Dear Parents and Caregivers,

A Note from The Principal

It was wonderful to see all the colour and enthusiasm on display for our Athletic Sports. The weather was kind to us and there was some great competition through the day. The Year 12 girls set the standard with their excellent cheerleading routines.

It was good to see a number of Year 7, 9 and 11 parents on Tuesday night at the meet the Dean evening. It was a good opportunity to touch base early in the year.

A reminder that girls who intend to drive to school at any time need to complete the Students Driving to School permission form. This is available from the student office.

Please also remind your daughters that they must  sign out when leaving the school grounds and also sign back in when they return.

Good luck to the girls who are competing at the Touch National Tournament.

Summer Quad  17 -19 February

After a very enjoyable Winter Quadrangular Tournament in August last year it is now our turn to host the annual Summer Quadrangular Tournament at the beginning of week 4 in term 1 2019. The Summer Quad Tournament is played between St Hilda’s, Rangi Ruru, St Margaret’s and Craighead Diocesan, and involves the sports of Touch, Debating, Volleyball, Tennis and Swimming.

The tournament is taking place from Sunday 17th February – Tuesday 19th February and will require billet families to host girls from St Margaret’s, Rangi Ruru and Craighead on the Sunday and Monday evening, along with providing dinner on the Sunday evening, and lunch and dinner on Monday.

We need billet families for around 120 students and will require the support of the families of girls who are not directly involved in the quadrangular tournament themselves to host this number of girls. We would greatly appreciate it if you were able to accommodate these girls into your homes as they do for us. This tournament is unable to go ahead without the generous support of our St Hilda’s community hosting students from these traveling schools. Girls being hosted do not need their own room, unlike some other exchanges we have, so room sharing is more than acceptable in these circumstances.

Please indicate on via the link below if you are able to assist with billeting.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSevwtuUOhVzmV8DFgYzx7x32v-6IX1TwxriF1PJ8WmMNiR9yw/viewform

Chapel Matters

This week we had an oasis in the middle with Waitangi Day! But the history of Waitangi Day has hardly been restful or refreshing.

In the Bible, the relationship between people and God is often described in terms of a treaty – although the word that is often used is a covenant or testament – an agreement based on promises between two parties. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the Jewish people promise to love God and keep the law, and God promises to protect the people and bless them. But all the way through the Scriptures, the people constantly break the Law – their Treaty with God – and as a result their relationship with God is broken.

Christians believe that Jesus offers a new covenant, a new treaty, a new testament between all people and God. This time it is not about keeping the law, but it is about God promising to forgive every injustice or broken promise, to heal every damaged relationship, and to bring restoration and reconciliation between people and each other, and between people and God, simply because God loves us and shows us this love in Jesus.

This is a powerful message, and in a nation which is founded on principles of partnership, equity, justice and restoration, this message of the gospel adds further depth to the importance of honouring the Treaty – Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Tolcarne News

Tolcarne had their first Tribe Competition this week. We had each tribe create and perform a chant. They were all so good that we had to give 20 points to each house just for their enthusiasm. Baxter took it out with their variations in noise and action. Go Baxter!
We also had our Tribe Leader voting. Congratulations to the Year 13’s who were successful:

Grendon: Caitlin Henderson and Sophie Dempster
Baxter: Charlotte O’Brien and Sophie Conner
Highgate: Emily White and Eden Carson
Faulkland: Sophie Sinclair and Amelia Andrews

Tomorrow’s Schools Review Consultation

Achievement

New Zealand School Trustees Association

NZSTA is working very hard to encourage parent and whanau participation on school boards in order to help shape and support the education of their children. To that end, we will be rolling out the Korari Programme for anyone interested in finding out about standing for the school board elections and having a say in the education of their children.

Please find resources about this below:

Community member guide to the role of the board of trustees_180119

Korari programme form – Interactive_090119

Korari poster_v4

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

A Note from The Principal

It is the beginning of a new year. We love having everyone back, seeing the familiar faces, how much some have grown, and the new faces – thinking how cool it is that they have decided to be a St Hilda’s girl. Our school is full with noise and laughter and the occasional screams. It feels like a new beginning.

Everyone looks relaxed, sun kissed, ready for the challenges of 2019. Congratulations to the seniors for their great exam results. We are proud of all, regardless of individual results. They gave it their best, that is all we can, and do, ask of them. I hope the students are looking forward to challenging themselves further this year, looking to the horizons, smiling as they go.

Some of you are new families – and we welcome you into our community. It is great to have you with us. We hope you enjoy our school as much as we do. This is a safe and inclusive place, and we want your daughters to enjoy being themselves here. Try new things, but they don’t have to try everything. Take it easy – look and learn. Seek first to understand, pace themselves. They have years ahead to experience all that St Hilda’s has to offer.

This year we are pleased to welcome our new staff. Mr Sutherland is Head of Performing Arts, Mr Potter will be teaching Music and Social Studies, Mr Armstrong will be teaching Technology, Mr Elwood will be teaching Mathematics and Te Reo, Miss Geary will be teaching Dance and Drama and Ms Paterson is our Science Technician.

We are absolutely delighted to have such excellent practitioners and experts in their respective fields. We are very lucky to have them and I know you will make them feel welcome

My message this week to the girls was around the importance of having the strength, courage and self belief to stand up for themselves and what they believe in. As a society we cannot afford to have our young women not be themselves and follow their dreams. Give a girl an education and the income of the village improves. Educate women and the economy of a society improves. Put women on the board of big companies and their profit and performance improves. The world improves.

So we need all of you – we need you to be you, to be individual, to think and act and be different to others, so we can all learn from each other. NO point in all being the same. The school you go to, where you live, the uniform you wear does NOT define you – how you act, how you treat others, how kind you are to yourself – that is what makes you who you are.

And if we shrink it right down to a really personal level, we need everyone in this school community to be able to be themselves. That’s staff, students, board members, parents, everyone – so that as a school we can be even stronger.

Jackie Barron

Summer Quad  17 -19 February

After a very enjoyable Winter Quadrangular Tournament in August last year it is now our turn to host the annual Summer Quadrangular Tournament at the beginning of week 4 in term 1 2019. The Summer Quad Tournament is played between St Hilda’s, Rangi Ruru, St Margaret’s and Craighead Diocesan, and involves the sports of Touch, Debating, Volleyball, Tennis and Swimming.

The tournament is taking place from Sunday 17th February – Tuesday 19th February and will require billet families to host girls from St Margaret’s, Rangi Ruru and Craighead on the Sunday and Monday evening, along with providing dinner on the Sunday evening, and lunch and dinner on Monday.

We need billet families for around 120 students and will require the support of the families of girls who are not directly involved in the quadrangular tournament themselves to host this number of girls. We would greatly appreciate it if you were able to accommodate these girls into your homes as they do for us. This tournament is unable to go ahead without the generous support of our St Hilda’s community hosting students from these traveling schools. Girls being hosted do not need their own room, unlike some other exchanges we have, so room sharing is more than acceptable in these circumstances.

Please indicate on via the link below if you are able to assist with billeting.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSevwtuUOhVzmV8DFgYzx7x32v-6IX1TwxriF1PJ8WmMNiR9yw/viewform

Key Dates coming up

Athletics Sports Tuesday 5th February – Caledonian Grounds. Students to arrive by 8:30am for roll call in Whanaungatanga Groups.

Meet the Deans evening Tuesday 5th February from 5:50pm – for Years &, 8, 9 and 11 parents.

Class and Group photos – Friday 8th February

Chapel Matters

Our first chapel of the year is Prefects’ Commissioning. The Prefect system at St Hilda’s started in 1906 and the girls still say many of the same words that were spoken back then. For example, when they affirm their promise to set a high standard of honour and uprightness in the school by their example, they respond:

I do, God being my helper.

In this day and age of high stress and anxiety, of pressure and uncertainty, it can be hard to manage these things if we feel it is all up to us to do it. Our strong Western sense of individuality can make us feel as if we have to work through these things alone. But of course, we have friends, family, and others to support us – and we need to remember to ask for help! But the Christian faith also says that God is with us at every moment of every day, and we can call on God for help too.

At the end of the year, at Leavers’ Service, one of the readings is from Psalm 121, and it begins like this:

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth …

It is good to know that something bigger than us, and outside of our own abilities and thoughts, is available to us at any moment of the day or night, to give us guidance, strength, peace, hope, and a sense of being valued. As the Prefects say at their Commissioning, may we all say: “I do, God being my helper.”

Tolcarne News

Congratulations to Breane Byck who has been selected by NZIHF to Represent and play for NZ in the National U16 Ice Hockey Team. The team is heavily weighted with boys so to be named as goalie on the squad is a very impressive achievement.

New Zealand School Trustees Association

NZSTA is working very hard to encourage parent and whanau participation on school boards in order to help shape and support the education of their children. To that end, we will be rolling out the Korari Programme for anyone interested in finding out about standing for the school board elections and having a say in the education of their children.

Please find resources about this below:

Community member guide to the role of the board of trustees_180119

Korari programme form – Interactive_090119

Korari poster_v4

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

A Note from The Principal

We are really looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the Parent Seminars that we are holding, starting this Sunday. Thank you to those who have already signed up – we are delighted to be sharing important information and ideas with you. Please see details below and RSVP to the School Office if you intend to join us.

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

A Note from The Principal

Term 2 has been a busy and productive term.

We finished with a wonderful Art Assembly and special Eucharist service, both very different events with unique vibes and focus yet common to both were the sense of community, connectedness and celebration. What a wonderful note to finish the Term on.

I hope you all have a fabulous holiday and special time together.

Jackie Barron

Staffing

Next term will see some minor changes to staffing as we adjust our timetable around learning initiatives.

We are delighted to announce that Anna Garthwaite has been appointed to the role of Specialist Classroom Teacher. This role encompasses leading pedagogical practice and development in the school, and assisting teachers with curriculum and classroom interests.

This role has a time allocation with it, which means Dr Townsley will pick up two hours of Year 7  Maths and Mrs Barron will assist with Year 7 and 8 Reading.

Miss Dunn and Ms Bartley will be working together to develop a new Year 9 and 10 Science Programme in the first 5 weeks of the term. Science specialist, Mrs Astwood will teach Mrs Bartley’s Year 11 Science class and Ms Dunn’s Year 10 Science class for that time.

We are lucky to have a teacher of Mrs Astwood’s calibre to call on, while our staff commit to enhancing our current courses to further assist girls with their learning.

Goodbye

At the end of this term, we say goodbye to our Director of International Studies, Ange Spears.

Ange brought enthusiasm and a can do do attitude as well as exhibiting excellent care for our international students. She will be missed by both staff and students, we wish her the best in her future endeavours.

NCEA Review process

The Ministry of Education is presently looking at ways to strengthen NCEA and is exploring a variety of ways to gain feedback from different stakeholders. They want to hear from parents and students and ask you to join in the conversation to submit your ideas, experiences and suggestions for change:  conversation.education.govt.nz/NCEA

We urge you to visit this site to see the ways in which you can give your views.

As a school we will be talking with students and plan to run a parent seminar on 12th September as part of the consultation process.

St Hilda’s Lilliput Libraries

We now have our Lilliput Libraries scattered around the school to support our Sustained Silent Reading initiative.

These are proving very popular!

A reminder to check the Sports Draws page of the website to keep up to date with match times. The netball draws are posted each week in readiness for the weekend’s matches.

From the Guidance Network

St Hilda’s Guidance Counsellor, Marcelle Nader-Turner, talks about why vulnerable teenagers need good examples and support. Click here to read her recent ODT article about how we can better support our teens.

Chapel Matters

Careers News and Events

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Congratulations to Sings Hilda on their selection to represent St Hilda’s at the Big Sing Finale in Wellington from 30 August – 2 September 2018.  The girls have worked very hard to get to this point, along with expert guidance from Mr Grant and Mr Madden. They will be working diligently over the next 10 weeks on their performance.

We wish to thank the PFA for their support of the Year 10 Study Skills Programme with Mr Stuart Wright.  Please read below quotes from some of the students who attended these sessions.

“This programme was really great and gave me a better understanding about studying and how my brain works.  I would definitely recommend it.”

I didn’t think that studying could be so much fun.”

 “Super-helpful.  I’ve already begun to map out my unit outlines that I have upcoming tests on.”

The PFA unfortunately had to postpone their AGM which was to be held on the Tuesday, 26 June.  We will advise you of the new date which will be early in Term 3.

Please note that student reports will be emailed home on the last day of Term 2 – Friday, 6 July.

Our Open Evening is being held on Thursday, 26 July.  This is an important occasion for us. All current St Hilda’s students are expected to be present at Open Evening as everyone is participating in a specific activity.

To ensure the girls do not get too tired and to enable staff to prepare for the Open Evening the school will have a half day on Thursday, 26 July with school finishing at 12:25 pm. If you wish your daughter to be supervised at school in the library for the afternoon, please contact admin@shcs.school.nz.  If for some reason your daughter needs to be excused from Open Evening, could you please email Mrs Barron at principal@shcs.school.nz.

In the evening students are required at school for the following times:

6:15 pm      Prefects

6:30 pm      Guides (Designated Year 12 and all Year 13)

7:00 pm      All students to class venues

9:00 pm      Year 7 – 13 students dismissed

9:10 pm      Buses leave for Tolcarne

Please note there is a delayed start to school on Friday morning with school beginning with Period 2 at 9:40 am. It is important that all students arrive at school ready for a prompt start.

Chapel Matters

Next week we celebrate Founders’ Day with our end-of-term Eucharist service. When Sisters Geraldine and Etheleen arrived in Dunedin on December 19^th, 1895, to set up “an English school for daughters of gentlemen” they had a hard task in front of them. Not only did they face the challenge of setting up a school on a very limited budget, but they also had to deal with the attitudes of those who didn’t believe in education for girls, or who didn’t like the idea of an Anglican school being set up in a Presbyterian city. The Sisters were determined, however, and described their mission as “a Venture of Faith.” Not long after setting up St Hilda’s, they wrote back home to the others Sisters in London saying, “Despite the hardship, we are sustained by a vision of the Eternal and by faith in One who has called us to leave all and follow him.” It is good to remember the Sisters who founded our school, to let their venture of faith inspire us, and to have faith that God can sustain us no matter what we face, even 122 years later.

Tolcarne News

Last weekend at Tolcarne Teresa took a small group of Year 9, 10 and 11s to watch the Steel vs. Tactix netball game. It was a very close match, which made the netball great fun to watch, and it was a privilege to see Kate Heffernan (Year 13 2017) practicing and training with the Steel. The girls were thrilled that they could stay afterwards and get photographs and selfies with the Steel team.

Tolcarne is gearing up for the end of the Term, with last minute assignments being finished by our Senior students, and pack-up underway. We have our last weekend activity on Sunday – Inflatable World – where the students can jump and run to their hearts content.

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Left – Nga Korimako, Right – Sings Hilda

This week Sings Hilda and the Junior Choir, Nga Korimako competed in Big Sing at Dunedin Town Hall. Nga Korimako took out the People’s Choice Award and Sings Hilda won the Classical Composition section. Congratulations to both choirs! It was a fabulous event and the St HIlda’s choirs really shone. To view videos of each performance visit the schools Facebook page.

Learning conversations are being held next week on Tuesday 12th June (6:00 pm – 8:30 pm), Thursday 14th June (6:00 pm – 8:30 pm) and Friday 15th June (12:30 pm – 3:30 pm). To book a time visit: https://www.schoolinterviews.co.nz/ and enter the login: rdrbw

As many of you will have noted, the excavations for the new Arts building have begun. Part of Stage One is also extending and filling in the field at the south end of the grounds, so that we can fully utilise all the land we have for girls physical activities. Staff have been closely involved with the design of the building, and also with the planning for the build, to try and minimise disruption to class and curriculum programmes, and also outside activities that have required use of the courts. We appreciate that the most restrictive time is now, while the whole area is a construction site, and as the build progresses we will gain back the use of our precious green spaces. Stevenson & Williams have been most accommodating in helping us with the planning, to ensure that school life can continue with as little change as possible.

Recently, 23 Year 12 and 13 students volunteered to donate blood as part of our partnership with NZBlood. The girls by and large enjoyed the experience and their act of service was very much appreciated by the staff at the donor centre. We hope that the girls will be donors for life as each donation saves 3 lives in New Zealand. Special thanks to everyone who participated.

Applications for World Challenge close on 15th June. If you have any questions contact Bee Bradfield, bbradfield@shcs.school.nz

Playhouse Theatre Visit

The New Zealand Playhouse Theatre company visited on Wednesday. The punny title of their show ‘As you Write It’ captured the co-constructed event that the year 12’s experienced.

Their focus was an introduction to Shakespeare and after the girls chose a time period from the three Shakespeare used – the Renaissance; a film as a vehicle – Mean Girls and the power the hero had – humour, the four actors used these to illustrate the ideas of Iambic pentameter, rhyming couplets, the structure of his plays and the different types he wrote.

It was a lot of fun. The girls laughed a lot. Notable scenes involved horse called Justin Timberlake and the wig changes, including a mullet, that denoted different characters.  The actors were passionate, creative and fed off the audience’s interactions and reactions. It was entertaining and educational.

Shakespeare is sometimes considered outdated and out of touch, but the NZ Playhouse showed how his skills and ideas are still relevant today and can still make a crowd react. As we were reminded, ‘All the World’s a stage.”

Snow Day and Late Start Procedures

Dear Parents and Caregivers

The Learning Conversations in Week 7 are a chance for you to meet with your daughter’s subject teachers to discuss how the year is going and put in place plans going forward.  This discussion is with the teacher, student and parent.

These learning conversations will take place on Tuesday 12th June (6:00 pm – 8:30 pm), Thursday 14th June (6:00 pm – 8:30 pm) and Friday 15th June (12:30 pm – 3:30 pm)

On Friday afternoon the school will be open but we will not be running timetabled classes. Supervision will be provided for girls at school.

We realise that it is not always possible for you to make this meeting but we encourage you to book a time for your daughter who should come by herself as this is a critical milestone in her learning for the year and she would find it very valuable to talk to teachers about her next steps.

Please share the appointment time with her.

You will need the following details to make a booking:

Site:  https://www.schoolinterviews.co.nz/

Login: rdrbw