Read the latest news from Rutherford College
Kia ora te whānau o te Kotuku
Welcome Back.
Acknowledgement of the School Ball.
I was very proud of the whole evening from the organization through to the way everybody embraced the occasion and enjoyed themselves. As always with a successful event, it is the work of the many behind the scenes which included the ball committee. It must be well led and organised, which it was. As a school community and on behalf of our senior students who attended the night, a big thank you to both Miss Ivanovic and Miss Yates for their outstanding organisation, planning and eye for detail.
The message at assemblies this week is to go about doing the right work, the right way. Firstly, you must determine what’s important and set goals that keep you focussed.
SHARPENING YOUR AXE
It is important to develop a work ethic and work hard in the pursuit of goals. Working hard must also be tempered by working smart, or you might just be wasting a load of effort. We need to take stock of the way we work and are we getting the best results for the efforts we are making.
Consider the story of two lumberjacks in a tree-cutting contest. One was hardworking and ambitious, chopping down every tree in his path at the fastest pace possible, while the other appeared to be a little more relaxed, methodically felling trees and pacing himself. The go-getter worked all day, skipping lunch break, expecting that his superior effort would be rewarded. His opponent, however, took an hour-long lunch; then resumed his steady pace.
In the end the go-getter was dismayed to lose to his seemingly lazier competition.
Thinking he deserved to win after his hard work, he approached his opponent and said, “I just don’t understand. I worked longer and harder than you and went hungry to get ahead. You took a lunch break, and yet you still won. It just doesn’t seem fair. Where did I go wrong?”
The winner responded, “While I was taking my lunch break, I was sharpening my axe.”
We all need to step back and take time to reflect on how best to make the progress we want to make. Knowing how to analyse a situation and how to execute an action plan will put you ahead of the game in the long run. The combination of hard work and smart work is the formula for success. Think about what needs to be done and then think again about the best way to accomplish it – not necessarily the way you’ve always done it, or the hardest way, and certainly not the fastest way.
“If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first four hours sharpening the axe.”
Abraham Lincoln.
Open Evening - 6pm - 8pm Thursday 24 July - Everyone welcome
We have Open Evening next week on Thursday July 24th starting at 6pm with tours of the school. Families can attend anytime between those hours and have a guided tour of the school. The Principal will address the community in the school hall at 7.30pm. Tours take approximately 45 minutes. The following day we open the school up for any prospective students and families to visit our school during school time, where they can see classes in action.
Enrolment Week - 28 July to 31 July 3.30pm to 7pm and Saturday morning 01 August 9.30am to 11.30am.
The following week is enrolment week. Find out what you need to do here. Enrol online and then please make a time to complete your enrolment with one of our staff by booking a 15 Minute Interview here.
If you are currently out of zone and have a child already at Rutherford, please do not assume that they will automatically get a place. Our roll is growing, and the Board of Trustees has limited Out of Zone places to only 40. If you do not enrol before the out of zone deadline date of 27 August, it is highly likely that this quota will have been filled.
Prefects Selection Process
Nomination forms will be at the start of week 6, August 18th which is Rutherford Week. These need to be returned by Friday September 5th. The voting by both staff and current Year 12 students takes place on the second to last week of the term: September 12th.
A short list of 12 students occurs early in term 4 with head student interviews to be conducted in the first two weeks back in term 4. The remaining prefects will be announced after this process concludes.
Parent/Teacher Conferences – Looking Ahead to Week 4
We warmly invite all families to attend our upcoming Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences, where the focus will be on reviewing student achievement to date and engaging in important conversations about subject selection for 2026. These conferences provide a valuable opportunity for whānau, students, and teachers to work together in planning a successful academic pathway.
To support these conversations, we’re also hosting a Careers Expo in the school hall on the same evening. A wide range of tertiary providers will be on site, ready to answer questions and offer guidance around future study and career options. This is a great chance for students to explore their interests and connect subject choices to potential career pathways.
We encourage all families to attend both events and make the most of this important evening dedicated to planning for the future. Save the date now: Parent/Student/Teacher evening is Thursday 7 August from 2pm to 8pm. Bookings for conferences will open in week 3.
School Board Parent Elections - Information Evening for Potential Board Members
Nominations are open for the election of 5 parent representatives to the school board.
All eligible voters will receive a nomination form via email. All information will be sent to you by Election Pilot who are the school's Returning Officers.
You can nominate yourself or someone in your community. You can find out more information here. If anyone is interested in being part of our board, we will be holding an Information Evening on Thursday 31 July at 5.30pm in the staffroom. Please email [email protected] to register your interest.
Nominations close at noon on 6 August. You may provide a signed candidate statement and photograph with your nomination.
The electoral roll is held at the school and can be viewed during normal school hours.
As nominations are received, there will be a list of candidates’ names kept at the school up until election day, which you can view.
Voting closes at 4pm on 10 September.
Student Trustee Elections - Nominations Open 19 August and Close 25 August. Election day is 10 September.
Are you passionate about making a difference at school? Joining the School Board is a powerful way to have your voice heard and help shape the future of Rutherford College. As a student representative, you'll bring a unique perspective to important decisions that affect learning, wellbeing, and school culture. It's a great opportunity to develop leadership skills, represent your peers, and contribute to meaningful change. If you care about the direction of our school and want to be part of the conversation—this is your chance! If you are interested in being a student trustee on our school board, you are encouraged to come along to the information evening on 31 July to hear more about what the board do. Please register your interest by emailing [email protected].
Weekly Achievement and Attendance Emails
A key part of our communication with caregivers is our weekly attendance email. This Friday we are implementing a new system to provide you with more information without increasing the number of emails you receive. We are adding more information to the weekly email to include recent assessment results, progress towards NCEA, and any upcoming assessment deadlines.
We hope you find this useful in tracking the progress of your child. Please get in touch with the school reception if you believe the emails are not being sent to the right people.
Kotuku Trust Gaining Momentum – Supporting Our Learners for Life
The Kotuku Trust, established to support the ongoing educational journeys of Rutherford College students and alumni, is slowly gaining momentum through a combination of donations and school-led fundraising efforts.
Thanks to the growing support from our school community, we’re proud to announce that in 2025, the Trust has $1,000 to award as a grant. This funding is available to anyone currently enrolled at Rutherford College, or who has been a student within the past five years, and is intended to help with costs related to continuing education—whether that’s university, trades training, or other approved learning pathways.
The Kotuku Trust was founded with the belief that education should be a lifelong journey, and that the transition beyond school can be challenging—especially when financial barriers stand in the way. By offering targeted support, the Trust aims to empower students to pursue their aspirations with confidence and access to the resources they need.
The continued success of the Kotuku Trust depends on the generosity of our community, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to those who have contributed. We look forward to building on this momentum in the years to come. If you would like to make a donation you can do so here. All monies received go directly toward benefitting students.
Applications for the 2025 grant are open now. You can apply via this application form. Applications close 1 September.
What's Coming Up?
22 August - Rutherford Day - all students will finish school at 12.30pm. Senior students will attend the assembly along with invited guests. Junior students will have organised activities.
25-29 August - Winter Tournament Week
29 August - Mid Term Break - School is closed for the day
Thank you for your continued support.
Gary Moore
