Kia ora koutou

There was great anticipation all of last week with the construction of our new PlayCo playground. The idea of an adventure playground for our junior school has been talked about for many years and it is extremely satisfying to see the project realised at last. A group of keen students, staff and parents moved around 70 cubic meters of bark chips on Friday afternoon so the playground would be ready for school on Monday. On behalf of our excited students I want to again sincerely thank Paula Clark for her excellent coordination of this project. We also received generous support from the Central Lakes Trust, New Zealand Charitable Trust, Otago Community Trust, our Community Business Sponsors and Home and School.

Our Winter Wonderland formal was a stunning success and a credit to our students and the organisers. The grand entrance is always impressive, with classic cars and the occasional forklif t delivering our students to the venue. The walk down the red carpet, past admiring parents and friends, is one of the real highlights of the evening. Our students looked outstanding and it was an absolute pleasure to spend an evening w ith them. We received lovely feedback from the caterer Ann Mann who wrote to the College congratulating our senior students, the “exceptional” year 10 helpers and Kayla Coudret and the “delightful” organising committee. Our students have built up a reputation for a sense of occasion and we were very proud of them all.

We have scaled down our Golf Academy this year as a result of less interest from students in this part of our Apartments programme. Even so, we are still running Tuesday afternoon sessions for 7 students w ith our highly regarded Golf Director Colin Cow ie. The group continue to benefit from attending The Hills near Arrowtown to receive coaching from golf professional Craig Palmer. Inia Logan is one of these golfers and he has had some fine results over the past month. Inia w as part of the Otago U16 team that won the South Island Championships and he f inished second in the U15 South Island Competition. He also won the U15 grade at the Queenstown Junior Open recently and shot 2 under par at the Cromwell Course last weekend. I know that he is working extremely hard on his game and deserves these f ine results.

We welcome back Erik Larsen, materials technology, who has been on leave for the f irst three weeks of this term. Sarah Carlton who is currently on maternity leave has decided to resign her materials technology position to spend more time w ith her young family in Wanaka. Di Ferris will be on sick leave for the remainder of this term and we wish her well during her recovery. We are fortunate to have an experienced mathematics specialist, Frances Hinchliffe, covering Ms Ferris’ classes. Ms Hinchliffe is currently on leave from her teaching position at Paraparaumu College.

On Monday this week over thirty Year 7 and 8 students travelled to Dunedin for a National Young Leaders Day and we appreciate the support from parents who provided transport for this event. Our senior assessment period starts this Friday with students focusing on practice for their external NCEA standards or completing internal assessments. They will attend school as normal during this time.

Enthusiasm, noise, positive commitment and some top performances typif ied our individual and House Swimming Championships on Tuesday. Nikayla Bolch broke records in all of the 5 races she swam – an outstanding effort from this talented young swimmer. Jack Harrison and Sarah Hogan also broke records. Well done to the overall w inners, Kawarau House. Mason Stretch Principal

Whaia te taumata - Deserve Success

NEWSLETTER 7 18 May 2012

UPCOMING EVENTS:

18 - 25 May - Senior Assessments, no study leave 21 May - Rippa Rugby Tournament 22 May - Gateway First Aid Course 26 - 27 May - Dyke of Edinburgh Silv er & gold Tramp

30 May - Muf ti Day

31 May - Cardrona Season Passes Due 14 June - Year 7 Ice Skating 15 June - Year 8 Ice Skating 16 June - Rustic Run / Walk

29 June - Reports Posted Home, last day of Term Two 16 July - First Day of Term Three 1 - 3 August - School Production

Bridie, Jo and Caitlin at the Formal

Student and teacher volunteers at the new adventure playground

U14 Rugby Team afte r their win against Wakatipu

CROMWELL YOUTH HEALTH / SEXUAL HEALTH CLINICS

Mondays 3:15 pm at the classroom at the Gym at Cromwell College.

Wednesdays 2 pm to 4 pm at the Resource Centre in town.

Free, no appointment necessary to see a nurse or doctor. Alternatively, appointments are available with Karen McCabe (Public Health Nurse) via the office / school counsellor / your teacher or Dean.

Karen McCabe Public Health Nurse / Public Health South / Southern DHB PO Box 30, Dunstan Hospital Clyde 9341 office: 03 4404309 fax: 03 4404319 cell: 0274917574 karen.mccabe@southerndhb.govt.nz

STAFF PROFILE: JAMES EDGECOMBE

James Edgecombe com-menced his position as Crom-well College’s new Head of English at the beginning of the 2012 school year. He grew up in Tawa, north of Welling-ton, in a family of four boys,

where he spent his childhood playing rugby, cricket and the violin. James attended Tawa College then began an Arts degree at Victoria University. How-ever, when he was selected for Otago University’s outstanding performance music programme, he transferred to Dunedin to complete an Arts degree majoring in English and a degree in Music.

After university, James left New Zealand with a tramping pack and his best friend, bussed across Australia and ended up in Kalgoorlie where he worked in the gold mining industry, before teaching Music at Curtin University. He returned home two years later to extend his musical education, gaining a first class Honours from Victoria University. From there, he attended Teacher’s College in Auckland. Before moving to Cromwell with his wife, Anita, James spent seven years teaching at Wellington College, a Decile 10 boys’ school of 1500 pupils which is known for its spectacular academic re-sults. James was the Assistant Head of the English Department, Board of Trustees representative and heavily involved in coaching debating. In fact, the current New Zealand secondary schools’ team has two of his former debating students in it.

James enjoys teaching because it is people orien-tated, which is both challenging and rewarding, and gains deep satisfaction when he knows that he has personally made a difference to somebody else’s future. James tells the story of two former pupils who were Somali refugees. They visited him after their first year of university and said, “You put us here.”

After a term at Cromwell College, James thinks that it is ‘an incredibly positive place’ where rela-tionships are very strong; students are connected with each other as well as to staff and the staff know the students. The school is well resourced and there is a consistent quality of teaching. Out of school, James is an enthusiastic wood worker, musician, reader and writer of poetry and sports follower. He is also an ardent and perhaps, misguided Hurricanes supporter.

PEDESTRIAN CROSSING

Drivers, please be very careful when driving past school in the morning and after school. If someone is attempt-ing to cross the road and you have not passed the diamond symbol on the road then you are required to stop. On foggy mornings visibility is exceptionally poor so extra caution is required. Parents / care-givers, please discuss with your children the need for care when using the pedestrian crossing. They should never assume that a car will stop for them. Thank you.

NETBALL FUNDRAISER The Senior A Netball Team is cur-rently fundraising for the Otago Sec-ondary Schools and South Island netball tournaments. If you wish to support them by ordering cheese rolls please contact their team man-ager Karen Bolch on 0272353230 or 4450064. Prices: $7.50 per dozen or $13 for 2 dozen.

KIP MCGRATH LESSONS

Ngai Tahu provides registered students with 10 free lessons in a

Kip McGrath Education Centre. This funding is allocated in June so now is the time

to submit your applications. Please contact Kiri Fraser on 03 4742759 .

When you have your approval letter please bring it to Kip McGrath to reserve your place for Term 3. Any questions on Kip please call Nikki 443 1547.

MUFTI DAY FOR FOODBANK Wednesday 30 May

Please support our local foodbank by bringing a can of tinned fruit, spaghetti, noodles or food for

babies. Thank you.

“GIVE IT A GO” Central Otago REAP workshops to brighten the winter nights-

“Give it a go”– Improve your skills or learn something new. Four nights at the Clyde School Library. June 5th 12th 17th 26th.

Screen Printing - Tuesday June 5th from 7-9 pm. Tutor – Ruth Arnott

Photo Montage - Tuesday June 12th from 7-9 pm. Tutor – Viv Weller

Make your own hand cream - Tuesday June 17th. Tutor - Carole Gillions.

How to manage ‘over thinking’ - Tuesday June 26th.

Register now admin@coreap.org.nz $40 for the four nights or $12 a workshop.

LEARN TO SEW COURSE WITH REAP

On Tuesdays from 10am to 12pm starting on Tuesday 17 July. If interested please sign up with Shona Bain phone 0800 267 327.

CONGRATULATIONS

Golf—Inia Logan member of the winning Otago U16 team that won at the South Island Championships in Timaru over Easter. He also came second equal in the U15 age group for the South Island

Championships. Inia also gained 1st place in the Queenstown Junior open in the U16 category last Sunday.

Competitive

HOUSE TOTALS PISA CLUTHA NEVIS KAWARAU 260 50 302 310

Fun

HOUSE TOTALS PISA CLUTHA NEVIS KAWARAU 17 14 20 18

TOTAL

HOUSE TOTALS PISA CLUTHA NEVIS KAWARAU 277 64 322 328

SWIMMING SPORTS RESULTS

SWIMMING CHAMPIONS

Year 7 & 8 Champions: Boys - Anton Schroder

Girls - Sarah Hogan

Year 9 & 10 Champions: Boys - Jack Harrison Girls - Nikayla Bolch

Year 11, 12 & 13 Champions:

Boys - Will Harrison Girls - Caitlin Walker

Cromwell College verses Dunstan High School (Bryn Gibson).

CROMWELL COLLEGE WINTER WONDERLAND FORMAL