Parent KeteFor parents of students in Year 13

For most girls entering Year 13, it can often be a year of highs and lows. Highs for such reasons as the Ball, and the Common Room and Learning. Lows because for some it is decision time i.e. what will I do next year and what will my direction be in terms of learning.

We understand the difficulties girls face and have support mechanisms in place to help. Our main focus is on keeping the girls at school and engaged in their learning. There is strong evidence that tells us the longer girls stay at school the better quality of life they will have in the future, so the girls achieving good qualifications is important to us, and our prime focus.

Our emphasis at Year 13 is on striving for personal excellence, being successful, and in that way giving them a sound and strong spring board for whatever they decide to do after they leave school.

For you as parents, it can be difficult to watch and sometimes to understand, just what the next steps will be for your daughter. We encourage them to be critical and independent learners and they are beginning to spread their wings accordingly.

This information booklet therefore is designed to provide you with the background detail and key dates so that you can support your daughter in her last year of schooling.

While you know we are here for your daughter, we are also here to support you so do not hesitate to contact us.

Yvonne BrowningPrincipal

It is vitally important that girls at this level learn to study. The first distinction that needs to be made is, that homework and study are not the same thing.

Developing good study habits is critical to higher levels of achievement. As a Year 11 student, your daughter was taken through a framework for study. Below is a copy of the framework.__________________________________________________________________________________ Study Environment Study in a quiet/separate area

Keep fuelled while studying; water, nibbles

Ensure you have paper, pens, sticky notes etc

Devise a study plan – “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail”

Study Guidelines Study for decent periods of time: *

2 hours straight OR 1 ½ hr study

½ hr break

1 hr study

1 subject a night (allows for depth of learning)

Study first, do homework second

Give more study time to your weakest subject

See the Ultranet for further Study Ideas and Templates

*In weekends you can do 2 study blocks per day ie. two subjects as long as you leave a 2 block gap between blocks to allow the brain to refresh.

Study Techniques Use a variety of techniques ie. Just reading notes doesn’t have long term retention, so read, write, re-write,

talk the key points, use practice questions.

Other techniques for learning from notes include: mind maps, cue cards, wall charts, definition cards

Use colour paper, pens etc to help remember the information.

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Many girls at Year 13 hold a part-time job. Earning her own money and experiencing work situations can be very exciting. However working as well as attending school takes up time and energy.As a school we can often spot the girls who have taken on part-time work, particularly if they are working 20+hours a week. Such girls are often tired in class and the quality of their homework and assignments diminishes.Staying at school is important. However just being at school and being actively engaged in learning are two different things. Sometimes too much time spent out of school working impedes this active engagement and ultimately the level of achievement.So before part-time work is taken on it is a good idea if you and your daughter discuss the following questions:- Am I/is she an organised girl?- What kind of study habits do I/does she have already?- Do I/does she currently make good use of available time?- Will I / will she be able to manage her learning and assignments as effectively as before?If the answer is no to any of the questions, then I think it is worth reviewing the decision.Learning does need to be her prime focus, particularly for any exam year.

We do not recommend your daughter, particularly if she is serious about achieving and being successful at year 13, do more than 10 hours employed work a week.

Regular attendance is crucial if a student is to be successful in her learning.“Poor attendance is a learning issue”.Sporadic attendance leads to gaps in learning which are often difficult to plug and such difficulties create unnecessary stress and failure to achieve well.

Regular attendance printouts come to you via the reports. We understand that you cannot force your daughter to school, but only support her in her efforts to regularly attend.

Worth noting is that if a girl over the age of 16 misses 20 consecutive days of school, she is removed from the roll and can no longer attend SGHS. The other point is that regular attendance ensures access to certain privileges e.g. the Ball and Common Room usage.

Student Services 03 2116030

Careers and STAR Ext 858/859

Gateway Ext 885

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o It is important that the choice your daughter makes is appropriate for her needs and plans.

o University is not the best tertiary learning option for all students and can be a very expensive choice for a student better suited to the applied/practical learning styles offered at a Polytechnic or other tertiary provider.

o Make an appointment with your daughter at Careers to discuss her planning if necessary.

Familiarise yourself with the Careers New Zealand website:

www.careers.govt.nz

o Check the sections for: School students and leavers Parents, family and whanau Maori Pasifika

o This website is a source of extensive career and pathway information, quizzes and useful links to other websites

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Encourage your daughter to continue to explore and access information opportunities at school:o make a visit/appointment with the Careers Advisoro attend Liaison visits and course planning sessionso request a Work Experience / Work Shadow placemento request a link with a Mentor in a particular career fieldo attend activities such as the Southland District Council Engineering Field Trip,

Occupational Therapy Sessions, Law Seminars.o attend the CareerFesto arrange a visit to a local tertiary providero participate in a Practice Interview session with Mrs Joy Piper

Choosing a Tertiary Institution

does it offer the most relevant course?

what is the location and culture of the institution like or perceived to be?

how does the institution support the learning and welfare of its students?

if possible, make a visit to the Institution(s):

o on an Open Day such as Dunedin Tertiary Day held in May (check dates at school or on tertiary websites)

o by arrangement with the relevant Liaison Office (information at Careers or on tertiary websites)

o participate in a Careers Week e.g: at Telford Rural Polytechnic, Queenstown Resort College, Pacific International Hotel Management School (PIHMS)

o participate in a short introductory course opportunity (often part of STAR programmes) e.g: at SIT, Aoraki Polytechnic, Otago Polytechnic and others.

o the SIT has Open Day opportunities advertised during the year

o Have your daughter participate in an organised visit, such as the Canterbury Tertiary Visit, Open Days at Victoria, Massey, Auckland Universities.

NB: Students may have costs associated with Pathway exploration visits subsidised from STAR funding. [After a visit has been made, evidence of payment is submitted to the Careers Office to apply for some reimbursement].

Extensive information can be sourced from these institution websites and others:

www.otago.ac.nz www.aoraki.ac.nz

www.tekotago.ac.nz www.sirgeorge.co.nz

www.lincoln.ac.nz www.natcoll.ac.nz

www.canterbury.ac.nz www.pihms.ac.nz

www.vicuni.ac.nz www.queenstownresortcollege.com

www.waikato.ac.nz www.sit.ac.nz

www.massey.ac.nz www.telford.ac.nz

www.auckland.ac.nz www.nzis.ac.nz

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www.cpit.ac.nz www.dac.ac.nz

read the Prospectus, course books/brochures, many of which are available at Careers talk to current students to seek their opinions NB: Carefully check the Entrance or Admission Requirements for each institution and chosen

courses e.g: most universities have a Guaranteed Entry Score. This includes the University of Otago.

There may be Portfolio/Audition requirements for some courses

Important Documents

When making applications for tertiary courses, tertiary Colleges of Residence, Scholarships and Student Loans or Allowances, your daughter will require some or all of the following:

Birth Certificate (full A4 type) or Passport Documentation NCEA Level 1 and NCEA Level 2 Certificates NZQA Record of Learning NSI Number (National Student Identification) Bank Account Number (usually on a statement with her name on it) IRD Number Passport photos

NB: If you do not have these, it may take up to three weeks to obtain some of the documents. Start sourcing them now.

Applications for CoursesWhat to do:

Check for application forms at the Careers Office

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Girls will need verified copies of

- Birth Certificates (or Passport)- NCEA Certificates- Record of Learning

It is important to read forms carefully to identify who can verify the documents – some can be verified by the School Principal, others must be verified by a JP, Solicitor or other nominated person.

Download application forms from provider websites

Check all course criteria and course closing dates very carefully

Advise the Careers Office if supporting School Confidential References or other documentation is required [at least three weeks prior to the Application Closing Date] e.g. Colleges of Education, School of Physical Education, Medical Imaging, Occupational Therapy, Nursing

Applications for Colleges of ResidenceWhat to do:

Obtain Application forms from Careers or apply online – do this independently, well before the Closing Date

Submit the School Common Confidential Reference form to the Careers Office with the Student component FULLY completed by the date requested

Prepare any supplementary forms/papers required

Tips for Students (from the University of Otago) for filling out

Colleges of Residence Forms:

Spell accurately

Write tidily

Fill in all three choices

Give your Level 2 results

Say which degree major you are intending to study

Be clear – avoid acronyms

Give DETAILS about your interests and responsibilities

If you add information, make sure it is well presented

Use a sensible email address

Consider any offer of a bed seriously

Accommodation Costs These vary considerably depending on the type of accommodation

A fully catered single room in a College of Residence, will be likely to cost in excess of $12,000; other catering options in a College will alter costs

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To secure an offer of accommodation, there is generally a payment required within two to three weeks of the offer – this will be in the range of $500 to $900

A non-refundable Accommodation application fee may be required (eg: Victoria University $75) and additional contingency fees may apply at the start of the academic year.

All required information is available on the tertiary institution websites – search for: Accommodation or Halls of Residence or Colleges of Residence.

Tertiary Course Costs There is much useful information for parents and students on the institution websites – some

have cost calculators – check: Fees or Course Costs. For the University of Otago – www.otago.ac.nz → go to Studying at Otago → Fees

Funding Your Study

Student Loans and Allowances

Use the website www.studylink.govt.nz

Browse the section “Get Your Future Sussed” which includes many helpful tips

Call Studylink on 0800 88 99 00

Make an appointment to discuss your personal circumstances around accessing Loans or Allowances with Studylink staff at WINZ or at the SIT Main Office, Tay Street, Invercargill

Banking and Budgeting

Check packages offered by a range of banks

Scholarships

Scholarships provide financial assistance for many tertiary learners

There are over 12,500 Scholarships available in New Zealand

The criteria for Scholarships varies widely and individual research is required to determine which Scholarships are appropriate for your daughter

To access information about Scholarships:

Go to www.careers.govt.nz and search Scholarships

Check any tertiary institution website and search their Scholarship pages (both general and undergraduate categories)

Access the BreakOut database through school and updates (allaboutfunding.org.nz) are available on Facebook.

Have your daughter check the starter list of Scholarships which is emailed to all Year 13 girls on the school intranet early in Term 3

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Your daughter can check the Daily Notices, the Careers Notice Board in the Common Room or browse Scholarship information to hand at the Careers Office

Read the Public Notices of The Southland Times (Saturday / Wednesday)

Check parental places of employment for any related Scholarship opportunities e.g. NZAS

Consult family and whanau for any links with community groups or organisations which offer Scholarships

To apply for Scholarships:

Check criteria carefully

Application forms: print off from Internet websites or check if the Careers Office has copies or apply to given addresses or apply online if asked to do so

If a School Confidential Reference is required to support a Scholarship Application, a copy of the correct Reference Form and due date must be supplied to the Careers Office at least two weeks prior to the closing date(NB: Some Scholarships have notified school internal closing dates in order to process requested References)

While the Careers Advisor is available to assist with queries about Scholarship Applications, the final responsibility to prepare applications and meet deadlines remains with the student

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General Overview of Key Term EventsTerm 2May/June/July

Tertiary institutions start distributing information for 2012 –

Prospectus, Course outlines, Accommodation information, Application forms for selected courses (e.g. Colleges of Education, School of Physical Education, numerous Polytechnic courses)

• Applications Open for Colleges of Residence and other courses late in Term 2 or early in Term 3 or as available

NB: Most universities have online application

• Round 1 of in school tertiary Liaison Visits conclude

Interview Information Session prior to individual Interview Practice for ALL Year 13 girls – conducted by Mrs Joy Piper. The girls make bookings in their Study periods

• Girls complete an Application for Leaving form for the Careers Department and head up School Leaver Confidential Reference sheets which are distributed to all their Year 13 subject teachers.

•The information provided by staff about Academic Achievement, Participation in School Life and Personal Qualities, forms the basis of all Confidential References written in support of your daughter for:

- Course applications- Scholarships- Colleges of Residence

This information is also the resource used for the School Testimonial and Profile your daughter receives at the end of year Graduation Ball.

Key Dates list is distributed to all Year 13 girls.

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See Key Dates Section in this Kete.

Applications made for Courses, Colleges of Residence, Scholarships

School Confidential References prepared for Colleges of Residence, Scholarships, some Courses

August / September

Enrolment packs for tertiary institutions and courses start to arrive

August/ October

Course planning takes place during Round 2 of school tertiary Liaison visits

August 26th 2012

Southland CareerFest at Velodrome – public session on Thursday 26th July 2012

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Term 4See Key Dates Section in this Kete.

Further Applications for Courses and Scholarships Dates Section

October

First round of accommodation offers for places in Colleges of Residence made

October/ November

Deposits to be paid to confirm accommodation offers within 2-3 weeks, depending on the individual Hall requirements

Second round of accommodation offers later in Term 4

December

University Enrolments and Discretionary Entry to University due – most by the first week of December

NB: Each tertiary institution has its own Key Dates – check these early to identify Closing Dates

November End of Year Documentation and Textbook Collection

December 3

• Prizegiving – 3 December 2012 – Compulsory for all Year 13 students

• Leavers’ Packs including Testimonials presented at Graduation Ball

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Sample of the Information Letter for Senior Students re End of Year Procedures

LEAVING PROCESS FOR YEAR 13: Referred to as Documentation

Documentation means that your documentation form has the following signed off:

All text books (by subject teacher) All outstanding monies paid. Library books returned. Sports uniforms and/or equipment returned. Cups returned for prizegiving.

It is the responsibility of each student to complete documentation so that

Reports, Leaving Certificates, magazines etc may be issued.

NB: For Year 13 students, all documentation must be completed before

the Graduation Ball in order to receive Certificates and Testimonials.

When your documentation form is completely signed off, please hand it to Student Services.

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ALL SENIORS

The last day at school before NCEA examinations will be Wednesday, 7th November 2012. On that day girls will be given instructions and examination admission slips. They may study at home from then on. School uniform is to be worn for all examinations, except for Year 13 students.

TEXT BOOK COLLECTION

This will happen for each subject BEFORE the examination. Girls report to school with the text books for the examination they are about to sit. The texts will be collected before the examination begins so time should be allowed for this.

DOCUMENTATION DAYS: during the last week of November, 2012

All senior students

This is a further opportunity to complete documentation forms. The whiteboard at Student Services tells where to go. The girls hand Documentation Forms to Student Services and may collect the School Magazine.

MAGAZINE

Available from late November – early December if the Documentation Form has been completed

PRIZEGIVING

The prizegiving ceremony will be held at 4.00pm on Monday, 3 rd December 2012 at the Civic Theatre. Prizewinners will be notified by letter.

Winter uniform must be worn for the Prizegiving Ceremony.

Girls need to check that they know where to sit in the Civic Theatre. The Year Level Co-ordinator will help with this. All Year 13 students to meet at the back of the theatre at 3.30pm.

GRADUATION BALL

All Year 13 leavers and their parents and partners are invited to the Graduation Ball at IWC on 3rd December at 8.00pm. Tickets may be purchased from Student Services. Students must attend prizegiving to be eligible for the Graduation Ball.

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KEY DATESThis is a brief guide only and your daughter must take responsibility for researching her own

requirements for Courses, Scholarships and/or Accommodation

COURSE/APPLICATION CLOSING DATE

Russell McVeagh Law Scholarship Thursday 16 August

Salvation Army Edmund SandersonJeff Farm Scholarship Friday 24 August

Invercargill Licensing TrustTertiary Scholarship (ILT) Friday 24 August

Community Trust of SouthlandTertiary Education Scholarships (CTOS) Friday 10 August

The Dame Jean Herbison Scholarship SGHS only Friday 31 August

Keystone Trust The NZ Property Education Trust 30 August

NZAS Tertiary Education Scholarship 17 August

Solid Energy Tertiary Study Scholarship 19 October

ALL COLLEGES / HALLS OF RESIDENCE APPLICATIONS

University of Otago and Otago Polytechnic – Friday 21 September

University of Auckland – 14 September

University of Canterbury *Lincoln University *Victoria University *Waikato University *Massey University * =* 1 October

University of Otago NB: Further Courses or Queries – check the Prospectus, www.otago.ac.nz or at Careers

o College of Education (Early Childhood / Primary)

Monday 27 August

o Scholarships for:Alumni / Leaders of Tomorrow / Maori and Pacific

15 August

o Performance Music Auditions 1 September

o Medical Radiation Therapy 15 September

o School of Physical Education 15 August

o 2012 First Year Registrations 10 December

o 2012 Discretionary Entry 10 December

o Otago Summer School 10 December

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University of Canterburyo College of Education (Early Childhood,

Primary, Physical Education, Sport Coaching

- Applications open August 2012 – early August preferred

o 2012 First Year Enrolment Applications - Open October until 10 December

o BFA (Fine Arts) 15 November

o Performance Music (MusB) 15 September

o Scholarships Various – from 1 August → Lincoln University

o 2012 First Year Enrolment - Apply to enrol during the year up to 10 December

o Sports Scholarships 31 August

o Future Leaders Scholarship 31 August Victoria University

o 2012 First Year Enrolment 10 December

o Victoria Achiever Scholarships 1 October

o Victoria Excellence Scholarships 1 October Massey University

o 2012 First Year Enrolment - Apply during the year – check website

o Massey High Achiever Scholarships 30 August

Waikato University

o 2012 First Year Enrolment - Apply during the year – check website - 1 December

o Undergraduate Scholarship Various dates

o Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship Programme 1 October Southern Institute of Technology

- Various dates Otago Polytechnic - Various dates

Christchurch Polytechnic and Institute of Technology

- Various dates

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