Read the latest news from Rutherford College

Kia ora te whanau ō te Kōtuku 

How do we improve? We try something different. 

This takes courage and bravery because we are moving from our circle of comfort, into unfamiliar territory. If all the great explorers from years gone by had not left the harbours that they were familiar with, they would not have made the discoveries and learned what they did. 

In life we sometimes need to let go of what we believe to be true and look for alternatives, while remaining true to who you are as a person.

Sometimes In order to improve we need to let go of things that are holding us back.

HOW TO CATCH A MONKEY

How do you catch a monkey? Find a coconut and make a hole in the shell, a hole that is just big enough for the monkey to squeeze its paw through.

Tie the coconut to something, put a slice of fruit inside and wait. When a monkey comes past it will smell the fruit and put its hand inside to get it. Believe it or not, the monkey is now trapped because it won’t let go of the fruit by opening its paw and it’s only by opening its paw that the monkey can get its paw out and run away.

All the cleverness, all the talent, all the skill in the world is of no use if we cannot open our paw to save our life. Just like the monkey, we can be trapped by sticking to what we think we know and refusing to change.

In the monkey’s case, that is a closed paw. For us, the equivalent is a closed mind – holding fast to a fixed position even when the evidence is telling us something different.What makes us close our minds? Sometimes we have beliefs that hold us back. We believe we are not clever enough or good-looking enough or deserved enough to succeed. Even when we see other people with similar talents to our own, our belief keeps holding us back. If we believe that they are lucky and we are not, then we can never make progress.

Cognitive Overload – fact based on science not random opinion. Sometimes it is not our beliefs but our actions that keep us trapped. We know we learn best, for instance, when we learn in manageable chunks, but we keep on leaving things until the last minute and trying to cram a load of information that is too big into our brains.  We might be the type of person who hopes things will turn out all right, without doing the work that we need to do to succeed. 

The monkey is trapped because it stubbornly holds on to the piece of fruit even when letting go would let it escape. What could you change to help you make the progress you want? 

Acknowledgement: Learning Targets by Connie Moss and Susan Brookhart

School Uniform

Recently, we have noticed that some students are not adhering to our uniform policy, which is essential for maintaining a sense of equality, discipline, and pride within our school community.

As you know, our uniform is designed to promote inclusivity and minimise distractions, helping students focus on their education. It also enhances school identity and prepares students for environments where professionalism is expected. Unfortunately, deviations from the uniform standard compromise these important Rutherford College values.

Additionally, when students do not follow the uniform policy, it creates unnecessary disruptions to teaching and learning. Teachers and staff are required to address these issues throughout the day, which diverts attention away from instructional time and can affect the learning environment for all students. We want to maintain a focus on education enabling students to aspire, explore, and succeed. Ensuring all students follow the uniform guidelines is an important part of achieving this goal.

We understand that sometimes ensuring your child has the correct uniform can be challenging. To support you, we have a stock of second-hand uniforms available and can provide uniform to families in need.  Please feel free to reach out to the school office if you require any support in obtaining the correct uniform for your child.

Starting from Monday 11th May 2026, consequences will be put in place for students who do not comply with the uniform policy. These measures are meant to ensure that all students follow the guidelines and uphold the school's values. We kindly ask for your cooperation in ensuring that your child adheres to the uniform requirements.

All information regarding uniform is in this link: https://rutherford2023.ibdn.nz/student-life/uniform.

KINDO is up and running

We are pleased to inform you that Kindo is up and running at Rutherford College. Many of you will already be using it at other schools so it will be an easy transition. We urge you to sign up and create an account if you don't already have one. This is a one stop shop to pay for any school related items.  Find out more here. All payments should be made through this platform from now on. 

Sign up to Kindo here. You can log into Kindo directly from the SchoolBridge Dashboard if you already have an account.

What's coming up?

15 May - Pink Shirt Day - Mufti (wear pink) - gold coin donation
19 - 22 May CAAs - NCEA Co-requisite Literacy and Numeracy
29 May Class Photos
02 June Sports Photos
03 June Cultural Photos

Ngā mihi 

Gary Moore