September 2020

Cultural Day Celebrations

Our annual, week long Cultural Food and Performance Festival would have been held in March, but like so many of our special events at the College during 2020, this was cancelled due to Covid-19.

Instead we held a Cultural Day on Thursday 27 September where students and staff enjoyed the opportunity to represent their cultures in traditional dress.

Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW), is run each year by the Mental Health Foundation, is on from 21–27 September 2020 and it’s more timely than ever.

This year's theme is Reimagine Wellbeing Together – He Tirohanga Anamata. The week is a chance for us all to build on the things we’ve been doing to look after ourselves, and to reimagine wellbeing together – during Covid-19 and beyond.

This year hasn't been easy for any of us, and Assessment Week provides an extra challenge for students. MHAW 2020 provides us with the opportunity to build on the simple things we do to look after ourselves and concentrate on the things that make us feel good.

The Safe School Committee students are putting posts on Schoology and Instagram to remind everyone to look after each other and themselves. They are also making a video providing encouragement to use the five activities based on Te Whare Tapa Whā (Connect, Give, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Be Active).

There are a number of suggested activities on the Mental Health Foundation website: https://www.mhaw.nz/

NATIONAL HELPINES

Need to talk? Free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor.

Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (0800 LIFELINE) or free text 4357 (HELP)

Youthline: 0800 376 633, free text 234 or email or online chat

Exams Go Digital at Lynfield College

Teachers of 11 courses across six subject areas (English, Classical Studies, History, Chinese, German and Japanese) have chosen to give students the opportunity to do their NZQA external exams digitally in 2020. Here are some of our students doing their practice exam in preparation and for a derived grade if required.

This was a big learning curve but something our students really appreciated having the opportunity to do going by the feedback so far.

Our practical subject teachers also had students come in to complete work on portfolios where there were gaps. AND of course there were also had reports to complete. This was a huge effort by so many Teachers, Form Teachers, Deans and Support Staff to make sure this happened for our students.

Ngā mihi nui everyone from Deputy Principal Sandy Harris and the Senior Leadership Team

GirlBoss Advantage Programme

Congratulations to Evana Chan (Year 12), who was been selected as one of the 25 GirlBoss Interns from applications across the country. To be accepted onto this programme is an amazing achievement.

With an average acceptance rate of only 8%, the GirlBoss Advantage Programme is a highly selective leadership programme. On the programme Evana will join an inclusive sisterhood and connect with 24 of New Zealand's brightest female leaders, building powerful and unprecedented friendships. Evana will visit construction sites and corporate offices and have a real-life insight to the world of Building, Construction, and Engineering.

My Experience by Evana Chan

During this internship, I have gained not only many precious friendships, but as well as the crucial skills to pitch and network. Along with 26 other ambitious young ladies, we are undergoing intense leadership training and receiving inspiring mentorship from many senior executives at Fletcher Building and GirlBoss. From these conversations, the most valuable lesson I took away was that no one has a linear journey. To become a compassionate and relatable leader, it is okay to be vulnerable sometimes. Discussing with these leaders and learning about what they are passionate about, and how they are doing what they love, has reassured that I am on the right track and will be unapologetically ambitious!

This internship was designed to be interactive and insightful with the incorporation of 2 site visits and many opportunities to chat and connect with people. Visiting live sites, and going to the hidden nooks and crannies behind successful projects felt like an explosion of knowledge. It completely sucked me in and I was fascinated by the way engineering mechanisms, designs, and communities powered each other. Having the opportunity to listen about inspirational female leaders’ journeys was an eye opener, their words have left a lasting impression on me. I am very grateful to be selected for the GirlBoss Advantage internship and this opportunity has greatly helped me grow.

Kia ora koutou,

This week we are celebrating te wiki o te Reo Māori

Māori Language week has been celebrated each year from 1975. Māori Language Day is September 14 and commemorates the presentation of the 1972 Māori language petition to parliament. It is an opportunity for concentrated celebration, promotion and encouragement. Every minute of every hour of every day is a Māori language minute – we can choose to use te reo – every time we do, even just a ‘Kia ora!’ contributes to revitalisation. Visit https://www.tewikiotereomaori.co.nz/ for more information and resources.

As part of this week long celebration Lynfield College has signed up to contribute to the MĀORI LANGUAGE MOMENT at 12.00 noon on Monday 14 September. Lynfield College contributed to this ‘moment’ by encouraging staff and students (and whānau) to join us at 12.00 noon in speaking the reo, working as one (hei mahi tahi) with a focus on wellbeing:

Ha ki roto - Breathe in | Ha ki waho - Breathe out

These words were spoken and actioned three times in classes at 12.00 noon on Monday 14 September.

Throughout Māori Language Week students and staff have participated together in a variety of activities:

Pepeha competition for akonga and kaiako
Morning karakia in staff briefing
Year 9 student Zia Khan shared pepeha in staff brief
Pounamu class led karakia in online assembly
Quiz for staff
Kupu o te ra on Schoology
Whakatauki for staff
Waiata learning in Te Reo Māori
Zoom Hui, learning kiwaha and pepeha

Above: 9PHE play a Māori game called Poi Toa

Why is learning Te Reo Māori important?

Some responses from Akonga:

“I am from New Zealand – it is part of my culture and history. It just makes sense to me to have, at least some knowledge of Te Reo.”

“It’s a really cool language and it’s a big part of Aotearoa culture.”

“It is also important to normalise learning and speaking the language.”

“Because it is my culture and none of my family really know how to speak it, so I thought I would learn the language.”

“To spread it to others.”

“Learning Te Reo Māori is important to me because I don’t know anything else about my Māori side, so I think it is important to at least know the language of my people.”

Some Responses from Kaiako:

“It makes me feel good.”

“It is important to help me connect better with Māori students. It deepens understanding of culture and history.”

“It is our job to encourage and share with others the beauty of Te Reo Māori so they may be inspired to learn. We must also tautoko the efforts of those keen to learn to ensure the survival and to make speaking Te Reo common place in Aotearoa.”

“To demonstrate manaakitanga.”

Below are some Māori language learning sites to check out:

http://animations.tewhanake.maori.nz/

https://maoridictionary.co.nz/

https://kupu.maori.nz/

Tongan Language Week

This year to promote the richness of the Tongan Language Week (6 - 12 September), we acknowledged and recognized the Tongan language and culture across multiple platforms. Our students made presentations in assemblies, staff briefings, and on Schoology, ending the week with the option of wearing traditional Tongan attire, the Puletaha, Kiekie or Tupenu.

Thank you to all our Pacific Pride Leaders for your commitment to this special week. Fakakoloa ‘o Aotearoa ‘aki ‘a e Lotu Mo’oni

Face Masks Workshop

To support students and staff in our journey to learning at school with the challenges of COVID, our training teacher Ms Azarian and Textiles teacher Ms Wills ran lunchtime workshops for students to construct their own face masks during Week 8 of this term.