Principal's Panui - 19 September 2025

Kia ora te Whānau o te Kōtuku.

Te wiki o te reo Māori

Kia ora te whanau o te kotuku, Nau mai haere mai, Ko Gary Moore toku ingoa.

Kia kaha te reo maori, Ake Ake Ake the theme for this year means 'forever and ever' or 'everlasting'

One of my favourite Whakataukī is, 

Me whai ki te kapua teitei kia ngaro koe, ka pa koe ki tetahi maunga teitei.

Aim for the highest cloud so that if you miss it, you will hit a lofty mountain.

This reflects tohea, to strive for personal excellence. The higher we set our goals and pursue them relentlessly the greater the likelihood is that the outcome will be that we attain our personal best.

School Board Election Results:

Thank you to all the parents who put their hands up to be a candidate for the School Board.
Congratulations to the following parents who have been elected to the Rutherford College School Board.

• Bosnich-Wood, Shane 
• Coup, Edmund 
• Henderson, Veronica 
• Johar, Ali
• Viliamu-Crawley, Alofa

This will be a largely new board of elected community representatives with only Veronica Henderson standing from the group who served our community so well in the previous three years.

The successful Student Trustee was Sama Abo Meghesib. And the successful Staff Trustee was Phillip Place who was re-elected by his colleagues. 

The journey to date, the last few steps taken and the path to the finish line.

Our senior students have just completed their derived grade exams. Overall we have been pleased with the turnout and attitude that students have brought with them to make a good fist of this process. As always it’s about personal excellence and doing the best that you can and putting a line in the sand for each individual, to then start again from that point and take the next steps toward improved outcomes in the externals.

Parents/Caregivers please do not buy into the rhetoric from students, that I have already got the credits I need and therefore do not need to sit my externals. This approach turns into a habit of avoidance. When the pressure is on to deliver in a high-stake exams, students can go into those with little or no experience in having studied properly or managing their time under exam pressure, and get found out. This usually happens at university, where there is clear evidence that success in external examinations equates to being more than twice as likely to be successful at university or any other high stakes exams.

A journey of thousand miles starts with just one step. For many they have covered close to 900 miles or so this year, (the journey to date). Derived grade exams and the feedback from these, are the last few steps. It would be a waste of time and effort to date if anyone was to abandon the journey when they are 90% of the way there. (The path to the finish line) This is the time of the year to face the challenge of finishing the academic year strongly. What does that last 10% require. 

Triumph is the extra oomph added to the try when it is needed most.
Now is the time to show grit, perseverance and resilience. Please do not give up on the journey when it gets challenging. Seek and act on teacher feedback. 

Why is grit or stickability important? Because you’re investing in your human capital; your greatest asset. In life we learn that at various junctures along the way, we have had to put some serious skin in the game and had to battle into headwinds. Nothing worth having ever comes easy.  

To do this, I will turn off notifications on my phone so that I can stay focussed when distraction or challenges present themselves.  I will complete all internals remaining to the best of my ability, by the deadlines to minimise any pressure I feel.  To achieve this, I won’t let those incessant peeps and beeps distract me from what’s important now, striving for personal excellence.

Sponsorship Acknowledgement

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Lawton Building for their generous donation, which has enabled us to purchase playing kit for the Rutherford College First XI Girls’ Football team to keep. Your support has made a lasting difference for our players and is greatly appreciated.

Key Dates for Term 4

06 October - Term 4 begins
Week 1, Vosa Vake Fijian Language Week
Week 2, Te Gana Tuvalu Language Week
Week 3, Vahau Niuean Language Week

14 October - Pasifika Awards, 6pm Hall
16 October- Cultural Awards, 6pm Hall - Tickets at Try Booking
17 October - Sports Awards, 6pm Hall - Tickets at Try Booking
24 October - Hypnotist Show, 6pm Hall - Tickets at Try Booking
30 October - Senior Prizegiving, Hall and last day for Years 11-13.
31 October - Leavers' Lunch (Y13 only)
04 November - 2 December - NCEA Exams
05 December & 08 December - Wider Living Days for Y9 and 10.
10 December - Junior Prizegiving and last day for students.

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday break.

Gary Moore