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Board of Trustees Elections 2013
Parent Elections - Candidate Withdrawal
Please note that Geetha Lewke Bandara has withdrawn from the Parent Elections for the Board of Trustees.
The candidates for the Board of Trustees parent representatives are:
- Irshad Ali
- Vimmi Bhatnagar
- Dr Judith Bingham
- Ella Kumar
- Ewe Leong Lim
- Sue Mulrennan
- Rakesh Pandey
- Vijay Parulkar
- Marjet Pot
- Sarat Singamneni
- Kima Tuialii
ICAS English Competition
Last year, Mount Roskill Grammar student Jordan Holmes came first in ICAS English for ALL of New Zealand. Help us keep up our strong tradition of achievement in this international competition by enrolling to sit ICAS English today!
To enter, pay $8.50 to accounts by Wednesday, May 29th, or see your English teacher for more information.
School Production
From Wednesday the 15th to Saturday the 18th of May the school production of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ played to packed houses and showcasing the amazing talent of our students. The show opened with a matinee performance for students from the Primary and Intermediate schools. The audience of over 350 were totally captivated by the adventures of Dorothy and her fiends in the land of Oz. The appreciative clapping of the younger students was a foretaste of the audience responses for the following three shows each taking full audiences through the enthralling songs and scenes of the marvellous musical. Each night members of the audience commented on the professionalism of the whole show - the flawless casting and the confident portrayals of the principals and the ensemble cast. In addition to 10 principal roles over 60 students filled the stage with their presence and singing/dancing/acting ability. The show was supported by an equally expert and enthusiastic backstage crew of over 35 members of the teaching staff. By the final matinee performance on Saturday tickets were hard to get and the audience stayed well after the last song to celebrate the success as members of the cast took their bows. The school is grateful to all those who took part, students and staff but particular thanks are due to the HOD Performing Arts - Brenda Meyer who carried out so much of the administration of the event and the Director of the show Emma Gillies whose creativity and endeavour fashioned this brilliant display of student talent.
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Early School Closure
RE: EARLY SCHOOL CLOSURE - 21 MAY AND 11 JUNE 2013
As you will be aware we have a Mentoring and Tracking of Student Achievement Programme, at Years 11 and 12, in the school to support students as they set their learning goals.
To accommodate the mentor/mentee meetings between our students and their teachers we will be finishing formal school classes for the day at 1.40pm on Tuesday 21 May and then on Tuesday 11 June 2013.
Each mentor (teacher) will set an appointment time for the Year 11 and 12 students they mentor over the next week. It is important that each Year 11 and 12 student attends their appointment.
These dates have been chosen to enable mentors to help prepare their mentees for the upcoming senior examinations and then the follow up meeting is set to ensure students can discuss their examination achievements with their mentors.
A reminder to our parents of Year 11 and 12 students; the parent, mentor and mentee conference will take place on Thursday 20 June 2013 and mentors will be in touch nearer the time to set up an appointment with you.
We appreciate your support as we work together to raise student achievement.
NZQA Fees Collection
All senior students and 1001 students must pay their NZQA Fees (compulsory) to the accounts office between Wednesday 15th May and Friday 17th May. These fees must be paid so that any credits a student achieves through either Unit or Achievement Standard assessments will be recorded on a student’s record of learning. If not paid, the credits will not be released to the student.
The Fee for the majority of students will be $76.70. However financial assistance is available to students whose parents/guardians receive a Work and Income Benefit or have a Community Services Card. Financial assistance forms can be collected from the front office, accounts office or from Mr Parratt in the Commerce Department next to H6.
School Ball
The School Ball this year will be held on the 8th June at the Pullman Hotel. To celebrate our 60th jubilee year the students have chosen the theme "Like a Diamond". Tickets will cost $105 and go on sale on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of May. The expectation is that all course fees are paid and books returned to B1 and the Library before a ticket can be purchased. If you have any queries or concerns please contact the Year 13 academic deans - Andrew.Gipps@mrgs.school.nz or Sarah.Singh@mrgs.school.nz. The ball committee will be speaking weekly in assembly to keep students up to date with our progress towards this event.
Diamond Jubilee Celebrations
This year is the sixtieth anniversary of the founding of Mount Roskill Grammar School.
The school opened in 1953 with a total roll of 363, (183 boys and 181 girls), under the principalship of Mr V.C. Butler. The buildings were still 'works in progress' and it wasn’t until the beginning of the second term (in what was then a three term year) that a science laboratory, art, food technology and technical workshops were available for use. Under Mr. Butler’s leadership and the guidance of those who have succeeded him the school grew. The Board of Governors became the Board of Trustees, and the co-operation between schools on the campus and the involvement of the community increased.
To celebrate this history, we intend holding a day of celebration on Saturday 17th August. Organisation of the events is being led by Mr David Lett, ex Deputy Principal . Plans are to hold an open day for past pupils with visits around the school and a morning tea. There will be sports fixtures, displays and reminders of six decades of change and development for the school. A Jubilee Dinner is planned for the evening at Alexandra Park.
There is more information here and past pupils can register their interest at jubilee@mrgs.school.nz
General Reminders and Information
Uniform
To be ready for the winter terms, please use the holiday period to check that your child has the correct school uniform. The complete uniform requirements are available here.
Uniform Shoes
Only full-foot, plain black leather, low-cut lace-up school shoes are allowed. Boots, ballet slippers, slip-ons, canvas, or suede shoes are not school uniform shoes. If you are unsure about which shoes are allowed please contact Mrs Barker before making your purchase.
Uniform Shop
The MRGS uniform shop will be closed for stock-taking over the April school holidays. It will re-open Monday 6th May at 8.00am and remain open at the start of the school day until customers have completed their purchases. Normal operating days and hours are Mondays and Thursdays from 8.00am to 9.00am and 3.00pm to 4.00pm.
Attendance and Punctuality
One of our school goals for 2013 is to improve attendance and punctuality. With the winter terms approaching we would appreciate your support in getting your child to school by 8.30 so they can get themselves organised for the start of the school day. If you have any concerns about attendance or want to report an absence, please phone Mrs Hyland, Attendance Officer, on 621 0069 or email attendance@mrgs.school.nz Please phone on the morning of your child’s first day of absence.
Parent Portal
The Parent Portal, providing a link to your child’s attendance record, is now ‘live’ so you are able to see lesson by lesson whether your child is present at school. If you require another copy of your username and password please email admin@mrgs.school.nz to request that information.
Communication of Absences by Text
Where you have provided us with your cellphone contact details, we aim to send a text message if your child has been marked absent for the first two lessons of the day. Thank you for your responses so far to this new attendance communication initiative.
Contact Details
If you have a new address, phone number, cellphone number or email address please pass this information through to the school: admin@mrgs.school.nz
Emergency contact details should also be kept current so please update the school when either the person or their contact details change.
YWCA Future Leaders
This year, we have been lucky enough to have a new group of YWCA Future Leaders start, in addition to our current Year 12 group.
This is a wonderful opportunity for young women to develop confidence and skills, and have an amazing array of experiences with their mentors. We are grateful to the Auckland YWCA and all their sponsors for continuing to support our girls in their growth.
Our new Year 10 YWCA Future Leaders are: Nancy Gafa, Nola Finau, Sammie Lee, Shania Leong, Claire Wyeth, Mohana Kolli, Caitlin Johnson, Mary-Kate Fonua, Jocelyn Choo, Lavpreet Mushiana and Aashna Saxena.
Wizard of Oz
We're off to see the wizard! Mt Roskill Grammar's 2013 musical production is The Wizard of Oz, based on the novel by L. Frank Baum.
The cast and crew have been working hard on creating a magical experience for their audience, and are looking forward to having big crowds to perform to on Thursday 16th at 7pm, Friday 17th at 7pm and Saturday 18th May at 4pm.
Tickets: Please call 621-0050 to buy your tickets early and secure a seat in Oz for you and your whole family. $10 each - family passes available. Pre-sale tickets are $5 for children intermediate aged and under. $10 for high school aged to adults. All tickets bought 'on the door' (meaning, on the night of the performance from the ticket booth) are $10 no matter what age, so if you are buying for younger siblings, get in there quick to save $5 per child! We look forward to seeing you all there - remember to get in quick in case it sells out!
Being Roskill
New Documentary Explores Links Between Sports, Academic Success, and Values Education.
A unique documentary mini-series about a group of Mt Roskill Grammar soccer players is now available on DVD. Season One of Being Roskill consists of 6 episodes – with a total series running time of 70 minutes – and chronicles the school’s first ever summer training programme. Far from just a focus on on-field action, the documentary shows the unique ways that the players are linking their sport with other curriculum areas – principally the English classroom. Players write essays, read and present on books, and deliver speeches about hardships in their lives. The players also undergo training in theatre and drama, take Portuguese classes, and receive mentoring by a multitude of figures – namely University of Miami American Football players, and an ex-student of their school Maksim Manko who is currently playing soccer professionally in Costa Rica.
The series also spans continents, with footage from New Zealand, North America, Costa Rica and Argentina. Season Two is currently in the planning stages. However, we have zero budget so are always looking for sponsorship!
Being Roskill is available on DVD for $10 from three locations
The team is raising money to go towards a 1st XI football pre-season camp in the Coromandel. ‘Like’ the Facebook page www.facebook.com/BeingRoskill and watch the trailer on YouTube (search for 'Being Roskill trailer'). To hear the coach and documentary co-maker speak with Kim Hill on National Radio’s Saturday Morning show, search on Google for ‘Kim Hill Roskill Soccer Skills’.
Indiking Dance Competition
Earlier this term Roshan Nama competed successfully in an all males dance competition “Indiking”. He performed a contemporary Bollywood dance with back-up from his dance group ‘Indiance’. His compelling performance earned him 1st place and he was crowned ‘Indiking of 2013’; a title which his efforts thoroughly deserved. Next year he will be competing in the ‘King of Kings’ competition against other previous winners. Roshan has donated his prize money towards his Dance show and their forthcoming production in July.
Mentoring 2013 - Lifting Student Achievement
Thank you so much to all of our families who made it a priority to come into school to meet with their child’s mentor. We are delighted with the keen interest you have shown and are pleased to report that we had the majority of our Year 11 and 12 families coming in to meet their child’s mentor. We have also appreciated the positive feedback you have given about this programme and look forward to meeting with you again in term 2.
The date for our family/mentor(teacher)/mentee (student) conference in term 2 is Thursday 20th June.
The focus for this meeting will be:
- To identify learning gaps from the subject assessments/examinations
- To draw up a calendar of assessments to be done for the remainder of Term 2 and all of Term 3
- To set learning/achievement goals for the final 3 weeks of Term 2 and for Term 3
Each Year 11 and 12 student has a mentor and if your child does not know who their mentor is please phone our school office.
We look forward to continuing to strengthen our mentoring programme as we work with you to raise your child’s achievement over the next two terms.
Julie Small- Deputy Principal
Chemistry Olympiad Training Squad
Tim Vogel and Wenyi Yi 2008
Three Roskill Students in Chemistry Olympiad Training Squad
Three Senior students, Victor Xie, Cindy Ou, and Mark Yep, have been chosen to take part in the final selection process for the New Zealand Chemistry Olympiad Team. They will join 25 other students in a squad selection process which will produce a final team of four to represent New Zealand in the 45th Chemistry Olympiad in Moscow in July. Each year a group of around 30-35 secondary school students is selected to form a Training Group. The selection is based upon performance in a selection test held at the end of October, or the beginning of November. The selection test assumes knowledge of only Year 12 (NCEA Level 2) Chemistry.
The inclusion of this year’s three students continues a tradition of Roskill involvement over the years.
Previous Roskill students selected for the final team:-
- 2011: Aaron Li (Reserve )
- 2008: Tim Vogel, Wenyi Yi
- 2007: Chuan-Zheng Lee
- 2005: Daniel Chan
- 2004: Tony Chiu, Aritra Ray
- 2003: Aritra Ray
- 2002: Peter Lam
- 2000: Dony Wong
Auckland Philharmonia Secondary School Scholarship
Aminiasi Latu, a student at MRGS, has been awarded one of the 7 APO Scholarships this year. The student will receive a series of 8 mentoring sessions from a Philharmonia musician in preparation for performing in concert with the orchestra. The education concert by the APO is called “Kiwi Capers” and will be performed on August 28th and 29th. The sessions will start in June with Samy from Finland who is action section leader for the orchestra’s flutes. Aminiasi will be able to experience all aspects of the professional orchestra environment in the course of his mentoring and performance.
MRGS Trustee Elections
In May this year the School Trustee Elections will be held. Board members are entrusted by the community to ensure the success of our schools and a bright future for our children. We need an education system where all children are expected to succeed and one where we all take shared responsibility in ensuring this happens.
Key Dates
- 8th April Call for nominations
- 15th April Evening for our current Board to meet prospective candidates at 4.45pm in the Conference Room (main Administration Building).
- 10th May Nominations close
- 17th May Voting papers issued
- 21st May Meet and greet the trustee candidates 7.00pm in the school Library
- 30th May Midday voting closes
- 5th June Votes counted and results declared
- 6th June New BOT takes office
Classical Studies Trip to Sydney
During the weekend of 22-24 March, 20 students and 6 teachers went to Sydney to see the exhibition on Alexander the Great.
Alexander the Great was the leader of Macedonia, a country to the north of Greece, in 340BC. While he was in power, he took his armies and conquered over half the known world – Turkey, Persia, and a large part of India. In the years since then stories have been built up around Alexander’s ability as a military leader, his personality and his qualities as a decisive yet merciful man. These stories have inspired a great deal of art over the centuries in many forms – painting, tapestry, drawing, coins, carving in stone, gold, bronze, brass, ivory and bone.
People have collected this art and a museum in St Petersburg in Russia has put together an extensive exhibition of these works. This outstanding exhibition has been brought to Sydney; giving us a once in a life time chance to see it.
The group arrived at Auckland Airport at 6.00am (no one was late!) and the bus delivered them to the Sydney Youth Hostel at the Rocks about midday. The group caught the ferry across the harbour to Manly where many swam in the surf (with lots of seaweed and surfers).
On Saturday morning the group walked to the exhibition at the Australian Museum, and after lunch went to the markets in Paddington. Jewellery, clothes, souvenirs, food and presents for family and friends took money out of wallets and purses.
The group went back to the Hostel until later when they went to dinner in Circular Quay followed by a walk around the Opera House. Sunday morning was spent packing, checking out and them walking to the Westfield Mall in Pitt St to look at the expensive shops. The group walked home through the market at The Rocks spending the last of their money. The bus delivered the group to the airport and they arrived home slightly late at 10.30 on Sunday night.
Thanks to Miss Mayne, Mr Lett and Ms Cranch for organising the trip. Students were positive, friendly and represented MRGS with pride and humour.
Japanese Restaurant Trip
On the night of the 28th of March amidst the bustling environment of the Nishiki Japanese restaurant, 11 students of the MRGS Year 12 Japanese class plus their teacher Miss Kojima enjoyed a delicious authentic Japanese meal. The set menu was attractively presented and offered the opportunity for every individual to taste the various delights of Japanese cuisine. On offer were of course trademark Japanese foods like sushi, teriyaki chicken, takoyaki (on a stick!) and other different items like a lightly grilled beef tataki , salmon and avocado spring rolls and many more! Not to mention a choice of ice cream for dessert! Of which many chose to opt for either green tea or red bean, both quintessential Japanese desert flavours. Overall the memorable culinary experience was Sugoi! (Super! in Japanese) and many left with their taste buds wanting more!
Mildred Wong
Excellence Awards
On the 21st March the school held its annual Excellence Awards evening when our high achievers in last year’s NCEA examinations were congratulated. All those who achieved an Excellence Endorsement at NCEA Level 1, 2 or 3 were given a special certificate and badge by our guest presenter RT Hon. Phil Goff—MP for MT Roskill. It was a proud evening as over 250 family members joined the 140 award winning students. The event opened with a rousing Haka Powhiri for our guest and concluded with a supper where students and families were able to share their moment and have their picture taken with Mr Goff and the Principal Mr Watson. Each of these students have gained 50 or more credits at Excellence level to achieve their endorsement award. At all three levels of this qualification our results exceed national figures and at levels 2 and 3 we achieved our best results ever. These figures are a tribute to the powerful learning focus of our seniors and the school as a whole.
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ASB Polyfest
Months of practice and support came to a successful conclusion with our cultural groups’ performances at Manukau in the ASB Polyfest. In the evenings before their competition appearances the Maori, Samoan and Tongan groups demonstrated their talent in front of parents and the school community in a series of Fia Fia events. These drew large appreciative audiences and their goodwishes and congratulations sent the students to the Polyfest in positive mood. Each group performed with enthusiasm at the event and were warmly received by the large crowds.
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Senior Report Evening
Senior Report Evening
4-7pm Thursday 4 April
You can make an interview time by logging onto www.schoolinterviews.co.nz and entering the Event Code of 7N4ZH
Bookings close 8am Thursday 4 April.
Fashion Fanatics Club
A ‘fashion fanatics club’ runs in T3 on Wednesday lunch times. Each week there are different fashion / sewing related activities that any student can come and participate in.
Our first three weeks were a “newspaper challenge” – teams of students came in and competed to create a piece of clothing out of only newspaper. The teams were judged by a panel of 3 judges including Greg Watson, and a group of 3 year 12’s (Twinkle, Meghan, Bella) won the prize. There were about 50 students all crammed in to T3 competing!
Kiwanis Club Catering
With the Kiwanis Club, over the last six years, we have been regularly catering for large numbers of children and family staying at the Ronald McDonald House, which houses and supports the families of hospitalised children.
The Kiwanis club provide the money for the food and help serving and cleaning up on the night. At the Food & Hospitality department we plan, shop, cook and transport the food to the beautifully appointed kitchen of the Ronald McDonald House, where we complete the preparation, serve our guests and clean at the end before returning back to school, generally by 8pm.
The students thoroughly enjoy being able to give their time for this worthwhile cause and meeting people there.
ECE Play Days
Our 2013 Early Childhood Education classes have got off to a fantastic start with a great bunch of warm, friendly students. So far we've had two Play Days when students brought in younger brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews for a three-hour play session at MRGS. Our vision is to provide a collaborative space where we can have fun, encourage our children's endeavours and be inspired by their own particular efforts.
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Year 13 Camp
During the last week of February the annual year 13 camp took place on Motutapu island. This very special part of the senior year is eagerly awaited by students and it gives them a great opportunity for leadership and team building. Staying in the barrack style accommodation of the island and the routines that accompany group living and eating are a new experience for many. They have the opportunity to take part in orienteering, confidence course , raft building, ropes courses and a range of other challenges that test their resilience and develop their learning. After the intensive five days our seniors return tired but exhilarated by the opportunities offered.
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Lycee Jean XXIII French Exchange
Our school has continued its successful exchange relationship with the French school Lycée Jean XXIII. For over ten years the languages department has established a contact which sees a group of Roskill students journeying to Normandy for a two week homestay in the town of Yvetot. The process is reversed when the same French students visit New Zealand and are hosted by students and families. The event has always been one of a rich exchange of culture and experience. This term’s visit of the French school was no exception. Friendships were renewed and host families met the young people with whom their sons and daughters had stayed on the French leg of the exchange late last year. We would like to thank the New Zealand-France Friendship Fund for their support of this exchange.
On their arrival here the French party was welcomed with a stirring Powhiri from the school’s Kapa Haka group, and then the visitors gave the school assembly an amusing introduction to some aspects of French life, singing and dancing. During their first week the twenty-one students and staff visited Rotorua, taking in the Waitomo caves on the way. They had the full Waikarewarewa village experience as part of their overnight stay including a hangi which gave them a real taste of Kiwi ‘Kai’. On another day they visited Tiritiri Matangi with our own MRGS pupils —witnessing the sanctuary’s wonderful bird and marine life. During their stay they also had further trips around Auckland including a morning tea at the historic Alberton mansion. Throughout the time they took a full part in the home lives of their host families immersing themselves in daily use of English and enjoying a full taste of Kiwi hospitality. There were some fond and tearful farewells when the French group left for their return home but their time with us, like the exchange as a whole, has been a positive learning experience.
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Adventurous Journey
A group of 15 year 12 students, accompanied by Naomi Dekker, Julie Collis and Bill Collis, undertook the ‘Adventurous Journey’ portion of their Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award by hiking the 45 km Tongariro Northern Circuit. The hike certainly turned out to be adventurous as the students experienced the challenges of long days, steep slopes, mountain weather and the rugged terrain of Tongariro National Park. The trip had previously been planned for December 2012 but had been postponed due to the volcanic activity from Te Maari Crater the week before we planned to go.
With anticipation the group set off from Whakapapa Village on Thursday afternoon with a 3 hour walk over easy going country to Maungatepopo Hut. On Friday the students experienced firsthand what ‘mountain weather’ can be like as they walked up to Red Crater and then into low cold cloud which swept the track at 40km/hr on the ascend towards Mount Tongariro. The winds and cloud abated after lunch and left all amazed at the beauty of the park. The day continued and the difficulty of the terrain was felt by many as we traversed the steep and rough path down to finally arrive at Oturere hut. Saturdays hike to Waihohonu was supposed to be an easier day but Mr Collis set the task of finding Waihohonu Springs, ultimately though lunch and the very cold spring water was enjoyed by all. The terrain again proved challenging for some in the afternoon as the side of a ridge had to be climbed in the heat of the day; one student aptly describing it as “I’m going to die of steepness”. Ultimately all arrived at the new Waihohonu hut and enjoyed a relaxing splash in the cold stream. In anticipation of getting home on time the students were up at 5:30a.m. on Sunday morning (yes parents, believe now that anything is possible) and left at 6:45 on the final leg of the journey which took us back to Whakapapa Village; enjoying the sunrise as Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu came into light along the way. The sore feet and tiredness were temporarily set aside when the Chateau at Whakapapa came into view and an hour later all but a few students were asleep in the vans on the way home.
Art Costa, a professor of education in the USA, identified 16 ‘Habits of Mind’ (patterns of behaviour) that highly successful people tend to fall back on when they face challenging problems. A goal of mine as a teacher has always been to seek opportunities to help students build their capacity, not just in facts and skills but in these significant attitudes as well. An adventure such as this goes a long way towards developing many of these habits of mind: ‘perseverance, accuracy, precision, questioning, listening to others, managing impulsivity, applying past knowledge to new situations, thinking with clarity and precision’, but perhaps the one I love the most as it is closest to my own passion for hiking, ‘responding with wonderment and awe’.
Bill Collis
Feb 21 to 24, 2013
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Head Prefects 2013
At the school assemblies in week 2 the school was introduced to the Prefect group for 2013. These 45 young men and women from Year 13 were presented with their badges and ties and congratulated by the student body. They are conscious of the demands of this particular role and though they have already shown their potential for leadership we look forward to seeing them embrace positively the task of representing the values of our community. At the same assemblies our Head Prefects were also announced. Hannah Yang and Viliami Tutone are Head Girl and Boy, while Theresa Carbines and Asheer Ahmad are their Deputies.
Warehouse Welcome
Kapa Haka Group welcomes new Warehouse store
On Saturday 2nd February our Kapa Haka group joined local MP Rt Hon. Phil Goff , Warehouse founder Stephen Tindall and local council members to celebrate the opening of the new ‘Red Shed’ on Stoddard Road. Our students gave a stirring haka as the ribbon was cut. Later in the day members of the 1st XV ran a sausage sizzle fundraiser. The school’s performance and presence continues our strong links with the wider Roskill Community.
Year 9 Powhiri
On Thursday 31st January the school formally welcomed the 2013 year 9 students and all those who are new to the school. The ceremony marks the start of their journey of learning and citizenship in our educational community. The new students assembled on the main field and were then called into the hall where the Kapa Haka group and the year 13s performed a haka powhiri. They were then given a korero by our Kaumatua Ted Ratana who reminded them of the proud educational and social whakapapa of Mount Roskill Grammar School. The Principal, Mr Watson then spoke to the students welcoming them also to our whanau. After speeches and a reply from the Y9 Manuhiri represented by the Acedemic Dean Mr Hays and a year 9 student, they were directed to their first house assemblies of the year where they met their form teachers and House Deans. Together with the Y13s in their form class the new students then spent the rest of the day becoming acquainted with school systems, buildings and teachers.
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Diamond Jubilee August 2013
MRGS Diamond Jubilee - Saturday 17 August 2013
CELEBRATE WITH US
Daytime Events:
- Tours of the School - Visit your favourite school space - Meet fellow students/staff.
- Morning Tea - Share tea and talk.
- Sport - Support our teams.
- Displays - History as you made it.
Evening Event:
- Celebration Diamond Jubilee Dinner - At Alexandra Park
Register your interest at jubilee@mrgs.school.nz
You will receive news, details, developments and updates. Details updated on this website February 2013.
Student Wins Science and Technology Award
Sohail Abdullah, a year 12 student, was awarded the American Ambassador’s award at the Genesis Energy Realise the Dream awards function in Wellington on Friday 14th December. The award, one of those celebrating the most talented New Zealand secondary school science students, gives Sohail travel and accommodation to attend the Intel International Science Fair in Phoenix, Arizona in May 2013.
Sohail was one of 20 students selected nationally by the Royal Society of New Zealand to be finalists in this prestigious event. He had designed a robot that cleans windows. The inspiration for his work was seeing his father struggling to clean windows at home and this led to his invention that he hopes may be adapted for use on high rise buildings in the future.
Another Mount Roskill student, Conor King, was also selected to attend the event for his cellphone linked database, ‘blurb’, which enables your cellphone to communicate information on areas like your music preferences or shoe size to a shop that you enter. He hopes that his design will allow people to have their own choice of music played by retailers rather than random tunes.
Roskill grammar was the only Auckland school to have two representatives at the award ceremony. Their work is a tribute to the strength of Electronics at the school and the support and dedication of teacher Mr. Bill Collis.
2013 Start of the Year Information
Mount Roskill Grammar School - 2013 Start of the Year
The School Administration Office opens on Tuesday 15th January
Returning Students – course confirmations
- 2013 Year 12 – Thursday 24th January 9.00am (H block)
- 2013 Year 13 – Thursday 24th January 11.00am (H block)
- 2013 Year 11 – any students wishing to make option changes – see website for details
First School day:
Thursday 31st January = 2013 Y9, Y13 and all other new students –
- Y9 and new students 9.45am on school main field (for Powhiri and assemblies)
- Y13 9.30am in school hall for Powhiri preparation.
Friday 1st February = All students
- 8.40 am (students to form classes)
School closed Anniversary Day – Monday 28th January
School closed Waitangi Day – Wednesday 6th February.
Enrolments – All new enrolments must be completed by Tuesday 22nd January for students wishing to start on 31st January
Uniform and Stationery Shop – on Campus in D6 ( entry by Gate 3 )
Opening hours
- January 17th - 24th : 9.00am to 5.00pm
- January 29th to February 5th : 8.00am to 4.00pm