Hastings Intermediate School - "The Get Involved School"

Hastings Intermediate Academy programme:
At Hastings Intermediate we offer an extensive enrichment programme to students through our academy modules. We have six academies on offer and they are timetabled into the life of the school to accommodate extension curriculum programmes, enrichment opportunities and experiences that are challenging to our students.
We currently offer academies in: Academic studies, hospitality, sports, arts, science and technology and leadership.

The academy programme begins at the start of the year in week one of term one and follows the following schedule:
Term One:
Week  1.  Academy expo to separate student year groups where each H.O.D.  presents an  overview of the programme for their academy and answer student inquiries. 
Weeks  2 /3.  Students are invited to apply to academies. All academies require a written application form to be completed and submitted.
Weeks  4-8.  H.O.D.’s run trials and selection programmes for all applicants. Students are trialled regularly based on selection criteria. Some of the standard criteria reflect the school virtues of commitment, cooperation, courage and courtesy as well as passion and ability for the specific curriculum programme.
Weeks  9:  Short listed students are trialled by H.O.D.’s and weekly H.O.D. meetings with the school management ensure that students are not over committed between multiple academies and the general life and expectations of school life.
Week  10+:  All students who are successful are recognised at a formal capping ceremony where parents and whanau are invited to attend and support students in their celebration. Over seven hundred and fifty people attended the 2011 capping ceremony with many representatives from our local primary and high schools. Mr Henare O’Keefe, Hastings district councillor, was the guest speaker at this year’s ceremony.
Term two – four:
All academy programmes run concurrently to the school wide programmes.

• The academic academy meets together almost daily for extension numeracy and literacy modules.
• The Science and Technology academy, the sports academy and the hospitality academies all meet on Wednesday and Friday afternoons.
• The arts academy students are withdrawn on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons.
• The leadership academy generally meets outside of school hours.
• All academies present newsletters to their students and parents in terms two and three to keep the school community up to date with student’s programmes and activities.
•  An information evening is held near the start of term two to inform parents of the academies annual programme, upcoming events and costs and to enhance relationships between academy head teachers and parents.
• In term four a written report on each student’s progress is sent home to parents as part of our annual reporting cycle and process.

Academy overview:
Statistics:
Over 98% of all students at Hastings Intermediate apply to be in an academy. 65% of students are successful. Statistics New Zealand data shows that the Hastings district is comprised of 25% Maori representation, Hastings Intermediate has a 38% Maori student roll and the school academy membership is composed of a 42% Maori membership.
Uniforms:
Students in the hospitality and sports academies receive uniforms as part of their capping kit. Students in the leadership academy receive white collared shirts to wear as their daily school uniform and black blazers for formal occasions. All students receive an academy badge.
Programmes:
All academies run extracurricular programmes, camps, trips and excursions as part of their programmes. All academies have outside instructors/visitors work with the students as well as staff from Hastings Intermediate throughout the years programme.
Funding:
The academy programme is well resourced largely by the support and funding of the Hawkes Bay District Health Board. Annual targets in all academies are negotiated with the H.B.D.H.B. and as these have been met and exceeded the programme has grown and continued from strength to strength. Additional funding sources include students’ membership fees, sponsorship from local businesses including Fuji Xerox, New ERA IT, Furnware and our local high schools H.B.H.S., H.G.H.S. and Karamu High school.
As part of the partnership with the H.B.D.H.B. our Principal Mr Andrew Shortcliffe travels to towns and centres in the North Island presenting workshops on ‘strategies for change and success” the model used at Hastings Intermediate.
Evidence of success:
Our results based evidence that is shared in these presentations includes the following data reflecting the progression the school has had since the strategies introduced at Hastings Intermediate since 2009:

To date Mr Shortcliffe has presented workshops on ‘strategies for success’ to audiences consisting of school Principals, Boards of Trustees members and health professionals in the following locations:
1. Auckland (x2)
2. Hawkes Bay (x2)
3. Palmerston North
4. Masterton
5. Greytown
6. Kapiti
7. Porirua
8. Wellington

This year as a result of publicity and the D.H.B. presentations given by Mr Shortcliffe we have had a large number of schools request visits. Most schools send their management teams to tour the school, meet with the H.O.D.’s, management team, B.O.T reps and hear student voice. The most common focus areas are the: Academy programmes, the Virtues programme, the change management systems and the leadership model. To date this year fourteen schools from across the north island have made the journey to Hastings Intermediate.

Link to Maori Workforce Development Plan