18 December 2008
MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release
The Correspondence School 2008 student prize winners
The Correspondence School (TCS) has announced its student prize winners for 2008.
TCS is the largest state school in New Zealand, with students from across the country and overseas. It provides learning
programmes for more than 23,000 students each year, from early childhood level to year 13.
Winners of cross-school prizes and several other key prize winners attended a prize giving ceremony in Wellington
earlier this month, along with their families and teachers.
Chief Executive Mike Hollings says all of the students have good reason to be proud of their achievements.
“Learning by distance can be challenging, but our prize winners have overcome those challenges and we are very proud of
their achievements.”
Parents and whanau play a crucial part in the success of TCS students, and are often in the role of teacher, guiding and
supporting the student, says Mr Hollings. “A key aspect of our role is working with parents and supervisors, and we
could not do our job without their involvement.”
The prize winners reflect TCS’s diverse student roll, which includes students who have been alienated or excluded from
face-to-face schools, students who have been referred to TCS by Group Special Education (a division of the Ministry of
Education), young parents, students who are geographically isolated, adult students, gifted students, and students with
special learning needs. TCS also provides programmes for students studying one or two subjects while they are enrolled
at a mainstream school.
This year TCS has worked to strengthen connections with students, families and communities.
“We’ve changed our organisational structure so we can better understand and meet the needs of all our students,” says Mr
Hollings. “We are also increasing our regional presence to enable a greater connection between TCS and our students,
their whanau and communities.
“We have recently opened a regional office in Christchurch and intend to appoint more teaching staff to work outside
Wellington in 2009.”
ENDS