Aurora College eNewsletter

Kia ora koutou katoa,

A warm welcome back to Aurora College for what promises to be a busy and engaging Term 2! It's wonderful to see everyone back, and it's been particularly pleasing to note how well our students have settled in, despite the reduced space due to the ongoing construction. The flexibility and adaptability they have shown with these changes have been truly impressive.

We also extend our sincere congratulations to our newly elected student leaders for 2025: our School Captains, House Leaders, Student Representative on the Board of Trustees, and our dedicated Student Council Members. We have every confidence in your ability to lead and inspire your peers throughout the year.

Further congratulations are for our outstanding Students of Term 1 from Years 7, 8, 9, and 10. Your hard work and dedication are truly commendable. We also celebrate the achievements of our senior students who received NCEA Subject and Certificate Endorsement Awards. Your commitment to your studies is fantastic.

We’re also delighted to report that significant progress has been made in preparation for constructing our two new blocks. You may have noticed the substantial demolition that has taken place, particularly the removal of the old canteen, grounds staff garages, and a considerable number of walkways. It's wonderful to see our students' genuine interest in the progress of this exciting development. We also appreciate that the vast majority of students using the Tramway entrance are diligently using the cordoned-off walkway, helping to keep everyone safe during this phase.

Our focus for this term is centered around caring for our school environment. This encompasses our physical surroundings, as we actively work together to keep our grounds clean and free of litter and respect all the spaces within our kura. Equally important is how we interact with each other. We are a diverse community, and treating everyone with respect and acknowledging our differences is paramount. As adults – our staff and visitors – it is crucial that we model this behaviour in all our interactions. We expect that all visitors will engage with our staff and students in a respectful and appropriate manner.

To ensure we can effectively address your needs, we kindly ask that you arrange an appointment beforehand if you wish to meet with a staff member. The easiest way to do this is by emailing them directly. If you are unable to email, please contact the school office with your details and the name of the staff member you'd like to see, and they will pass this information on to arrange a meeting time for you. Unscheduled visits can make it challenging for our staff to be available.

Finally, a gentle reminder regarding pick-up and drop-off. To ensure the safety of all our students, we ask that this occurs on Regent Street and Tramway Road, and not in the front car park. We have several Go Bus vans that transport students with disabilities, and they require ample space, often needing to use ramps. Additionally, with our growing student roll, the car park becomes extremely congested, and restricting vehicle access during these times is vital for everyone's safety. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter, even if it causes a slight inconvenience.

Despite the changes around the school, there's a wonderful energy, and I am genuinely excited about the learning and growth that will take place this term. Thank you for your continued support in making Aurora College a positive and thriving environment for all.

Ngā mihi nui,

Craig Taylor

Principal, Aurora College

SCHOOL CAPTAINS & SCHOOL COUNCIL MEMBERS

Congratulations to the following students:

House Leaders, these students are chosen to lead our House groups in House competitions, organise and run events, support house members/staff and support with the general running of House competitions within Aurora College.

- Puanga - Nolan Van Proosdij, Jim O’Leary

- Takurua - Lincoln McLeod-Cain & Christian Peleti-Witehira

- Aotahi - Gypsie Arataura & Danny Mortimer

- Tautoru - Ashton Gregory-Hunt & Luna Mahia

School Captains: The following students were selected by some of our staff in their chosen areas of the school, to be leaders in this area, and for their achievements in this chosen field. These students will be sharing information throughout the school year on what’s happening around our school, upcoming events, and helping organise activities and events this year. They were selected because of their leadership, confidence, involvement around the school, and passion for Academics, Cultural involvement, Sports, the Environment and performing and visual Arts.

- Academic Captain - Deborah Mulaji

- Cultural Captain - Leiya Waters

- Sports Captain - Blake Bray

- Environmental Captain - Nathanial Lennon

- Arts Captain - Texas-Rose Moody

Our School Council members for 2025:

Keira Reece, Javarn Shields-Eade, Hunter Tairea, Shyah Barwick, Shelby Clark, Ali Edwards, Tenuki Gunawardana, Noah Hewitt, Nathanial Lennon, Deborah Mulaji, Madison Rufford, Mirek Valosek

SENIOR SUPPORTED LEARNING

Our Senior Supported Learning class are out and about doing great things in the community. Every Monday, two students are time-tabled to go with Christine to deliver Meals on Wheels. The students and Invercargill's Senior Citizens have created some lovely relationships.

On Tuesdays, they are off again to Age Concern, helping with the vegetable preparation.

Two hours of peeling, slicing and dicing, then a beautiful, thank you morning tea, shared with all the staff and volunteers.

It's lovely to give back.

By Christine and Hayley.

PB4L FOCUS: CARING FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT STARTS WITH US

At Aurora College, our PB4L (Positive Behaviour for Learning) programme is currently highlighting the importance of keeping our school environment clean and tidy. Over the next two weeks, our school-wide focus is on reducing litter both in and out of the classroom. We encourage every homeroom to discuss this initiative using the "Litter Less" resource, which includes real-world examples and fun character types to help students better understand the impact of rubbish.

A big thank you goes out to the many students already leading by example—especially Maui Toki and Manu Nuku (pictured below)—for going the extra mile in picking up litter around the school grounds. Your actions demonstrate pride in our school and a commitment to our PB4L values. You’re making a real difference!

We’re asking all staff to support this focus by giving out plenty of SBA's (School Based Acknowledgements) for students who are putting rubbish in bins and showing respect for our shared spaces. Of course, keep recognising all other positive behaviours too!

Why does this matter?
Keeping our school tidy shows we care—not just about our own learning environment, but also about the impression we leave on visitors and the wider community. It fosters a sense of pride, ownership, and responsibility.

Let’s all do our part to keep Aurora College a place we can be proud of!

WHAKAIRO CREATIONS

MILFORD SOUND TRIP

An Unforgettable Weekend in Milford Sound

Last weekend, 20 lucky students embarked on a truly unforgettable adventure to the breathtaking Milford Sound. Surrounded by towering peaks, cascading waterfalls, and pristine wilderness, our group experienced the very best of Aotearoa’s natural beauty. From scenic walks and a boat cruise to wildlife spotting and stargazing, the weekend was packed with awe-inspiring moments and plenty of laughter.

A huge thank you goes to Anna Crosswell and Christopher Neylon for their outstanding organisation of the trip. Their planning, care, and energy made the weekend not only smooth and safe, but incredibly memorable for everyone involved.

Callie Jeffers-Peddie and Tara Quinney, who accompanied the students, share a heartfelt message of appreciation:

"We were so proud to see our students embrace the experience with such enthusiasm and respect for the environment. Milford Sound is truly a taonga, and it was a privilege to explore it together. This was a very special opportunity."

We’re sure the memories from this weekend will last a lifetime. Well done to all the students who took part—you represented our school brilliantly!

OUTWARD BOUND

RUGBY LEAGUE

NCEA ENDORSEMENT SCHEME