SAMS 2012 Prospectus

8/3/2019 SAMS 2012 Prospectus

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Prospectus

Learning for Life

Te Kura Nga Tai Tamariki O Hato Anaru


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St Andrews Middle School is

a well respected Years 7 to 10

learning centre. Our special

character of small class sizes,

homeroom learning experiences

and high expectations, makes

us the school of choice in this

community.

Quality learning is at the

heart of everything we do.

We progress student learning

levels significantly from the

time they begin their education

with us as a Year 7 student to

when they leave us at the end

of Year 10, fully equipped with

a strong foundation in literacy

and numeracy to experience

senior studies at high school.

Our school is a warm, vibrant

and caring place in which

students can build capabilities

for confident citizenship.

We expect students to show

respect for self and others, to

develop a can do attitude,

and to participate in all areas of

school life.

We want all students at SAMS

to be:

Safe, happy and learning

Your child will experience

high quality teaching from our

skilled teaching team who will

prepare your child for future

opportunities as they become

lifelong learners.

We look forward to welcoming

your family into this exciting

school.

Warm regards

Keith Jackson

Principal

Welcome

Learning for Life



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page 4 www.sams.school.nz

OurMiddleSchool

Our Middle School

St Andrews is a middle school. Our programme is delivered in a manner that is best

suited for young emerging adolescents and we will satisfy their academic, social,

physical and emotional needs. Our delivery focuses on students maintaining a close

learning relationship with a homeroom teacher and having students needs recognised

and met through an individualised approach.

The middle years are a time of rapid personal development. We pride ourselves on

providing a safe and secure environment for our students. We see our school as a

family school providing opportunities for the development of respectful relationships.

Our four year teaching programme means that we have a much better opportunity to

get to know our students as learners and that we have a much greater opportunity to

meet their learning needs whilst they are with us.

Students are organised into composite classes to ensure stability for learning.

We have Year 7/8 homeroom classes and Year 9/10 homeroom classes. Classes are

organised into teams with a Team Leader responsible for each. Each component of

our school works together with others to provide an enthusiastic and positive learning

community for our students. The school climate is warm, friendly and welcoming.


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page 5www.sams.school.nz

TogetherW

eLearn

e 5pawww.sams.school nz.

Together We LearnEvery member of SAMS is a learner. Teachers, students and the wider community

engage in learning together, not only in subject content but also in the process of

learning and about ourselves as learners.

The SAMS Learner

Every member of SAMS is a learner. Teachers, students and the wider community

Respect for Ourselves, for Others and Our World

SAMS Self Manager SAMS Contributor SAMS Communicator

Are resilient

Are resourceful

Set and achieve goals

Make informed choicesUse their initiative

Actively participate

locally, nationally

Contribute purposefully

Connect with others andtheir ideas

Are collaborative

Listen actively

Discuss, debate, explain, share their

knowledge, ideas and opinions /

points of view clearlyUse a range of communication

tools

Articulate their thoughts,

experiences, needs

SAMS Explorer SAMS Thinker

Use a range of tools and

strategies to access information

Takes learning risks

Find and solve problems

Seek new solutions

Think about thinking

Think critically

Think creatively

Are intellectually curious

Apply and use their knowledge skills andunderstandings

Understand the power of advertising and

media on their and others lives

Our Vision

Learning for LifeOur Mission Statement

SAMS will enable and enhance resilient and intellectual learners by providing

learning that is personally meaningful, challenging and vital. We promote self

direction in life long learning and the desire to contribute positively to society.

We develop these through the

SAMS Learner


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The Homeroom Learning Environment

A strong component of our learning community are our small class sizes and the

commitment of our staff to build strong, positive learning relationships with our

students and their families. Our average class size in Year 7/8 is around 25, and

in Year 9/10 is around 18. Our specialist classes are around 14 students per class.

Our students experience a mixture of specialised and generalised teaching situations

across the school. All students (Year 7-10) work for a large part of the day in a

homeroom environment. This means that students have one teacher for general

curriculum areas which proves to be a major strength of our learning community

environment. Our students also cover the Technology and Arts Curriculum by

learning in our specially equipped teaching spaces.

Our curriculum delivery focuses on identifying and meeting individual students

learning needs within the classroom. This provides exciting opportunities for students

to make good progress within a supportive learning community.

D

iverseLearningEnvironments

ACHIEVEMENT

Our Beliefs about Teaching and Learning

We believe

Everyone is a learner and a teacher staff students, parents and

whanau.

Everyone will learn to their personal best. Everyone will be supported and nurtured as individuals.

Everyone will have the opportunity to experience and acknowledge the

bicultural nature of Aotearoa.

Everyone will have the opportunity to experience and acknowledge their

cultural diversity within our school community.

Everyone will demonstrate the attributes of the SAMS Learner.

Students will be encouraged to take responsibility to think globally

and act locally.

That the SAMS curriculum will have meaning for everyone,

connect with their wider lives and engage the support of

their families, whanau and communities.


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D

iverseLearningEnvironmentsGifted and Talented Learning / Specialised Learning

We offer special challenges for gifted and talented students who excel and need

extension through our GATE classes. Richer learning experiences are provided to

extend every students thinking.

We offer a specialist classroom environment for students who have learning

diffi

culties in literacy and numeracy. This class has a maximum of 18 students andreceives additional teacher aide assistance. In addition to this we offer withdrawal

booster programmes designed to assist students in general classrooms with learning

difficulties. This is designed to support and nurture the classroom programmes.

Our learning community here at SAMS promotes positive achievement at a personal

level. We believe every student can learn and achieve success.

Digital Learning

We offer 2 digital classrooms for studentswho engage readily with technology and ICT

tools. These classes have 15 computers, a data

projector, an interactive whiteboard, 3 video

cameras, 2 cameras, scanners, printers, digital

microscopes and more tools which are on

hand at all times to assist with learning. This

classroom will prepare students to live, learn

and work successfully in todays knowledge

based, digital society.

Students will be encouraged to use

inventive thinking as they develop digital

literacy

Students will develop effective

communication skills and demonstrate

high productivity

Students in the Digital Classroom will

still participate in the regular classroomprogramme


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D

iverseLearningEnvironments

KNOWLEDGEANDSK

ILLS

Students in the Digital Classroom will develop:

Basic Literacy and Numeracy skills

Their knowledge about, and use of Technologies available to them

Visual language skills to interpret, use, appreciate and create images and video

Information handling skills so that they can evaluate information from a range

of media

An appreciation for their own culture and that of others

The Digital Classroom will combine the following aspects to create an optimal

culture of learning.

Collaborate and Co-operate learning situations

A high focus on Formative Practice

A high focus on real world context

Students in the Digital Classroom will have continuous access to the following

equipment:

Digital Video Camera

Digital Still Camera

Scanner

Laser Printer

Data Projector


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A Safe and Nurturing Learning Community

We believe that all students have the right to learn in an environment where they

feel safe. We encourage our students to take responsibility for their learning and

behaviour through the attributes of the SAMS Learner. As a community we place

daily importance on responsible thinking practices which allow students to think

through any inappropriate choices and to correct these.

All students have the RIGHT to learn

All teachers have the RIGHT to teach

SAMS Kotahitanga Unity

Show respect Manaakitanga(to yourself and others)

Awhinatia Caring(act with kindness, support others)

Mana Dignity(pride, behaviour, uniform, language)

Sustainability Kaitiakitanga(environment grounds, buildings, equipment)

A

SafeandN

urturingLearningCom

munityA Safe and Nurturing Learning Community

We believe that all students have the right to learn in an environment where they

feel safe. We encourage our students to take responsibility for their learning and

RESPECT


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OurStaff/TeamWork

Our Staff Quality Practitioners

At St Andrews Middle School, we believe firmly

that the learner sits at the centre of our teaching and

learning model. Accordingly, we provide vigorous and

continuous Professional Development for our staff as

learners themselves to ensure that they are up to date

with current educational theory and practices. Over the

past several years our staff have been involved with

Professional Development in Best Teaching Practice,

How Students Learn Best, ICT to Enhance Learning,

the Numeracy Project and the Career Education

Project. We strive for educational excellence for both

our staff and students. Consequently we have a vibrant

and highly skilled group of teachers on our staff.

Team Work

While students are at SAMS they are a part of a House

culture. We have four different House teams which each

student will belong to for the time that they are at SAMS.

Each House has representatives from each year level and

they compete against each other in many sporting and

cultural events throughout the year. House competitions

take place during all major school sporting events such as

Swimming Sports, Athletics and Cross Country. House

competitions also run during lunch times and cover a

range of cultural, academic and sporting activities.

Our Year 9 and 10 students enjoy the privilege of leading

our House teams and also have the opportunity to take

up student service and leading learning responsibilities

within our school.

Our Staff Quality Practitioners

At St Andrews Middle School, we believe firmly

that the learner sits at the centre of our teaching and

CONFIDENCE


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StudentLeadership

Student Leadership

We offer training programmes for our student leaders to ensure they are well

supported in their roles as leaders of our student community.

Students can gain positions in the following:

Head Girl

Head Boy

Deputy Head Students

Learning Councillors

Sports Councillors

Digitech Leaders

House Captains

Peer Mediators

Librarians

PERSONALGROWTHANDINFLUENCE


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StudentOpportunities Student Opportunities

Interschool Sport Academic Teams Cultural TeamsOther

Opportunities

Swimming Literature Quiz Kapa Haka Head Girl / Boy

Athletics Waimaths Choir Learning Council

Touch Speech Team Rockband House Captains

Tennis Science Fair Envirogroup Librarian

CricketInternational

AcademicCompetitions

Japanese Club Music Tuition

Cross CountryOtago Problem

SolvingChess Club

NetballPrimary Research

ProjectPhotography Club

RugbyScience Online

ChallengeDigiTech

computer club

Hockey Seasonal Sports Teams

Soccer School Camps

Basketball School Productions

Volleyball Drama Group

Sports Camp Young Leaders

Golf

Table Tennis

Badminton

Gymnastics

Student Opportunities

Interschool Sport Academic Teams Cultural TeamsOther

Opportunities

ENCOURAGEMENT


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A Thinking Curriculum

Here at St Andrews Middle School we believe in enabling 21st century learners to

become successful SAMS Learners. As a key component of this we have designed

a Thinking Curriculum which places huge focus on developing successful lifelong

learners. Alongside the SAMS learner attributes there are eight essential learning

areas. Year 7-10 students learn across the eight essential learning areas as part of our

curriculum delivery.

AThinkingCur

riculum

A Thinking Curriculum

Here at St Andrews Middle School we believe in enabling 21st century learners to

become successful SAMS Learners. As a key component of this we have designed


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The

Technology

andArtLe

arningProg

rammes The Technology Learning Programme

The Technology Curriculum is a special feature of the learning programme at St

Andrews Middle School. Students learn through hard materials (wood, metal and

electronics), soft materials and food technology, each taught by a different specialist

teacher.

We have newly designed rooms for Food Technology, Soft Materials Technologyand Hard Materials Technology. We have specialist teachers teaching in these rooms

who have extensive expertise in their field.

The programme provides our students with the opportunity to acquire new skills in

the process of design and construction and to further appreciate the ways in which

technology impacts on their lives. The Technology programme is a highly popular

option with all students.

Students are required to wear shoes for foot protection during these classes.

The Arts Learning Programme

The arts programme offers both music and art, each taught by a different specialist

teacher and emphasising creativity and expression.

We have a specifically designed room, photography dark room and ceramics kiln to

support the Arts curriculum. Our specialist teacher in Art brings with her a wealth of

expertise and experience.

Student art work is well promoted across our school and music is also popular,offering practical playing and composition, rock band and Kapa Haka.

In many cases there is a cost for all students attending these classes and our Board of

Trustees have a policy in place that guarantees full participation in the programme

only to those pupils who have paid these costs.

The Technology Learning Programme

The Technology Curriculum is a special feature of the learning programme at St

Andrews Middle School. Students learn through hard materials (wood, metal and

OPPORTUNITY


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TheSportin

gArena/E-Learning@

SAMSE-Learning @ SAMS

St Andrews Middle School has a strong commitment to providing all of our students

with a comprehensive education in ICT and digital learning. Our programme takes a

leading role in maintaining students knowledge of, and exposure to, the very latest

in software, programming options and information access through the internet. Our

I.C.T. Programme at St Andrews Middle school is second to none in Technology.

The Sporting Arena

We actively encourage students to take part in sporting activity and our school provides

a wealth of opportunities to take part in both individual and team sports. These include

teams in netball, rugby, hockey, cricket and indoor basketball. In addition all Year 7

and 8 students are given opportunities to take part in a comprehensive programme

of sporting events as part of the inter-intermediate and middle school programme.


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Further

Options Further Options

We actively encourage our students to experiment with a variety of curriculum areas

during their time at SAMS. Our Music tuition is a way that students can branch out

and try something different. Instruments on offer depend on the students requiring

lessons registration of interest in lessons occurs at the beginning of each year.

Instruments available for tuition are:

Guitar

Bass Guitar

Drums

Violin

Keyboard

Piano

Saxophone

Flute

Clarinet

Te Reo

Spanish

French

Japanese

Rhythm Interactive drumming

shows where each child gets a

bongo drum for the entire show

(Music)

Stand Up Be Heard Speech

making techniques from experts

(English Speeches)

Technology Roadshow (Technology) Science Roadshow (Science)

Disability Awareness

DARE a programme for

adolescents Year 7/8

Attitude a programme for

adolescents Year 9/10

Waikato Museum a variety of

exhibitions

Careers Expo

Local Libraries

International Acts which travel

through our region

Our languages programme is another way that students

can branch out and explore other cultures and languages.

The languages we offer at SAMS is dependant on staff,but generally they are:

Another exciting component of our curriculum is delivered by the experts we invite

into our school to enrich and diversify the eight essential learning areas. These people

perform, entertain and present demonstrations for our students. We will also take our

students out to these experts or facilities should they not be able to be accessed at

school. These include:

Further Options

We actively encourage our students to experiment with a variety of curriculum areas

during their time at SAMS. Our Music tuition is a way that students can branch out

POTENTIAL


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OurWiderLearningCom

munityOur Wider Learning Community

As a learning community, we aspire to engage our staff, students and families within

a culture of learning. Our staff hold strong beliefs around the importance of building

strong, positive learning relationships with our students and their families. We believe

in keeping parents regularly informed.

To ensure this we encourage regular communication between home and school andvice versa. Whilst we have specified times in the year when we report to parents and

families, we also operate an open door policy. We feel it is important that you can

come into school at times when it is convenient tofind out about your childs learning

and how they are getting on at school. We also believe that the student is central

in this process and we encourage the inclusion of students at these conferences /

meetings. This also encourages students to take more responsibility for their own

learning.

Teachers and students report to parents / caregivers about learning through:

Learning Logs samples of student work across all curriculum areas

Conferencing and Goal Setting interviews Set in late February and August

Written feedback and feed forward of student work

Formal Mid Year (July) and End Year (December) reports

In addition to this we encourage parents to:

Pop in during the day to see learning in action (via our School office)

Keep channels of communication open

Contact the classroom teacher when concerns arise

Contact senior staff when concerns arise


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F

acilities

Facilities

At SAMS we have:

Sporting Facilities

Gymnasium with Basketball markings and equipment

Courts with Netball, Tennis and Basketball markings and equipment

2 Soccer Fields

Rugby Field

Adventure Playground

Asphalt areas for small ball games

Many grass areas with BBQ tables

Learning Facilities

Library

Media Hub interactive whiteboard, 15 computers and a data projector Multi Purpose Room (MPR) for shows, assemblies etc

TV and Radio Station

Photography Dark Room manual processing as well as a professional enlarger

Science Laboratory

Music Room for band practice, individual music tuition

We have a school mini-van which make class outings more manageable

Newly upgraded Technology and Art Facility

UNITY


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SchoolUniform

School Uniform

Girls Uniform Boys Uniform

Polo shirt Polo Shirt

Black skirt (summer) Black shorts (summer)

Black pants (winter) Black trousers (winter)

Jersey (Royal) Jersey (Royal)

Jacket Jacket

Black socks Black socks (with shoes)

Black Panty-hose Black (polishable) Leather Shoes

Black (polishable) shoes Black Sandals (summer)

Black or Brown Sandals (summer) School cap

School cap

PE Uniform PE Uniform

Royal dry-weave top Royal dry-weave top

Black Shorts Black Shorts

[Photos overleaf]

All parts of the uniform must be named. No responsibility is accepted for loss or

damage to items. We require every student to come to school in regulation uniform,

not in fitness gear or in sports shoes. Correct uniform must be worn to and from

school.

Watches are permitted to be worn but apart from one pair of plain studs or plain

sleepers / studs, no other visible jewellery is to be worn (including necklaces and

rings on fingers (or other body parts). Cosmetics are not permitted.


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SchoolUniform

Boys & Girls Summer

PE Unisex

Boys & Girls Winter

Boys & Girls Winter


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OurSchoolOur School

Learning for Life


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COMMUNITY


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Should you require more information, simply contact us at:

St Andrews Middle SchoolHeath Street, Saint Andrews

Hamilton 3200

Ph: 07 849 2819 Fax: 07 849 3760Email: [email protected]

www.sams.school.nz

Learning for Life

Learning for Life


SAMS 2012 Prospectus

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