Transitions and Orientation Year 9 - 2012

1. Transitions and Orientation Year 9 - 2012 Bishop Viard College

2. Assistant Principal: Ms Colleen SchusterYear 9 Dean: Ms Diana Kelly Year 9 Form Teachers SrMaliaFetuli – 9FI Mr LuiLafou- 9LL Mr Philip Muollo - 9MO

3. The School Curriculum Year 9 Subjects Maths Science English Social Studies Religious Studies Physical Education Options the students choose: French, Maori, Samoan, Art, Music Other Options: Soft Tech, Graphics, Hard Tech, Food Tech

4. Year 9 core subject teachers

5. Equipment and School Uniform • The students will be anxious to have all the correct gear on the right days so please help them get ready the night before school or in the morning. • Label all items clearly with their full name • PHYSICAL EDUCATION • Red and green striped PE shirt and shorts. • White socks and white soled sports shoes or sandshoes. SCHOOL JACKET • The school uniform has a school jacket for outer wear. • This is the only one the students are allowed to wear.

7. BOYS Grey Shirt with grey shorts or regulation black long trousers, white shirt and tie. Red Viard jersey and Viard socks. Black leather school shoes, or in summer Roman sandals. The formal Uniform: Viard tie, white shirt, and red college blazer with regulation black long trousers. The formal uniform is optional for daily wear from year 7. GIRLS Short sleeved white open-necked blouse or long sleeved white blouse with skirt in green tartan. (White skivvy is optional for winter wear). Red Viard jersey. Three quarter white socks for summer, or black tights for winter. Black leather school shoes, or in summer Roman sandals. The formal uniform: Viard tie, white blouse, and red college blazer with regulation tartan skirt. The formal uniform is optional for daily wear from year 7.

8. Contacting the School Please feel free to contact the school with any questions or queries. We are happy to help and support you and your child to make a successful transition into the Bishop Viard Junior School community.

9. Contacting the School • For a child’s absence ring the school office on 237 5248 in the morning, preferably before 9.30am • You can leave messages for the Form teachers and Dean through the main office too and they will call you back • Email is also a good way to contact us: office@viard.school.nz • To contact the Assistant Principal - Junior School, use extension 213 or email schusterc@viard.school.nz • To email the Year 9 Dean: kellyd@viard.school.nz • To email the Form teachers: fetulim@viard.school.nz, lafoul@viard.school.nz, muollop@viard.school.nz

10. Homework and Study • Homework diaries- To keep all your important information in one place (Cost: $5 from school office) • Write out a homework “to do” list- work out what is the most urgent and tick off as you go. • Make a weekly planner- include time for sports activities and chill out time • Set time limits • Keep homework supplies in one place • Ask for help when you need it! • Year 9: About 90 mins a night • Homework club: Library open for one hour every day after school Monday to Thursday for those who would like a quiet place to study with access to books and computers

11. Attendance • Be positive about school • If thereis an issue stoppingstudentsfromcoming to school, please let us know • If a studentistruantfrom class, parents are contacted and the time is to be made up afterschool in the form of detentions • All junior schooldetentions are on Monday, Wednesday and Friday atlunchtime.

12. School Lunches • We encourage healthy lunches here and the school canteen offers many healthy options: - Filled rolls - Fruit - Spaghetti Bolognese - Macaroni • OnlyYear 13’s are permitted to go down to McDonald’s at Lunch time

13. Friends and Bullying • Starting a new school can make children very anxious about bullying and losing friends. • New year 9 students can often feel vulnerable around other bigger, older children • Bullying Prevention programme is run by Miss Madigan, one of our guidance counsellors • Senior Peer Mentors available to support and assist junior students.

14. Questions: We can answer all individual queries after the Stars presentation while parents are going through the consent forms.

15. Stars Group Leader Presentation

16. Stars Components: Peer Mentoring lessons • Peer Mentoring • Year 12 and 13 students are inducted, selected and trained as Peer Mentors • Peer Mentors: • Facilitate activities to a group of Year 9 students that are based on experiential learning (ratio= 3-4 Peer Mentors : 10-12 Y9) • Encourage Year 9 students to develop pro-social relationships with peers • Provide examples of positive mentoring and role-modelling • Meet with their group of Year 9 students weekly during terms one, two & three “Our students need lots of stimulation, patience and respect.. Working with the Group Leaders has given us great tips that really work and keep the students calm and engaged.“ Year 12, Northland College • Group Leader responsibilities • Familiarise yourself with the Stars Peer Mentor Manual • Actively observe Peer Mentor lessons and provide extra support to Peer Mentors or students if required. Ratio = (1 GL: 3-4 Peer Mentors : 10-12 Y9) • Provide practical advice to Peer Mentors who are struggling to positively address challenging behaviours • Assist students to develop SMART goals

17. Stars Components: Adventure camp • Adventure Camp • The Stars Adventure Camp is attended by the Stars Co-ordinator, Year 9 students, Group Leaders and Peer Mentors • Students experience a range of activities that require effort, self-determination, co-operation, perseverance , self reliance and goal-setting “I enjoyed the camp. It was fun and full with exciting new experiences. I learnt leadership skills. It helped me to make new friends and settle in.” Year 9 student • Group Leader responsibilities • Read and apply the ‘Guidelines on Adventure Camp Activities’, ‘Stars Adventure Camp Roles and Responsibilities ‘ and ‘Guidelines for Daily Adventure Camp Debriefing’ in the Stars Programme Manual • Lead Induction and Adventure Camp group tasks with assistance from Peer Mentors • Stay with your group on the Adventure Camp and participate in activities • Conduct a debrief of the day to assist students to process learning and encourage new behaviours • Conduct regular debriefs with Peer Mentors • Assist the Stars Co-ordinator with the collection of evaluation data

18. Stars Components: Community Adventure • The Community Adventure • The Community Adventure helps students to get to know and connect to their community, giving them the opportunity to explore resources and supports • The component provides an opportunity for students to transfer the learning gained from the Adventure Camp to the community context • Some schools complete a version of the ‘Amazing Race’ within this component “Teamwork is really fun and now I know to speak up and not stay quiet. My attitude affects other people.” Year 9 student • Group Leader responsibilities • Assist the Stars Coordinator with organisation • Participate and supervise students. Intervene only when necessary • Ensure students complete their Student Diary/Logbook • Assist the Stars Co-ordinator with the collection of evaluation data

19. Stars Components: Graduation • Graduation • On completion of the programme, Year 9 students, Peer Mentors, parents/ caregivers and other invited guests attend a celebration of students’, Peer Mentors’ and Group Leaders’ achievements and the school’s partnership with Stars. • At the graduation, each group is encouraged to do a short presentation and the students, Peer Mentors and Group Leaders receive their graduation certificates. “It was great. I got to see a lot of careers and experience how jobs work. I learnt that getting the right job takes a lot of work and needs lots of concentration.“ Year 9 student • Group Leader responsibilities: • Group Leaders and the Stars Co-ordinator meet to discuss whether any students should be excluded from graduation. • In order to graduate, Peer Mentors must have attended 75 percent of the Peer Mentoring sessions. They must have contributed positively in planning and facilitating the sessions and completed relevant evaluation forms. • Year 9 students can graduate if they have completed all of the components of the Stars Programme.

20. Stars Components: Community Project • Community Project • The one-day Community Project helps students to think about how they can contribute to the community and the wellbeing of others. • Research has shown that contributing through a volunteer project can increase social connectedness, improve self-concept, and develop positive attitudinal change (Miller et al: 2002) “I learnt that there are plenty of things we can do to help the community and that every little thing you do helps. I will definitely help more in the community in the future.“ Year 9 student • Group Leader responsibilities • Assist the Stars Coordinator with organisation • Participate and supervise students. Intervene only when necessary • Ensure students complete their Student Diary/Logbook

21. LINKS to New ZEALAND CURRICULUM • Stars challenges students to use and develop each of the five learning competencies of the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC). Stars supports students to: • Set and monitor goals, manage timeframes, arrange activities and reflect on and respond to ideas (managing self) • Interact, share ideas and negotiate with a range of people (Relating to others) • Access community resources for information/support and use that information as a basis for action (participating and contributing) • Analyse and consider a variety of possible approaches to problem solve and decide on a course of action (thinking) • Use language appropriate to recording and communicating ideas (using language, symbols and texts) • Stars closely aligns to the Health and Physical Education learning areas of the NZC • Year 9: Level 4-5: Personal Health & Physical Development (Safety Management) • Relationships with Other People (Relationships & Interpersonal Skills) • Healthy Communities & Environments (Community resources) • Year 12/13: Level 7-8: Relationships with Other People ( Personal identity) • Healthy Communities & Environments (Community resources) “ The Stars programme fits well with the directions that the Ministry is taking with key competencies and has become an integral part of our school’s culture and curriculum. It is not regarded as an ‘add on’ by staff or students.” Principal, Northland College

22. Stars year 9 handouts • Every topic delivered in the programme has a relevant handout/ worksheet which summarises key information for Year 9 students • Community Partners, in discussion with each school, either print the Year 9 handouts/worksheets as a stand-alone book or have them inserted into the school’s Year 9 student diary/logbook

23. Benefits for Year 9 Students • The programme makes the transition to high school a positive experience for Year 9 students by providing opportunities for social support and skill /knowledge acquisition • Stars builds relationships between Year 9 students, teachers and senior students • Programme evaluations confirm that: • The Adventure Camp helps Year 9’s to increase confidence and teamwork, and extends friendship groups • The Community Project encourages and teaches Year 9’s the benefits of social reciprocity • The Community Adventure provides Year 9’s with an opportunity to get to know their community better • Peer Mentoring encourages Year 9 students to ‘have fun’, ‘become confident’, ‘work as a team’ , ‘communicate with others’ and ‘make new friends’ “Stars helped me to make new friends and get to know others I didn’t really know. I have made better bonds with the Peer Mentors and have enjoyed their help…I have more respect for everyone in Stars especially teachers and Peer Mentors. I have enjoyed the experience.” Year 9 student

24. Benefits for Peer Mentors • Stars provides increased leadership opportunities for senior students • Peer Mentors report that Stars helps them to develop leadership, self-confidence, patience, friendships and personal growth • Stars enables senior students to give service to their school • Certain Stars schools are supporting senior students to achieve Unit Standard 18862: Facilitate the Stars Peer Mentoring Programme in Schools. “Stars this year has been awesome. You get to help others and it’s good getting to know younger students. You get leadership skills and you learn about yourself” Peer Mentor