DioNews. Making the Dio Difference. Greetings from the Principal. Key Dates Term One. Issue One, Term One, Connected

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1 Making the Dio Difference Issue One, Term One, 2013 Greetings from the Principal Welcome to 2013! The year has started smoothly, classes are all well underway and students are typically settled and engaged. The homework programme should also be making itself felt at home. As has been typical for some years now, our roll is full at 680 students in total, including 27 international students. Our boarding house roll at 161 is the highest it has ever been, made possible by the utilisation of Holland House, the new senior boarding facility, which will be officially opened on 3 March. The Year 12 boarders in particular are enjoying the luxury of their new accommodation. Once again, our senior students excelled themselves in their NCEA examinations and at every level well over 95% of our students have achieved their respective certificates. An impressive 25% of students at Level One received an Excellence endorsement! This is 6% above our previous best performance. The upward trend of our academic results, year on year, is a very satisfying picture and there are more detailed, as yet interim, statistics elsewhere in this newsletter. Our school theme for 2013 is Connected and this refers simultaneously to our focus on the use of electronic devices (BYOD) and online resources in teaching and learning programmes but perhaps even more significantly, on the importance of students being connected to each other and, along with their families, to the school and the wider Anglican community. The Student Leaders selected mission for 2013, to create an environment of unity where girls are inspired to live with passion and purpose, also complements the wider school theme and mission. In keeping with our focus on the use of Information and Communication Technologies in the classroom and beyond, online registration for Sports and Arts has been introduced this year. While some teething problems are to be expected in the first year, there is no doubt that this will be a huge ongoing advantage in the future. Also, the new Arts and Culture portal, accessible off the homepage of the Dio website, is a welcome addition to the already well-utilised Sports pages. Look out for further such ICT developments in the year ahead. Key Dates Term One 21 Feb Athletics Sports, all day, Porritt Stadium 22 Feb Cuppa at the Kura, 5.30pm, Swimming Pool area 22 Feb Barbershop Intensives, pm, All Saints Chapel 23 Feb Hockey Development Day 24 Feb Netball Development Day 27 Feb Boards Meeting, Blair Whyte Boardroom 1 Mar Chapel Choir Workshop, 9.00am-3.00pm, Nancy Light Hall 1 Mar NCEA Meeting Year 11 Parents, 4.00pm, All Saints Chapel 1 Mar Year 9 Meet the Parents and Camp Evening, pm, All Saints Chapel 1 Mar Year 9 Boarding Parent Dinner, 6.00pm, Dining Room 2-3 Mar Rowing Camp 3 Mar House Service (Blake, Scott, Wilson), 7.30pm, All Saints Chapel 4 Mar Health Workshops all day 6 Mar Whānau Hui, pm, R Mar North Island Secondary School Rowing Regatta, Karapiro 12 Mar School Association Inc AGM Meeting, 7.00pm, Staffroom Mar Arts Week 15 Mar Dio Open Day 10.00am-12.30pm 15 Mar Choir Workshop, pm, All Saints Chapel 16 Mar School Association Junk Sale, 8.00am-12.00pm Waikato Diocesan Gym Mar NZSS Tournament Week (Rowing, Canoe Polo, Tennis, Touch, Volleyball, Water Polo) Mar Year 9 Camp 22 Mar NISS Dressage Competition, St Peter s School Cambridge 24 Mar House Service (Hillary, Ross, Shackleton), 7.30pm, All Saints Chapel 27 Mar Boards Meeting, Blair Whyte Boardroom 28 Mar Maundy Thursday 29 Mar Good Friday school closed 1 Apr Easter Monday school closed 2 Apr Easter Holiday school closed Continued on next page... Connected 1

2 ... Continued from page 1 For the first time in several years, we do not have a major building project underway on the school site, which means that we will not have to accommodate the inconveniences that naturally result in such circumstances and we will be able to enjoy our beautiful site and facilities to the maximum. It also means that all our time and attention can be focused on our core business of teaching and learning. It promises to be an exciting year. We are looking forward to sharing it with you. Warm regards, Vicky McLennan, Principal School Theme 2013 Key Dates Term One continued Apr Year 13 Kayak Camp 9 Apr School Association Inc Meeting, 7.00pm, Staffroom 9-12 Apr Romeo and Juliet School Production, Nancy Light Hall 14 Apr School Association Bridge Day, 10.00am, Hamilton Bridge Club April Year 12 Camp 19 April Term One ends 2013 Term Dates: Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4 30 January 19 April 6 May 12 July 29 July 27 September 14 October 11 December News in Brief Facilities and Resources Holland House, the new senior boarding house, is now in use. Johnston Boarding House is undergoing refurbishment. New bathrooms have been completed and a new kitchen will follow. The connection between Johnston and Holland Houses has also been completed, creating a single senior boarding facility. Special Character A small group of students, along with Rev d Jill and Miss Mackay, travelled to Oihi Bay in Northland on February to visit the site of the first sermon of Reverend Samuel Marsden. Their pilgrimage was led by Archbishop David Moxon as his last formal engagement with our students. We will farewell the Archbishop at our school chapel service on Friday 22 February. Achievements: Preliminary analysis of our NCEA results shows a pass rate of 95.8% or higher at every year level. More than 25% of students at Level 1 received an Excellence endorsement. Elinor Tsen (now Year 12) was awarded the Judith Waugh Prize for Excellence in Latin from Te Kura The Correspondence School at the end of last year. Elinor is studying Latin independently and covered the work for Years 9 and 10 through to some NCEA Level 1 work within her first year. 2

3 Congratulations to Dio Old Girl, Olivia Ritchie (Class of 2012) who has been awarded a full four-year scholarship to Stony Brook University in New York. Staffing We are delighted to welcome the following staff to Dio in New or returning teaching staff who have started this term are: Ruth Gilmour (Design) Tanya Gould (Drama and Dance) Lee Harrison (English / Media Studies) Angus Jones (Assistant HOD Science / Physics) Annie Mercer (Art) Liz Seager (Mathematics) Lauren Stewart (Chemistry Term One) Elizabeth (Liz) Goer has been appointed as Director of Sport. Anna Stevens has been appointed Assistant House Parent in Senior Boarding. Natalie Sangster has been appointed as Arts Coordinator on a temporary basis. Natalie is a trained teacher who completed a practicum with us last year in Performing Arts and will fill the role until she goes overseas at the end of Term Two. Gemma Tomlinson has been appointed as a Prep Tutor in Boarding. A part-time curate, Ellen Bernstein, will assist Reverend Jill for the equivalent of one day a week. Speech and Drama Lessons Does your child need more confidence in public speaking? Does she love acting? Individual, pair and/or small group lessons are available with our very own Speech and Drama teacher, Mrs Caroline Garner-Cross, at school during class time. Exams are also available in the Trinity College Syllabus through to ATCL Diploma. Contact the HoD of Music mcolvin@waikatodiocesan.school.nz for details. New senior boarding house Holland. L-R back row: Lee Harrison (English), Liz Goer (Director of Sports), Angus Jones (Physics and Junior Science) L-R front row: Liz Seager (Maths), Lauren Stewart (Chemistry), Tanya Gould (Drama). 3

4 Important Reminders Uniform Dress Code standards is something that is really important to our values and culture here at Dio. We take much satisfaction in our students wearing their uniform with pride, both at school and out in public. We ask that parents support us in maintaining these standards. These are clearly outlined on pages 22 and 23 in the School Handbook (updated version available online via our website) and in the front section of the Student Diary. Please take the time to read through these and discuss them with your daughter. Please note: All students are required to wear the school blazer with both summer and winter uniform, to and from school, on school trips, to chapels and assemblies and other formal school functions throughout the year. However during the months of February and March we allow the girls to exercise discretion in relation to the wearing of the blazer on the way home from school on extremely hot afternoons. Affirmations At Waikato Diocesan we believe in acknowledging positive actions. Students may be given an affirmation by a staff member as a means of rewarding a pleasing result, commitment and effort, service or to acknowledge positive behaviour both in and out of the classroom. When a student has received 10 affirmations they are presented with a Certificate of Commendation at a weekly assembly. We encourage all students to work towards receiving a Certificate of Commendation and acknowledge the recipients in our community through DioNews issues. Cell Phone Usage by Students We believe it is vitally important that we provide a learning environment free from distractions for our students here at Dio. We ask that you make yourself familiar with our cell phone rules as outlined below and discuss these with your daughter. We look forward to your support in this area. Cell Phone Guidelines Students may bring cell phones to school in the interests of their safety around after school arrangements. The following rules apply at all times: Unless students have teacher permission cell phones must be turned off at all times during form class, scheduled class periods, study periods, chapel and assemblies. If a student chooses to breach the cell phone policy, their cell phone will be confiscated. Students may only turn cell phones on at morning interval and at lunch time daily to check messages. The school takes no responsibility for the security or any loss of these items. Please note: Cell phones may be used for educational purposes under the guidance of the classroom teacher in a BYOD capacity during timetabled classes. If a student chooses to breach the cell phone policy, their cell phone will be confiscated for up to five days and handed to the Deputy Principal of Pastoral Care. At the end of the school day, the student may negotiate with the Deputy Principal for its return. The student may also receive a detention. We believe that access to cell phones for social use during timetabled class interrupts learning and request both students and parents/caregivers demonstrate respect for these rules around cell phone use. Can you Help? Have you got a spare pair of regulation school sandals or black winter shoes that are no longer of any use to your family? If so package these up and deliver them to Mrs Pacey. She always has girls who have misplaced their sandals or shoes and wish to borrow a pair. Student Motor Vehicles Day students wishing to drive themselves to school are requested to register their mode of travel with the school. We have a responsibility to ensure we maintain our school s good relationship with our neighbours, many of whom are elderly. We ask all students bringing a vehicle to school to observe the local parking regulations. The registration of a vehicle assists the school in delivering messages to students relating to the general security of vehicles as well as issues around parking that are often delivered to the office. This assists students in avoiding the dilemma of dealing with flat batteries due to lights being left on or having to locate a vehicle that may have been towed for breach of parking regulations during the day. Day students can collect registration forms from the Student Services Office. A letter from a parent or guardian detailing the type of activities for which vehicle use is permitted must accompany the registration form. Type of activities might include travel to and from school and travel to and from class/sport/arts activities outside school. These activities must be within those allowed under the school rules. The Deputy Principal of Pastoral Care will oversee the registration process. 4

5 We expect girls to behave within the law regarding their licence and the carriage of passengers, and request you as parents also support and enforce this. Students caught in breach of school expectations and/or the law may face vehicle use restrictions, a school detention and/or a stand down from school. The school takes no responsibility for any damage that may occur to any vehicle parked in the local area surrounding the school grounds during the school day and all cars should be insured accordingly. Open Day 2013 Friday 15 March, am to 12.30pm What to do if reminders: Your daughter is late for school If students arrive at school anytime after 8.25am they must sign in at Student Services and present a note to explain their lateness. Your daughter is going to be absent from school for a day or part of a day Parents are to phone the school absence line or absent@waikatodiocesan.school.nz before 8.00am. A phone call, or a note from parents are all recognised forms of explanation for the absence. If your daughter needs to leave during the school day Your daughter must give a note to her form teacher who will issue her with an Out of School pass on the day in question. This pass is then presented at Student Services when she goes to sign out. You are planning to take your daughter out of school for leave of one day or more Applications for leave should be made in writing to the Deputy Principal Mrs Amy Hacker or by to ahacker@waikatodiocesan.school.nz at least 10 days in advance. It is the student s responsibility to check on any assessments due during this time and complete a school absence assessment form which can be collected from Student Services Reception. Please note you will receive a formal reply once the request has been processed. Procedures for unwell girls during the school day If you daughter is unwell during the school day she must sign out at Student Services and go to the School Healthcare Centre where she will be assessed by the Nurse. If she needs to be sent home the Nurse will contact the Parent or Caregiver. We would appreciate your support with this procedure. If you receive contact directly from your daughter please phone reception before you make arrangements for her to be taken home. It is important we are aware of all students whereabouts throughout the school day. Registration 10.00am Principal s Welcome 10.30am School Tours pm Off Street Parking at Martin Street Entrance (Off McNicol Street). Waikato Diocesan School for Girls is the only Anglican girls secondary school in the Waikato offering boarding for Year 9 to Year 13 girls. For further information, please contact: admissions@waikatodiocesan.school.nz (07) Applications are now open for the Waikato Diocesan School Foundation Year 9 Academic Scholarships Up to two full-fee scholarships will be awarded to prospective Year 9 day school students who display academic excellence, but for fi nancial reasons would otherwise not be considering the school. Closing date for 2014 applications is 5.00pm, 30 April, Making the Dio Difference For an application form and list of criteria, please visit our website, or phone us for an application pack Extn 2722, The school acknowledges the generous support of the Waikato Diocesan School Foundation. 5

6 BP Challenge 2012 A big congratulations to Team McKenzie (Bronte Douglas, Victoria Chan, Phoebe Havill and Sophie Thomas) who placed third in the 2012 BP Community Enterprise Competition, gaining an Excellence award and a $1,000 prize to put towards their project costs. The group sewed and decorated floor cushions, bean bags, 3D triangle cone cushions, animal tails and ears, and dress up capes and aprons for the McKenzie Centre. Also receiving a merit award and a $500 prize was the team of Grace Reid, Nicole Xue, Taylah Warren and Selina Smith. Their new 'teenage hangout' provides the teenage support group at Rainbow Place a space of their own to receive support in and relax. Rainbow Place (part of Hospice Waikato) provides specialised therapeutic support for children and young people experiencing change, loss and grief around the serious illness and/or death of a loved one. It also provides specialised nursing support for children and young people who themselves have a serious illness. Our NCEA Results Once again the girls at Waikato Diocesan School have earned some very pleasing results through the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). The NCEA school results and statistics can be viewed from late March on the National Qualifications Authority (NZQA) website. As a school, we do our own analyses to identify our strengths and areas to be specifically targeted for potential improvement. We are delighted to inform you that our students have performed admirably when compared with most national averages and across all year levels. These results are very pleasing and are consistent with our commitment to academic rigour and achievement. While such national benchmarking is important, our primary goal is to challenge all of our students to achieve at the highest level of which they are capable. At Year 11 and 12, our students consistently outperformed national averages in the Level 1 and 2 NCEA qualifications. The BP Community Enterprise Competition requires students to identify a local non-profit community organisation and apply their learning to benefit the organisation. Working in teams, students identify a capital project they can complete for the organisation. They must put together a proposal including a budget. L-R: Grace Reid, Nicole Xue, Taylah Warren and Selina Smith sit in the teenage hangout that they created for Rainbow Place. Year 9 to 12 Winter Skirt Restyled! The Year 9 to 12 red winter kilt will be changing to a much more user-friendly style this winter. Over the past 12 months, considerable consultation with various stakeholder groups has taken place around this style update. The current winter kilt can still be worn by students and there is a small quantity of the old style kilts still available from the school shop at a reduced price should you wish to purchase one. All items of winter uniform will be available for purchase from Wednesday 20 March. All students are required to wear winter uniform from the beginning of Term Two. At year 13, we are particularly proud of our results in % of our students earned their L3 certificate. In addition to our exceptional results, we are proud of our high student retention rates. We have a large proportion of our girls who stay on for their final year in school and become involved in leadership roles as well as continuing to maintain a full schedule of academic, sporting and cultural commitments. Despite this, our school NCEA L3 and University Entrance (UE) results are still above all of the national benchmarks. 6

7 Scholars 2013 Recognising Our Top Scholars In addition to earning an NCEA qualification, all students have the opportunity to have their qualifications endorsed with Merit or Excellence. To obtain such an endorsement, students must earn at least 50 credits at or above the level of the endorsement. The graph below shows that the percentage of students at WDSG who achieve an endorsed qualification has been steadily increasing since was our best preforming year to date. Year 12 Hilary Barker Hazel Brooking Haylee Brown Dana Buchanan Anna Bullen Jessica Chanwai Abigail de Beer Veronica Ellis Olivia Finer Georgina Foot Amelia French Rosanna Geenty Caroline Grunewald Shae Holcroft Sophia Holdsworth Hayley Kay Sarah Knighton Ruby Lyon Year 13 Kate Anderson Mary Bollen Tarryn Davey Emma Densem Angela Dodd Danielle Fairey Hannah Fielding Cassidy Garrett Sarah Mackie Hannah Mansergh Ella McDonald Brianna Morris Gina Nicholls Rachel Nunn Talia Powell Claudia Reid Ellen Simpson Kate Slater Tayla Smit Hannah Spittal Amy Chen-Yu Sun Natalie Trow Elinor Tsen Victoria Wilson Lauren Woolerton Kuan-Yu Kuo Hayley Lovelock Anna Massey Hannah McFarlane Bethany Mills Sally Park Ellie Pirrit Naphisa Pulsiriwanna In addition, Dio girls outperformed national and decile 10 averages. We are extremely proud of our students who have obtained Merit and Excellence endorsements as these qualifications are a reflection of student dedication and persistence. The following girls have attained an Excellence endorsement at L1 or L2 and have therefore earned membership in the prestigious Scholars group to be acknowledges by a special Scholars pin presented in an assembly this term. Louise Glyde Kelly Greer Affirmations February 2013 Affirmations are awarded for positive behaviour both in and out of the classroom. 3rd set Sunny Chen 11MO Lynley St George Emily Totman 7

8 2013 NZQA Examination Timetable Day / Date Time NCEA L1 NCEA L2 NCEA L3 Scholarship Friday 8 November Drama Monday 11 November 9.30 am English German Samoan Statistics 2.00 pm Economics Te Reo Māori Art History Tuesday 12 November 9.30 am German English Spanish English 2.00 pm Accounting Latin Biology Wednesday 13 November 9.30 am Mathematics Art History Calculus Physical Education 2.00 pm Physics Latin Te Reo Rangatira Thursday 14 November 9.30 am Biology Education for Te Reo Rangatira Sustainability 2.00 pm History Te Reo Rangatira English Friday 15 November NO EXAMINATIONS ON THIS DAY Biology Saturday 16 November 9.30 am History 2.00 pm Chemistry Monday 18 November 9.30 am Science Samoan Economics 2.00 pm Samoan / Te Reo Rangatira Mathematics Health Calculus Tuesday 19 November 9.30 am Agricultural and Horticultural Science Chemistry History Agricultural and Horticultural Science 2.00 pm French Spanish Chemistry Wednesday 20 November 9.30 am Media Studies Media Studies Statistics 2.00 pm Business Studies Te Reo Māori Art History Accounting Thursday 21 November 9.30 am Chemistry Geography Accounting Latin 2.00 pm Classical Studies Home Economics Home Economics Te Reo Māori Friday 22 November 9.30 am Geography Biology Geography 2.00 pm Home Economics Japanese Classical Studies Physics Saturday 23 November 9.30 am Geography 2.00 pm Music Monday 25 November 9.30 am Te Reo Māori History Business Studies Spanish 2.00 pm Physics Business Studies Physics Tuesday 26 November 9.30 am Economics French Earth and Space Science 2.00 pm Drama Earth and Space German Science Wednesday 27 November 9.30 am Social Studies Classical Studies Drama French Chinese 2.00 pm Japanese Music Media Studies Economics Thursday 28 November 9.30 am Chinese Social Studies French Media Studies 2.00 pm Health Health Dance Samoan Friday 29 November 9.30 am Music Accounting Music Studies Japanese 2.00 pm Latin Agricultural and Chinese German Horticultural Science Saturday 30 December NO EXAMINATIONS ON THIS DAY Monday 2 December 9.30 am Dance Drama Making Music 2.00 pm Art History Chinese Agricultural and Classical Studies Horticultural Science / Japanese Tuesday 3 December 9.30 am Spanish Dance Social Studies Earth and Space Science 2.00 pm NO EXAMINATIONS AT THIS TIME 8

9 STAR Courses The STAR (Secondary Tertiary Alignment Resource) is funding provided to all state Secondary Schools to help students decide what they want to do when they leave school. This gives students access to a wide range of courses which will motivate them to achieve and help to make informed decisions about their future. There are many opportunities available to Dio students, ranging from one day short courses through to University papers. One day courses are beneficial to students who may be unsure of their career path whereas University papers are designed to challenge Year 13 students academically in preparation for future learning. Most Wintec short courses are offered to Year students with the opportunity to try up to three courses during the year. These courses may include: Nanny Hairdressing Animal Technology Working with Children Hospitality Horticulture/ Landscape Design Health Education Interior Design Practical Science Interactive Multimedia Technologies Beauty Therapy and Nail Design Music Production Pattern Making and Grading PR, Journalism and Radio Floristry Sport and Exercise Science Outdoor Education Photoshop Illustrator Printmaking Short Video Production All courses have block bookings throughout the year; however, alternative dates can be arranged on request. In addition, there are many Distance Learning opportunities for students with a chosen career path who would like to get a head start and, in many cases, gain extra credits. Students are expected to complete this course work in their own time with many courses requiring a commitment of up to 10 hours a week. Such courses include the following: Health Science, Sport Coaching, Sports Training and Development (Year 13+). Wintec Tourism. University of Canterbury Introducing Modern Art, Greek Mythologies, American History, The News Machine, Science: Good, Bad, Bogus, Intro to Microeconomics, Education. Waikato University Philosophy, Computer Science, Economics. Retail Institute Customer Service. WelTec Customer Service, Business Skills. All of the above courses are FREE OF CHARGE and we encourage students to make the most of all the opportunities available to them. Once a commitment has been made, however, we do expect students to complete all course work to the best of their ability. If a student fails to do so, they will be asked to reimburse the course cost so that this funding can be allocated to other students. Dio Careers is now on Facebook. If you have a few minutes free at night, check in to find out the latest news and information on upcoming courses. Search Careers at Waikato Diocesan. Enquires can be made to Mrs Plaisted in the homestead or via kplaisted@waikatodiocesan.school.nz Film SLR Cameras needed If you have any old SLR film cameras lying around at home gathering dust, please consider donating them to the Visual Art Department. Level 2 photography students will be using the cameras to produce photographic prints using the school darkroom. Cameras can be dropped to Reception attention: Art Department. Waiariki Polytech Journalism, Introduction to Creative and Poetic Writing, Fashion Measurement Taking, Woman s Pattern Block Development. Telford Rural Polytech Equine, Agriculture, Horticulture (Year 12+). Southern Institute of Technology Animal Care, 9

10 Online Ordering of Form Class Photos This year the ordering of form class photos will be done online (the same process as used for ordering the group photos last year). Student Leaders 2013 Student Executive Mission 2013: To create a united environment where young women are inspired to live with passion and purpose. Individual student photos and forms class photos were taken on 1 February. At the end of week three all students would have received their individual Shoot Codes which you will need to use for ordering photos online. How does the online ordering system work? Each student will receive a randomly generated eight digit Shoot Key Code which will only access THEIR photos Parents/guardians go online to view all photos their daughter is in Order is completed and payment is made online Orders placed within the three week timeframe are delivered to Dio to save parents/guardians the cost of postage and packaging. Advantages of the online ordering system: PhotoLife s highly secure system means users can ONLY access their own photos and cannot grab other student s images off the internet and post to other electronic media or reproduce them No more handing out of envelopes and collecting money Parents and guardians can view photos before purchasing Orders can be placed any time after the three week time frame and are posted directly to families. For any queries relating to the ordering of school photos, please contact Mrs Johl on fjohl@waikatodiocesan. school.nz or extn Mary Bollen Tarryn Davey Head Girl: Mary Bollen Deputy Head Girl: Tarryn Davey Amokura: Hariata White Mana Wahine Kiani Elers Nicola Spence Michaela Osborne Te Amorangi Heremaia Flavell Mae Beattie Aleah Waea Hariata White Head of Academic Achievement: Ellie Pirrit Council Hannah Fielding Michaela Honiss Hayley Lovelock Rebecca Moss Danielle Fairey Sarah Knighton Amy Sun Wanting to get rid of that old white-ware? The Dio production is on the search for old white-ware as props. If you are planning on updating any of the following, fridge/freezers, washing machines, dryers, chest freezers we would love to take them off your hands {pickup service is available} and dispose of them afterwards.. Any assistance is greatly appreciated. Please contact Alistair Hutcheson: ahutcheson@ waikatodiocesan.school.nz or on extn Head of Arts: Cassidy Garrett Council Emily Totman Sally Park Joanna Stewart Siobhan McKeogh Alexandra Gordon Nicola Jefferies Hazel Brooking Ruby Lyon Ellie Pirrit Cassidy Garrett 10

11 Head of Boarding: Stacey Merchant Council Anna Massey Alice McSweeney Jacky Picot Holly Miller Tiffany Temple Georgina Hayes Ella Kington Matea Maich Head of Environment: Hannah McFarlane Council Maddie Kingma Stephanie Kibblewhite Ashleigh Ilton Angela Dodd Sarah Henderson Zoe Lunniss Larni Pirrit Lucy Nesdale Head of Events: Louise Glyde Council Louise Anselmi Emma Densem Natalie Tushingham Lily Brown Siobhan Nuzum Hannah Sullivan Jordan Gower Abby Knight Stacey Merchant Hannah McFarlane Head of Sports: Abbi Souchon Council Lucy Shingleton Codie Taute Micaela Ashford Danni Hodges Madison Wrathall Laura Collins Jessie Hodges Victoria Wilson Head of Student Council: Isabelle Condon Head of Blake: Emily Donderwinkel Head of Hillary: Caroline Elliott Head of Ross: Lydia Burnett Head of Scott: Kelly Greer Head of Shackleton: Jordyn Crouch Head of Wilson: Annabelle Fraser Board of Trustee Student Rep: Keita Payne (Year 12) Abbi Souchon Isabelle Condon Head of Mission: Sarah Natzke Council Alysha Dawbin Louise Glyde Emily Donderwinkel Caroline Elliot Lydia Burnett Lucy Morrison Emily Caldwell Katherine Harrison Haylee Brown Amelia French Jessica Hill Sarah Natzke Kelly Greer Jordyn Crouch Annabelle Fraser 11

12 Revelations from the Rev Greetings to you all. I hope that 2013 has started with promise and challenge and that this New Year will bring blessings to you all. We recently celebrated Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday: and thus our Lenten journey has begun. Lent is a time for considering our path with God. It involves whatever means we need to grow closer in our walk with God. We have six weeks to reflect on various aspects of Jesus journey to the cross on Good Friday and the glorious resurrection miracle of Easter Sunday. This year Easter falls separately from the holidays at the end of term one, so it s an even better opportunity to reflect on some of the aspects of our lives which cause us to stumble and to not be able to maintain the relationship with God that we so desire. Last weekend a small group of mission team and Mana Wahine girls and four teachers went on pilgrimage with Archbishop David Moxon to Oihi Bay in the Bay of Islands. This Bay is where Samuel Marsden first preached the Christian message on Christmas Day in Historically and spiritually this was a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other better and to share with Archbishop David before he takes up his new appointment in Rome. Our first House Service with Scott, Wilson and Blake houses will take place on 3 March in the All Saints Chapel at 7.30pm. Remember that the girls and parents of these Houses need to attend and, if unable to, must indicate their absence by or letter. (jclark-olson@waikatodiocesan.school.nz) Our House Services are an important way for us to connect with each other and our wider school community. Our school theme this year is connecting in all ways: with God, with friends and family and electronically with the wider world. So let us make sure that we start this connection well. May God bless you in making your connection with Waikato Diocesan a strong link for your family. Blessings, Rev Jill Waikato Diocesan School Association Inc. Happy New Year and a big welcome to all families new to Dio in We have a number of exciting items on our agenda for this year, the first being the Dio Junk Sale. This will be held on Saturday 16 March at the school. If you have anything you would like to donate or no longer want, please diojunksale@gmail.com We are still seeking gardeners/helpers for our Dio Day Out Gardens and Art. The sub-committee is open to grandparents and parents of Old Girls, so please let us know if you are interested in getting involved. If you want to showcase your garden as part of Dio Day Out then please diodayout@gmail.com We are also looking for parents who wish to be on our auxiliary/helpers list. If you are interested, please contact Carolien Carden, Secretary WDSA Inc (rccarden@xtra. co.nz) so that you can be included in the list. New Parents very welcome! Our next meeting is 12 March (AGM). These meetings are a great way to meet other parents of students at Dio so if you are interested or have any questions please Carolien or any of the following current committee members: Lindsay Geenty Megan Beveridge Beverly Loxton-Barry Ed Coombes Jo Hull Lisa Thomas- Gzepanski Rowan Hayes Advertise in DioNews lindsaygeenty@gmail.com waikato.branch@iod.org.nz Beverly.loxton-barry@fonterra.com edshelleyc@hotmail.com johannahull@xtra.co.nz lisaandcharlie@xtra.co.nz opito1@farmside.co.nz Put your name in front of the Dio community, while supporting your school by becoming a DioNews advertiser. DioNews is a full colour professionally designed publication printed twice a term and sent out to all current Waikato Diocesan School families. Here s your chance to book a business card size advertisement for just $ GST, or a Solace Strip for just $ GST. For a booking form and deadlines please contact development@ waikatodiocesan.school.nz or phone extn 2797, or pick up a booking form from reception. 12

13 Sun Smart 2013 Be wise, aware and alert about the dangers of the sun. Excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun causes sunburn, damages the skin and also increases the risks of skin cancer. (Not to mention makes you look old too soon). New Zealand has one of the highest melanoma rates in the world. Melanoma is a tumour that develops from pigment cells. They most commonly occur in the skin or body parts that have been sunburned. If detected early most melanomas are curable but can spread rapidly and can be life threatening. According to experts one or more episodes of sunburn as a small child or adolescent have been shown to increase the risk of melanoma later in life. BUT... the good news is, that this is something we can take control of ourselves. It is as easy as: SLIP, SLOP, SLAP AND WRAP. Sun protection Stay out of the sun between 10.00am and 4.00pm. That is when it is at its hottest. (During the summer months especially) Skin can burn in as little as 15 minutes in the mid-day sun. Wear suitable clothing to protect your skin, eyes and head. Use a sun block /sun screen on exposed skin. Apply this about 15 minutes before you go into the sun. Avoid sunbeds, they are just as bad for your skin. Reference: Cancer Society Sun Protection Policy. Health Information Regarding Head Lice We have had several reports of head lice within our school community. We ask that you take the time to read the following information on the treatment of Head Lice and to check your daughter s hair this evening and again in the weekend. Identification Head lice are blood sucking insects that live and feed on human scalps. The adult louse is about the size of an ant. Head lice eggs nits are hair coloured and therefore difficult to see. Eggs that have hatched appear white and are usually found 1 cm from the scalp. Mode of transfer Transfer is considered to occur when heads come into close contact. They cannot jump, fly or swim. Therefore they will not pass from one person to another in swimming pools. Life cycle Females may lay up to six eggs each night. Eggs are laid close to the scalp and glued to hair shafts. Eggs hatch between 7-10 days. Head lice are able to lay eggs 10 days after hatching. Control of head lice An effective approach would be for the hair to be wet combed with a fine toothed comb on a regular basis. Intervention Methods Weekly wet combing, using a fine toothed comb or a nit comb available from pharmacies. If head lice are found the person will need to wet comb every night for three weeks. This will not get rid of nits but will get rid of the young head lice as they hatch. Robicomb this comb operates with a battery and kills or stuns the lice electronically. It is used on dry hair and costs about $70 and is available from pharmacies. Insecticidal head lice shampoos most infestations of head lice can be cleared by the use of wet combing over a three week period. A severe infestation may need treatment with an insecticidal shampoo, available from pharmacies. Removal of hatched eggs there is no clinical reason to remove hatched nits, there can be social reasons to do so. These hatched nits will be firmly attached to the hair strands and will not be removed by brushing. They can be removed by picking them off by hand one by one or use a rinse solution of vinegar and water in an equal ratio. This solution may sting if applied to broken skin. Cover the wet head with a towel or shower cap for about half an hour then comb with a fine toothed comb. NOTE: There is no need to stop children from attending school. They cannot be passed from one to another in swimming pools. It is recommended that people do not share towels, hats, swimming caps, helmets and headbands. Please discourage the sharing of brushes and combs. Reference: Nelson, Debbie (1998) The Management of Pediculosis capitus. South Auckland Health 13

14 School Production This year s school production is Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Rehearsals are already well underway with the students being put through their paces. Head of Drama and the shows Director, Lee Armitage, says that the setting will be new and edgy, with the classic Shakespeare being set post-apocalyptic; after a nuclear war in a world that is dark, fierce, and full of hardship. Special congratulations go to Ben Smither and Georgie Foot who have been cast in the main roles as Romeo and Juliet. Also congratulations to the following students who have had their original music selected for the score: Gwen Lyon (class of 2012), Ashley Strathern (class of 2012), Cassidy Garrett, Ruby Lyon, Emily Donderwinkel, Ellen Simpson, Joanna Stewart, Dana Buchanan. Romeo and Juliet Cast Romeo Juliet Friar Lawrence Mercutio The Nurse Tybalt Capulet Lady Capulet Montague Lady Montague Paris Benvolio Prince Escalus Friar John Balthasar Sampson Gregory Abraham The Apothecary Peter Little girl Page Servants Watchmen Ben Smither Georgie Foot Hazel Brooking Hannah McFarlane Emily Donderwinkel Lynley St George Lucy Nesdale Rachel Nunn Jess Tapp Ali Gordon Hillary Barker Jonty Larsen Katherine Harrison Shae Holcroft Steph Kibblewhite Lucy Boddy Emily Grace Leah Tebbutt Ali Gordon Steph Wallis Katie Garvey Ariana Brunet Tegan Crawford Hinemoana Douglas Sunny Chen Maddie Christie Claire Swarbrick Michaela Osborne Singers Citizens/Guests Sheliah Winn 2013 Georgia Cooney Casey Roycroft Hinemoana Douglas Katie Garvey Pietta Barnett, Kate Slater, Isabella Murison, Bethany Swanson, Jordyn Renner, Phoebe Bedford, Talitha Patrick, Grier Gardyne, Emily Stevens, Alex McLennan, Phoebe I anson, Maddie Christie, Claire Swarbrick, Michaela Osborne, Tegan Crawford, Hinemoana Douglas, Sunny Chen, Georgia Cooney, Ariana Brunet, Katie Garvey, Steph Wallis, Ali Gordon, Leah Tebbutt, Emily Grace, Lucy Boddy, Steph Kibblewhite, Shae Holcroft This popular Shakespeare competition is in Week 12 of this term and will be run by new drama teacher Mrs Tanya Gould. Hairspray Don t forget to get your tickets for Hamilton Operatic Society s production of Hairspray featuring Dio s very own Remy and Cassidy Garrett, Ruby Lyon and Old Girl Gwen Lyon. The season runs 22 February to 9 March and tickets can be purchased through Ticketek.com Break a Leg! It is with sadness that we farewell Renee Casserly from the Arts Coordinator position. Renee has successfully raised the profile of Arts in the school, and her enthusiasm and passion for all things arty will be greatly missed. Renee is off to work as a production manager in an Auckland theatre company and we wish her all the best as she follows her dreams. Although we are saying goodbye to Renee, we are very fortunate to be welcoming Miss Natalie Sangster into the role of Arts Coordinator for the first half of this year. Natalie brings with her a wealth of experience in drama and dance, and being a trained teacher also adds another string to her bow. Don t forget to become an online supporter of Arts&Culture@Dio! Just click on the link on the school homepage and sign up. 14

15 Muses from the Music Department Wow! What a ride! It s only a few weeks into the year and the Music Department in Dio is already in full swing and in good heart! Barbershop Barbershop started off the Term in sprightly style with a full day workshop at Marion School on Saturday 2 February. Thirty-seven keen young women in harmony attended this workshop with Lynn Jamieson and were in fine voice. If their informal performance at the end of the day is anything to go by it looks like Dio Barbershop is set for a great year! Barbershoppers, don t forget your next Intensive rehearsal: Friday 22 February pm. Choir The Return of the Dio Orchestra WANTED Flute and Clarinet players Violin and Cello players Trumpet and Trombone players Triangle and Timpani players Pianists who d like to learn another instrument or join the percussion section. Rehearsals: Wednesday afternoons (early finish) from 2.30pm to 4.00pm commencing Wednesday 20 February. Musical Director/Conductor: Mrs Maria Colvin (Flute player, ex member of Waikato Youth Orchestra and Richmond Orchestra (London) and conducting experience spanning 15+ years). We will focus on fun and good times beginning with a light and fun repertoire with some good quality music making. We will be working towards the Waikato Band and Orchestra Festival on 23 August 2013 plus other varied performances. Jazz Band Jazz Band kicks off shortly too. Under the accomplished baton of chief groover Mr Clive Burnell, this group will rehearse Friday lunchtimes commencing Friday 22 February. We are looking for more trumpet, trombone, saxophone and rhythm section players for Dio s Choir warm up at their first rehearsal. Choir has started with 27 fine singers turning up to the first rehearsal and a very fruitful pizza workshop on the 8th February. Going by our excellent beginning, Dio Choir is also set for a very successful year. Watch this space! We ve got some great workshops coming up with New Zealand s top choral masters as follows: 1 March Workshop Roger Stevenson (former conductor New Zealand Secondary Schools Choir) 15 March Workshop Rowan Johnstone (conductor of Choralation and three-time winner of The Big Sing) The Hummingbirds There s a new kind of pitch perfect sound entering the music department this year. Under ex-student and arts laureate Gwen Lyon, we are putting together a new group called the Hummingbirds which will comprise of 9-12 students. It will be an accappella group similar to that heard on the recent movie Pitch Perfect. Auditions have so far gone exceedingly well and more information will follow as the group members are finalised. If you have any questions about any of the above please feel free to contact me at school mcolvin@ waikatodiocesan.school.nz or phone extn Yours in Music, Mrs Maria Colvin 15

16 From the Sports Desk New Sports Director We are delighted to welcome Miss Liz Goer to the position of Director of Sport. Liz joins Waikato Diocesan after four years as the Sports Manager and six years as a coach of the cycling team at Auckland Diocesan School. She has also worked as a swim coach for the Mt Eden Swimming Club Kids Therapy, which involved physical rehab work for kids who had major surgery or injuries. Outside of her position at Dio, she is a competitive triathlete and has competed at the World Ironman Championships in Kona Hawaii. She was also a member of the New Zealand team that competed in the World Championships in Auckland in October As a competitive sportswoman with a wealth of experience competing, coaching and working on sports committees and in school sporting departments, Liz understands what is necessary to make sport successful at both participation and performance level. I am looking forward to my role as Director of Sport at Waikato Diocesan as I think the school has some fantastic sporting talent as well as facilities and it is going to be very exciting to be able to work with the different sports codes to hopefully achieve some outstanding results throughout the year, says Liz. Participation in sport is such an important part of a student s development in their schooling years. It helps students develop physical skills, get exercise, make friends, have fun, learn to be a member of a team and improves self-esteem. Liz has a Bachelor of Physical Education majoring in Exercise and Sport Science from Otago University. Congratulations to Codie Taute who was selected in the New Zealand U19 Touch Squad. She has recently competed in the Youth Trans- Tasman Series being in Auckland. Maxyna Cottam who has been in Invercargill competing at the Elite and U19 track cycling Nationals. Maxyna had a fantastic competition where she returned with five Bronze medals. Well done to Maxyna our star track cyclist. Hariata White who received an award at the Waikato Secondary Schools Sportswoman of the Year for Waka Ama. Hariata also recently competed in the New Zealand Waka Ama Nationals where she won Gold in the 500m sprint race and Silver in the 1000m sprint race in the J19 women s category. Congratulations also to the following girls who received awards in their sports codes at the Waikato and Regional Secondary Schools Sport Awards: Dakota Craig Snow sports 2012 Sportswoman of the Year at the Waikato Sports Awards. Isabella Coombes was a finalist in the Waikato Secondary Schools All-Rounder of the Year category at the Regional Sports Awards early this year. Results Update Equestrian Our Dio girls competed in the Tauranga World Cup Final Equestrian Championships gaining some great results: Lucy Bull 3rd in the Pony Grand Prix Hannah Bodle 2nd in the 1.20m Jump and 6th in the Pony Grand Prix Tessa Ranger 3rd in the 1.20 Jump Lauren Garland won two classes Well done girls! Lauren Garland and Lottie. Hannah Bodle rides her way to 2nd place in the 1.20m jump. 16

17 Cycling Bike NZ recently selected a 13 strong under 19 team to contest at next month s Oceania Road Cycling Championships in Canberra. The event including a time trial and road race will be held on March. The under 19 women s team consists of seven members including our cycling captain Madison Farrant and Dio Old Girl Robin Hacker-Cary. Congratulations girls, we look forward to following your progress. Madison Farrant has been selected in the Bike NZ under 19 team to contest at next month s Oceania Road Cycling Championships. athletics Our athletics team was very successful at the NZSS Athletics Championships held in Dunedin in December last year. Mary Bollen won the open girls 200m Steeple Chase. As a result of this achievement she was selected in the New Zealand Secondary Schools Paper Team. Jessie Hodges, Lauren Garland, Tarryn Davey and Ellie McCleery came 3rd in the senior girls 4x100m relay and 1st in the Senior girls 4x400m relay. Tarryn Davey was subsequently selected in the NZ Secondary Schools Athletics team. She also competed in the Australian Youth Olympic Festival where she won Silver in the 800m. Congratulations Tarryn. On 9 February a number of current and past Dio girls competed in the 2013 Porritt Classic and achieved some really great results. Dio old girl Ellie McCleery came 5th in the Women s 200m Dio old girl Danielle Botha came 3rd in the Women s Hammer Throw throwing 47.93m Tarryn Davey came 1st in her race and 2nd overall in the Women s 400 metre. Her time of was also a personal best. Mary Bollen, Grace Ritchie and Hannah Haworth won the school girls team shield in the Girls 1500 Metre Dianne Rodger s race. Grace Ritchie finished 5th in 4:59.09 Mary Bollen finished 6th in 5:00.00 Hannah Haworth finished 11th in 5:17.00 Great work girls! Mary Bollen (266) and Grace Ritchie (267) compete in the 1500M race. Tarryn Davey (L) on the podium at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival. Lauren Garland, Ellie McCleery, Tarryn Davey and Jessie Hodges celebrate their 1st in the senior girls 4x400m relay. 17

18 Rowing Our rowing teams competed in the Cambridge Town Cup Regatta during Anniversary Weekend. The teams came away with six 1st place finishes, three 2nd place finishes and one 3rd place finish all in A finals. The rowing team also competed in the North Island Club Championships on 8-10 February. The team came away with two Gold medals, four Silver medals and one Bronze medal. What fantastic results from our rowing teams. Netball Micaela Ashford has just participated in a Netball New Zealand National Development Camp in Cambridge. At the camp the triallists for the New Zealand Secondary Schools team for 2013 were named and Micaela was one of the 27 players selected to trial. The trials will be held in Auckland from 5-7 April. From there a squad of 15 (includes three non-travelling reserves) will be selected to represent New Zealand to compete at the Trans- Tasman Secondary Schools Netball Tournament, in Rotorua in May. Liz Goer, Director of Sports lgoer@waikatodiocesan.school.nz Dio Rowers compete at the North Island Championships coming away with two Gold, four Silver and one Bronze medal. Cricket Well done to the all the girls involved in the NZSS Girls Cricket Tournament nationals in Palmerston North at the end of Term Four last year. The girls finished 6th after competing in a round robin format playing five games as their first game was rained off. All the girls thoroughly enjoyed themselves and loved the exposure to such tough competition. Sport Captains 2013 Ellen Webb Badminton Hannah Fielding Basketball Kate Slater Canoe Polo Ashley Hayes Cheerleading Kate Anderson Cricket Madison Farrant Cycling Maggie Allan Cross Country and Multisport Becky Juby Dio Adventure Club Ella Kington Diving Lauren Garland Equestrian Aimee Harty Football Michaela Honiss Golf Siobhan Nuzum Hockey Maddison Kingma Inline Hockey Micaela Ashford Netball Laura Mulligan Rowing Victoria Wilson Snow Sports Amber Helm Squash Alexandra Gordon Swimming Madison Wrathall Tennis Codie Taute Touch Rugby Angela Dodd Volleyball Georgia Hayes Water Polo 18

19 From the Archives Sonning-on-Thames always held a particular fascination for me since my appointment as Dio s archivist. During my visit there last year I attempted unsuccessfully to find the Whitehorn family connection with this beautiful English village. Internet searches of New Zealand genealogy websites for either May or Arthur Whitehorn (the founders of Waikato Diocesan School s predecessor, Sonning School) were more rewarding. I eventually received an from Mrs Whitehorn s grandson, Barry. He has kindly provided the archives with scans of rare family photographs, the early days of Sonning School and its pupils plus detailed information about the family connection with Sonning-on-Thames. It was with much surprise I discovered the family link was through Arthur Whitehorn s maternal line, the Knyvett (Nivit) family, who trace their connection to Sonning back to 600AD. A family member emigrated and settled in Nelson; Mrs Whitehorn s father-in-law was the Postmaster and Customs Officer in Havelock, Marlborough. Barry has been able to confirm that Arthur was the school caretaker and gardener, and was missing several fingers on one hand due to a sawmill accident. May and Arthur are buried in the Hamilton East Cemetery. If you are interested in viewing these photographs please visit me in the archives on Friday between 7.30am and 4.00pm. Susan Mellsopp smellsopp@waikatodiocesan.school.nz Mrs May Whitehorn, Founder of Sonning School. Bridge Day Please join us for a fundraising and friendraising day of Bridge! Sunday 14 April, 2013, 10.30am to 3.00pm Hamilton Bridge Club, 20 Richmond Street, Hamilton $30 per person Includes: morning tea, lunch, glass of wine and lots of prizes! Make up your own table; women, men or mixed. Book your table now! Junk Sale Waikato Diocesan School Association Fundraiser Saturday 16 March 2013, 8.00am to 12.00pm Waikato Diocesan School Gymnasium Martin street (off McNicol Street) Furniture * Appliances * Bikes Toys * Sports Gear Household Items * Clothing * Linen Books * Garden Items RSVP to: Rowan Hayes: opito1@farmside.co.nz Barbara McWilliam: All proceeds to the Waikato Diocesan School Assoc. Inc. Please come along and support this fundraising event.. 19

20 Waikato Diocesan School for Girls presents... Romeo and Juliet A new and edgy take on the Shakespearian classic. 9, 10 and 12 April, 2013 at 7.00pm Nancy Light Hall, Waikato Diocesan School for Girls Tickets just $20.00 (incl GST) on sale at from 9.00am Monday 11 March Tickets will be limited, so be quick! Next issue: Term One, Week 9