As this is my last newsletter as Principal of Tokoroa Intermediate School it is an opportunity to thank the many parents who have supported the school over the years.  I believe the school is in good heart and will continue to provide excellent education for your children.

There are many very talented teachers, committed to providing for not only your children’s scholastic abilities, but also sporting, cultural, leadership and social development.

During my twenty-three years as Deputy Principal and Principal of Tokoroa Intermediate I have been impressed with the large number of students who are friendly, open, cheerful and proud of the school.  This along with their singing, ability in sport and cultural activities, behaviour and standard of dress, has been commented on regularly by visitors to our school.  We also have some very talented students academically and today’s University of New South Wales Maths results is testament to this.

Since “Tomorrows Schools” started in 1989, we have been fortunate in having Boards of Trustees who have worked successfully alongside the staff for the betterment of the students.  This has not been the case in all schools and I would like to thank all Board members for their contribution to the school.

Having worked with Year 7 and 8 students for all but four years of my teaching career and after thirty years in Intermediate schools, I am a very strong advocate of intermediate and middle years schooling.  The opportunities the students have are enormous and teachers need particular skills to work with this age group.

The students social development is often under-estimated during these emerging adolescent years and one of intermediate and middle schools strengths is catering for this development.

We originally came to Tokoroa in 1982 with the intention of staying two to three years.  I have grown to appreciate what our town has to offer which not only includes the facilities but more so the people who live here; and this is the reason we are still here.

I leave Tokoroa Intermediate School being proud of what the school has achieved and know with your support this will continue.

Warren Long, Principal

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The initiative involving the Ministry of Education, Tokoroa Truancy Service, Tokoroa Police and the school is having a positive effect on school attendance.  It is important that this continues.  This means attending school on the first day of Term 4 as many new units of work start this day and if your child is absent then they start off on the “back-foot” from day one of the Term.

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A reminder that the change over into summer uniform is after Labour weekend.  Students have two weeks from 25 October to make the change.

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We received the results of the Australasian Maths test last Friday.  This test includes students from New Zealand, Australia and some Pacific countries and parts of South East Asia and once again a number of our students have excelled.

We have eight Distinction (90 – 98 percentile) and fifteen Credits (70 – 89 percentile).  Sixteen of our students missed out on credits by one or two marks which is unfortunate for them to be so close.
Congratulations to all students who sat the test and in particular students who gained Distinction and Credit Awards.

Distinction
Year 7 – Vincent Aballe, Rapine Heihei, Levon McCloskey, James Sutherland, Nicholas Totton.
Year 8 – Chelsea Alley, Robert Dickinson, Heyden Smith.
Credit
Year 7 – Kalem Ames, Jake Belfield, Caroline Busfield, Alice Meredith, Cindy Nguyen, Troy Smith-Holley, Jared Wilson.
Year 8 – Tim Barber, Jason Boyce, John Bright, Demi-Lee Hikairo, Ethan McKenzie, Ben Nicholson, Morgan Pourau, Charisse Rudolph.

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Although the majority of the 1800 competitors were from the North Island, there were also some teams from the South Island.
2004 was the inaugural year for this tournament, which is organised by the four intermediate schools from the Tauranga area.  From a relatively small tournament last year it has expanded into a major event for intermediate schools and I have the feeling it will continue to grow.

Two of our golfers competed over the week long Tournament with excellent results.
Chantelle Cassidy (7.2 handicap) not only won the best net score for girls, but had the second best gross (two other girls had lower handicaps than Chantelle).
Kelly Nicholas, on a handicap of 19, gained third place (net score).
Congratulations to these two students and thank you to Brian Nicholas, Margaret and Nelson Cassidy for spending their time in Tauranga at the tournament.

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Our annual Speech Competition is this Friday, 23 September (end of term) at 9:00 a.m.  Parents and family members are welcome to come and listen

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There will be a Farewell Assembly for Mr Long on the last day of term, Friday, 23 September, at 1:15 p.m.  There will be a variety of performances, stories and speeches of thanks to farewell Mr Long. Parents / Guardians are invited to join this Farewell Assembly (no young children please).

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HIPHOP WORKSHOP - During school holidays
Primary age to adult
Cost $3.00 to $7.00
For more details Phone 07 3463005, mobile 027 4232909 or email urockhiphop@xtra.co.nz
Rose Hyde, U-Rock
 

Te Y Festival 2005

Celebration of International Year of the Child
Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 October
(Raindate – 3 and 4 December)
Venue: Ngatira Marae, Lichfield (take road next to Lichfield Pottery)
Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and evening programme 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Sunday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Saturday night
Two local youth groups
TC – Last years Maorioke Winner
Savage & Decipticonz – Top hip hop R & B artist
Cost: Evening Concert $15.00

All children should listen carefully to the radio - Raukawa FM or Radio Forestland during the month of September for special radio promotional ticket prices – limited number only, available at $10.00 or $12.50.
Special Note: Tickets to a concert to see Savage without the Decipticonz is usually between $35.00 - $70.00.
Festival Co-ordinator: Tania Tawhi 07 883 6044 or email zar@waikato.ac.nz
Community stall enquiries and bookings: Brett Munroe 07 883 3730
Ticket outlets: Tokoroa – Te Wananga o Aotearoa, Putaruru – Maori Womens Welfare League

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Tonight at 7:00 p.m. in the staff room.

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School finishes on Friday, 23 September after the Farewell Assembly (between 2:40 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.)

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