Week 6 - 8 March 2023
- Principal's Message
- Camp Gratitude
- Parent Teacher Conversations
- PB4L
- Communication
- Library News
- Movin' March
- School Sport Events
- H&S - Class Directory / Contacts
- Absence
- BSC - Before School Care
- Wellbeing - SchoolTV Platform
- SchoolDocs - Policies
- Our Value Confident - Whakamanawa
- Term Dates
- Community Notices
Principal's Message
Kia ora Koutou
We would like to welcome Peregrine, Pippa and Yakine to team Tui iti, welcome to Northland School.
We were delighted with the positive turnout for our community last week. Thank you all for making the effort to come and join the fun. We do hope you enjoyed listening to our music group perform. We have uploaded the various presentations that were shared with parents during the evening on the website. These can be found in ‘Our Teams’ and ‘About Us’.
I must also thank you for the overwhelming support from you all that allowed all teachers to attend the Union meeting last Wednesday. We appreciate that it is not always easy to organise alternative arrangements.
We are looking forward to acknowledging the completion of our Building project this Friday afternoon with the Hon Grant Robertson joining us. Our pōwhiri will be starting at 2:15 and our Kapahaka will be performing. Jeremy Edwards, past and present board members and personnel from the Ministry of Education, Hawkins Construction and McKenzie Higham Architects will be present.
Our next opportunity for sharing with you about your child is next week at our Parent and Teacher Learning conversations. This is also found on the latest news section of the website. Here is the link and booking code for you to access. www.schoolinterviews.co.nz Code vegcs.
Last friday all the students came together in Te Kōhanga for our second Rōpu Whanaungatanga. Students meet in their small group to participate in various activities based on the values of kindness, manaaki and creative, auaha tanga. As I wandered through the school it was lovely to see all ages mixing and helping one another to create art, games, and read together.
Next Friday the 17th March the school is closed for our Staff only day, He Rā Kāhui Ako. All staff from the nine schools in our Kāhui Ako will be meeting at Wellington College for a day of sharing ideas, workshops, professional development and connection.
If you would like to come and chat or have questions or concerns please get in touch with any of the senior leadership team, Andrea, Jane and Judith.
Ngā mihi
Andrea
Camp Gratitude
Now that our Year 7 & Year 8 students have returned from a great time on camp, they are reflecting and sharing experiences. I am very proud of the thoughtful letters of gratitude they have all written. Camp is not possible without the generosity of parents making themselves available. I know the staff and students had a great time and for all students there was at least one highlight.
Parent Teacher Conversations
The purpose of these meetings is for parents and teachers to share strengths and areas of focus for learning for the first half of the year. We value the importance of working together and know that you are keen to support your child and their learning. I would like to encourage you to make contact with your child’s teacher when you have questions or are unsure how your child is learning, there is no need to wait for this schedule.
Here is the link and booking code for you to access www.schoolinterviews.
Code vegcs
PB4L
The Positive Behaviour for Learning School-Wide framework, also known as PB4L School-Wide, is helping New Zealand schools build a culture where positive behaviour and learning is a way of life. Where school culture can be thought of as “the way things are done around here”, school climate is about “the way people feel around here”. Understanding school climate is a key part of building a new school culture.
PB4L School-Wide looks at behaviour and learning from a whole-of-school as well as an individual child perspective. The framework is based on international evidence that can be tailored to your school’s own environment and cultural needs.
It’s not about changing the students; it’s about changing the environment, systems, and practices you have in place to support them to make positive behaviour choice. You can find out more about PB4L here https://pb4l.tki.org.nz/PB4L-School-Wide
ZONES
We are learning to recognise and regulate our emotions so that we can solve our problems and get along with others better. Some of the strategies that we are sharing with one another are making a difference. All the zones are ok, there will be times when you are in different zones. It may be helpful to think about times that you think you may be in different zones. Then look at trying different strategies to help you regulate.
- Stretch or do something physical
- Have a glass of water
- Build something or do a puzzle
- Go to a quiet space
- A hug
- Take slow breaths
Communication
We will continue to develop our communication about events, more specific details of the programmes in teams and the celebration of our children in their learning. We are making a few changes to the way you receive information.
School Website - Please refer to this - many details such as latest news, staff, calendar, school policies. The banner is checked and changed daily. https://www.northland.school.nz/
School Newsletter - Sent out fortnightly on a Wednesday afternoon and can always be accessed via the school website.
Events Calender - sent out via email every Friday afternoon - this may also have relevant information for the following week.
Seesaw - All families have been invited to join Seesaw by your child’s teacher. Seesaw is used across the school for sharing learning by the teacher and by children as they learn to post. At times you may also receive a quick message from the teacher eg, please remember togs tomorrow.
Library News
What's New?
A member of the community has donated a number of "The Magic School Bus" books. These too can now be borrowed from the library.
Movin' March
Let’s Get Movin’ in March!
Walking or wheeling to school is a great way to get active, know your neighbourhood, kick start learning for the day AND take care of the environment. Remember students don’t have to complete their passports to go in the draw to win a $400 MYRIDE voucher at the end of March!
Fancy going in the draw to win a scooter? Parents who take part in our Whānau photo competition on Facebook or Instagram will be in to win 1 of 5 adult or child Micro Scooters or a Family Pass to Staglands or Zealandia. Check out the Movin’March website for more on these competitions and how you can take part.
School Sport Events
Northland School Netball
Netball 2023– registrations opening soon
Look out for a link to the registration form and more information on the upcoming winter season in the next school newsletter.
Northland School Netball Club is parent-led and focused on supporting all tamariki to develop their skills in a fun and welcoming team sport environment. If you are new to Northland School Netball and/or are interested in coaching or managing a team register your interest with the committee by emailing northlandschoolnetbal
The Weetbix Tryathlon is back on this year!
This is a reminder to register your child/ren to participate in the Weetbix Tryathlon this year. It's taking place on Sunday 19 March at Kilbirnie Park. I have created a Weetbix Tryathlon school group for Northland school. If you would like to register your student to be apart of our school, please follow this link. https://www.
Western Zone Cricket Tuesday 21st March - students who have signed up for cricket will be emailed directly with this information.
H&S - Class Directory / Contacts
Kia Ora Parents and Whānau
SCHOOL COMMUNITY TEAM DIRECTORY
The Northland Home and School committee is collecting parents' contact information for the purpose of building our community connections. The contact lists / directory will be shared with the other parents of your child's class and Team, (Year 1-3, Year 4-6 and Year 7-8). We are running this for the first time in a digital format as the feedback has been that it is hard to connect with other parents/caregivers to arrange activities after school or on the weekend. We hope that it will be useful for all and especially newer families to the school.
If you would like to take part in sharing your information then please fill out the quick google form. Lists will be provided by email to those who responded in your child's class. Please complete by Thursday 23 March.
Things to note:
- Providing this information is voluntary
- Distribution lists will be digital only- we ask they are not printed in hard copy
- Email address is required in order to put out the distribution list, but phone number is optional.
- Any new families starting at the school during the year will be invited to share their information and this information will be added to the existing list at the beginning of each term.
- The information will be stored by the Home and School for the school year and then deleted/destroyed, and we ask that you do the same. Please also note that when the lists are distributed, they are to be used solely for the purpose of connecting with other parents/caregivers on the list.
The link to the form can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeBCbFX6B-89WiFBdMSlGtZ9on8lWGsqyWLV7Ko5nSUU2sgvQ/viewform
Ngā mihi
Northland Home and School Committee
Home & School - Our next Home & School Meeting is Wednesday 22nd March at 7.00pm in the school staffroom. All school parents/caregivers are welcome, including new whānau who would like to play their part in contributing to the wellbeing of our school community.
Absence
If your child is sick or has an appointment Please contact the school OFFICE and the class teacher. You can email or phone the office directly or go through the website absent form. Ph 04 475 7596 office@northland.school.nz
BSC - Before School Care
We are very pleased to welcome Bridget Hall who will run the Before School Care for the remainder of the year. The cost from 7:30-8:30 is $10 or from 8-8:30, the cost is $5. We are fortunate to be able to continue to provide this for you to make your mornings run well.
Wellbeing - SchoolTV Platform
Building Belonging Post Pandemic is the topic we have selected for the next two weeks.
https://northland.nz.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-building-belonging-post-pandemic
When the pandemic interrupted our lives and changed the way we live, this meant that suddenly many of our young people’s main sources of connection with peers and extended family members was removed overnight without warning and remained significantly disrupted over the next two years. Throughout our existence, humans have sought out relationships with others and built communities to belong to. We have a basic emotional and biological need for connection. Belonging is the feeling of security and support that gives us that sense of acceptance and connection to others.
When we don’t feel connected, or have our need for belonging met, this causes a deep seated distress. Both loneliness and disconnection are negative emotional states that can feel painful and sometimes unbearable. When our basic need for belonging isn’t met, it is impossible for our brain to focus on other things, such as learning. For young people, teenagers in particular, this desire is abundantly strong. Teenagers place a high value on their social ties, acceptance, care and support from others, especially their peers.
Students who have a sense of belonging will experience feelings of security, identity and community, which in turn supports their academic, psychological and social development.
SchoolDocs - Policies
SchoolDocs provides us with a comprehensive core set of policies, which have been well researched and follow the Ministry of Education National Administration Guidelines. The policies and procedures are tailored to our school, and the school supplies specific information such as our charter, and procedures for behaviour management, reporting to parents, etc.
We invite you to visit the site at https://northland.schooldocs.co.nz (note that there's no "www."). Our username is "northland" and password "orangikaupapa"
Our Value Confident - Whakamanawa
Our quality is Courage - Courage is a personal bravery in the face of fear. It is doing what needs to be done even when it is really hard or scary. Courage is going ahead even when you feel like giving up. Courage is needed in trying new things. It is admitting mistakes and then doing the right thing. Courage is the strength in your heart.
Term Dates
2023 Term 1 Tuesday 31 January - Thursday 6 April TOD Friday 17 March Term 2 Wednesday 26 April - Friday 30 June TOD Mon 24 Apr +Friday 2 June Term 3 Monday 17 July - Friday 22 September Term 4 Monday 9 Ocotber - Friday 15 December
Term 2 starts for children on the Wednesday 26 April, Monday the 24 April is a MOE teacher curriculum day and Tuesday 25 April is Anzac day.
The 2nd MOE teacher curriculum day will be in term 3 - we will advise once the date has been confirmed.
Community Notices
Please check out the Community Notices in the attached document - lots of exciting opportunities for students and families to enjoy. These are also displayed on the New Notice Board in the school office, come in out check it out !