July 31 2024, Week 2

Principal's Message

Kia ora koutou

Welcome to Eli and his family who has had his first day at school this week. 

Next Friday, the 9th August at 9:15 we will have our mihi whakatau to welcome new students and their families, along with new staff to the school. We take pride in our school coming together with our students fully leading the welcome in te reo and our kapa haka performing. 

We started the day with a wonderful performance from NED who demonstrated great skill in using yoyos, storytelling and drama. Never give up, Encourage others and Do your best were the key messages during the show.  Everyone enjoyed the storyline and we hope you hear about it later from your children. While we selected this show to complement our work on positive behaviour for learning, it also links to the stories of many athletes currently in the Olympics.

The Olympics are very much front of mind for many of us and viewing so many sports at once is incredible. I have been reflecting on two current rowers representing New Zealand at the Olympics whom I taught at Karori Normal, Jackie Kiddle and Philip Wilson. The skill and determination through years of training and setting goals just shows where you may end up. We may have future athletes amongst our students and in years to come, Northland Champs could be at the Olympics!

On that note I would like to congratulate Oliver H Year 8 and Ruben S Year 7, on their success in the Regional Cross country held in July. They came in the top 10 in Wellington and will be competing in the Inter Regional Cross Country in Harcourt Park, Upper Hutt later in September. We wish them all the best.

This week our Year 7 and Year 8s have been working very hard to complete their presentations for the Science Fair. Chatting with a number of students, they are very confident they have proved or disproved their hypothesis, and have gained understanding of the importance of a fair test. Some have been a little overwhelmed by making sure everything fits on their science board!  I hope some of you are able to pop into Te Kōhanga tomorrow or Friday between 3-4 to view the great variety of topics. 

I am sure many of you will have noticed that we now have an AED/ Defibrillator installed on the outside of the Library wall. This was a combined fundraiser by Student Reps and community donations last year. Please see the AED training details in a section of the newsletter.  

Our Kāhui Ako has committed to providing a number of parent events throughout the year and we are pleased to let you know Judith Locke, a former teacher, now a clinical psychologist with experience in adult, child and family therapy  will be presenting at Wellington College on 4th September 7-8:30pm.  She is the author of the Bonsai Child and the Bonsai Student which provide great insight for parenting. Here is  link to an interview.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018902053/the-bonsai-child-is-modern-parenting-limiting-our-children-s-potential

If you would like to come and chat or have any concerns please get in touch with any of the senior leadership team, Andrea, Judith and Grant.

Ngā mihi

Andrea

Learning in our Teams this term

Year 1 - 3 Ruru 

In Mahi Rangahau we are continuing our investigation into ‘Beneath the Surface’ with a focus on plants. Structured Literacy continues to be a team focus and we are excited to see the progress the children are making. In Maths, we are focusing on number knowledge and basic facts. Playing cards and board games are useful ways of practising these skills at home. Our team rotations this term will cover Olympic skills, co-operative games, music and regulation strategies. These rotations are on a Thursday afternoon. 

Year 4-6- Tīeke and Kōtare

In mathematics we will be looking at fractions, decimals, time, statistics,  number operations and patterns. In reading we are learning to build our comprehension through reading school  journals, teacher reading and readings related to our topics. In writing we are working on persuasive writing, sentence structure, paragraph development and using techniques from Helen Walls. In oral language we will be writing and presenting speeches. Our mahi rangahau includes the Olympics initially with a new study starting in week 3 of the term under the theme of strength.

Year 7-8

This term Team Kākā are spending the first two weeks completing our Science Fair projects, which will be on display in Te Kōhanga from 3-4.30pm on the 1/2 August. We will also be finishing reading in our shared story groups, ready to start Lit Circles in week 4. For writing this term, we will be looking at persuasive writing techniques, speeches and starting on autobiographical writing. In maths, we are currently working on multiplication and division, and over the course of the term will be covering geometry, fractions, ratios and proportions. Our mahi rangahau will be focused on the Aotearoa histories curriculum, and this project will launch in week 3, after the Science Fair.

Free CPR Training

Welcome to Parenting in an Online World

Rob Cope spoke at a parents evening last term and we have had very positive feedback from those who attended. He has offered all families in our Kāhui free access for 12 months to the  "Our Kids Online" cyber-safety package. This is usually $99 per family but you are getting it for free!

In this course, you will learn about the following and some solutions. 

• Cyberbullying - How bullies can reach our kids 24/7
• Social media - How social media is affecting the mental health in 3 out of 5 children. FOMO, depression, anxiety
• Gaming and the developing brain – An oversupply of dopamine leading to dopamine deficiency, synaptic pruning, and the underdevelopment of social skills and empathy
• Naked Selfies - The pressure to send nudes from intermediate up through high school
• Online predators - The methods they use, how to spot them
• Online porn vs healthy sexuality - How consuming online pornography as a child or teen can create a sexual template where violence, aggression, and dominance are seen as normal and consent can become very blurry

Alongside the information above for parents, you also get access to the modules for your children.  Each topic has different age groups, so use the ones that apply to your children's ages and/or understanding. Some topics are offered that are suitable for you to watch with your children.

To access the Parenting in an Online World 101 course, please click on the following link: Parenting in an Online World

This will take you to the main page for you to enrol in the course.  Click ENROL NOW.  This will then take you to the enrolment page.

Step 1 On the left side of the page put in your email address

Step 2 On the right-hand side of the page click on Add Coupon Code then copy and paste WELLINGTONFREE 

Step 3 Then click on apply

Step 4 Click on get it for free

This will then take you to a new page for you to:

Step 5 Add your name

Step 6 Create a password

NED's Mindset Mission Yoyo's

Regulation Strategies

Team Kākā~ Science Fair Display

We would like to invite our community to view the Year 7 and 8 Science Fair in Te Kōhanga on Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd August from 3pm -4.30pm. Our students have been working incredibly hard on a range of different independent inquiries, and are excited to share this with you! 

BSC Before School Care

The classrooms are open from 8:30 am and we encourage you to have children arrive at this time, unless they are on Road Patrol or have a sport training session on the grounds. Teachers often have meetings before 8:30. 

Before School care is open from 7:30-8:30 and is held in the school library. There is no need to book, however the cost is $10 from 7:30- 8:30 or $5 from 8am onwards. Please contact the office if you need more information. 

Library News

Scholastic Book Club Term 3 2024 - Issue 5 is out now!

Term 3 Issue 5 2024 catalogues have been distributed in your child's class. Deadline for orders is on 9 August .  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. 

Should you wish to gift the books you ordered to someone, please place your order then email Erwin so she knows.  When the order has arrived, she can then put it aside and get in touch with you so you can come and pick it up.

 Any other queries to Erwin Palado by emailing librarian@northland.school.nz

What's New?

Our school library has these new book series called “Seriously Silly Stories”.   These books give a hilarious twist to much-loved fairy tales.  They can be found in  the same shelf as the books written by Susan Anita Jones in the Junior Quick-Reads area.

Also, more Rainbow Magic books are added to our current library collection.

Looking for Parent Helpers

Later this year the Home & School Committee will organise a Quiz Night and a Colour Run! We're currently in the early stages of planning, and if there're any parents who would like to help with these events please get in touch homeandschool@northland.school.nz

 All help is gratefully received and if you have any questions please reach out.

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.

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 Netball 13 August 

WZ Hockey  27 August

School Athletics Day  23 October (Wednesday)

WZ Athletics  1 November  (Friday)

Term Dates

2024 Dates 

Term 3 Monday 22 July - Friday 27 Sept                    

Term 4 Monday 14 October - Wednesday 18 Dec   

Our teacher only days are 

Term 3   Friday 30 August 

Term 4  Tuesday 29 October 

2025 Dates

We have confirmed the dates for 2025. We will have an open afternoon for families on January 29th to help the transition back into school, see the class space and meet the teachers in the learning space. This is prior to the first day of school on 30th January.   We are yet to confirm Teacher Only Days and once these have been decided we will let you know.

Term 1 - 30 January - 11 April  

Public Holiday- Thurs 6th Feb- Waitangi

Please note Easter and ANZAC day are within the Term holiday in 2025

Good Friday - 18th April

Easter Monday - 21st and Easter Tuesday 22.

ANZAC Friday 25th April

Term 2 - Mon 28 April - 27 June 

Kings Birthday - Monday 2nd June

Matariki - Friday 20th June

Term 3 - 14 July - 19 September 

 Term 4 - 6 October - 17 December    Labour Day- Monday 27th October

Community Notices