Principal's Panui - 15 August 2025

Kia ora te whānau o te Kotuku

PPTA Strike Action

The PPTA (Post Primary Teachers’ Association) has advised that there will be strike action for all union members on Wednesday 20 August.

The school will work hard to minimise disruption to learning for students. However, please be aware that normal timetabled classes will not be running on 20 August.

Rutherford College will remain open on 20 August but timetabled classes will not run on that day as the majority of our staff will be on strike. If you would like your son or daughter to attend school on 20 August, you will need to register their name on this form before 19 August so that we can ensure enough non-union staff are on hand to provide the supervision required. Please note that school buses will not run on 20 August.

The PPTA has further industrial action planned for later this term. Please be assured that we have a plan in place to ensure that derived grade exams run as planned for senior students.

At this stage we are expecting Year 10 students to be rostered home on September 17 and Year 9 students on September 18. 

We appreciate your understanding as we work to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all students during this time.

In all things our past is never our potential.  

The past or present only reflects the current line in the sand, the current rung of the ladder that we are about to step off to seek some higher place.

One of the most important things required to achieve progress is a growth mindset.   It is the belief that I/we can improve, and tomorrow’s outcomes will be better than today.

I don’t believe we can’t do it; it’s that we can’t do it yet. In nearly all cases it is more likely to be that we couldn’t do it first time or weren’t successful the first time due to lack of belief, prior learning or preparation.

If we want people to persevere one of the best things we can give to people is the gift of confidence, we do this by displaying genuine belief in people. 

We also need to learn what it is that creates success and have developed a process through a good work ethic that works for us. Accept that there will always be challenges and disappointments but overcoming those hurdles is where real satisfaction in life occurs.

I also believe nothing carries more potential for change than individual acts of human kindness. Great opportunities to help others seldom present themselves, but small ones surround us every day.  Giving the gift of confidence is an act of human kindness; it can occur every day if we look for the opportunity.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act but a habit. It is the little things done well and done often that make the difference.  Sir Ernest Rutherford, who our school is named after, is a name synonymous with working hard and recognising that success is more about perseverance, and a willingness to take that next step than it ever is about talent or access to money.

He understood that the price of success must be paid in full, and it must be paid in advance if you want to achieve personal excellence, there are and will be no shortcuts.  

It is the creation of a well-worn path that can be repeated and refined. It is all about constantly challenging past performance and doing things better or smarter than before. 

One of Rutherford’s catch phrases was that we do not have money so we will have to think; think differently or smarter. He recognised that one of the most important realisations is that circumstances are what they are and that our past does not reflect our potential if we have a growth mindset attitude.

Rutherford Day and Rutherford Week - early finish 22 August (12.30pm)

Next week we celebrate Rutherford Day.

Introduced by our founding principal, Eric Clark, Rutherford Day has become a cherished tradition—an opportunity to thank the community of which we are proud to be a part, to celebrate the excellence of our students, and to inspire our senior learners with the words of an outstanding guest speaker. 

There is normal school for students in the morning, Period 1 and 2. The ceremony commences at 11.00am and senior students will attend the ceremony. Other students will have organised activities in the classroom. All students will be released for the day at 12.30pm approximately.

The Prefects will have other organised activities running throughout the week in the build up to Rutherford Day on Friday, such as Rutherford Cake on Monday.

Phones Away for the Day - ERO is seeking feedback from parents and caregivers

The Education Review Office is carrying out some research to learn more about how ‘Phones away for the day’ is going. They want to hear your thoughts on what’s working, what’s not working, and what could make it better. Take 5–10 minutes to share your thoughts in this quick survey — your input really makes a difference. 

Whānau / parents /caregivers - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/phones-away-for-the-day-parents 

Teachers of Year 7-13 students - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/phones-away-for-the-day-teachers

Policies and Procedures

Rutherford College subscribes to SchoolDocs for all policies and procedures. These are available to anyone in the school including staff, students and caregivers. To view a policy you need to log in to SchoolDocs with the username: rutherfordcollege and the password: kotuku.

This term we are reviewing policies in the Health, Safety, and Welfare Policy section. To review a policy you navigate to the blue tab which is for reviews and click on the policy you want to review. Click start your review and provide feedback or make a suggestion.

This term the policies to be reviewed are: Child Protection, Abuse Recognition and Reporting, Food and Nutrition, Safety Checking, Police Vetting and Missing Student Procedure.

Prefect Applications

Year 12 students are able to apply to be a prefect in 2026. Applications open Monday. Access them via the SchoolPortal. What makes a good prefect?

A good prefect is a positive role model who leads by example in both behaviour and attitude. They are approachable, responsible, and committed to supporting their peers while upholding the values of the school. Strong communication skills, reliability, and the ability to work well as part of a team are essential, as is the willingness to take initiative and contribute to school life. Above all, a good prefect demonstrates integrity, respect, and a genuine desire to make a difference in the school community. 

Timeline:

Prefect application: Open 18 August
Prefect Applications Close: 5 September
Prefect Voting Opens: 12 September
Prefect Voting Closes: 17 September

Board Elections

Voting is open for the School Board Elections. We have 10 candidates standing in the election. Now is the time to place your vote before the deadline of 10 September. Voting information will have been sent to all parents and caregivers by email. If there is no email address registered on the system, you will receive your information by mail. For people who receive a paper voting form, they can vote two ways -  You can scan the unique QR code on your form and vote online, or you can tick the boxes on the form and return the voting paper to the kura office.  All voting papers received by the school will be couriered to our Returning Officers.

Student Trustee Elections

Nominations are open for the Student Representative on the School Board, and we’re looking for someone who’s ready to listen, lead, and help shape the future of Rutherford College. It’s a great opportunity to build leadership skills, be part of important decisions, and ensure the student perspective is heard at the highest level. If you care about our school and want to make an impact—put your name forward!

Timeline:

Nominations Open 19 August
Nominations Close 25 August
Voting Starts 31 August
Voting Closes 10 September

What's coming up?

25-29 August - After Rutherford Week we are straight into tournament week with numerous teams away around the country competing.
29 August - Mid Term Break - School Closed
2-5 September - Literacy/Numeracy Exams
9 - 16 September - Derived Grade Exams
10 September - Board Voting Closes
10 September - Community Education Open evening - 6pm in the Hall
19 September - End of Term

Kia kaha

Gary Moore