ANZAC ASSEMBLY

On Thursday 23^rd April, the student council held an assembly in recognition of the centenary of the ANZAC’s arrival at Gallipoli, during WW1. The assembly was commenced by Kody and Jason who read the “Ode of Remembrance”. Makaiyah gave the school some devastating statistics about the ANZACs and this put into perspective for the school, how severe the fatalities were, especially when compared to what NZ anticipated. The roll of honour of ANZACs who attended our school was then read by Kody and Johnny. Jessica Taunt followed, explaining to the school the importance of wearing poppies and the significance of them, encouraging the students to wear poppies. Those involved performed a role play as a beautiful poem was read out which portrayed the importance of poppies and the significance of the ANZAC's involvement in the war as well as the effect of war on people today.

The student council members prior to leaving the hall.

I was very pleased with the respectful way in which the students listened during our assembly. There were many positive comments regarding the field of remembrance which was set up at the entrance of the school, by the flagpole. I am honoured to have had the privilege of presenting this to the school and it was a significant experience for those involved.

Sarah Kowalewski, Student Council Chairperson

CELEBRATING THE ARTS

The Arts Extravaganza at the end of term one was a great success. It was wonderful to see our music and drama students performing to such a high standard. Brittany Barker and Jack Rossiter gave solo performances on the piano and drums and we were also treated to vocal performances by Brooklyn Kahui-Wall, Samme-Sara Harrop-Marriner and Jessica Nicholas. The year 10 and 11 drama classes brought the magic of theatre alive for us with their performances of Sue Murray’s ‘Snapshots’ and a student-devised drama, ‘Memories of the Holocaust.’ Jason Manuel-Isaacs was our fabulous M.C. for the evening. Thank you to all the parents who attended this event. Photos are able to be viewed in the newsletter.

Rebecca Leafberg, TIC Drama (term1)

TSSSA DRESSAGE

Stratford High School took three teams to TSSSA Dressage in Waitara last week. Kimberley Barker gained a 4th placing riding Darcy in class one and an overall 4th placing riding Chase in class two after gaining tenth place is both of the tests. Tracy Byrnes gained a 9th and 10th placing riding in class one. Ceil Butler gained a third placing riding Pukerata in class one. Deanna Vernon, Andrea Bailey, Caitlin Gwerder, and Brittany Barker also rode well on their mounts.

Andrea Bailey

Kimberley Barker

AMAZING EASTER EGG RACE

The student council ran an Amazing Easter egg race during the last week of term. This event was organised by William Wakefield and Chelsea Renata. Students had to complete challenges around the school. Over 150 participants all received a prize with the main winners being; Zhane O'Conner, Kody Simpson, Jackson Cox, Morgan McSweeney, Brittany Meier-Waite, Quinlin Bosson-Thompson. Thanks to William and Chelsea, we hope that this event will be held again in the future.

Wendy Walker, Assistant Principal

William and Chelsea the organisers giving out prizes.

winners of the amazing easter egg race

Sports photos

The school swimming sports photos are available to view by following the link below:
http://stratfordhigh.ultranet.school.nz/WebSpace/426/

Athletics sports will be available later this week.

TSSSA Beach Volleyball was a great day out for our students with the following photos taken.

Interview evening

Interview evening and reports.
Parents and caregivers of senior students are invited to attend an interview evening on Thursday 6th October from 5 pm to 7.00 pm in the assembly hall. Interview sheets will be posted on Thursday along with the school newsletter.
The school will be posting out Graduation Report 4 to all junior students on Thursday along with the school newsletter. Parents of Junior students will have an interview evening on Thursday 27th October.

Congratulations
• Laureen Cox (Y12) competed in the TSSSA cycling champs on Sunday September 4 in Lepperton. She rode in a mixed team with NPBHS and NPGHS around a 16km course and placed 3rd in the senior girl’s individual time trial event around a 16km course.
• To Crystal Melville-Grace (Y13) who came third in the Taranaki Foodstuffs Checker of the Year competition recently.
• Taranaki Zone Chess Championships held recently with the following results for our students. James Burt 1st place Gold; Tayla Corbett 2nd place Silver, Top Girl Gold; Cameron Luckhurst 3rd place Bronze. With fourth member Rowan Meads the team won the Top team Gold medal as well. They are currently waiting on confirmation for their place in the Chess Power Interschool National Championship to be held in Auckland on October 4th.

Poutama
We were recently privileged to have Shane Jordan as a guest speaker at our Poutama assembly. A Stratford High School old boy, Shane Jordan has been chopping since he was 15 years old. He told us that he developed an interest when Bruce Reichardt from Douglas was training some young guys at school.

When he left school, Shane trained as a helicopter engineer and went to work in Taupo. He was fortunate to have a great coach and mentor who spent his days sourcing wood for Shane to chop. Shane stressed the importance of surrounding yourself with people who believe in the dreams you have for yourself. Shane cuts hundreds of training logs, spends many early mornings at the gym and late nights adjusting and perfecting his equipment. This training ensures he is physically and mentally prepared. He has kept very many people in firewood along the way.

He has competed and represented NZ in the USA, Spain, Austria and Australia. He has held numerous titles throughout the North Island and was also a member of the NZ team which set a new World record in Austria. He showed us a video of how he achieved his goal of competing in the American Stihl series. Shane told us he was planning an attempt at a New Zealand record in Inglewood in a few weeks’ time. We have since learned that he achieved his goal. In the standing block he carved close to two seconds off the previous record, set in 2005, of 18.63s. Shane's mark is 16.64s.

Shane’s advice for our students was that they can do anything they want to if they believe in themselves and set their mind to it.
P H Keenan
Principal

Latest news - Teacher Only Day

Teacher only day
With the recent Ministry of Education announcement for professional development days, SHS will be having a teacher only day on Monday July 11th. This means that students will not be required at school.

Year 8 Open Evening
The school will be open for Year 8 students and families to visit. The SHS Assembly hall will be open from 5.00pm with the evening to commence at 5.30 pm. Tours of the school will be followed by supper provided by the Australian Netball Touring team.
Members of the community are welcome to attend to have a look at our school.

Junior graduation excellence
The second junior graduation report has been sent to parents and two top students were found. Rachel Martin in year 10 scored 100% while closely followed by Joshua Hunger (99%) and Tayla Corbett (98%). In year 9 Sarah Kowalewski scored the top mark of 99% while Jacinta Frost and Monica Jones were close behind on 98%. Congratulations to all students who received a merit or excellence mark.

Senior reports on the way
Teachers are completing senior reports after the recent assessment week. These reports will be posted out next week and an interview evening will be held on July 13th in the assembly hall.

SHS Rockquest
The SHS Rockquest band “Peregrine” gave a good performance on Saturday afternoon but unfortunately were not selected for the final performances that evening. Well done to the band and to those who supported them on the day.


TSSSA Sports seminar for adventure racers

Four SHS senior students Sarah Rohe (Maadi Cup Rower), Laureen Cox (Flanagan Cup Ocean Swim winner and road cyclist), Matt Simpson (cross country and Triathlete) and Cameron Johnson (basketball rep) travelled to Opunake High School to join with the successful Opunake High Hillary Challenge team for a seminar with Nathan Fa’avae, World Champion Adventure Racer.
        To start the students thinking he wrote on the whiteboard, “Diminishing in Comparison”, very relative when Nathan started to tell us of his team competing in many far regions of the world. With world titles since 2002, his team competes in races of over 700 kms in length, over vast terrain, from kayaking to mountain biking. Anything that is physically man made can be added to the five day programme. In this extreme sport completing is everything, especially when only 10% of teams finish.
        During the day students looked at goal setting and motivating influences in their chosen sports, especially those designed to get them over the road blocks and walls. An amazing insight into the mental aspects of our own sports at high school level right up to coping at international level. Researchers state that it takes 10,000 hours to be an expert at anything, Nathan reckons his often six hour training runs and mountain bike events certainly cut into this time.
       For the frequent couch sitter, the adventure racer competing on the world stage seems totally crazy with how far they push the human body. But Nathan Fa’avae enjoys the challenge of not being normal and has the world titles to prove this.

TSSSA Boys Golf Championships
The SHS team of William Arnold, Kyle Cook, Stein Caskey and Jahvis Gotty completed at the Stratford Golf course on Friday 17th June. Congratulations to Stein Caskey had the best Nett score on the day with 65. A fine effort as Stein has played consistently well in the inter-school Southern competition in the first term where SHS narrowly missed the winners podium.


P H Keenan
Principal

Latest News and sporting success

Junior Graduation Reports

The first junior graduation report was posted this week to parents and caregivers of Year 9 and 10 students. There will be parent interviews on Thursday 7th April from 4.00 pm to 6.00pm by appointment only.


TSSSA Swimming 2011

         A small but dedicated TSS swimming team under the expert guidance of Sports Captain Sarah Cooper, had a quite successful meet in 2011.
         Team: Curtis Boyde, Nadege Coates, Ryan Cooper, Sarah Cooper, Laureen Cox, Mhirron French, Brittany Kivell, Sarah Malone, Claire O’Neill, Beth West
        Beth West managed a 3rd placing in the Junior Girls 50m Breaststroke and the Junior Girls team of Beth, Nadege, Sarah and Mhirron gained 2nd placings in both the 4 x 1 Medley and Freestyle relays. Ryan Cooper swam into 3rd place in the Intermediate Boys 100m freestyle and had 2nd placings in the 50m backstroke and 5om butterfly. Sarah Cooper excelled on the night, however, by winning the Senior Girls 100m freestyle and 50m backstroke and was placed 2nd in the 50m breaststroke. A very good effort from all swimmers who must be congratulated for their performance.

TSSSA Orienteering
On Wednesday March 23rd 2011 a 23 enthusiastic students went to TOPEC to compete in the annual Orienteering Taranaki Secondary school championship. This event has grown so much in popularity and this year our Junior team excelled in all categories.

First up Kody Simpson and Liam Burnell went out over the Junior Boys course and came in to win easily a minute ahead of Xavier Hay and Nick Hornby also SHS Juniors with a NPBHS team in 3rd.

In the Intermediate Boys, Cameron Cox and Herbert Van Veen breezed around the complicated TOPEC course to come in 2 minutes faster than yet another SHS team of Reece Saywell and Robbie Howatson, in a time of 19.12 minutes. The rest of the field were at least three minutes behind these teams. Students reported back to say how challenging it was and how much fun they had during the event. It was great to see all teams finishing in the clear daylight.

Many thanks to the back up team, Willie Burnell and Jackie Kofoed who managed and transported the team. We look forward to some exciting times in the year ahead when there will be opportunities for students to take these skills and compete in the Taranaki Get2 Go and Hillary Challenges.

TSSSA Athletics Success

This year 41 athletes represented SHS at the 2011 TSS Athletics Championships. This is the largest team we have sent in many years and the athletes are to be commended, not only for their performance on the track and field but also for their team spirit and for representing the school with pride and respect. Also many thanks to Mr Walker for his managerial expertise and to Sports Captains Sarah Cooper and Hamish Walker and also Hayden Hendry for their support.
We gained a total of 15 places over the day ; a very fine effort indeed.

Luke Fisher managed a 2nd place in the Intermediate Boys 200m and the Intermediate Boys 4 x 100 relay team of Luke, Blake Cheer, Matthew Kowalewski and Quinlin Bosson-Thompson were 3rd.

Jack Espin ran 2nd in the Senior Boys 3000m steeplechase while Paul Haenga was 2nd in the 300m hurdles. The Senior Boys 4 x 100 relay team of Paul, Jack, Adrian Pitman and Jason Simpson were also 3rd.

Junior Girl Sarah Kowalewski was an impressive winner of the 1500m and was also 3rd in the Triple Jump. The Junior Girls 4 x 100 relay team of Sarah, Tyler Page, Megan Old and Storm Murray gained 3rd place.

The Intermediate Girls relay team of Theresa O’Neil, Deanna Crawford, Deja Whatu and Shayna Heal also placed 3rd.

Taylor Bailey was paced 3rd in the Senior Girls High Jump and the 200m while Chelsea Saywell was 1st in the Senior Girls Discus.

Athlete of the day, however, was Quinlin Bosson-Thompson who was a very impressive winner of the Junior Boys 100m, 200m and 300m events.

Congratulations to Taylor Bailey, Quinlin Bosson-Thompson and Sarah Kowalewski who have been selected to represent Taranaki Secondary Schools at the North Island Championships.