From the Principal: 5th June

Introduction

It feels really positive to recommence sending out a Newsletter to whānau knowing that as a country and a community we now appear to be well on track to attain Alert Level One status and see life going back to as normal as it can be following our COVID-19 experiences.

I am aware that your experiences through this time may be many and varied and again would urge you to make contact with me should your child/children or your whānau require any support as we move forward.

Our main focus since the return of students to College has been around redeveloping these critical relationships and focusing on student hauora/wellbeing.  This is not to say that we have not been trying our best to realign learning because, for many students, this is an area that has caused a lot of anxiety, particularly around the attainment of NCEA which we will highlight later in this Newsletter.

The circumstances that we have faced have certainly changed the appearance of what the year was looking like and we are now in the process of trying to reshape this.  We will endeavour to do our best to reschedule some events, to get college sport back underway and to inform you of end of year arrangements.

The whakatauki at the commencement of this Newsletter certainly has bearing on the way that you have supported your child/children and I would like to sincerely thank you all for the efforts that you have made over challenging times to support your child/children with home learning.

Mauri ora, Andy Fraser

Key Points Moving to Level One

Please see MoE Outline under notices.

NCEA

Students and schools have experienced real disruption to teaching, learning and assessment due to COVID-19.  NZQA and the Ministry of Education have worked closely with the Minister’s NCEA Professional Advisory Group (PAG) to develop a set of changes to NCEA in 2020 which address these impacts.

NZQA has also worked with universities and Universities New Zealand on changes to the University Entrance award for 2020, which the NZQA Board has endorsed.

The changes will mean students continue to be well prepared for tertiary study, vocational education, or employment.

As a consequence of these priorities, NZQA will implement three key changes for 2020:

• Students working towards an NCEA can gain additional credits, based on the number of credits they achieve during the 2020 school year. For every 5 credits a student achieves towards their NCEA through internal or external assessment, they can be awarded an additional 1 credit. Students at NCEA Level 1 are eligible for up to a maximum of 10 additional credits while those at Levels 2 and 3 are eligible for up to a maximum of 8 additional credits. These will be known as Learning Recognition (LR) credits.

• Students will be awarded a certificate endorsement if they achieve 46 credits at Merit or Excellence level, rather than the usual 50. Students achieving 12 credits at Merit or Excellence level in a course – rather than 14 – will be awarded a course endorsement.

• Current UE requirements have been reduced to 12 credits in three UE-approved subjects, from 14 credits in three approved subjects. Students still need to attain NCEA Level 3 and meet the literacy and numeracy requirement to be awarded University Entrance.

These changes are underpinned by the following principles:

• Students have a fair and equitable opportunity to achieve the qualifications and awards they would have been able to achieve in any other year;

• Students are engaged and progressing in their assessed learning;

• Changes are consistent with the integrity and credibility of the qualification; and

• Changes impose minimal workload on schools.

 In summary

• For every 5 credits students achieve in 2020, they are entitled to 1 more credit (Learning Recognition LR Credits). 

• Up to 10 LR credits will count towards NCEA L1. This does not mean NCEA L1 is now 70 credits … as it is based on achievement from 2020 only.

• Up to 8 LR credits will count towards NCEA L2 and 3

• 46 credits required for M/E for NCEA endorsement (LR credits do NOT count)

• Course endorsement 12 credits (Int + Ext still applies)

• UE is 12 credits per subject

• Exam dates postponed 10 days

• Portfolio based submissions delayed

Rescheduled Special Events

Variety Concert

Thursday 30th July, Week 2 of Term 3. Start 7pm. 

School Production

Wednesday September 2nd and Thursday September 3rd, Week 7 of term 3. 

College Ball

Saturday October 17th

End of Year Date: Monday 7th December

Years 7-11 will finish on Monday 7th December

Years 12&13 sitting Externals will finish on Wednesday 11th November, with External Examinations running from 16th November to 9th December. Normal classes will continue until 7th December for Years 12 & 13 who have no, or minimal, Externals.

Senior Prizegiving

Wednesday 11th November at 7.00pm in the Hall

Junior Prizegiving

Friday 4th December during the day, time to be confirmed - this will be held in the Gym, due to Externals running in the Hall 

Teacher Only Day

 There will be a national Teacher Only Day for NCEA.  At Ōtaki College this will be on 17th November.

Assemblies

College assemblies will recommence when we are officially at Alert Level One.  These will be full school assemblies but, as always, moving forward there will be constant reminders around hygiene with handwashing and safe coughing techniques.

Sports Update

We are excited that winter sport is now slowly resuming and planning is now well underway.   A number of sports have cancelled their winter tournament fixtures, however there will still be competitions over this week for senior teams, details to be confirmed soon. Dates for our annual sporting fixtures and sport prizegiving are being worked on and will be communicated as soon as possible.  

Football

Training starts next week.

Junior Boys - years 9/10 - Tuesday 9th June, 4.30 to 5.30pm, Hauratai, meet by the Tennis Courts. 

Girls - all years - Monday 8th June, 3.30 to 4.30pm, Haruatai Park.

Senior Boys - Tuesday 9th June, 3.45 to 4.45pm, Haruatai Park. 

Hockey

Can all students keen to play hockey please meet with Kirsty - 1st break, Monday 8th June in S5. 

Netball

What an awesome turn out for our netball trials this week - team lists for years 7 and 8 are posted in the gym - seniors will be announced early next week.  We will have 9 teams entered this year so are in need of coaches and managers for some teams.  If you’re keen to take up a role please contact Kirsty on kdl@otakicollege or give me a ring on 06 364 8204 x 734

Rugby

Girls - year 9 to 13  - Tuesday and Tuesday, 3.30 to 4.30pm, The Domain.

Boys - year 9 to 13 -  Tuesday and Tuesday, 3.30 to 4.30pm, The Domain.

Basketball 

Junior boys - year 7 to 10 - Thursday, 5.00 to 6.00pm, our gym.

Senior boys - years 11 to 13 - Sunday’s 2 to 4pm, our gym.

Property Development

We continue to work hard to upgrade the College facilities and we are now working on the final approval for the following projects:

• Science Block toilet and office upgrade

• Driveway resurfacing and upgrade

• Energise Ōtaki/Ōtaki College solar panel development 

• Tennis courts resurfacing with all weather turf for multisports

In the next Newsletter I hope to be able to share some other exciting developments.