Stratford High Times

Wow, where has the term gone?
Term 1 has been full throttle! Students have been diving into their first assessments, and as the term comes to a close, this will give us a clearer picture of who is on track to succeed and who may need additional support. Kamar continues to be a fantastic tool for tracking your child’s attendance, which has the most significant impact on their success and achievement. Research consistently shows that increased parental involvement is closely linked to a child’s improved perception of cognitive competence, which boosts their confidence and engagement in the learning process. If you have any concerns, please reach out directly to the subject teacher.

Our recent Teacher Only Day, held just before Taranaki Anniversary, was a tremendous opportunity for professional growth. Teachers and staff from our Kahui Ako, Taranaki Mohoao, in collaboration with the Inglewood Community of Learning, Kohanga Moa, came together for a day of learning and reflection. The day began with a dynamic presentation from Kathryn Berkett, a renowned educational psychologist whose insights into the adolescent brain are invaluable for both parents and educators. Kathryn’s message emphasized the importance of understanding and accepting teenagers for who they are, rather than expecting them to conform to predefined standards. One key point she made was the value of safety and understanding in the parent-child relationship, which is essential for fostering healthy development during these formative years.

Kathryn also spoke about the crucial role of resilience in adolescence. In today’s world, many children are enveloped in their parents’ protective embrace, which, while well-intentioned, can sometimes hinder their ability to cope with life’s challenges. Kathryn encouraged us to allow moments of "tolerable stress" — such as playful teasing (as opposed to bullying) — to help our children build resilience. These experiences are critical in teaching them how to navigate difficulties and emerge stronger. It is vital that we strike a balance by providing the necessary support and understanding, while also allowing our students the space to develop these essential life skills.

On Saturday night, we were fortunate to have Irene Van Dyk speak at our Australian Netball Tour Fundraiser. Her ability to connect with the audience was outstanding, and we were lucky to hear her powerful message about being yourself, enjoying what you do, and always giving your best. For those who attended, I’m sure you left with a smile, feeling inspired by one of New Zealand’s iconic sports figures.

Additionally, we are thrilled to have received increased staffing through the recent confirmed staffing entitlement. With a number of large classes and a shortage in some areas, this increase allows us to better meet the needs of our students. The continued roll growth is enabling us to evolve and add staff where necessary, which helps ensure a higher quality of education for all.

As we head into the term break, with Easter and Anzac Day in the holidays, I hope you find some well-deserved time to connect as a family, reflect on the term, and plan for another successful year at Stratford High School.

Nga mihi

Cameron Stone

Principal

Congratulations to Kiahna Smith. Kiahna has been selected for the YES Young Navigators programme, joining 35 rangatahi on an all-expenses-paid business trip to Auckland these holidays!

She will experience the fast-paced world of business, compete in a business challenge, and connect with like-minded young leaders. An incredible opportunity—well done, Kiahna!

Our Year 10 Outdoor Education class went on a two-day tramp, staying at the Waingongoro Hut. The weather wasn't the best, but this didn't deter the students. They had a fabulous time, and it was a great experience for them all.

In March, eight senior students had the opportunity to shadow healthcare professionals at the Taranaki Base Hospital and experience real life health situations with real patients. Our students, along with students from other Taranaki high schools, had exposure to the surgical ward, pharmacy, physiotherapy, radiology, physician, paediatrics, and simulated theatre environments. There will a further opportunity for students to be involved in this again later in the year – so students keep an eye out on the Year 12 / Year 13 Careers Teams page.

Student feedback was that it confirmed their passion for being in the healthcare profession, and that they would love to do it again. One student’s favourite part was “Seeing everything the nurse/physician does on a day to day basis, especially the things you don't notice when you're a patient, for example the amount of charting they have to do! I also loved getting to see a mini procedure done on the general med floor.”

Another student said "I shadowed a surgical day ward nurse which we mainly just watched over patients and did rounds. I also worked on ward 3A which i really enjoyed and learnt a lot doing. One thing I learned was that there is a lot of paperwork involved in nursing. My favourite part of the experience was talking to the patient and learning more about what had happened to them."

Seven Year 11 girls went to experience Oral health therapist, speech language therapist, and physiotherapy roles.

Sergeant Kayanna Holley and Rowan (our Police lead for this term) had some good discussions with the boys around healthy/unhealthy relationships. Kayla Luke (youth nurse) had some good discussions around how alcohol and drugs impact different parts of our bodies. Also some healthy conversations around different scenarios that are likely to come up at stage (ie at partys etc) and how young people would/could react in those situations.

Thanks to the dedication and generosity of our students, staff, and the wider school community, we have raised an incredible amount of money to support the fight against cancer.

Relay for Life is more than just a fundraiser—it's a movement that brings communities together to celebrate survivors, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against cancer. Our school’s participation in this event has been nothing short of inspiring. From the initial fundraising drives to the event itself, our students demonstrated unwavering commitment to making a difference.

A huge thank you to everyone who contributed—whether through sponsorships, donations, or taking part in the event itself. Your efforts have made a significant impact, and we are incredibly proud of our school for leading the way in such a meaningful cause.

We would also like to extend our gratitude to the teachers and staff who supported our students every step of the way, and to the parents and community members who rallied behind us. Your support is what made this achievement possible.

We’ve received several emails and phone calls from parents concerned that their child has missed important meetings regarding TSSSA events, trainings, and sign-ups.

To avoid missing out on opportunities, please ensure that students check the daily notices with their form teacher every morning. If a form teacher is not reading the notices to the class, kindly ask them to do so.

Please be aware that missing meetings due to forgetfulness or lack of attention can result in students missing out on important deadlines, especially for TSSSA events. Many of these events have strict entry deadlines, and failing to attend meetings could prevent participation.

Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring all students stay informed and involved.

Reid Macdonald has recently been in Auckland at the New Zealand Division 2 Competition with some Stratford Flyers team mates competing for both his club and Swimming Taranaki. Reid competed exceptionally well during this meet. Great job Reid.

Caleb and Jacob White raced at the BMXNZ National Championships in Invercargill on 22nd and 23rd of March.

It was only Jacob's third time back on his bike after breaking his thumb 8 weeks earlier but still raced well considering. Jacob finished 27th in the 14-year-old boys.

Jacob also finished 9th in the BMXNZ National Series (points accumulated over the season from National series rounds).

Caleb raced really well in the motos but unfortunately whilst going into the first corner the person in front of Caleb crashed, taking Caleb and the next three riders out of contention as they had to take evasive action to avoid the crash letting the last three riders through to take the three podium spots, so Caleb ended up finishing 5th in the 15-year-old boys.

Caleb also finished 2nd in the BMXNZ National Series (points accumulated over the season from the National series rounds).

Caleb will have a couple of weeks off his bike before getting stuck in with training and preparation for his big focus of racing at the BMX World Championships in 2026.

Congratulations to Rio Russ, Ty Baker, Wiki Taingahue and Kylen Booker who all play for the Waitara Bears U14 League team and won the final against Bell Block Marist recently. A great achievement.

If anyone has any newspapers lying around home that is not needed, the science lab would love to take them off your hands.

Please be mindful and refrain from parking in the disability parking spaces unless you have a valid disability card. These spaces are reserved for those who need them most, ensuring accessibility for people with mobility challenges. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

The Kamar portal has been updated and can be accessed at https://stratfordhigh.school.kiwi/ This will be further developed this term and will eventually include features such as payments, course selection etc. More details will follow about this in due course.

Please inform the school office of any student achievements so that we can join in celebrating with them.

If your student has changed a subject please let Mrs Terry know via email so the statement can be adjusted to reflect the changes STerry@stratfordhigh.school.nz

There are a variety of ways that you can make payments to cover school costs. The main office receives cash and EFTPOS payments and you can also pay online via direct credit. Parents can also set up an automatic payment to cover schooling costs. When setting up the automatic payment, consider a minimum payment of $15.00 per week, which is sufficient to pay for all school, curriculum and sport costs for a student during the year.

Payments will be automatically applied to “required payments”. Subsequent payments will sit as a credit on the student’s account. If you would like to have payments allocated to the “voluntary payments”, please email ts@stratfordhigh.school.nz with the details.

You can set this up by either using your bank’s online banking services or downloading the Automatic Payment Authority form and taking this to your bank. Please remember to use the students’ name for any payments.

Have you moved recently? Have you changed your phone number or email address recently? Please fill out the following form to advise us of your new details. Also fill out this form if you have not been receiving emails from the school. There are a number of families who we don't currently have an email address for.

It is very important we have the correct information for your child in case there is an emergency and we need to contact you immediately. If any contact details change throughout the year please let the school office know.

See below for instructions to provide feedback on the Health and Safety Management policy.

1. Visit the website Stratford HS Policies and Procedures (schooldocs.co.nz)
2. Enter the username (stratfordhigh) and password (swansearoad4332)
3. Click on the tab for current review and it should show you the latest policies for review.
4. Read the policy.
5. Click the Policy Review button at the top right-hand corner of the page.
6. Select the reviewer type "Parent".
7. Enter your name (optional).
8. Submit your ratings and comments.
9. If you don't have internet access, school office staff can provide you with printed copies of the policy and a review form.

As we progress through the year, remember to check your son's or daughter's results on the Kamar app or portal: https://stratfordhigh.school.kiwi/ If you have any questions, please contact the subject teacher in the first instance.

- Dr. Michael Taylor

Deputy Principal (Curriculum)

Our Charter is now available to view on our website. The charter sets the direction for our school and identifies our priorities as a school community.

The Stratford High School Policies and Procedures are managed online, through School Docs. To visit our School Docs, click here.

Our school username is: stratfordhigh

Our parent password is: swansearoad4332

You will find policies for review and more information about the review process under the "Current Review" tab. We welcome your feedback via this review process.

Rummage around for those unwanted mobile phones to donate!

We have a Mobile Phone Collection Box in our office.

The Mobile Phone Recycling Scheme has raised over $3 million for NZ charities thanks to the support of Businesses, Government Departments, Organisations and many thousands of individuals from all over NZ.

Phones received are graded, data wiped and sim/memory cards removed and destroyed. Phones that can still be used are sold by tender to off-shore businesses that specialise in the resale of second-hand mobile phones. They are refurbished and sold as low-cost handsets to places like Africa and Asia. Phones that have reached their end of life are broken down and recycled in an environmentally friendly way with up-to 95% of their materials being recycled into other products. Regardless of condition, working or non-working, make or model all mobile phones are accepted by the Mobile Phone Recycling Scheme.

The Public Health Nurse will be at school one day every week for any health needs. Clinic is confidential and free.

• Health and hauora (wellbeing checks)
• General health concerns
• Contraception
• Condoms and pregnancy tests
• STI checks and the morning after pill

To book an appointment, see the school office reception or contact the Public Health Nurse, Anne Jonas on 027 204 1134 or email anne.jonas@tdhb.org.nz

Please see the office staff if a hearing or vision test is required.

Please find below key contacts for staff at school.

Senior Leadership Team

Principal: Mr Cameron Stone

Deputy Principal Curriculum: Dr Michael Taylor

Deputy Principal Pastoral and School Organisation: Ms Kelly Jennings

Assistant Principal/Academic achievement: Ms Allana George

Principal's PA: Mrs Joe Mack

School Board Secretary: Mrs Amanda Hill

Principal's Nominee

For all enquiries regarding NZQA or Te Kura

Mr Dirk Vermeulen: extension 707 or email

Deans for 2025

Year 9: Mrs Alison Wright

Year 10: Ms Kelly Rawcliffe

Year 12: Mr Bill McGeoch

Year 13: Mrs Lucy Gibbon

Guidance Counsellor: Ms. Liza Albers

Learning Support Coordinator: Mrs. Lisa Dent

For all other enquires please contact the school office 06 765 6039

Email: mail@stratfordhigh.school.nz
Website: www.stratfordhigh.school.nz
Location: Stratford High School Swansea Road, Stratford, New Zealand
Phone: 06-7656039
Facebook: facebook.com/SHSTaranaki

Instagram: @shstaranaki @heart_SHS @shs_SADD_team

Friday 11 April - Last day Term 1

Monday 28 April - First day Term 2

Monday 2 June - King's Birthday

Friday 20 June - Matariki Holiday
Monday 23 June - Teacher Only Day

As the weather cools there is an increase in house fires in Taranaki.

- 97% of people who die in house fires die from the smoke, in as little as 2 breaths.

- You can’t smell smoke when you’re asleep so its vital you have working smoke alarms within 3m of where whanau sleep.

Stay safe whanau!

Please check out the informative dog education tips below.

We are pleased to advise that Stratford High School has reached Ferns' Fuel for School programme's threshold for redemption.

The current total is $1387.24.

We are super excited to introduce our newest addition to the program: Vegepod's. At Fern, we believe in the power of connecting kids with nature. Hands-on gardening experiences not only teach crucial life skills but also creates social bonds and boosts well-being.

You can now redeem from a range of sports, technology, literacy, music and of course Vegepod packages which will be hand delivered by your local Rural Sales Manager.

The Fuel for Schools sponsorship programme has helped put over $1.7 million dollars of resources into more than 600 rural schools in the last fifteen years.

Just a reminder of how SHS has received this donation...

SHS has been nominated by a local business/farm that receives bulk fuel deliveries from Fern, meaning that for every 100 litres of bulk fuel they purchase, 50 cents is donated to SHS. We would like to take the time to mention who those members of the community are that have contributed to SHS. They are listed as follows:

• Amberhay Limited - Finnerty Road
• G & M Collins Family Trust
• Makino Deer Limited
• Palmerdell Trust 91 Only
  
• Palmerdell Trust AGO only
• Palmerdell Trust
• Cornwall Park Farms Limited
• WE & JJ Craig
• GN & RL Smith Trusts Partnership

Rural communities and schools everywhere can enjoy the benefits of the Fuel for Schools programme. For more information about the programme, call 0800 99 99 89 or visit their website fernenergy.co.nz/community/fuel-for-schools