Albany Junior High School

Infobox NZ school
name = Albany Junior High School
motto = Truth, Integrity, Achievement with Endeavor
established = 2005
principal = Mr Mike Jackson
address = Appleby Road, Albany, Auckland
type = State coed secondary, years 7-10
roll = 912
decile = 10
MOE = 6948
homepage = http://www.ajhs.school.nz/

Albany Junior High School is situated in Albany, Auckland, New Zealand. Opened in 2005, it was the first purpose built Junior High in New Zealand. [ [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/location/story.cfm?l_id=391&ObjectID=10389109 Albany: An Exclusive Extract] ] . The concept of a junior high school, although common in the United States, is controversial in New Zealand. Two more junior high schools are being built in Manukau, and there are five others already operating. [ [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=35&objectid=10448555 Teachers question middle school role] ]

It caters for years 7-10, after which most of the students will move on to Albany Senior High, which is due to open in 2009. [ [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=35&objectid=10438572 School bell delay to let students 'wake up'] ]

The bell is an unusual electronic bell, consisting of native birdcall, and is different in areas of the school. The bell often lasts several minutes, and in the atriums is not heard quickly through the squawk of noise (especially on rainy days) and is often noticed more by everyone that heard gets up.

Blocks

The blocks are named after native New Zealand birds. So far three of the planned five have been built- Kiwi, Makomako and Ruru, the construction of the fourth, Tui, is currently underway. Each has a series of normal classrooms, some specialised classrooms (such as science labs or art rooms), a communal kitchen with hot water, a fridge and a microwave, and a courtyard.

Buildings (Non whanau blocks)

Current buildings located on the premises are-PAC (Performing Arts Centre), currently being lengthened), this is a small hall/gym (not that small) that has chairs and a full data-projection system. This is were most drama lessons are held.-Gym, the gym is huge and is used for sports (both storing and practical use) and inside is the sports co-ordinators offices and changing rooms. Because of its size, it's used for the school prizegivings and when the entire school has their full school assembly. In it is two data-projection screens and a wireless microphone field that is rather faulty (either that or the batteries) often forcing speakers to hold two microphones.-Admin, the "office" of the school. Inside is two public desks (the main one at the front for visitors and the one at the back for students), a nurse, councillers, the boardroom, offices of important people and learning support (as well as many others). It's the same building as the library and the staffroom but those will be covered in a minute.-The staffroom is the place that staff go during their lunch hours. Inside is lots of comfy chairs, a kitchenette, a board for releiving and a data-projection screen (I know this because while I'm a student I've been in there once or twice)-The library is a great place, it has 10 computers for free use and the two OPAC computers as well as A20 (a computer room). All the books are new and there is a lot on every subject (yes, including Astreix.). A lot of chairs are placed around the room, padded "boxes" and padded chairs up by the fiction (as well as three green armchairs that everyone tries to get) and down the end (nearer non-fiction, behind the computer terminals) are desks (also with padded chairs). All the chairs are padded in that felty sort of stuff in either a turquoise greeny color or a blue.

Construction

Currently AJHS is building Tui and a few more specialised buildings for subjects. The project(s) are rumoured to be about $9.5m-$10m. The back of the PAC (Performing Arts Centre) is one of those projects and is causing a major hindrance for students and teachers walking inter-whanau as a large portion has had to be closed off. On the 19th May 2008 the staff carpark and the bus bays had to be closed for this to allow a crane in.

tudents

There are currently nearly 1200 students attending, and even more enrolled for next year. The average number of students per class is around 30.

Democracy Within The School

From each whanau class (sort of like a homeroom?) is one Whanau Counciller representative. Any ideas anybody has in that whanau class is passed to the counciller and they bring it to the whanau council. The whanau council tries to make it happen, but if it's out of their reach they pass it to the student council. The student council doesn't speak to other students as much but with the feeds from the whanau council it all adds up.

ee also

*Albany Senior High School

Notes

External links

* [http://www.ajhs.school.nz/ School website]
* [http://www.tki.org.nz/e/schools/display_school_info.php?school_id=6948 Te Kete Ipurangi - Ministry of Education website]
* [http://www.ero.govt.nz/ero%5Creppub.nsf/Institution/5A0489C0864057DACC2572920012D849/$File/6948.htm?OpenElement Education Review Office 2007 review]