May 15 2024 Week 3

Principal's Message

Kia ora koutou,

Welcome to new families joining us, Theo and Galatea in Ruru ìtì.

Congratulations to all students who participated in our school cross country yesterday. We had a great morning at the park, with the weather being just right for running and spectating. Thank you to all the parents who were marshalls, and to a great turn out of parents who came to support and enjoy this event. I would like to thank Rachel for all the organisation for this school event and the Western Zone cross country event that will be held in a few weeks. 

C - confident

H - hikohiko

A - auahatanga

M - manaaki

P - pataitai

Our Northland CHAMPs demonstrated our school values and I was particularly proud of the way everyone cheered one another on. They made sure that no one was left behind and looked after those who found the run a little harder than they had expected. We are Kind Learners who are inclusive and value others.

Our overarching concept for this year is Beneath the Surface. You will read more details in team newsletters about how each team is developing understandings across the curriculum,during Term 2. Students are curious about what lies underneath the earth, underneath the rocks in our local streams and underneath the training for an olympic event. There are many questions and curiosities that students are reading and writing about. 

Across the school we are teaching handwriting, which includes correct letter formation, size and slope. Students are practising at least three times a week and we hope that you are seeing progress in their writing. We will be talking more about why our Structured Literacy approach is important, the shifts we are seeing in reading and writing and how you can support your child.

Please note in your diary, Structured Literacy - Tuesday 28th May for Year 1- 4,  2pm or  7pm and 18th June for Year 5-8, 2pm or 7pm. Please rsvp to the office, which session you would like to attend before Monday 27th May to enable us to set up the best space.office@northland.school.nz 

I have my Pink shirt ready for this Friday and will be baking for our bake sale on Friday. Our Student Reps will be leading a number of activities and setting up the bake sale. They would appreciate your help so we can fundraise for ‘0800 whats up’. This is a support helpline run by Barnardos children’s charity aimed at children and teenagers. 

On Sunday 26th May, we have our first Working Bee for 2024 and I look forward to seeing families contributing to making our school look spic and span. See you there from 1-4pm. We will have a sausage sizzle, and to help with supplies, a koha would be appreciated.  

Teachers will be sharing learning in HERO posts during the next few weeks and will continue to communicate through HERO for class or team messages.

The next newsletter will be on Wednesday 29th May. 

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                                       

Teacher Only Day Friday May 31st

As part of our Kāhui Ako we will be taking part in a Teacher only day at Brooklyn School.   The key note speaker for this event is Ngahiwi Apanui-Barr, CEO Maori language commission.  We will be looking at our Maori achievement across the Kāhui Ako and reviewing our programmes. 

The school will be closed on Friday 31 May  and re-open on Tuesday 4 June after Kings Birthday. 

Absence Reporting

The absence email has been removed from the website to streamline the process. The best way to report your child's absence is through the HERO App or via email to the school office  office@northland.school.nz.  If your child is sick on consecutive days we do still need notification from a parent/cargiver to confirm they will not be at school.   If your child is late to school, after 8.55am they must report to the school office to be marked correctly on the roll.

Pink Shirt Day

This Friday 17 March we will be celebrating Pink Shirt Day at our school. 

Pink shirt day is about  eliminating bullying, promoting inclusion, kindness and celebrating diversity.

We will be encouraging people to wear pink and will be hosting a bake sale to raise money for 0800 whats up. This is a support helpline run by Barnardos children’s charity aimed at children and teenagers. 

How you can help:

We need donations of baking, lolly bags and sweet treats to sell on Friday 17th. They can be dropped off to Kākā 7 in the morning and must be labelled if they are dairy or gluten free. We are requiring  that NO nuts be used in any of the baking. 

At the sale, students will not need more than $3 to be able to purchase anything.

Parent Workshops

We are running two parent workshops later this term that are connected to our annual plan. One will be a focus on structured literacy across the school and the other will focus on Positive Behaviour for Learning. It is important that you know why and how we are explicitly teaching reading and writing at Northland and teaching prosocial behaviour that builds a positive and safe environment. 

Structured Literacy - Tuesday 28th May for Year 1- 4 2pm or 7pm  and

18th June for Year 5-8    2pm or 7pm

Please rsvp to the office, which session you would like to attend before Monday 27th May to enable us to set up the best space.office@northland.school.nz 

Positive Behaviour for Learning - Wednesday 5th June 7pm - 8pm.   More details to follow. 

Red Bin Donations

The red bin will be back for Term 2! It will be parked at the Tiger Turf entrance from Thurs, 23 May - Thurs, 30 May .  

All clean, good condition clothing and shoes are welcome.  As we enter into the colder months, we are especially interested in coats, hats, jumpers and good condition shoes or gumboots.  Used sports gear in good condition is also welcome.  

The red bin is available one week each term and items collected are donated to our partner school in the Wellington area. If you have any questions or have a large donation for collection, give Deborah a text or call on 021709467.   Thank you!

Regulation Strategies

Working Bee Sunday 26 May

We are looking forward to our next Working Bee on Sunday 26th May from 1- 4pm or Sunday 9th June if needed due to unsuitable weather. Matt George is coordinating people,tools and tasks that we can all contribute towards tidying up our grounds, planting and working together. Please contact Matt on mattgeo23@gmail.com if you are able to help.  See you there from 1-4pm. We will have a sausage sizzle, and to help with supplies, a koha would be appreciated.  

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.

Library News

Scholastic Book Club Term 2 2024 - Issue 3 is out now!

Term 2 Issue 3 2024 catalogues have been distributed in your child's class. Deadline for orders is on 17 May .  Please note that we do not take paper order forms or cash payments - all orders are done online via LOOP. Please go to https://mybookclub.scholastic.co.nz/Parent/Login.aspx to register. 

Join Our Code Club: Explore, Design, Invent, Make!

Are you ready to dive into the exciting world of coding? Join our first Northland Code Club and embark on a thrilling journey of discovery, creativity, and innovation!

Python: Your Gateway to Endless Possibilities

Python is a text-based computer programming language made up of recognizable characters, numbers, and words. It's incredibly versatile, allowing you to write a variety of programs, from fun games to sleek mobile apps and dynamic websites. Did you know that many Google products, including YouTube, are almost entirely written in Python? With Python, the sky's the limit!

Exciting Learning Path

Our new learning path format is designed to ignite your passion for coding! Here's what you can expect:

Explore, Design, Invent: Dive into the world of Python with different projects. Get hands-on experience and discover the magic of coding. Express yourself through code! The Invent project challenges you to tackle a real-world problem and come up with innovative solutions using the skills you've acquired.

Bonus: Basics of C++ Programming

In addition to Python, we'll also explore the basics of C++ programming.

Get Started Today

To join our first Northland Code Club, all you need is a curious mind and a willingness to learn. Don't worry if you're new to coding – we will be there to guide you every step of the way.  Limited spots are available. Reserve your spot now! The last date for registration is 16/05/24.

Year 5,6,7, 8 students are welcome to join https://forms.gle/G3d9488zsBgPeWsX7

Pie Fundraiser Last Orders May 31st

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.

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 or via NEW Order Online form: https://forms.gle/7pdHgXjmW7TCNvh3A 

To contact the Home and School Committee with any enquiries, please email: homeandschool@northland.school.nz

Parent Help Needed Thurs 13 June

The delicious pies that have been purchased via Home & School will be delivered to the School on Thursday 13th. These need to be sorted and it is a mammoth job. Parent help would be greatly appreciated. Please contact homeandschool@northland.school.nz or the school office if you can help.

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.

WZ Miniball  Yr5-8  21 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)

Term Dates

2024 Dates 

Term 2 Monday 29 April - Friday 5 July            (TOD day 31 May Friday before Kings birthday)        

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 

Community Notices