Kia ora Koutou, Haere Mai to term two!!

Welcome back to school. This term we welcome a new teacher in the Junior area of the school, Miss Alice Rowlands. Miss Rowlands will be teaching in the Puriri classroom area but will have responsibility for the older new entrants for 2018. We are thrilled to have Miss Rowlands who has just returned from an overseas trip where she has been teaching in London for the last few years. Prior to this she began her teaching career at Waioneke School. Miss Rowlands is a keen sportswoman and has already volunteered to coach a netball team.

We also welcome on board a new part time gardener, Mel Steen. We are all set to go this term, the school is sparkling clean and the grounds already looking starting to look good!!

The teams are all prepared, all teachers having met in the holidays to ensure they are prepared for term two. The team newsletters will all be distributed this week with a full explanation of the each teams programmes. Below is a summary of some of the key focuses.

Year 7&8 – Begin their tech subjects this term, hard tech (using the woodwork shed), soft tech, sewing and creating with soft materials.

Year 5&6 – Have camp at a new venue “Carey Park” in West Auckland. They are also beginning Garden to Table and a programme they have named “PEEPS”!! (I am sure you will find out more in the newsletter).

Year 3&4 – Are introducing an Inquiry based on the children’s personal interests and passions linked to a social inquiry of making Wainui a better place to be.

Year 1&2 – Continue with their Play Based Learning programme.

All classes always focus each morning (Mon-Thurs) on the core curriculum areas of reading, writing and maths (sometimes the timetable will change).

All classes will participate in the Life Education programme which educates and empowers over 250,000 children each year to embrace positive choices for a healthy mind and body. They will be at school Tuesday 5th to Wednesday 13th June.

All classes will be participating in the Bikeathon and Pink Shirt Day on Friday 18th May!!

WHAT ELSE HAS BEEN HAPPENING

ANZAC Day – Was celebrated by many of us at the local Upper Waiwera War Memorial. It was a beautiful day and ceremony that we at Wainui School are very proud to be a part of!! The kapa haka group gave a rousing haka, even though there were only 4 boys to do this, they were amazing, thank you Ben Partner, Chris Gilpin, Matt Cator and Ty Browne Hale for your leadership. The group then sang a waiata led by Chloe Kay.

Caroline Gilpin, Dillon Finnegan, Reilly Irvine, Caleb Waller and Paris Headford all were confident in their delivery of the readings throughout the service. Ty Browne Hale and Reilly Irvine presented very moving tributes sharing the stories behind their great relatives that did pass away and are named on the cenotaph.

These are the students (kapa haka and readers) who attended the service: Alex Colborn (kapa haka); Bella Browne Hale (kapa haka); Ben Partner (kapa haka); Caleb Waller (reading); Caroline Gilpin (kapa haka); Chalise Tolhopf (kapa haka); Chloe Kay (kapa haka); Christopher Gilpin (kapa haka); Dillon Ranby (kapa haka); Dillon Finnegan (reading); Kate Flinn (kapa haka); Lucy Elliott (kapa haka); Maddison Ditchburn (kapa haka); Matt Cator (kapa haka); Paris Headford (kapa haka and ode); Reilly Irvine  (kapa haka, ode and reading); Selina Glasgow (kapa haka); Tara Phillips (kapa haka); Ty Browne Hale (kapa haka and reading) and Zoe Grey (kapa haka).

Thank you Mr Irvine for preparing the children for the readings and organising us all for this day. We all appreciate this. After the service we had afternoon tea at the McCathie homestead where our artwork and some writing was displayed. I received many positive comments around our students and their confidence and eloquence. Well done everyone, a very special day.

THIS WEEK 

“Have a go” Softball/ T Ball day – Is on Wednesday. All students in years 1-6 will participate in this day. Let’s hope the weather is kind to us.

Some Reminders for us all:

Clothing – We have improved so much on naming and not losing our clothes and shoes!! Well done!! We had a very small amount left at the end of term one since the lost property box fell apart and was not replaced!! All clothing, shoes and hats named are returned to their owners. Please keep the good work up as the lost property box will not return at this stage!!

Parking and Drop Off – Thank you for not parking on the roundabout, if we keep to the carparks and park thoughtfully we can all be safer. Remember to keep the drop off area clear between 2.45pm and 3.15pm for the buses.

Communication with the Office – Our wonderful office staff work very hard to ensure all communication gets to your child. Children do not need their own cellphones at school for this. Please continue to ensure that all communication goes through the office first, it is the school’s responsibility to ensure we know where your children are at all times.

Attendance – The Ministry of Education demands all children attend school every day in New Zealand during the schools opening times. If you are planning a holiday during term time you are required to request this time away from school. In most cases this will be approved, it will then be recorded on the roll appropriately. Please advise of any such holidays by sending a letter/ email to myself, thank you. (Did you know in some countries you would be fined or not given approval to do so).

Pool – As the pool is now closed, please return your key to the office and you will receive a small bond back.

Sports Teams – We have 8 netball teams, 6 Hockey teams, 2 basketball teams, 8 Rippa teams all needing to practice for the season. Please work together in organising a time to practice and an area to use. I wish you all a fun season!! Mr Irvine will help with coordination, we will put timetables up if needed on the community noticeboard.

School Lunches – We are simplifying the lunches to accommodate the Garden to Table programme on a Friday so they can utilise the food technology space. The new order forms have been distributed to the classrooms and the on-line form has been updated, to start this Friday.

CERTIFICATES

At the last assembly, our amazing Hellyer Cup Winners were Honoka Seino (Kahikatea), and Thomas Steen (Kauri).

FOR YOUR CALENDAR

• Tuesday 1st May – KOS/ DARE Parents Evening – 5.30pm.
• Wednesday 2nd May – T/Ball/ Softball “Have a Go Day” Yr 1-6.
• Wednesday 2nd May – FOWs Meeting – Staffroom – 7.00pm.
• Tuesday 8th May – ICAS Digital Technologies.
• Friday 11th May – School Photo Day.
• Friday 11th May – Takahe Assembly – 9.15am.
• Tuesday 15th May – Board of Trustees Meeting – 6.30pm.
• Friday 18th May – Bikeathon and Pink Shirt Day.

COMMUNITY