Nikora WadeAcadmic Achievement Ex-cellence in Performing Arts

ROTORUA BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOLPO Box 10148, Rotorua 3046Pukuatua Street, Rotorua 3010

ROTORUAPH: 07 348 6169

FAX: 07 346 1270email: rotoruabhs@xtra.co.nzWebsite www.rbhs.school.nz

Gisborne Boys’ High SchoolHamilton Boys’ High SchoolHastings Boys’ High SchoolNapier Boys’ High SchoolNew Plymouth Boys’ High SchoolPalmerston North Boys’ High SchoolRotorua Boys’ High SchoolTauranga Boys’ College

New Zealand Super Eight Schools (NZSES)

Competing and co-operating for the benefit of young men

Trent McVarnockLeadership, Academic Ser-

vices to the Community

Tawharau MohiLeadership, Academic Excellence and Excellence in Sport and the

Performing Arts