Student Support

Staff | Peer | Communication | Careers

Whenever students have questions or problems, Hawera High School is always available to assist. We provide a comprehensive guidance service to meet the various personal, academic and career issues that may concern caregivers and students. Students and/or their parents and caregivers can make appointments for the following by contacting the school office:

Form Teacher
The first link in the guidance network is the Form Teacher. All students are assigned to a form class and the form teacher is their first point of reference. The form teacher has special responsibility for the welfare and progress of the class. Routine notes about absence, health matters, uniform, homework etc should be addressed to the form teacher. They issue passes for lunch, town, uniform, vehicles, etc. Form teachers have a wealth of knowledge about the progress and behaviour of students in their class.

Deans
Deans are assigned to each year level. They allocate students to forms, confirm courses of study, counsel students and deal with discipline matters.

Guidance Counsellors
Mrs C Hilford and Mrs A Luscombe. These two counsellors may be contacted directly by students and caregivers on any matter – academic, career or personal. All guidance counsellors are bound by a code of confidentiality.

Careers Advisor
Mrs S Martin. Students at any level may gain careers direction from the careers advisor.

Visiting Health Nurse
Advice on health matters may be obtained from the visiting health nurse. She can refer students if more specialised treatment is required.

Heads of Department
These are senior teachers in charge of subject areas. Queries related to a specific subject or course may be directed to the HoD concerned.

School Leadership Team
The Principal, Deputy Principal, Assistant Principals and Senior Master are always available to discuss concerns – particularly those of a more serious nature.

Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is responsible to the Ministry of Education for the governance of the school. They are happy to discuss such matters with the parents.

The peer support programme is based upon the principle that people absorb information, values and guidance from trusted others. As a method of transmitting sound and positive ideas and direction, it is a valuable educational tool.

Year 13 students are trained to act as group leaders to small groups of Year 9 students. Through this programme, these senior students gain opportunities for self-development. They experience responsibility, develop communication and leadership skills, becoming increasingly aware of their ability to help others.

Year 9 students gain a supportive environment in which to develop their individuality. The small groups provide security and friendship as aids to these new entrants’ transition to successful secondary school life.

Hawera High School works hard at keeping students and their homes informed. Some of the ways employed to do this are:

Newsletters
A printed newsletter is sent home via students about every two weeks, and e-mailed to those households on our e-mail circulation list schoolnewsletter@hawerahs.ihug.co.nz.  It is also posted on this web site and previous newsletters are also accessible here. They contain information about recent and forthcoming events, the achievements of students and other items of school news.

Parents’ Evenings
These are held from time to time for specific purposes. Examples are the Year 9 evening in term one, and the year 10 evening in term three for students moving to year 11.

Reports
Students bring home comprehensive subject reports three times per year. Details of the level of skills gained are given as well as effort and behaviour, etc.

Report Evenings
A report evening is held early in Term 2 to discuss the progress of students. Personal Strategic Planning and Personal Career Planning meetings are held at the beginning of the year to set goals, and again following a report in Term 3 to further help students reach their goals.

Student Diary
All students are provided with a Student Diary. It contains school rules and procedures as well as key events during the year. Parents and caregivers are asked to monitor the diary to ensure that it is being used to record homework. Sometimes staff use the diary to communicate with parents.

Letters and Phone Calls
When an incident occurs or a student’s behaviour gives rise for concern, staff may communicate with the home by letter or telephone.

School Magazine
This annual publication is purchased by students at the end of the year. It is a record of the year’s events and achievements.

Hawera High School regularly focuses students on their futures. The aim is for pupils to set goals both academically and career-wise. A range of individual and group opportunities (formal and informal) is provided. These allow students to review their progress and modify goals before moving forward.

At the heart of this are Personal Strategic Plans (PSPs) and Personal Career Plans (PCPs). Specific advice on future aims can be gained from the Career’s Teacher, Mrs Martin. Both Guidance Counsellors can also be approached in this respect. Parents/caregivers and students are always welcome to approach us for individual advice.

The school holds a number of information evenings throughout the year for specific groups. This is particularly important to assist pupils in making an informed subject selection for the following year.

The Option Selection Process:

• Term Two report evenings
• PCP & PSP meetings in Term One and Three
• Year 10 Information Evening for the following year
• Year 8 Information Evening for caregivers and parents
• Aspects of the Social Education and Life-Skills Programmes - Years 9-11
• Career’s Advisor advice and guidance
• Training Providers’ liason visits and trips to key institutions
• Career’s service courses and exhibitions
• CV preparation courses
• Individual interviews with staff etc

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