From the Senior Leadership Team

Matariki We hope everyone enjoyed celebrating Matariki last Friday, signifying the start of the Māori New Year. Matariki is a time to reflect - to acknowledge those that have passed, to be thankful for the things that we have, and to plan for the year ahead. For many of our students this is an important time to take stock on their academic progress so far this year. This is especially important for seniors who have less than 14 weeks of timetabled classes left before senior prize-giving. 

Parents/caregivers would have received their child's end of term 2 reports by now. Next Wednesday the 26th July we have parent teacher interviews at school, and you are strongly encouraged to attend, with your child, to discuss their progress. With so much time lost last term due to illness and industrial action, many of our students urgently need to get back on track with their studies. School will close early on this day, with buses running at 12.30pm.

Vaping A reminder that it is illegal to vape at school or on the school buses. We take a very strict approach to students who breach this law, which could result in stand-downs and suspensions for repeat offenders. Two students have been stood down already. Last week six teenagers in Sydney Australia were hospitalised as a result of vaping, so the health risks are very serious. Many vapes contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance that can harm brain development in teenagers, affecting memory, attention, and the ability to learn. Students who vape are putting themselves at risk of lifelong serious health issues, including the long-lasting effect of exposing their developing brains to nicotine. Please ensure that your child is not bringing vaping devices to school. For more information on vaping, please see this link. To join the Vape-Free Kids NZ Facebook page click here.  To sign a petition to "ban the sale of vaping products in non-vape store premises", click here. For advice on how to talk to your child about vaping, click here

Influenza We have recently had a student attend school having been diagnosed with the flu (influenza). Influenza can be anywhere and is easy to catch through coughs and sneezes, and is much worse than a cold. Symptoms include fever, chills, aches, runny nose, a cough and stomach upset, and in some cases can lead to serious and potentially life-threatening complications. Anyone can catch it, no matter how fit, active and healthy they may be.

Flu can cause any or all of these symptoms: fever, muscle aches, headache, lack of energy, dry cough, sore throat, and possibly a runny nose. The fever and body aches can last 3-5 days and the cough and lack of energy may last for 2 or more weeks. If your child is unwell, please seek medical help and ensure they stay home until at least 24 hours after the symptoms subside.

Rotary Youth Exchange A reminder that we have a Rotary Exchange student arriving from Denmark this term, who is looking for a host family from November, to February of next year. He is a year 11 student. If anyone is interested in being a host family, please contact the school for a "host family guide" which will provide you with more information about this. Please note that this is not a paid position for the host family.

We are already at the end of week one term three.  Our year 11,12 and 13 students only have 13 weeks of timetables classes to go before going on study leave in term 4.  With this in mind our senior students need to be at school every day to make the most of the learning opportunities available to them if they are to achieve at the highest level possible.

The Ministry of Education defines regular attendance at school as 90% or above.  In real terms this means students need be attending school on average nine days per fortnight.  The Ministry has set a a target that by the end of 2024 70% of all students enrolled in New Zealand schools will be attending school regularly.

Our overall student attendance rate for term 2 was just over 83%, however, as you can see from the graphs below there is plenty of room for improvement when it comes to regular attendance (attending school an average of 9 days per fortnight) for our senior students.

It is vital that if your child is year 10-13 that they bring their own Chromebook to school each day, charged and ready for learning.  If for some reason they are not able to bring their Chromebook, they must go to the library before school (or during whānau time) to collect a loan for the day.

If you are not able to provide a chromebook for your child each day, please contact Huia Coll at huia.coll@otamatea.school.nz. 

On the 7th of July, Otamatea High School hosted its much-anticipated annual senior school ball. Guided by an exceptional group of students, the senior ball committee chose the enchanting theme of an "Enchanted Forest," transforming the hall into a mesmerizing realm with stunning floral arrangements and lush greenery.

Our year 11, 12, and 13 students made a grand entrance in their exquisite gowns and stylish suits. The evening unfolded with a delightful blend of dancing, photo sessions, and delicious food, accompanied by the fabulous tunes of one of our school's outstanding bands, The Rubber Bands.

A special mention goes to the fantastic team of Year 10 waitresses, whose dedicated service in serving mocktails throughout the night and assisting with clean-up proved invaluable. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Chanelle, Lilly, Tarryn, Bella, Olivia, Miah, Amy, Abbi, and Pyper for their exceptional contributions to the success of the event.

Additionally, we wish to express our deepest appreciation to all the staff members who played pivotal roles in making the ball a resounding triumph. Their efforts in setting up, supervising, and efficiently organizing the pack-down were instrumental in ensuring the evening's smooth execution.

With the combined efforts of our enthusiastic students, dedicated staff, and supportive community, this year's senior school ball surpassed all expectations and will undoubtedly be cherished as a truly magical night to remember. Thank you, everyone, for making this memorable event possible!

Some of the prizes for the night went to the following, deserving students:

King & Queen: John Hampshire & Caitlin Heke       Prince & Princess: Harris Mclean & Brookie Hyndman       Beau & Belle: Walter Craig & Shontelle Phillips                                     
Cutest Couple: Jackson Berthoud & Charlotte Bygrave         Life of the Party: Azaria Paikea                  Best Dressed: Kate Cotching

More photos can be viewed on our website https://www.otamatea.school.nz/latest-news/School-Ball-2023