September 18 2024, Week 9

Principal's Message

Wednesday 18th September

Kia ora koutou

Last week we had many classroom activities happening outside the classroom. From Futsal, Science Roadshow Explainers to Ruru team’s trip to the Botanical Gardens. We want to thank all parents who were able to support these activities to go ahead. Our students love these experiences and we know they add to classroom programmes.

I would like to thank the teaching staff for the two late nights of learning conversations. It is a long day of focused teaching followed by many conversations every 15 minutes through until 8pm. We do value the time talking with you and celebrating progress, confidence and looking forward. If you were unable to keep your appointment we encourage you to contact your child’s teacher. As we near the end of term 3, we hope you know the goals that your child is focused on going into term 4.

This week we are celebrating Māori language week across the motu, with the theme ‘Ake ake ake – A Forever Language.’ The 2024 theme represents the resilience, adaptability and endurance of te reo Māori, and reflects the commitment to embracing and learning the language long into the future. 

We have planned our Cultural day for this Friday to celebrate te reo Māori, and also to celebrate many other cultures that are represented at Northland School. If you would like to join us this Friday from 9:10 in Te Kōhanga, we will start our day with kapa haka. Then the bagpipes will lead students to their first session of the day. 

At our school, in partnership with mana whenua, Te Ātiawa, we are  committed to developing our learning of history, language and tikanga Māori. This connection, guides events such as karakia and mihi whakatau, as well as strategies that support mātauranga Māori. Our tamariki and staff share and demonstrate these values in our kura through the elements shown in our visual poutama (levels of learning and achievement in te ao Māori).

Te Ātiawa also shares a new pūrākau with us every term. These Māori creation narratives are told orally to our tamariki and staff, alongside artwork and waiata, and are integrated into our programmes in multiple ways https://www.northland.school.nz/our-students/purakau-children-rangi-and-papa/

The Quiz night last week was a great success and it was lovely to see so many parents enjoy the evening. I would like to thank the Home and School committee parents who organised everything and those who donated prizes. We look forward to hearing the sum that has been raised. 

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 nui

Andrea

2025 Enrolments and Out Of Zone

To help us with our planning for next year we do need to know the number of students who will be attending.  If your child is in Year 1 – 7 and is leaving at the end of the year, please let us know as soon as possible.  If you have children due to start at Northland School in 2025 please check with Ann in the office to ensure that we have these details recorded. If you know of children from other families who are likely to start next year, please encourage their parents to contact us. The more information the school has about potential in-zone enrolments the better equipped we are to provide the best possible class organisation for the coming year.

Applications for Out of Zone Enrolment for Terms 1 and 2, 2025 close on Thursday 26 Sept 12 pm. Enrolment at Northland School is governed by an enrolment scheme, details of which are available from the school office. 

The Board of Trustees has determined that there will be only are a few spaces in Years 1 -4 that will be made available to eligible out of  zone students for enrolment.

For more information about our school

visit www.northland.school.nz 

Please email office@northland.school.nz for application forms.

Applications close on Thursday 26th September 12pm.

Onesie Day - Thank you

On Friday we celebrated Wellington Free Ambulance's Onesie Day with the new AED donated by Embracing Hearts from private donations! A huge thank you to everyone in our community and our student reps who contributed to the 24/7 lockbox that holds the AED with both adult and child functions. 

This presentation was significant for one of our Year 8 Student Reps, Pippa. Pippa’s Grandad Wayne is the Patron for Wellington Free Ambulance and the grandson of the Wellington Free Ambulance’s founder, Sir Charles Norwood. We were delighted to recognise the incredible service this provides and to have our school contribute funds this year to provide ongoing support.  The AED is placed just outside the Library facing Harbour View Road.

Thank you for your support last Friday, it was great to see so many dressed in their Onesies and enjoying hot chocolate.  We raised  $385 to help support Wellington Free Ambulance! 

Navigating the Journey

Navigating the Journey Parent Information Session  Term 4 Week 1 Friday 18th October  from 8:45- 9:30

Please come and join us in Te Kōhanga on Friday 18th October  from 8:45- 9:30am. Andrea, Judith and Grant will outline the overview of the Navigating the Journey programme that will be taught in Term 4. Schools are expected to provide curriculum time to enable ākonga in years 1–8 to explore their identities, learn about wellbeing, and develop interpersonal and communication skills. Children and young people have the right to engage in critical inquiry about relationships, gender, and sexuality as part of meaningful learning.

Learning in the area of relationships and sexuality education (RSE) aims to enable ākonga (students) to understand themselves and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to think about and engage in positive and healthy relationships. 

In the Navigating the Journey programme there are 5 themes covered;

• Establishing a positive learning Environment/Te whakarite i tētahi ao ako huapai
• Who am I?/Ko wai au?
• Relationships / Ngā whanaungatanga
• Growing and changing / Te tipu me te huri o te tangata
• Staying safe /Te noho haumaru

Programmes are organised into Year 1 -2, Year 3-4, Year 5-6, Year 7 -8. Whilst these might not always fit into the way school is structured in terms of year groups, teachers have access to all programmes and select what is appropriate learning for the students they are teaching.

Calendar Art

The students have been busy creating art work that can be made into affordable calendars, cards, diaries, mouse mats and sketch pads.

Each product is made from your own child’s art.

These make unique Christmas gifts for family and friends and are perfect for posting overseas.

Follow these instructions to place your order online:

1/. Go to www.kidsartworks.com

2/. Use the Entrance Code that you will receive on Friday 6th September: KZ*….. (add in your entrance code from your welcome letter e.g. “KZ3452”)*

3/. Enter your child’s room & name when prompted

The order is open from 6th September until  20th September

Payment can be made over the website via credit card or account2account.

Nits - scratch scratch

Please check at home for any sign of nits - they are doing the rounds.  Treatment and constant rechecking is the best way to eliminate, thank you.

Civil Defence Emergency Contact Form

We would like to remind you to return the civil defence emergency form back to the office.

It is  important that we have your  contacts up to date before we undertake a reunification drill during term 4.   

All of these details will be entered into our emergency contacts detail.

Quiz Night! Thank You

A huge thank you to all our wonderful teams who attended our Quiz Night at The Shepherds Arms. We raised over $2,700 (est) from ticket sales, buy an answer and bidding for prizes, all donated by our hugely supportive and generous sponsors: Unichem Pharmacy on Cuba & Courtenay, Body Incorporated Remedial or Therapeutic Massage Therapy, Burlap & Bright, Prefab Eatery & Events, ECC Lighting, Bebemos, Nolita, The Botanist, Otto Champagneria & Beer Hall and Elysian Foods.
That's a lot of STEM resources for our current and future students locked in! We've had requests to run the Quiz Night annually which we're keen to do :)  A huge thank you also to the parent helpers who gave up their time to help organise a successful event - it can't be done without you.

Sport Shirts - Cleaned and Returned

Can we PLEASE have all sports shirts returned to the school office.  Can you please check bags, draws and under the bed - we are missing many many shirts, thank you.

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 Swimming 26 September 

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 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