April 10 2024 Week 11
Principal's Message
Kia ora koutou,
We have a number of new students who have turned five this week and started in Ruru iti. A warm welcome to Claude, Theo and Emily and your families.
We are at the end of a very positive term and I would like to thank all our teaching staff and support staff for their work and energy in the classrooms and throughout the school. The Board has provided an update from our last meeting, please read in the newsletter section.
As you will all appreciate, we are sad to say farewell to Julia in the office. We wish her well in her retirement and thank her for her outstanding contribution to the wider community. If you would like to attend our special hui for Julia this Friday at 2:15 pm in Te Kōhanga, please join us.
It was great to have 85% of our families attend our learning conversations last week. Please continue to keep in contact with your child’s teacher and if you have questions or need an update on progress, we encourage you to communicate as you need, rather than waiting.
A gentle reminder of the playground matting work that is planned for during the holidays. On Monday 15th contractors will begin setting up fencing and materials will be arriving for the playground matting resurfacing project. Depending on weather conditions, we have allowed four weeks to ensure this is completed to the expected standard. We will alert you before the beginning of the term if there are areas of the school that will remain fenced off.
We have some remedial work also occurring on the large staircase, this will begin on Monday 22nd and the stairs will not be able to be accessible. This work will be completed before we return for Term 2.
While we appreciate many of you who like to use the grounds during the break, please be aware that we feel it would be unsafe during these holidays for students to be here unsupervised.
Yesterday we had our school picnic and popcorn at the park to celebrate everyone as Northland CHAMPS. Many of our students are polite, courteous and respectful during class and in the playground.
In particular this term our focus on settling into routines, understanding how to work as a team and show kindness has been acknowledged in class events as well. We hope you have heard about some of the messages that Life Education shared with all students on making decisions, making friends and how the body works.
We look forward to a rest and will be having various meetings in the holidays so we are well planned and ready for another action packed term. See you all on Monday 29th April from 8:30 onwards.
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, Judith and Grant.
Ngā mihi nui
Andrea
Board Update April 2024
Kia ora koutou
We have a number of items to report back to you on from our last meeting. Firstly we would like
to thank Justin Parker for his contribution on the Board over the last three years. Justin has
contributed broadly to the school and the Board but in particular has shown considerable
commitment and service to the property portfolio. This has included working with Andrea and the
Ministry of Education to agree an updated ten year property plan for the school as well as
supporting specific works at the school - most recently the Room 1-3 block next to the office.
Justin has supported Andrea in fortnightly meetings with contractors and the Ministry during this
time. Thank you Justin for your service to the school community and persistence to see the upgrade
of the oldest building at Northland School come to fruition.
In this update we also acknowledge Julia Truesdale’s service to the school over the last 29
years!! Julia has been the first point of contact for so many families at the school of that time.
Julia has always been quick to answer questions and provide support to families and staff alike
and has a wealth of knowledge that will be missed. We wish her well in her retirement and thank
her for her outstanding contribution to the wider community.
Donations
The Board extends our thanks to everyone who is supporting the school by paying the school
donation - whether as a lump sum or as payments spread throughout the year. These
contributions are vital to the student experience and care provided by the school. We also want
to take a moment to extend our gratitude to those families who have made additional donations
to support the school. These have been received as general donations along with specific camp
donations.
Learning Conversations
The Board would like to thank all teachers for the opportunity to discuss how children have
settled and share goals with parents. These meetings are valued and we know how important it
is for everyone to know how they can support their child at home and connect with the class
room teacher throughout the year. The HERO app and sharing of learning stories is another
way to keep up to date with progress or view some of your child’s work.
Annual Implementation Plan
We are pleased our annual plan is well underway and classroom programmes are focused on
delivering deliberate teaching in reading, writing and math for our children every day. The Board
receives regular reporting from Andrea and the team on the instruction, practice and application
across the core curriculum areas. 2024 Final Northland School 2024 - 2025 Strategic Plan
Playspace and Community Project
Thanks to all the parents and staff who filled out the play spaces survey. It was great to see so
much positive feedback about the existing play equipment and hear what still needs to be done.
We are looking forward to seeing the student's design ideas as well.
The overwhelming response from the community on what is required next is shade, trees,
planting and seating. To achieve this we would like to utilise the expertise we have within the
school community for both the design and installation. Planting and play ideas will be
implemented across the school but the area of immediate focus will be the courtyard between
the Ruru classrooms.
If you are able to support the school develop the play spaces in any way please get in touch.
We are specifically looking for people who have skills that include; landscape and planting
design, plant knowledge, construction & carpentry, painting, sourcing quotes and applying for
grants. If you have other ideas on how you could contribute please email Rhiannon leading the
playspace portfolio, rhiannonf@gmail.com
Our next steps will be to:
● Develop a plan for introducing trees, plants, seating and loose parts play / hut space into
the upper courtyard between Ruru iti and Ruru Nui.
● Purchase shrubs to plant along the inside of the fence line between gate number 1 and 2
to provide greening and shelter.
● Paint hopscotch and four square onto the concrete between the two existing
playgrounds.
● Develop ideas for murals on existing concrete retaining walls.
There are a number of other specific areas raised in the play spaces survey that we want to
acknowledge, these include:
● Maintenance of the tiger turf. This had maintenance done earlier this year and a new
layer of drainage sand applied.
● A flying fox and a large slide from the top level of the existing playground. Both of these
options are costly and complicated to implement from a health and safety perspective
and will not be progressed during this next phase of play space work
We would like to thank the staff for a very positive start to the year and the many learning
experiences that have taken place during this term. We look forward to everyone recharging
over the break and ready for Term 2.
Ngā mihi nui
Andrea Peetz, Principal
Jono Weir, Presiding Member
Farewell From Julia
Friday will be my last day at Northland School. After 29 years, I am certainly looking forward to retirement but I will always feel a deep attachment to this wonderful school and community. It has been a real pleasure to support staff, children and the community and to watch the students grow from 5 years olds to amazing Year 8's.
Thank you to everyone past and present.
Julia Truesdale
School Lunch Options
Subway - Every Monday - order online through www.lunchonline.co.nz
Sushi - Every Tuesday - order online through www.ezlunch.co.nz
Pizza - Once a month - available the 1st Friday of each month, $6 per pizza order forms available on the school website or in the school office.
Apps available for Subway and Sushi through the school website.
Home and School Pizza
LETS RAISE SOME DOUGH
Mark this date in your diary now!10 APRIL 2024 - Wednesday 3PM to 11PM
It’s official all parents and guardians are to have the night off in the kitchen and order pizza from Dominos to help raise some money for the school!Download the new Dominos App, order online dominos.co.nz or pop into the local store in Northland. You can also call them 0800 30 40 50.Lots of yummy flavours to choose from or be your own “Pizzachef” and build your own pizza on the App.Delivery & Pickup available!All funds raised will be literacy & sports equipment!
Home & School Pie Fundraiser
WINTER PIE FUNDRAISER 2024
Join our fundraiser for Term 2 and treat yourself to delicious family-sized pies (19.5cm diameter) from Doughboy Bakery in Palmerston North, priced at $11 each. Ideal for hectic evenings, simply freeze them for a hassle-free dinner. Please be aware: all pies contain dairy and gluten. We will have paper copies of the order form coming home tomorrow.
Share with your family and friends or consider purchasing to gift/donate, to support communities in need. Proceeds will be used to support structured literacy programs and provide sports equipment. Paper forms coming home this week or Order Online form: https://forms.gle/
To contact the Home and School Committee with any enquiries, please email: homeandschool@northland.school.nz
Western Zone and School Sports Days
Western Zone and School Sports Days
Western Zone sports day are usually held on a Tuesday with the Thursday of the same week being the postponement day. Information is sent home separately for each of these events, with updates on HERO or the school website.
School Cross Country 14 May
WZ Cross Country 28 May
WZ Netball 13 August
WZ Hockey 3 September
School Athletics Day 23 October (Wednesday)
WZ Athletics 1 November (Friday)
Kia ora whanau,
The annual tough guy/gal event is coming up in May and we have had a few students enter already which is great!
Due to the busy term 2 schedule, we are unable to send a school team, but you are welcome to sign up as individuals. Please see the link below if you would like to sign your children up.
https://eventpromotions.co.nz/junior-tough-guy-and-gal-challenge/
Suzanne Mccarty is happy for you to contact her on 0211331272 as she has signed her children up for the Wednesday session.
As always, please reach out if you have any questions.
Nga mihi,
Alex Munro
School Calender
https://www.northland.school.nz/events/month/
** Save the Date Working Bee at school Sunday May 26th 1-4pm or Sunday 9 June 1-4pm, more details to come in term 2.
This is the link to the school calendar that is on our school website under News & Events. If you select the calendar and then select List, it provides a list of monthly events, which is updated weekly.
Term Dates
2024 Dates
Term 2 Monday 29 April - Friday 5 July
Term 3 Monday 22 July - Friday 27 Sept
Term 4 Monday 14 October - Wednesday 18 Dec
Our teacher only days are
Term 2 Friday 31 May
Term 3 Friday 30 August
Term 4 Tuesday 29 October
Kelly Sports Term 2
Bookings open for Kelly Sports Spring into Winter Mondays from 3.05pm
