MARCH 2015
Information for our parent and student community
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
It has, as always, been a whirlwind February at school.
Both the Swimming Sports and Athletic Sports
were wonderful events; delivering records, great
sportswomanship (a good word as I am writing this on
International Women’s Day!) and typifying just what is
so special about Rangi Ruru. Student leadership was
very much to the fore on these days, especially from
the clan leaders. It was probably all a bit bewildering
to see that giving up something now doesn’t mean
it has gone forever from your life. We endeavour as
much as possible to support girls in these processes,
counselling against too many things, and encouraging
them to plan, to weigh up the pros and cons and to look
at their year not in isolation to the rest of their lives!
Sometimes it is simply not possible to do everything
one might want to do and keep a healthy sense of
balance and control.
at first for some of the newcomers, but they all joined
The theme of this year, Be the Best You Can Be, is not
in with the Rangi ‘give it a go’ spirit. I think that Christ’s
about spreading oneself so thinly that enjoyment
College regard us with a degree of bafflement, as girls
of the moment and in a simple achievement is lost.
in bizarre and often very unathletic costumes display
Quite the opposite – it is about quality rather than
remarkable talent, along with a lot of laughter.
quantity. Rushing around being busy with a full diary
Going on at the same time are the many sporting,
cultural and academic events, and the summer/winter
changeover for sport in March always makes it a
challenging time, not only for girls but for the parents
who are so often helping them juggle transport,
food requirements, clashes and just normal life! The
secondary years are ones when often difficult choices
is no longer seen as something to be desired, but
rather questioned, as more and more we examine
what indeed is a fulfilled life. As a school, it a delicate
balance, to encourage participation and excellence,
but it is a very achievable balance when,
as is our aim, wellbeing is put at the
centre of everything.
have to be made, and especially as girls move into the
Julie Moor
senior school. It’s sometimes a long stretch for them
Principal
Generations’ Day
Monday 30 March 2015
If you are a Rangi Ruru old girl with a descendant
in their first year, we warmly invite you to join us to
celebrate Generations’ Day on Monday 30 March
at 10.40am in St Andrew’s at Rangi Ruru church.
Following the service you are invited to stay for
morning tea and have a family photo taken.
Please RSVP to the school office, phone
03 983 3700 or email [email protected]
by Wednesday 25 March.
Rangi. For Life.®
From the Deputy Principal
are always worn in public. This includes to and from
Swimming and Athletics Sports
for formal occasions. If we are experiencing very warm
Attendance
These were both wonderful school events and it was
great to see the participation and support of almost the
whole school population. Thank you.
We are noticing that many girls are missing classes, or
even days, for appointments and events outside school.
Please consider the marked impact this has on your
daughter’s learning and assessment preparation and
school, in the mall, at the supermarket etc as well as
weather, shirt-sleeves are a reasonable alternative or
on rainy days, the navy school jacket or any plain navy
or yellow raincoat are an optional garment. These may
be worn to and from school when the weather requires
it, or on sports trips and other school-related events
where they are the agreed uniform wear. They are not
worn inside and do not replace the blazer.
The only jewellery permitted (unless a letter of approval
has been signed by Ms Moor) is a single small, plain
avoid non-attendance at school wherever possible.
gold, silver or pearl stud in each ear lobe, and a watch.
Dances
assist us in checking and maintaining these standards
We organize school dances for Years 12 and 13, Year
pride.
11 and Year 9. We also support certain other schools’
junior dances by having a Rangi Ruru presence there.
In this case permission, contact and transport details
are requested from parents. In all other cases, girls will
attend dances as an individual and responsibility for
care remains solely with parents and caregivers.
No other piercings are acceptable with uniform. Please
and encourage your daughter to wear her uniform with
Shop Hours
The Uniform Shop will be open over the school holidays,
For hours, please check Ultranet. On Friday 27 March,
the shop will be open, but Nicki will not be available.
For further information on any matter relating to
School Opening and Closing Times
Please be aware that in term time the school is open
between 8.00am and 5.00pm and there are staff
members on site. We are aware that a number of girls
uniforms, contact Nicki Pooley at
[email protected] or call the Uniform Shop
on (03) 983 3785, or the School Office on (03) 983 3700.
Stephanie Barnett
are at school outside of these times and we cannot take
Deputy to the Principal
responsibility for their well-being when this is the case.
Cyber Safety Speaker
For students waiting to be collected after 5.00pm when
the Gibson Centre closes, the Boarding House offers a
Susan McLean, one of
warm, dry, safe environment rather than girls waiting on
Australia’s most popular and
the street.
experienced speakers on
cyber safety, will be visiting
Winter Uniform
us on Tuesday 26 May.
Just a reminder that the girls will return for the second
She will be speaking in the
term in their winter uniforms, or beforehand if the
weather turns early. Please ensure that winter uniform
Helen Kitson Function Centre at 7.30pm, and will be
focusing on the positive benefits of technology as well
items are all named, clean and in good repair, that
as the issues to be aware of.
skirt and kilt lengths are correct (the skirt is required
More information about the evening will follow in due
to be worn just below the knee and the kilt, midway
course.
between the knee and ankle) and that they do still fit.
The soft-collared winter shirts are specially designed
to be comfortably worn buttoned at the neck. Shoes
always love to be given the nourishment and attention
of a good clean!
Whatever you may hear to the contrary, we have clear
rules around the following: blazers are compulsory and
2
Rangi Ruru Girls' School • Information for our Parent and Student Community
NZQA Scholarships
Learning Progress Interviews. You will receive an email
We congratulate these girls on their NZQA
access further copies through Ultranet.
Scholarships. The Scholarship examinations test high
level critical thinking in addition to specific subject
knowledge, and we admire the recognition of this
combination of attributes. You may have already read
of some of these amazing results in the newspaper.
Scholarship Awards 2014
with the report attached and instructions on how to
For the parents of Boarders, Learning Progress
Interviews are on the last day of Term 1, Thursday 2
April 1.00pm - 3.30pm.
For Daygirl parents, interviews are Week 1 Term 2,
Wednesday 29 April 4.00pm - 8.00pm and Tuesday
5 May 4.00pm -9.00pm. There will be no separate
From the 2014 Scholarship exams the girls gained 22
designation for Juniors and Seniors, parents can
Scholarships including four Outstanding Scholarships (O).
choose the evening that suits and make bookings.
You will receive an email containing a link that will
Student
Subject(s)
Sylvia Barnett
Drama
Lauren Beckett
Physical Education
Amy Lee
Music (O), English
Hanseul Nam
Chemistry (O), English (O),
out. If this is not the case, please contact Tim Jones,
Statistics (O), Biology,
[email protected].
Calculus, Physics
Madeleine Newman Biology
Maisie O’Donnell
English
Jenny Park
Music
Sylvia Robinson
Painting, Printmaking
Holly Smith
English, Painting
Siyu Sun
Music
Elley Wagner
Printmaking
Maria Walker
Art History, Design, English
allow you access to book a slot with your daughter’s
teachers. A notice will go up on Ultranet when these
emails are sent. If you don’t receive the email, please
check your junk box as some of your ISPs filter us
Juliet Collins
Curriculum Manager
Music Tuition Awards 2015
Congratulations to Year 8 girls Abby McBreen and
Amelie Spinks who have each received a 2015 Music
Tuition Award for tuition on the trumpet and double
bass respectively.
This award scheme is available through application
Hanseul Nam receives a ‘New Zealand Scholarship
and initial music assessment to girls in Years 7 and
Premier Award’ ($10,000 each year for up to three years
8 and is designed to guarantee a balanced supply
for as long as the recipient maintains at least a ‘B’
of instruments for our co-curricular groups. We look
grade average each year of their tertiary study.)
forward to welcoming the girls to our instrumental
Maria Walker receives a ‘Scholarship Award’ ($2,000
ensembles in the future.
each year for up to three years for as long as the
For further information on Music Tuition Awards,
recipient maintains at least a ‘B’ grade average each
please contact Janet Kingsbury,
year of their tertiary study).
[email protected] or 03 983 3735.
Amy Lee receives a ‘Top Subject Scholar Award’, which
is awarded to the top Candidate in each one of the
Canteen Charges
Scholarship subjects. ($2,000 each year for up to three
A reminder that if you are concerned about the canteen
years for as long as the recipient maintains at least a
charges on your daughters’ account, we have two
‘B’ grade average each year of their tertiary study).
mechanisms that can be used to help:
Progress Reports and
Learning Progress Interviews
Progress reports for all girls will be available towards
the end of term. The purpose of the report is to give
a snapshot of your daughter’s progress regarding
Attitude and Learning Habits in her subjects before the
3
1. A full stop on the account that prevents any
purchase at the canteen. Uniform Shop charging
can still occur.
2. Set a limit per fortnight that cannot be exceeded.
If you would like to instigate one of these or would
like a printout of the canteen charges please email
[email protected].
Rangi Ruru Girls' School • Information for our Parent and Student Community
Generations’ Day
This year we will celebrate Generations’ Day on
Monday 30 March. Generations’ Day celebrates family
connections and special links with those families who
have established a tradition of sending their daughters
to be educated at Rangi.
If you are an old girl and your daughter is in Years 7, 9
or 13 you will have received an invitation.
Experience
Boarding
For further information please contact, Claire Quirke,
Marketing and Events Coordinator, phone 03 983 3745
or email [email protected].
Make Bullying History Seminar
Brett Murray will be holding
a seminar for the community,
parents and whanau entitled
Make Bullying History. Brett’s
anti-bullying seminars have had
a positive impact on over half a
million students in the past ten
years.
The seminar will be held on Thursday 26 March, from
7.00pm - 9.00pm at CCS Disability Action, 224 Lichfield
St. More details can be found on Ultranet.
As part of the personal development programme for
Years 9 and 10, we are offering the opportunity for
the girls to ‘stretch themselves’ by experiencing life
as a boarder.
Girls can choose to board for a minimum of a week
and a maximum of two weeks, from Sunday night
until Friday night and including weekends. They will
take part in any special boarding activities occurring
at the time of their stay and will be fully involved in
the life of the Boarding House. Boarding House Staff
will coordinate any appointments and school or
outside activities. The cost for this is $410 per week.
Bookings must be made at least a week in advance
and are dependent on numbers and availability of
beds.
Enrolment 2016
If you are interested in a boarding experience for
your daughter please contact
Director of Boarding, Treena Ruwhiu
[email protected] or 03 983 3708.
Interviews for Years 7, 8 and 9 places for 2016
commenced in March, including for sisters of current
students. If you have a potential new entrant, or know
of someone who has, please contact Amelia Davis
on [email protected] or 03 983 3744 to
organise for an application form, school tour and
interview. We still have some places available in Years
7 to 10 for this year.
Flexi Boarding
The Boarding House has beds available for short-term
Communications with You
boarding for day girls. These beds are particularly
Our means of keeping you up to date with events and
home for a short time or girls who live out of town and
school-life are through email, In Touch and Ultranet (in
particular the Home Page News Centre).
Do check your junk mail if you feel you’ve missed out
on a message or contact the school to check that we
have your correct contact details.
handy for girls whose parents are travelling away from
have school commitments in the evening or weekend.
Contact Treena Ruwhiu, Director of Boarding on
[email protected] or 03 983 3708 for
further details.
The cost of flexi boarding currently is $65.00 per night
or $410.00 per week inclusive of GST.
4
Rangi Ruru Girls' School • Information for our Parent and Student Community
Year 10 Human Papillomavirus
(HPV) Vaccination Programme
in Canterbury Schools
Year 10 girls are being offered a free vaccine to help
protect them against HPV infection. The HPV virus
can lead to genital warts, cervical cancer and other
cancers later in life. In most cases, three doses of HPV
vaccine can prevent infection with the virus.
The HPV vaccination programme was first introduced
in New Zealand for girls and young women in 2008.
This school programme is part of a Canterbury-wide
initiative to protect young women from HPV disease.
HPV vaccination requires three injections to be given
over a six month period. If your daughter has not
received HPV vaccination before she can receive the
complete course at school this year, or if your daughter
has received any HPV vaccinations in the past she can
also complete the course at school.
If you have a girl in Year 10 she will have received
information and a consent form. Please complete the
form and return it to school as soon as possible. The
form is required to be returned regardless of whether
the girls is having the vaccine or not, or is having the
vaccine at the doctors or with a GP team.
For more information about Human Papillomavirus,
HPV vaccination or the New Zealand HPV Vaccination
Programme you can:
•
Visit the Ministry of Health website:
www.health.govt.nz/hpv
•
Contact your school’s nurse or public health nurse
•
Visit www.immune.org.nz or free phone 0800
IMMUNETalk to your public health nurse or your
doctor or practice nurse.
Have your contact details
changed?
If your contact details for phone, email or postal
Upcoming Events
To access the full school calendar visit
http://rangiruru.ultranet.school.nz and click on
Parent Calendar in the menu. Simply click the link
on an event for more details. You can view by day,
week or month, but be aware that changes happen
regularly.
Summer Tournament Week
Monday 23 - Sunday 29 March
Generations’ Day
Monday 30 March, 10.40am
Term 1 ends
Thursday 2 April, 12.30pm
Boarder Learning Progress Interviews
Thursday 2 April, from 1.00pm
Term 2 begins
Tuesday 28 April, 8.30am
School Cross Country
Wednesday 29 April, 1.30pm
Learning Progress Interviews
Wednesday 29 April, 4.00pm - 8.00pm
Tuesday 5 May, 5.00pm - 9.00pm
Year 10 Day
Wednesday 6 May
Open Day
Friday 8 May, 1.30pm - 5.30pm
Senior Family Service
Sunday 17 May, 7.00pm
Year 11 Semi-Formal, Riccarton Park
Saturday 6 June, 8.00pm
Senior Dance, Addington Events Centre
Saturday 13 June, 8.00pm
Senior Production - Julius Caesar
Begins Friday 19 June
Year 9 Dance, Hagley Oval
Friday 19 June, 7.00pm - 10.00pm
Junior Family Service
Sunday 28 June, 7.00pm (TBC)
address change throughout the year, please remember
2015 Term Dates
to let us know. It is important that we are able to
Term 1 28 January - 2 April
information such as school notices. The school uses DX
Term 2 28 April – 3 July
Mail to distribute our mail so please also contact them
Term 3 27 July – 25 September
Term 4 12 October - 2 December
contact you in an emergency and provide you with
and NZPost if you are moving house. You can contact
the school office to update contact details at any time.
59 Hewitts Road Christchurch 8014 New Zealand
T +64 3 983 3700
E [email protected]
W www.rangiruru.school.nz