Read the latest news from Rutherford College
Kia ora te whanau ō te Kōtuku
Investing in your greatest asset- Your Human Capital
Attendance and Attention to what matters
- Being at school all the time, not just regularly but all the time, on time and focussed on the lessons for the full period is key.
- Being on time is something that we as individuals can all take a personal responsibility for. This includes arriving ready to work because you have the correct equipment with you. This requires zero talent so should be an absolute given for everybody.
I accept that some of the numbers may be slightly off with the following calculations. The thinking clearly outlines why some students are more successful than others. It’s not really about talent.
What works
- On time every time for every subject ready to work adds 5 minutes to the start of every lesson. If we take English as an example that’s an extra 20 minutes a week (4 lessons x 5 minutes x 10 weeks in a term that becomes 200 minutes per term. Multiply that by 4 terms and that is 800 minutes.
- 800/60 = 13.3 hours.
- Packing up 5 minutes early every day = 20 minutes per week. If you have the subject 4 x that week x 10 = 200 minutes a term and over 4 terms = another 800 minutes
- Another 13 periods
- Total = 26 periods
- Not concentrating or drifting off task for 10 minutes a period which can easily happen. = 10x 4 x10 = 400 minutes per term x 4 =1600 minutes divided by 60 = another 26 periods
- Current total = 52 periods
- The Pursuit of Excellence is Personal
- There are those who will get the extra 52 equivalent periods every year and those who don’t.
- If this starts at the beginning of year 9 then that’s 156 equivalent learning hours prior to NCEA Level 1 finishing. Remember that total is per subject.
- There are those that will lose less than 15 out of the 156. That’s 141 more hours per subject over 3 years.
- There are also students who think that having 5 days off a term is pretty good; 95% attendance, but that still means 5 hours lost per subject x 4 terms x 3 years = 60 hours.
- New total = 216 hours
- Which group will be the most likely to succeed? Those that do not take time off, turn up on time all the time, stay on task and don’t stop before the whistle goes will do better. They are not necessarily smarter, they were just consistent with their attendance and effort. In other words, they used the time effectively, actually that sounds like what a smart person would do. They weren’t born smart they just did more.
Kotuku Foundation
The Kotuku Foundation is pleased to announce the inaugural induction of alumni to the Hall of Distinction roll of honour. Nominations close on the 6 May. The induction assembly is booked for Monday 14 October. We look to this as the first of these assemblies in what will become an annual event on our school calendar. The Rutherford College Hall of Distinction Award is given to past pupils of the school who are at the top of their respective industries or specialty or have demonstrated a remarkable contribution to the Arts, Business, their Community, Sport and/or Public Service. Nominate someone you know who meets this criteria here.
Scholars Assembly
This week we acknowledged our students who endorsed NCEA Levels 1, 2 or 3 with merit and/or Excellence at our 18th annual Scholar’s Assembly.
Students with merit endorsed certificates received a silver academic Kotuku Badge and those endorsed with excellence received the higher award, a blue academic Kotuku Badge.
The following were the top individual students:
Top Year 11 Pasifika Scholar | Fabian | Fabricius |
Top Year 12 Pasifika Scholar | Leia | Smith |
Joint Top Year 13 Pasifika Scholar | Jonathan | Pa’u |
Joint Top Year 13 Pasifika Scholar | Vainiaku | Tupou |
Top Year 11 Maori Scholar | Matthew | Wilson |
Top Year 11 Maori Scholar | Samara | Hohaia |
Top Year 12 Maori Scholar | Catherine | Poor |
Third overall Year 11 Scholar | Lukas | Turner |
Second equal at Year 11 Scholar | Sacha | Hickman |
Second equal at Year 11 Scholar | Amy | Thompson |
Top year 11 Scholar | William | Wilson |
Third Year 12 Scholar | Yashvi | Trivedi |
Second Equal Year 12 Scholar | Ansh | Patel |
Second Equal Year 12 Scholar | Om | Hinge |
Top Year 12 Scholar | Jin | Na |
Third Year 13 Scholar | Phoebe | Chin |
Second Year 13 Scholar | Eleanor | Vincent |
Top Year 13 Scholar | Nina | Lyon |
Swimming Champions 2025
| YEAR 9 STUDENTS | YEAR 10 STUDENTS | YEAR 11 STUDENTS | YEAR 12 STUDENTS | YEAR 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Junior Girls | Junior Boys | Intermediate Girls | Intermediate Girls Senior Girls | Senior Girls |
Athletic Champions 2025
| YEAR 9 | YEAR 10 | YEAR 11 | YEAR 12 | YEAR 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Junior Girls | Intermediate Girls | Intermediate Girls | Intermediate Boys
| Senior Girls |
Student Wellbeing
Rutherford is using using a web based tool with students to survey them about their wellbeing. This tool is called Goodspace. It takes less than 10 minutes for students to answer health and wellbeing questions. The survey is used by the Student Services team (that is the counsellors and the nurses) to ensure we are offering support to students as needed. This is a part of our wellbeing plan to protect and enhance the hauora of our rangatahi. The survey begins next week with year 10 and we will survey year 9 and year 12 later in the year. If you do NOT wish your child to participate in this survey then please email your child’s tutor teacher to let them know that you are opting out of Goodspace.
Kia kaha
Gary Moore
