Menzies College Newsletter

Kia ora koutou katoa

Matariki is upon us. Matariki marks the start of the Māori New Year. Signified by the Matariki cluster of stars reappearing in our night sky, this is a time to reflect on the past year, celebrate the present and plan for the year ahead. I am looking forward to watching our Kapa Haka group perform at the Waimumu Field Days site on Friday along with other groups from the Kahui Ako (local network of schools) staff and students. The fireworks display to music will be a highlight at 6.30pm.

Thank you to the people who were able to attend the school interviews yesterday. Year 7 and 8 meetings are next week. If you have been unable to attend an interview please feel free to contact the subject teacher for direct feedback. In some cases the Whanau teacher or Dean may be in contact in the next two weeks with some follow up.

Every three years, state and state-integrated school communities elect their parent and staff representatives to help govern their schools. This year elections will be on 7 September. There are two vacancies on the Menzies College Board of Trustees. Please consider getting involved with education at the governance level. It is important that we have community representation to guide decision making. The returning officer will make nomination forms available soon. Nominations close on 3 August.

Thank you to the Board of Trustees for allowing me leave for the last two weeks of term. Dean Ritani will be Acting Principal in my absence.

Good luck to:

• The Year 9 and 10 Development Netball team who are travelling to Christchurch to compete in the South Island Junior Tournament in July and a big thank you to Kailey Yeoman and Tina McMullen for coaching and managing the team.
• Alyssa Gauldie who is a member of The Senior Woman’s Artistic Gymnastics Team. The team are finalists in the Southland Kia Team of the Year as part of the ILT Southland Sports Awards. The winner will be announced on Friday 8 July.

Nga mihi nui

Kath Luoni

Principal

The AGM of the PTA has been postponed due to three members away at Tautuku camp. The meeting will now be held on Tuesday 2 August at 7:30pm in the Menzies staffroom. We apologise for any inconvenience and hope to see you on 2 August. Any questions/apologies please contact Sue Scobie on 0274289900.

• 24 - Matariki observance - school closed
• 27-29 June - Year 7 & 8 Homeroom conferences
• 28-1 July - Year 9 Tautuku Camp

July

• 8 - Last day of Term 2
• 25 - First day of Term 3
• 28 - Careerfest
• 29 - School Ball

August

• 1 - Dunedin Tertiary Information Day (Seniors)
• 2 - PTA AGM
• 11 - Open Evening (3.20pm-7pm. Welcome by Principal at 3.45pm no entry after 6.30pm)
• 22 - Accord Teacher Only Day
• 23 - Polyfest
• 24 - Haka Waiata
• 29-2 September - Tournament Week

• 5-9 Green Week (no outside appointments to be made)
• 12-16 - Practice Exams
• 30 - Last day of Term 3

• 17 - First day of Term 4
• 24 - Labour Day - school closed

Menzies College has a vacancy for a cleaner. Three hours daily after school plus some holiday work. Please apply via email to judy.gould@menzies.school.nz or phone the school on (03) 206 4979.

Congratulations to the following students and staff members:

Week ending 17 June

Seniors: Asha Dickson, Maxine Lomboy, Jordan Hutton, Alazhe Meihana-te-whata and

Mrs Karen Clark

Week ending 23 June

Juniors: Charlie Blackmore, Mikaela Instone, Olivia Manson, Isabell Boogerd and Mrs Wendy Ritson

Your canteen vouchers can be collected from the office.

Year 7 and 8 Homeroom Conferences

These conferences are being held in the Library from Monday 27 June to Wednesday 29 June between 1pm-5:30pm. Each conference will have 15 minutes allocated to it.

Monday 27 June - Lachie Hayes

Tuesday 28 June - Samantha Johnstone, Carl Lambert

Wednesday 29 June - Bailey Soper, Lesley Lee

To book a conference with your child's subject teacher(s) please follow the link below and fill in the time you require.

http://www.schoolinterviews.co.nz/code/q5cuw

If you have any questions please let me know.

Nga Mihi

Dean Ritani

Deputy Principal

Careerfest – Southland

Careerfest will be held in the ILT Stadium Southland, Invercargill on Thursday 28 July

(week 1 term 3).

Menzies College is booked (for our Year 11 and 12 students) on the Thursday from 11am -12.30 p.m. Buses will be leaving school around 10.15am arriving back at around 1.15pm.

Exhibitors

Careerfest Southland will have a range of exhibitors from across Southland and New Zealand attending the expo in July. These will include education providers, industry training organisations and specialists, corporate and business sector and government agencies. All exhibitors offer a range of services and opportunities for people exploring their future career options. The expo is a fantastic opportunity for people to investigate their options further and find out just what each organisation has to offer them.

Before students attend they should take the opportunity to browse this year's exhibitor profiles, discover what they have to offer, visit their websites and prepare themselves to get the most out of the expo in July and firm up their career options. Visit careerfest.co.nz and check out their web page.

Dunedin Tertiary Information Day

This will be held on Monday 1 August (week 2 term 3) in Dunedin for interested Year 12 and Year 13 students. The purpose of this programme is to enable students to observe first-hand what the tertiary environment is like. Students are invited to visit special displays and presentations and explore the various facilities students use (e.g. the University Union, Polytechnic and University of Otago student centres and libraries, Unipol Recreation Centre, Recreation Services and the Clubs and Societies Building). The programme runs from 9.00am until 3.30pm.

Students will need to assemble at school at 6.15am as we will be leaving at 6.30am sharp. I am expecting that we will be returned to school by 6.30pm when students will need to be picked up. This event is on the Career Central website whereby you can accept the invitation. For further information either see Mr Joyce, Mrs Williams or Mr Clark. This trip is not covered by your blanket consent form so you will need to complete an EOTC Permission form prior to departure.

For more information, go to the websites below and search Tertiary information day.

www.otago.ac.nz www.facebook.com/otagouniversity

Lincoln Joyce

Careers Support

Study Link for Senior Students

First Year Fees-Free

If your child is thinking about tertiary study they may be able to receive their first year fees-free. If they are planning on industry training (where they are training in a workplace, or doing ‘on the job’ learning), they could get two years fees-free.

For more information and to check eligibility visit https://www.feesfree.govt.nz/ or call the fees-free helpline 0800 687 775.

Study Jargon - EFTS

Qualifying for certain payments will rely on studying the required number of EFTS (Equivalent Full-time Student). Studylink use EFTS to work out is someone is studying full time or part-time and to determine on-going eligibility for payments. Usually, every paper or course has a certain amount of points or credits that represent the amount of study or workload you do. The general rule is 0.125 EFTS is equivalent to 15 credits or points.

https://www.studylink.govt.nz/about-studylink/glossary/efts.html

Student Loan

If your child qualifies for fees-free study they may still need to apply for a Student Loan for course-related costs or living costs. Only students studying full-time can access loans for course-related costs and living costs. Remember though it is a loan and needs to be paid back. I’m sure we all know of people who, while studying, spent their living costs on fun things. In order to stay eligible for student loan students need to pass at least half of their course work (EFTS) over a set period.

There is a lifetime limit of 7 EFTS (around 7 or 8 years of full-time study) for student loans. If your child is under 18 when they sign their student loan contract you will need to give permission – this isn’t as guarantor, the loan repayments will be their responsibility.

For more information visit:

https://www.studylink.govt.nz/products/a-z-products/student-loan/index.html

https://ird.govt.nz/student-loans

Student Allowance

Not every student qualifies for a student allowance so it is important for students to think about how they will afford to live, especially if they plan to go flatting or move into a hall of residence. The good news is, for those who qualify, student allowance does not need to be paid back. Students can also earn up to $240.70 a week before tax before any allowance payments are affected. Student allowance is based on parental income until age 24, even if the student does not live at home. This calculator will help first-time students determine how much Student Allowance they may get:

https://www.studylink.govt.nz/products/rates/calculators/parental-income-calculator.html

Like with student loan, students must pass more than half of their EFTS to remain eligible, there is a limit of 200 weeks study (about 5 years). Student allowance does not get paid over the summer holiday so students will need to either get a job during this period or apply for Jobseeker Support Student Hardship while they are looking for a job.

For more information visit:

https://www.studylink.govt.nz/products/a-z-products/student-allowance/index.html

When to Apply

The best time to apply is before 16 December to make sure everything is sorted when study starts in 2023. Most people start applying in term 3 and term 4. There is no need to wait until NCEA results come out in January. Students can even apply if they haven't decided where they want to study yet or they’re waiting on confirmation of their course. Applications can be updated or withdrawn after submission.

How to Apply

Applying is easy and all online. This link will walk first-time students through the process:

https://www.studylink.govt.nz/online-services/apply/first-time/index.html

Extra Payments

There are extra payments that students may qualify for too that many don’t know about:

• Accommodation Supplement
• Disability Allowance (think of this more as a health allowance – if your child has on-going health costs such as medication or specialist visits, they should apply)
• Temporary Additional Support

All of the above can be applied for using this form:

https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/documents/forms/extra-help-application.pdf

Basketball Training Camp Sessions

Over the July school holidays the Menzies College/NSC Senior Boys Basketball team will be running training camp sessions at the Menzies College gym for any Southland primary school students.

The sessions available are:

Wednesday 13 July

1pm-2.30pm - Year 1-4 students

2.30pm-4pm - Year 5-8 students

Wednesday 20 July

1pm-2.30pm - Year 1-4 students

2.30pm-4pm - Year 5-8 students

The cost of the sessions is $10 per student per day. You can pay online in advance or bring cash and pay on the day. All participants must be registered beforehand and we do have a number limit. To register please email hayley.adam@menzies.school.nz

All funds raised will be used to support the team to attend the New Zealand Basketball Secondary Schools Southern Cup in Dunedin.

Hayley Adam

Sports Co-ordinator

The Cancer Society is looking for volunteers to join our Supportive Care Team in Southland supporting those affected by cancer and their whānau/families in Tokanui, Edendale and Wyndham areas.

Our Supportive Care Volunteers support with one or more of the following:

• Client visits providing companionship, running occasional errands with our clients such as posting mail. Time commitment is around 1-2 hours per week when you are matched with a client.
• Client drivers support our clients to get to and from their appointments and/or support groups, helping to ensure that their needs are met. Time commitment is occasional.

You will need to have a COVID-19 vaccine pass and booster to volunteer with us.

Find out more by contacting Caroline Carter on 021 279 7797 or email at volunteer@cansoc.org.nz

The Wyndham Pioneer Lions collect many things that raise money for the underprivileged and disadvantaged but we can do more with your help.

Bread tags raise funds for wheelchairs (if they are colour coded before they are handed in that would be great).

Tear tabs from aluminium cans and wine bottle tops raise funds for ‘Kidney Kids’.

Glasses (both reading and sunglasses) and hearing aids are distributed in places like the Pacific Islands, improving the quality of lives who cannot afford such ‘extravagances’.

Aluminium cans and cardboard are collected by The Pakeke Lions in Gore.

If you can help it would be appreciated if you could take them to Menzies College or contact

Mrs C Garthwaite on (03) 206 6223.

Congratulations to Alyssa Gauldie (Year 9) who has been selected to the Southland Gymnastics team for 2022 in the Women's Artistic gymnastics. The team has over 30 athletes affiliated to Southland Gymnastics Clubs and will compete in four codes (Aerobics, Men’s Artistic Gymnastics, Women’s Artistic Gymnastics and Trampoline & Tumbling) at the NZ National Championships at ILT Stadium in Invercargill from 13-16 July. This is the main event these athletes will compete in this year.

Email: admin@menzies.school.nz
Website: https://www.menzies.school.nz
Location: Alma Street, Wyndham 9831, Southland, New Zealand
Phone: 03 206 4979