Kia ora Waitetuna Whaanau,
As we reflect on our health curriculum and what adaptations and changes we need to make to our school health curriculum, I thought it was important to mention all of the things that have taken place while teachers have been setting up their classrooms for learning with a busy, productive start to our year.
At the beginning of the school year, we embrace the extra time and attention towards our values of Whānaungatanga and Manaakitanga. When students feel safe and happy at school their learning and social relationships grow and their engagement in learning leads towards progress, achievement.
At the beginning of the school day, when your child arrives in the classroom, teachers have a ‘check-in’ station to see how they are feeling. Ask your child what this looks like in their class. How we build a child’s self belief and self confidence:
Lead by example - what we say and what we do matters! Show them it is ok to be proud of themselves by being proud of ourselves. Show them that we believe we can overcome challenges.
Praise - share compliments for their manners, kindness, effort, process, skills, knowledge and achievement.
Never compare - every child is unique, appreciate and be proud of what they can do and who they are
Be a good listener - make the time to listen - listen wholeheartedly without judgment - listen to understand how it is for them.
Let them try - support them, motivate them and comfort them with positivity to have a go and take risks. Mistakes are ok and are a time for new learning. When things are hard, we get alongside them. Risk takers in the making.
Teach them how to plan and become independent - appreciate their goals and their responsibilities, value preparation, planning and practice. Self- managers in the making.
Help them recognise their strengths - notice and let them know that you have seen them having success.
Show that you care - what we say and what we do matters! Knowing and talking about their interests and what is happening in their lives right now.
The Senior room had the Health and Physical Education Curriculum in action on Monday and Tuesday when they attended Finlay Park camp. An overnight camp as part of our school’s Education Outside the Classroom programme is always a highlight. Taiporo showing us his axe throwing skills at camp. Thanks to all of the parents who offered to help and attended.
Thank you for the Health Curriculum consultation feedback so far. Keep sending those completed forms back. There are spare copies in the office if it hasn’t made it home to you. The emailed copy doesn’t open well. It is really invaluable information we are receiving. The Board of Trustees will receive a summary of this and staff and Board will discuss how this feedback can be actioned in the classrooms.
Waitetuna Way this week goes to - Anitha & Sunitha Van Zyl for Confidence. Believe in yourself. Be brave and take risks.
Lunchboxes - staff thank you for the lunches you provide your children. Remember wrapper free lunchboxes significantly reduce our school costs with the frequency we have to fill a bag that goes to landfill. This will help our school to be litter free. We are working hard in the classrooms to think carefully about where our classroom rubbish goes e.g. paper bin, food scraps bin.
School murals - thanks to two wonderful parents who have offered to take on the mural for our school. Students are starting to plan designs. We will share these over the coming weeks. We have also entered the Resene mural competition to try and secure some paint, drop sheets to help with this.
Jon Thompson, a local community member who works for Rentokil, has approached our school to help with eco-sourcing of native seeds. He joined staff last week for part of our staff meeting. He will support some of the senior room learners with the many facets of sourcing - everything from the intricacies of collecting to the conditions for growing native seedlings which are from the Waitetuna valley and will grow well in the valley. We look forward to working with Jon and making this another strong part of our local curriculum and an important element of our environmental education. This is all part of our exciting Environmental Education plans. More information to come in future newsletters.
School garage - electricity to the new garage started today and this is the last part so we will be able to sign it off and move in soon - which will be exciting.
Year 8 fundraiser - Juicies for sale this coming Monday - $2
Upcoming Dates
Inter school swimming sports - 18th March
Teacher only day - 22nd March
Triathlon starts 11am 29th March - bikes can hopefully start coming in from 17th March. Garage finish pending.
Nga mihi nui,
Amanda and Staff