In today’s newsletter we have the following:
- News from the Principal and DP’s
- Upcoming Events for August
- Student Congratulations
- Psychologist and Counsellor Spot
- PTA News
- ANI Sports-Pro Programme
- House Points Update
- Community News
NEWS from the PRINCIPAL and DPs
Dear Parents and Caregivers
Tēnā koutou i ngā whānau o te kura.
Snippets this month are:
- Term 3 and 4 examinations (an important message)
- Building update
- The importance of manners
- Rainbow Tick
- Uniform
Term 3 and 4 Exams (an important message)
Following a review of our current assessment schedule a decision has been made to include end of term and end of year diagnostic exams to compare actual and expected results. The dates will be advertised in Schoolsapps and in the Friday Flyer. We will give students plenty of time to prepare for these exams and class lessons will include how to study and prepare for them.
Year 8
These assessment checkpoints will provide our year 8 students with skills and strategies on how to approach an examination in preparation for secondary school. There will be two assessment checkpoints for the remainder of the year and each checkpoint will have three exams- six exams in total (reading, writing essays and maths). For year 8’s these will be administered under formal examination conditions. All assessments will be paper based and take place in a University of Auckland Lecture theatre. The results will be shared with students and used as a diagnostic tool to improve achievement.
Year 7
Our year 7 cohort will have an introduction to formal testing through these examinations. There will be six in total- reading, writing and maths in term 3 and the same areas (reading,writing and maths) will also be tested in term 4. They will be paper based and held in classrooms under test conditions (no sitting together, no talking, timed). The results will be shared with students and used as a diagnostic tool to improve achievement.
Building Update
On 23rd January 2019 during one of the schools Teacher Only Days tragedy struck around 2:30pm. The school was in the grips of a large fire that engulfed the historic hall, eight specialist classrooms, a meeting room and resource areas. As a result of the fire, structural stability was compromised and the buildings had to be demolished.
Looking ahead to 2021, things are moving on the property front and we are delighted to share what has been happening recently. This includes
-Outdoor Learning Area
-Relocation of Hub 3 (Rooms 11 & 12)
-Multi-purpose Space (Hall) and Two-Storied Teaching Space
-Colour Boards and Finishings
-Monthly Updates
Outdoor Learning Area
There is a new outdoor learning area outside of Room 15 and 16 and it is ready for all the ANI students to use – both in year 7 and year 8. The deck is to only be used during class learning times. We have spoken to the students about being aware of keeping our noise levels down during learning tasks and being mindful of respecting our neighbours.
It is a great space to learn and has been a joint project that the wonderful PTA has contributed towards with the fundraising money that they worked so hard to raise during the year.
Relocation of Hub 3 (Rooms 11 & 12)
Last Sunday 25 July the two rooms making up HUB 3 (Music and Arts) were moved into a new resting place, alongside room 22. This will be the permanent space for the Music and Arts classes moving forward. We are very excited about this move as we will be able to use these spaces in early September, all going well with sign off from the Auckland City Council. With this move it now enables the two new building projects to begin.
Multi-purpose Space (Hall) and Two-Storied Teaching Space
The pictures above show where the two new building projects will be positioned and the colour boards and finishings that will be used in both these spaces. The building designs and costings have been signed off by the Ministry of Education head office in Wellington and we are expecting the company who has been successful in their bid to begin turning soil in late August this year, 2021. You may have already noticed the boards that are at the three entrances as you enter the school. The company that has been allocated the building project will complete both learning spaces at the same time, with the MPS finishing 3 to 4 months earlier than the 10 Teaching Space. The timing for both projects to be completed is estimated to take 18 months.
We will ensure that H & S is at the forefront of this project such as the entry for trucks coming onto site being from St Andrews Road. Access will be clearly identified and large fences positioned around the driveway and areas where the construction will be happening.
We can also assure parents and students that the learning at ANI will continue as normal and will not be compromised during the building time frame.
Colour Boards and Finishings
Monthly Updates
The Property team at ANI will continue to update parents and the community on a monthly basis so please keep a look out for the latest progress in our newsletters or School App.
We are looking forward to this project getting underway and see this as an exciting time for the ANI community with the main building project finally commencing, as a long period of time has elapsed since the fire.
The Importance of Manners
A polite reminder for all our young people to begin the term.
As this week being the first week of term, many students have popped by the SLT office and greeted us with a cheery good morning, chatted, looked us in the eye and smiled. They waited to be asked to sit down. They answered questions clearly and thoughtfully. They offered help as there was lots to do on the first day.
They were pleasant, helpful and polite and we were delighted to have them around as they had such good manners. We think of good manners as a superweapon as they open doors, win friends and help us get where we want to go. Good manners make everyone feel better. Good manners make life happier.
Rude people, on the other hand, are not often told they have bad manners. Instead, people just avoid them, they don’t get chosen. Nobody wants to spend time with them. Most of us have had the experience of someone being rude to us- whether its someone who pushes in, answers rudely or leaves a mess for someone else to clean up.
The secret to good manners is that by practising them, we become nicer people because good manners tell the world we don’t put ourselves first all the time. We stand back to let someone else go first. We give help before we are asked. We treat everyone with kindness and respect.
Polite people say please and thank you. They don’t keep others waiting. They tidy up after themselves.
This school is a better place for us all if we are polite to one another. Make good manners your good habit this term – and for the years to come!
Rainbow Tick
We are proud to update you on our exciting journey through the Rainbow Tick process.
Rainbow Tick is about accepting and valuing people in any workplace (school), embracing the diversity of sexual and gender identities. A supportive work/school environment that is accepting of peoples’ differences benefits everybody in our organisation.
The certification process we are currently going through to become a Rainbow tick school, tests whether we understand and welcome sexual and gender diversity. The process involves an on-going quality improvement process with the team at Rainbow Tick.
Although the vast majority of the work done with the Rainbow Tick team is at an organisational level – HR processes, policies and procedures etc, they do work closely with staff around awareness and education too. In addition to their work with staff, they work with students at assemblies with the mandate of creating a safe and welcoming environment for everyone who attends our school.
Language is often the most challenging consideration that teachers need to take cognisance of. As the authority figure in the classroom, teachers have the opportunity to provide powerful role models for ways of talking about gender and gender diversity. When heterosexual teachers casually speak about “my wife” or “my husband”, they send a clear message about whats ‘normal’. Some examples of how teachers can shift students’ perceptions without making a big deal of it are; referring to their partner, male teachers talking about knitting, female teachers talking about working on their car, encouraging all students to participate in science experiments such as launching a rocket, teaching cross-stitching with all members of the class. These subtle changes all work in creating an environment which is inclusive and accepting of all our students and staff.
Our journey with Rainbow Tick continues this year with a visit planned on Monday 16 August. During this visit their fabulous team will work with staff and students in varying capacities to not only gauge the atmosphere at our school and provide us feedback, but also to educate and inform. We are excited about their visit.
Uniform
A reminder to check your young person’s uniform each day please to ensure it meets school requirements. This includes footwear and socks. The SLT will be conducting random uniform checks daily. We are noticing a few non- uniform items creeping in as many year 8’s grow out of current pieces. We do have a number of second hand items that can be provided on loan until the end of the year. Please see one of the DP’s who will make these arrangements. All students MUST be in the proper school uniform at all times- this includes travelling to and from school. Phys-ed uniform can not be worn to or from school unless there has been notification of a whole school event such as a sports day.
Kia ngatahi ai te tu
E pakari ai te tuara
Together we are Strong
Jill Farquharson – Principal
Bryce Mills and Shane Devery – Deputy Principals
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR AUGUST
Put these dates in your diary so you don’t miss a beat:
Monday 2 – PTA Meeting at 7.00pm; Ski training
Monday 2 – Thursday 5 – ASB St John in Schools First Aid Sessions with students
Monday 2 – Friday 8 – Cook Islands Language Week
Tuesday 3 August- Y7 & Y8 Central Zone boys Netball
Wednesday 4 – ANI Science Fair
Wednesday 4 – Tough Guy & Tough Gal Challenge
Friday 6 August– Random Acts of Kindness Day
Friday 6 August- Sunday 8 August– Winterfest Water Polo tournament
Monday 9 – ANI Roadshow going to Newmarket School; Ski training
Monday 9 – Thursday 12 – ASB St John in Schools First Aid Sessions with students
Monday 9 – Friday 13 – Mathematics Week; Mufti Week; ICAS Writing Exam
Tuesday 10 – ANI Roadshow going to Cornwall Park District School
Wednesday 11 – ANI Roadshow going to Royal Oak Primary and Mt Eden Normal Schools; ICAS Digital Technology Exam; Board of Trustees Meeting at 6.00pm
Thursday 12 – ANI Roadshow going to Maungawhau and Epsom Normal Schools
Friday 13 – Totara Team trip to Auckland CBD (Weta Workshop, Sky City Convention Centre & Auckland Art Gallery)
Monday 16 – ANI Cross Country; Ski training; ICAS English Exam
Tuesday 17 – ANI Music Night at Mt Eden War Memorial Hall from 7.00-8.30pm
Thursday 19 – French Day in the Library
Monday 23 – TEACHER ONLY DAY (SCHOOL CLOSED)
Tuesday 25 August- Friday 27 August- ANI career week
Tuesday 24 – ICAS Science Exam; Parent Ski Champs Information Evening
Monday 30 – ICAS Mathematics Exam; Ski training
DATES TO TAKE NOTE OF
Please note the following dates as they indicate when the school may be closed or have a different finish time:
Monday 23 August – school closed for Teacher Only Day
Friday 1 October – school closes at 2.00pm for end of term
Monday 25 October – school closed for Labour Day holiday
Tuesday 26 October – school closed for Teacher Only Day
Tuesday 14 December – school closes at 12.00noon for end of year
STUDENT CONGRATULATIONS
PSYCHOLOGIST & COUNSELLOR SPOT
Delayed Gratification
Today’s adolescents have grown up in a fast-paced, technological world which promotes immediacy. One-click purchases, same-day delivery and Google at our fingertips is the norm. This can make a modern parent’s role difficult when encouraging impulse control. No doubt you’ve fallen victim to your adolescent pleading for a phone, shoes or a sleepover with more persuasiveness than a tele-marketer.
Delayed gratification is the ability to forgo an instant reward in order to reap a greater reward later on. An example would be your child waiting until Christmas to get the phone they’ve been asking for, or saving up their pocket money for a high quality game console as opposed to buying a cheap one now. Resisting temptation in the short term to benefit you greatly in the long term is no easy feat. Freud called this the “pleasure principle” describing humans as hard-wired to seek pleasure over pain. This is most noticeable in young children. As we grow and develop, we begin to accept reality and better assess risk and reward with increasing foresight.
Luckily, delayed gratification is a learned skill that can be developed. During adolescence, teens require guidance and support to manage impulses. Remember it’s ok to say ‘no’, or ‘not right now’. A teen who practises delayed gratification becomes an adult who can forgo junk food to remain healthy, prioritise unnecessary purchases to save money for a house and resist yelling at their partner when frustrated.
The infamous ‘’Marshmallow Experiment’’ demonstrates this. During the 1960’s, Stanford professors offered children a single marshmallow and a deal. If the child refrained from eating the marshmallow when the professors left the room, the child would receive another marshmallow upon their return. Eat one now, or have two in a few minutes. Their research followed these same children into adulthood and indicated that those who could delay gratification were more successful. Generally, they scored better on tests, were healthier, had advanced social skills and responded better to stress and adversity.
Our advice for parents wanting to develop delayed gratification in their teens is to start small, stay strong, have a plan and instill routines or habits. Starting small could be saying ‘let me think about it’ or ‘wait ten minutes please’. Staying strong means being the rock in the parent-teen relationship who calmly resists a teen’s demands, persuasions or outbursts. Plans require helping your child to break down goals into manageable chunks. If they ask for a phone for example, give them the steps they need to undertake to receive that reward. Finally, habits that become part of everyday routines teach delayed gratification with minimal effort. For example, pocket money is only given on a Sunday night when their room is tidy and homework is finished. Or, Netflix binges only happen after dinner.
Eventually, your adolescent will begin to understand choices and consequences whilst setting their sights on bigger goals. Ironically, when working toward goals, delayed gratification can actually get you there faster. The next time you say ‘no’ or ‘not yet’ to your child, remember the Marshmallow Experiment and how you’re helping them to grow into thoughtful adults.
Gina Speedy & Robyn Stead
School Counsellor and Educational Psychologist
PTA NEWS
A reminder there is a PTA meeting on Monday evening (2 August) at 7pm in the school Library/Information Centre.
Julie Rope – PTA Chairperson
CENTRAL ZONE GIRLS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP
We had a wonderful day at the Girls Chess Championship at the War Memorial Museum. There were over 240 participants under three categories: Under 10, Under 12 and Over 12. For our students, it was their first time to be in a tournament so we are very proud of the results. Riddhi and Arya were in the Under 12 category and Chandulee and Atulya in the Over 12 category (which included U14, U16 and U18). The latter was especially hard since they were competing against secondary school competitors. Overall, both Chandulee and Atulya won three games out of six, placing them in 20th position.
Thanks to parents for their support in the competition, we now get ready for the Central Auckland Interschool Intermediate Chess Championship.
Ms Cynthia Montesinos
ANI Olympics
Our inaugural ANI school-wide Olympics was held on Monday, 5 July, taking place over the course of the entire day. There was something for everyone, as we had multiple events in both competitive and non-competitive categories. There were a few organisational hiccoughs and readjustments to plans as we settled into the swing of things (as is to be expected when executing anything for the first time with over 600 students). Myself and my team of dedicated journalists were zipping around from event to event, trying not to miss any of the action in order to bring you the inside scoop!
The name of the game was participation and giving it your best go. The focus was not on playing the competitive games to the letter, as not every participant was as familiar with the rules as others, but playing with integrity and inclusivity as a team and displaying a principled attitude with great sportsmanship.
The Weather Gods turned it out for us with an absolutely stellar day of sunshine and mild temperatures, although the field was frozen and shrouded in a low-hanging mist in the early hours of the school day! The crispness of the morning shortly burned off, just in time for the first event- Cross Country AIMS trials. This was followed by Athletics (discus and sprints), team sports, non-competitive games, and capture the flag. A day of active fun was had by all; many thanks to the efforts of both the staff and students in making this a day to be remembered.
As with any media, the students taking on the role of journalists have each captured their own take on the day’s events, interviewing students and teachers alike throughout the course of the day. Here’s what they have to say about the proceedings.
https://sites.google.com/ani.school.nz/aniolympics-2021/home
Sakima-Raine Cornwall, Head of Journalism/ Librarian
ANI U55 Rugby Interzones – Auckland Champions for 2021
I am proud to report our ANI U55kg Rugby team are the Auckland Champions for 2021!
They played five games in their pool beating the best from East, West, North and South Auckland.
They played the winner of Pool B – Pukekohe Intermediate in the final and won 17-0.
They were awesome on and off the field.
Several proud moments stood out for us all.
Firstly, when a member of the opposition team stayed down injured in the final and Barry and Grayson went to his aid, when no one from his own team attended.
Our two boys rushed over and then assisted him from the field.
Secondly, the humble way they celebrated winning the final. At the final whistle, despite being thrilled, they didn’t get carried away, they displayed great sportsmanship.
It has been a great journey with a great bunch of boys who played some amazing rugby over the past month. They have achieved something not done at ANI for a very long time.
Thank you for all the support and flexibility when the boys had training, which sometimes saw them return to class late and/or dirty.
Brooke Tuialii
Specialist Technology Teacher
HOUSE POINTS UPDATE
Go Wai – leading the pack, but Whenua, Te Hau and Ahi are all nipping at your heels – it’s a close race!!
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