Principal's Panui - 18 August 2023
Kia ora te whanau o te kotuku
Aspirations and learning to be the best that you can be is not a 50% of the time endeavour. This 50% is not the same as doing your 50% or your fair share of the work, it’s about being authentic all the time and doing your 50% to improve the world around us every day.
In the last few weeks I have stood down 20 students and 5 have been suspended with 3 now former students of Rutherford College. I have been ‘forthright’ at assemblies with my messaging this week about some of the behaviours and this is to remind the 95% that action is taken and that follow up does occur when students fail to recognise that sorry is a verb. When it is the same students in that 5% repeatedly, the 95% want to know something is being done about it. Yes, there is, when we have the evidence. Some of the 5% fail to recognise, that you cannot talk your way out of a situation you have behaved your way into. There will be consequences or outcomes from being disrespectful to other people and property, there will be consequences for not then taking responsibility for mistakes or errors in judgment or doing harm when you repeat them. Those repeated actions render the word sorry to just a five-letter word of no value. I said sorry now let me get on with doing the same stuff again. A lack of pono or integrity underpins much of these behaviours. Education is about learning from mistakes, the excuse of I didn’t know at this stage of your Kotuku journey is not ignorance (I didn’t know) but indifference, I do know but I don’t care. It’s a choice not something that needs to be learned. At best it’s convenient listening. I’m not the toughest boss anybody here will have. I’m late because of traffic 5 days a week, all good let me pay you extra for that. We have a staff uniform that everybody has to wear but then the boss says that’s only for 19/20 of you (that’s 95%) the one non-team player you can wear what you like.
These types of messages are a constant theme from day 1 to Day 1000 of a Year 13’s five-year journey. That’s 200 school days a year with 95% attendance that should be 950 days. As I said at the very top, everything is aspirational. There are genuine cases for a one size fits one approach. Those cases need to be genuine.
Educating students is my second most important job after promoting a culture of providing a safe learning environment for our students and staff. Without that culture the process of education and learning is compromised.
So, I reminded the 5% of doing your 50%, 100% of the time. If it’s good enough for the 95% it's good for everybody. Being respectful, taking responsibility and having integrity is not something you pick and choose. It’s binary you are either all of those things, or you are not. Having a moral compass is not a pair of woolly socks you choose to put on when your feet get cold.
At Rutherford we say please thank you, excuse me and sorry. Thank you to that group within the 95% who recognize that we all succeed when we all give our bit, our 50%. Thank you to the 95% who in the last week helped at Parent Teacher/ Option Evening. Thank you to those as I walk around the grounds and in and out of classes who just by being authentic make me proud of our young people. Well done to the Year 10 and 11 drama students on their mahi in front of an audience this week. To our outstanding concert band, what a pleasure it was to see you perform last Friday at KBB. Food for the soul.
Rutherford week next. Looking forward to our people and our school at its best.
Policy Reviews for Term 3
This term through SchoolDocs the following policies are open for review. Anyone can review and make comment on these policies including staff, students and whanau. The review is all online – via Rutherfordcollege.schooldocs.co.nz – username = rutherfordcollege and Password: kotuku. Click on the blue Review button and then click on the policy you want to review. At the top you will see a blue start review button which you can use once you have read the policy and want to make comment.
- Inclusive Education
- Māori Educational Success
- Learning Support
- Learning Support Coordination
- Identify Learning Support
- Gifted Learners
You can comment on any or all, and the review can be anonymous.
These policies are open for review until the end of term 3.
Enrolments for Year 9, 2024
Enrolment afternoons are being offered Tuesday and Thursday next week for enrolments at Year 9 in 2024. Please see the information and online enrolment form on our website. Once you have completed the online enrolment form, you can book an appointment to meet with one our staff to complete the enrolment process. Interviews take about 15 minutes.
Vote for the 2023 Law Scholarships People’s Choice Award - Support Lucinda Hill and Theo RobbMarkham
Among the 2023 round of the Smith and Partners Law Scholarships, they have carefully chosen eight exceptional finalists. Two of whom are Rutherford College Students, Lucinda Hill and Theo RobbMarkham. Read their inspiring essays below and cast your vote for the one that resonates with you the most. Don’t miss the opportunity to participate – voting closes at midnight on Friday, 25th August. Spread the word and rally others to vote by engaging with the finalists’ progress and updates on the scholarship’s Facebook page. Like and share to make West Auckland’s greatness known far and wide! You can vote here.
Just a reminder that AT are working in Old Te Atatu Road for the next few weeks preparing for the bus lanes. There are parking restrictions in the works area. Please be careful when using the road as there may be delays during peak travel times.
Rutherford Day - Early finish Friday 25 August
Next Friday 25 August we celebrate Rutherford Memorial Day. This event was started by the founding principal Eric Clark and is a way of thanking the people who help our school in various ways for their contribution by inviting them along to hear an inspirational speaker and, witness some amazing performances from students. This year we have Dave Letele aka Butterbean along to provide that inspiration. This is an invitation only event and our visitors will be staying afterward for a light luncheon. This means that school finishes for the day at approximately 12.15pm. Senior students will attend the ceremony approximately 11.00am), junior students will take part in sport activities. At the conclusion of the ceremony all students are released for the day. Buses will run at the earlier time of approximately 12.30pm.
Kia Kaha
Gary Moore
