e-newsletter, 28 November 2011
e-newsletter, 28 November 2011
From the Principal…
- The Year 10 Camp to Great Barrier Island and the Year 8 Camp at Pakiri were both very successful according to the teachers who led these excursions and the feedback from students. Head of Sports & PE, Mr Thomson, gives an insight into the Y10 camp below and Ms Worthy, who is currently away with the Duke of Edinburgh students, has commented that Year 8 students had a wonderful camp and were certainly challenged in many ways throughout the five days on Mr & Mrs Longuet-Higgins farm at Pakiri. Education in the Outdoors is a very important part of life at Wentworth. The shared experiences and skills developed by students are part of the holistic approach to education which underpins the Wentworth philosophy.
- Most end of year examinations are now complete with just the Cambridge Art examination still underway. We look forward to celebrating students' academic successes from throughout the year at our end of year Prizegiving next Tuesday. All school families should have received an official invitation and we hope to see as many parents and friends at this event as possible.
- The school Sports Awards assembly is being held in the Wentworth Sports Centre this Friday at 1:00pm. This is an opportunity to present certificates and trophies to the top performing sports students and teams from throughout the year. All senior students should report to the Sports Centre at 11:00am to complete documentation and end of year procedures prior to the 1pm prize giving. Again, parents and other family members are very welcome to attend.
- A reminder that next Monday and Tuesday all students from Years 7 to 13 are required to be at school wearing their formal winter uniform. Winter uniform is required on Monday as we will be taking whole school and House photographs as well as for Tuesday for the end of year Prize Giving ceremony.
- Congratulations to our four Year 7 students who completed the Blue Light Challenge last week, and to the six Year 7 students who took part in the Zone Athletics day last week. Well done to all involved.
Bruce Tong
Year 10 Camp...
30 students and 2 staff had an amazing week at Great Barrier Island last week, completing the Adventure Challenge at the Sir Edmund Hilary Outdoor Pursuits Centre. Students participated in activities such as 'coasteering' (climbing around an island, leaping into the water and letting the current carry you back into land), rock climbing, kayaking, tramping, snorkelling, swimming with a pod of passing dolphins, 'steep creeking' (abseilling down steep cliff faces and jumping into the streams at the bottom) and camping. Students were divided into groups with each group completing a number of their own challenges. Team Hardcore walked two days straight and summitted Mt Hobson only to be disappointed by the limited view from the top caused by low cloud cover. Team Extreme 'flew the Kiwi' (flying through the air, attached to a harness) as well as kayaking out to their campsite. Team X-Factor kept their instructor highly entertained with their no-hold-back attitude when undertaking a range of challenges. Nothing but positive comments were made about the behaviour, enthusiasm and attitiude of Wentworth students. Even members of the public who we bumped into spoke very highly of our students. Parents can be very proud - we certainly were! All in all an awesome week, capped off by an epic ferry trip back to Auckland which will live long in the memories of everyone on board. Colin Thomson, Head of Sports & Physical Education
2012 Tuition Fees...
Tuition Fees for next year have been set by the Board and are now available for viewing on the school website. The Board has made every endeavour to keep the increase as small as possible and the 2012 fees reflect this with just a minimum 3% cost of living increase.
Blue Light Challenge...
Congratulations to our four Year 7 students who took part in the Blue Light Challenge last week. Students faced a range of outdoor challenges which involved jumping through windows, crawling under hurdles, climbing over fences and walls, balancing on beams, dragging a 75kg body a fixed distance and even pushing a police car! They then moved indoors to undertake mental challenges focusing on teamwork and using a variety of props including blindfolds and hancuffs. While not placing in the top of the competition, students had a thoroughly enjoyable and challenging day and were a credit to the school.
Boys Intermediate Basketball...
Above and beyond the call of Duty!!
Well done to the Intermediate boys for getting into the Division final of Harbour Basketball, being played today (Monday) at 5pm at the North Shore Events Centre. A vey special mention must be made of the Year 8 boys in the team - Garrick Donald, Sam Haggerty, Fraser Borrett and Corne Hendricks. At last Monday's game they were on day one of camp in Pakiri. With only three Year 7 boys remaining in the team (Sam Bailey, Caleb Langridge and Max Romminger), it would have meant defaulting the game and forsaking the chance to go into the final. Wentworth parent Bennie Hendricks (senior) drove up to Pakiri, collected the four boys and drove them down to win their semi final. He then drove them all the way back up to Pakiri. What wonderful team work and what wonderful parents we have! Good luck to the boys for this afternoon's game.
Reminders re End of Year Housekeeping...
- Fees: Please ensure that all fee payments are up to date. For any queries or issues, please phone either Gail Clews (ext 101) or Dianne Drew (ext 204).
- Lost Property: Time is running out to claim items from Lost Property. Please encourage your child to check the Lost Property basket in the Student Support Office.
To Remember This Week...
- Monday: Duke of Edinburgh students return from Tongariro.
- Friday: Sports Awards, 1:00pm.
Regular Lunchtime & After School Activities...
- Mondays: (After school: Pistol shooting, 5pm in the gym)
- Tuesdays: (After school: 3.30pm - Boys' Y7/8 basketball in the gym; 6pm - fencing in the gym)
- Wednesdays: (After school: Orchestra practise - Cancelled this week; Pistol shooting, 6pm in the gym)
- Thursdays: (After school: Fencing in the gym at 4:30pm)
- Fridays: (After school: Fencing in the gym at 4pm.)