Trades Academy

Written by: James Stewart (Year 13)

Since before the start of term 3, we have been chipping away at our long-term project while waiting for plans and permits for the house to be approved. We have also been doing our assessments given by BCITO, which have helped a lot with giving us the knowledge needed to go out into the trades. 

On Thursday, 30th July, a few students were given the chance to go to a Passivhaus conference in Mt Wellington, where they learnt more about what a passive house is and how to apply that knowledge to the house we are currently bringing to that standard. Passive houses are on another level compared to high-performing houses, as they provide more than current high-performing houses, saving you money in the long run. 

The house, for the past few weeks, has been a somewhat empty husk, having only had minor things being done, but now we can get into the real stuff. As of Wednesday, those plans and permits have come through, permitting us to start rebuilding and refurbishing the house to a passive house standard, meaning the house will require less energy to keep the house at the desired temperature.

Sporting Award Nominations

Later this term we'll be celebrating the sporting achievements of our learners!

If your child has represented a local, regional, national or international team or competed at this level, we'd love to hear about it. Please use the appropriate form below to nominate their achievements.

• Year 7 - 8 Sporting Achievements
• Year 9 - 13 Sporting Achievements

Help us recognise and celebrate the dedication, commitment and success of our talented learner athletes!

Year 8 Community Speaker Event

Written by: Mia Peri (Year 8)

On Tuesday, our Year 8 students had the privilege of welcoming four exceptional local community contributors for a special career and community panel.

We were excited to hear from: Jake Law (Deputy Chair Hibiscus and Bays Local Board), Jenny Hanwell (Forest & Bird), John Mahuru (Fire Emergency NZ) and Estefania Muller Pallarès (Hibiscus Zero Waste).

The guest speakers took the stage to share their personal professional journeys, detailing the steps they took to enter their respective fields and the day-to-day realities of their work. Each speaker highlighted the tangible impact their role has on strengthening and supporting our local community.

Students gained valuable insights into diverse career pathways, learning firsthand how passion, dedication, and local engagement can turn into a fulfilling future career. It was an inspiring session that sparked great conversations about future possibilities and the importance of community contribution.

I personally enjoyed hearing from Estefania about the Matariki Festival in Ōrewa. They were able to collect mugs from the op-shop and use these at the festival instead of traditional paper cups. This meant they were able to save 400 paper cups from going into landfill.

48 Hour Film Challenge

Eight learners, supported by five teachers, spent the weekend at the marae taking part in the 48Hours Film Competition.

With just 48 hours to write, shoot, edit and submit a 5-minute film, the team was challenged with the ‘Family Movie’ genre, along with an extreme close-up, a drawing and a rumour to include.

It was a busy weekend full of creativity, learning and plenty of laughs. The team were proud of their final film and should be incredibly proud of what they achieved!

We look forward to sharing the film once judging is complete.

Senior Visual Art Painting Workshop

Recently our learners participated in a practical painting workshop facilitated by Mark Kaneko, Curator of the Massey University Art Collection.

The session began with the viewing and discussion of original New Zealand artworks from the Massey University collection, exploring how artists communicate ideas through material processes, mark making, composition, and text.

Learners then completed a 50-minute abstract painting challenge, experimenting with expressive mark making, layering, and the incorporation of text to communicate meaning and develop confidence with contemporary painting conventions.