World War I, created satirical guides on how to rise to dictatorship, and explored the complexities of creating and maintaining dictatorships. The prep classes have again dived into the notorious path of Stalin in the USSR, unpacked what led to the division of Aotearoa over a rugby tour, and continued developing their essay-writing skills. Refinements and innovations continue to shape these courses, now in their second year of being delivered, with plenty of excitement and chatter about the competitive activities on offer. The Year 12 cohort has adapted well to its first year of NCEA assessment. It has been exciting to see the fresh approach to internals and draw on the skills learnt in prep courses. The foundation built in the programme from research to writing has prepared students as they work toward Level Three NCEA History. Year 13 students have completed an exciting year of building their skills for historical thinking, research and writing, and tackling complex historical events. The Year 13 research internal assessment has been a highlight, with students choosing fascinating events. These have included Parihaka, the 1951 waterfront dispute, the Gallipoli campaign, and the Srebrenica massacre. These projects always lead to fascinating conversations in class as students share their findings and discoveries. In Scholarship History, a group of committed students has arrived early on Fridays to develop their knowledge and skills for the 2023 exam theme: communism. There have been some great discussions and this has been a great opportunity for students to develop their writing and critical-thinking skills. I wish to thank the amazing History Department staff this year: Nicole Billante and Ben Vink for writing and leading the Year 9 Systems and Justice scheme of learning; Warren Lidstone and Joshua Kim for their dedication to the department alongside additional commitments of researching and writing a book (Warren) and dividing his time
with the Geography Department (Josh); and Neil Nicholson for co- steering the changes in the Year 9 programme. It has been wonderful having a bigger team. Their collegiality, hard work, and support through my first year as the Head of Department have contributed to a fantastic year. Samantha Stevenson HoD History INTERNATIONAL CULTURE & LANGUAGES This year has been busy in the International Culture & Languages Department. We started by welcoming new staff member Maude Turgeon- Leblanc, who joined us fresh from completing a Master of Teaching and Learning (MTchgLn) at the University of Otago. We have been fortunate to have her on the team as a native French speaker who can teach the students about her home country and region of Québec, Canada. She has worked hard to make classes enjoyable for students, including party planning, local recipes to celebrate the Fête Nationale du Québec, and trips to the park to play pétanque, as well as the unmissable crêpe making. In semester one, we also welcomed Kate Belton as she widened her teaching repertoire from the Art and DVC departments to dip her toes into Languages as the teacher of the French culture course, The French Way. She has always been passionate about France and French culture and
this is an opportunity to share her interests with the students. Her class enjoyed learning about food, history, and music, among other topics. In June, senior students immersed themselves in French culture and language during an entertaining day at the University of Canterbury. Along with other secondary school students from around the region, the boys had the opportunity to learn more about France, particularly in relation to hosting the Rugby World Cup this year. First up, the students heard from rugby player Adam Whitelock, who played for Bayonne in France. He shared his journey with the French language. The students enjoyed some games and French food. However, the chance to talk to fellow students of French from other schools proved to be the highlight of the day. Not to miss out, the senior students of Japanese participated in an immersion day at UC the following week. More than 550 students from across wider Christchurch, along with their teachers, joined UC staff and students in an intensive day of study and cultural enrichment. Three sessions were held, with students divided into mixed groups within their year level and taught key concepts by Japanese teachers. The day included a variety of learning activities, as well as the opportunity to meet fellow students of Japanese. After a busy day, students enjoyed a performance by Takumi, the well-known taiko drum group. The day ended with a dance activity,
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