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Northern Southland College
Newsletter - Term 3 Week 3
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Acting Principal's Message
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Not to start my first ever newsletter with a cliché but “where has the time gone”. We have just finished week three of Term Three! For all our learners, this starts getting to the pointy end of our academic year with Derived Grade Exams, Junior Exams and NCEA Exams all on the horizon.
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We would like to welcome two new members of staff - Miss Karyn Gibb joins the Social Science Department and Miss Deborah Robertson joins the English Department. I am sure the students of NSC are making them feel welcome. We wish Mrs McKenzie and Mrs Humphries all the best on their maternity leave.
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My message to students in the first assembly this term was around our three core values within NSC - Respect for Self, Respect for Others and Respect for the Environment. It came with a simple message to all, how can we show this from day to day while at NSC? Students are rising to the challenge and it is great to hear positive conversations around respect.
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As always, in the background for 2026 we have the Ministry of Education's Attendance Goals. We have gone to an automated system, where parents are informed after a student hasn’t attended for five days in a single term.
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Late last term and early this term, we received our results back for the Common Assessment Activities (CAA's). The CAA’s are a requirement under the current NCEA system and are a great indication of students' current achievement levels. Remember, there is a second opportunity to sit these later this year and we will conduct tutorials leading up to these assessments, to ensure every student is set for success.
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Term Three sees a lot of action both inside and outside the classroom. These include; Teacher Conferences; Open Night; Career Fest; Mana Harrison visits; Rural Schools Tournament; Year 11 YMCA Day; Year 13 Portobello Biology Trip; School Photos; Winter Tournament Week and the Production. Just to name a few!
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With the winter sports season wrapping up I would love to take this opportunity to thank all players, coaches, managers, staff and parents who make all these sports possible. It is amazing to see the support that our learners receive.
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Finally, some advance warning of our upcoming Staff Only Day on Friday 28 August. This is a Ministry of Education mandated day where staff will be undertaking professional development activities.
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As always, we appreciate our school community’s continued support of our school.
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Coming Up
- School Interviews - Thursday 13 August
- Rural Schools Tournament - Friday 14 August - Please note change of date
- Year 11 YMCA Leadership Day - Monday 17 August
- Year 13 Biology Trip to Portobello - Wednesday 19 - Friday 21 August
- School Photos - 26-27 August 2026
- NSC Open Night - Thursday 27 August
- NSC Staff Only Day - Friday 28 August - NSC is closed for instruction
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School Interviews
Subject Teacher Interviews will be held in the NSC Gym Thursday 13 August 2026 beginning at 3.45pm and concluding at 8pm. There will be a dinner break from 5.30 to 6pm.
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Bookings will close at 1:00pm on Monday 10 August
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Steps to book, as follows:
1. Go to www. schoolinterviews.co.nz
2. Click on the "Make a Booking" tab.
3. Enter the code for the bookings zr7ht
4. Book the subject teachers you would like to see.
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Students have the option to either remain at school for activities or to to leave at 2:50pm on Thursday 13 August. Permission slips have been sent home for you to indicate your student(s) intentions, if we do not hear from you it will be assumed your student is staying until 3:20pm . Please get these permission slips back to the Office by Tuesday 11 August.
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Any questions, please contact: wendy.coghlan@nsc.school.nz or the School Office.
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Mana Harrison Junior boys
Over the last three Tuesdays elebven Year seven and eight boys have been going to Evolve gym in Invercargill. This is an opportunity to work with Mana Harrison and learn through physical movement about how we can help ourselves.
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Mana has taught us about using our breath especially when we are physically feeling exhausted and when we are also having big emotions. During group games we’ve been learning about competition but also accepting when you lose.
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We were challenged to try new things like; box jumping; boxing; using military style training with very heavy equipment; and also learning how to weight lift safely. Our brain is there to protect us but sometimes we’ve got to push through and try something new like a very tall box jump. This was quite a daunting task for some of us however we all had our success.
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One session we had a check in system at the beginning of a session to see what our energy levels were like. We then completed an hour and a half of physical activities and then we checked in about our energy levels again. All of us had more energy and felt better within ourselves after a physical workout. Exercise is an important tool to help us with our emotional regulation.
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Mana set up lots of teamwork activities. All the boys were encouraging one another, supporting one another and pushing one another to build great teamwork skills.
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Mana also put us under physical pressure and we had to push through, however when we had to react to instructions or expectations he taught us to take a moment to think. Taking a moment to think allows a little bit of clarity to make a good choice.
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We also learned about communication and some challenges. When we were doing planks when one of us was tired we had to communicate under physical exhaustion to tell your partner that it was your turn to take over and carry on the plank. We had to make sure that we were able to clearly let our partner know it was their turn because we couldn’t drop out of the plank. We also had to encourage one another to hang in there just a little bit longer.
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Throughout the whole experience each of the boys had a little moment where they thought they couldn’t do something or they felt extremely challenged, that they might not be able to do a hang or that they might not be able to do the box jump or that they wouldn’t be able to run the whole way around the field while carrying everything or bench pressing a heavy weight. The boys had to use the encouragement from others, believe that they could and try. We were all able to attempt the task and have success.
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Mana thank you for sharing your enthusiasm and your energy and teaching us some valuable life lessons through physical exercise.
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Agri Kids
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Well done to our Agri Kids team - Fletcher, Lucian and Slade, who competed in the national competition in New Plymouth in the last week of Term Two.
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Kindo Updates
Kindo is getting a fresh new look from early August, designed to make paying and completing forms simpler. Keep an eye out for the update, and check your email for what's new.
Learn more https://bit.ly/4pAel6D
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New to Kindo: Autopay
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Staying on top of school payments just got a whole lot easier.
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Did you know you can set up your Kindo account so it gets topped up automatically?
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Kindo’s latest feature, Autopay, works with automatic payments to help you stay on top of school payment requests.
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How it works:
You set your preferences (types of payments you want covered, wallet reserve etc) Kindo emails you 48 hours before a payment run (so you can review or make changes) Kindo pays the request automatically
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Less hassle, fewer "wait, did I pay that?" moments, and more peace of mind for busy families.
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Production - Popstars the 90's Musical
Ready for a total 90's throwback?
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After seven years, the school production is back and bigger than ever!
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Bringing together an unstoppable cast from Years 7 to 13 for a high energy performance you won't want to miss. Packed with feature roles, huge ensemble numbers and an unbeatable 90's playlist. This is your chance to sing along and celebrate the incredible talent in our school community.
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Tickets are available via Kindo from Friday 14 August. To purchase tickets go to Kindo then in the Shop, go to Production and choose either the Matinee performance or the Thursday night performance. Cash ticket sales will also be available at the office and there may be some door sales but these are dependant on availability. For those that wish to buy tickets and are not members of Kindo please share this link to our Community Shop: Production Tickets
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Please note that they will not be able to purchase tickets until 14 August.
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To ensure you don't miss out we recommend purchasing tickets via Kindo using one of the instant payment options such as POLi or Online Eftpos which are free to use.
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Please note: You can only add one ticket type to your cart at a time as a separate item. The quantity can then be adjusted before checking out.
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Your Donation Makes a Difference
We wanted to take a moment to share why we ask our families for voluntary donations, and
how these contributions directly enrich the educational experience for all our students.
While government funding covers our schools core necessities, it is the extra support from
families like yours that truly allows us to go above and beyond. These donations provide the
opportunities and resources that make a significant difference in our children's learning and
development.
Your generosity helps us acquire and maintain vital resources that enhance both academic
and extracurricular school life. Recently, these funds have supported:
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Providing essential tools like Chromebooks ensures our students have access to the latest technology and Google Classroom, preparing them for a digital future. While we have recently extended our suite of Chromebooks, some of our older technology date back to 2016 and is becoming outdated.
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Sports Equipment and Uniforms:
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Supporting our teams with new gear and uniforms fosters teamwork, physical fitness, and school spirit. This year, we are updating all our sports uniforms to ensure a consistent, proud image for all our teams. We have also added several new bikes and helmets to our Outdoor Education equipment.
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Contributions help us maintain and improve our school environment, ensuring safe, engaging areas for outdoor play and learning. Over the last 12 months, we have invested in new cricket practice nets and turf, additional shade sails around the school, and a climbing wall in the playground.
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Donations assist with both the purchase and ongoing maintenance of our school vans. These provide crucial transport for school activities and trips,ensuring students can easily get to where they need to be. This year, we are proud to have added a third van to our fleet.
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These resources are not luxuries; they are fundamental to creating a vibrant, well rounded, and inspiring educational environment. They allow our teachers to implement innovative programs, enable our students to explore their passions, and help Northern Southland College remain a truly supportive and dynamic community hub.
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Every contribution makes a huge collective impact. Thank you so much for investing in our
students futures.
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Snow Camp
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On Monday 27 July, the Year 13’s travelled to Cardrona Snow farm to crack on with some Cross Country skiing.
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Before going to the Snow Farm, we stopped at Frankton BP for a pie, cup of coffee, top up on some snacks and to break up the 2 hour van ride. We then travelled to the snow farm to check in and get our gear.
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After a quick game of Among US it was time to fall on our buttocks. Like crayfish with no legs, we slowly stumbled our way to our first lesson. (Miss Stark was very nervous at that point as to how we would manage the 5km trip to the hut!)
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After quickly being humbled, it was time to test our non-existent ski skills on the way to Musters Hut. As we skied towards the hut, our eyes were treated by the stunning view of the landscape before us. We stopped halfway to soak in the view and snap some pictures. From there, we skied straight to the hut.
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Once we arrived at the hut, we prepared ourselves a delicious dinner to fill our stomach from skiing for almost half the day. We played heaps of board games to fill our night out, and got a good night’s rest to recharge for the big ski back to the lodge. By the end of our journey we could all ski somewhat competently.
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After the tiresome skiing we travelled back to Frankton for a quick lunch, which marked the end of our way too short, action filled final camp.
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I would 100% recommend and do it all again.
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JM ( John Mayoya) seal of approval TM
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Lunchtime Pass
Students are not permitted to go down the street at lunch or break time - this includes to buy lunch.
Students who live locally, may run an errand home during lunch time - permission is required beforehand from their caregiver to the Office either by phone, text or email for each and every time they do this.
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We are legally required to have a caregivers permission for any student to leave our school premises during school hours whether they are returning to school afterwards or not back that day.
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The only exception being; Year 13 students as they have the privilege to sign-out and leave school during their break times. If they need to leave during the school day and are not returning that day the Office require permission beforehand from their caregiver.
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Student Absences
It is important to let the NSC Office know directly, of student absences as there have
been instances where caregivers have messaged a staff member not the office.
This is not ideal as, if the staff member is away or has not checked their messages or shared the information with the office, the office will still need to contact their caregiver.
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It is helpful to include a reason for absence ie sickness, holiday, medical appointment etc.
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Contact the Office by either of the following;
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Phone: 03 248 7121 or Text 027 248 7121 or email: office@nsc.school.nz
or via the School App or via the NSC website
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School Photo Programme
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Photos are on Wednesday 26 August and Thursday 27 August. Please note that Wednesday will be the non-uniform day to save students having to change out of their uniforms on Thursday. Full uniform must be worn on Thursday and uniforms are expected to be clean and tidy, including shoes.
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If you wish to have a family photo please let the office know by emailing office@nsc.school.nz. Family photos will be taken between 9am and 12 on Wednesday morning.
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Southern Country Music Awards
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Meila Scully had a successful weekend at the Southern Country Music Awards, taking home the title of Overall Junior Winner.
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Her next challenge will be the Entertainer of the Year competition in Rotorua in October. Go Meila!!
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Clay Target Shooting Update – Sparta, Illinois
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I'm currently in Sparta, Illinois, competing at the Grand American Clay Target Shooting Championships, and it's been an incredible experience so far.
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It's amazing to be shooting with people from all over the world, and I've already learnt so much just by watching other shooters and competing alongside them. Every day I'm picking up new skills, gaining more confidence, and learning from some of the best shooters in the sport.
The weather has been very mixed during the competition. Some days have been extremely hot, while other days we've had heavy rain and lightning. Whenever there's lightning in the area, the shooting has to stop until it's safe to continue, which has caused a few delays.
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I'm really proud to be representing myself and New Zealand at such a large competition. It's been an amazing opportunity, and I'm giving it my best. I'm grateful to everyone who has supported me and helped make this experience possible.
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With only the last couple of days of competition left, I'm excited to finish strong, keep learning as much as I can, and enjoy every moment of this amazing experience.
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Sport Talk
Whats Been Happening:
Southland Secondary School’s Kī-o-rahi Festival.
Once again our NSC Senior Boys team were able to retain the Senior Boys trophy for the third year running. Unfortunately this year there wasn’t the same competition in their pool.
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With some of our key senior boys away, it was a great opportunity for some new players to step up.
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Team: Finlay Jones, Aidan Thomas, Future Waihaki, Lewis Chen, Lior Mabilangan, Tiarahi Kamo-Boyce, Xavier Kington, Ben Davis and Sam Ussher.
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We also entered a Mixed Team for the first time. It was exciting to see this team gel together quickly to take out second place in a very tough competition. They will certainly be a team to watch in the future.
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Team: Josh Broughton, Luca Duthie, Hollie Clearwater, Verity Dynes, Liam Eaton, Johnny Chen, Eli Elder and M J Andrews.
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Southland Secondary School’s Badminton Champs
Another great day of Badminton, where our top players got to play against some of the best in Southland and even a New Zealand rep (a humbling experience).
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This has been a great way to finish our Badminton season, with lots of games and plenty of awesome competition.
Boys A Team: 2 Wins / 1 Loss
Charlie Chen, Jacob Elder, Sawyer Jones and Ben Davis
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Boys B Team: 3 Losses
Lewis Chen, Johnny Chen, Finlay Jones and Milan Pathak
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NSC The Gals: 1 Draw / 1 Loss
Almendra Bruno, Shenaia Krishna, Senadi W-K and Zixin Wu
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Whats coming up this term in sport:
- Rural School’s Winter Tournament: Friday 14 August. Hosted at NSC. See information below
- Mixed Senior Hockey Final: Tuesday 18 August, Time to be confirmed
- Mixed Yr 9/10 Netball friendly match vs Verdon: Friday 21 August 11.00 @ NSC
- Sports Photos: Wednesday 26 August, See Programme
- Winter Tournament Week: 31 August - 4 September
Mixed Senior Hockey - Nelson
Netball Combined NSC/Aparima - Nelson
U15 Rugby Combined NSC/CSC - Westport
- Volleyball Weekly Comp Starts: Wednesday 9 September
- Yr 7/8 Southern Schools Interchange Tournament: Thursday 17 September in Invercargill, Netball, Mixed Hockey, More info to follow
- South Island Ki O Rahi Champs: Friday 25 September, Senior Boys Team
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