FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK

Kia ora koutou, A warm welcome back to everyone to term 3, 2024.

Gabby Long and George Jarvie – winners of Waifactor 2024.

This term is well planned with learning fun and activities for the students AND the parents!!

  • FOWS – is returning to the traditional name of PTA and planning a relaunch.
  • QUIZ NIGHT – is only 3 weeks away!
  • WORKING BEE – join us and 30 young YSAR’s this Sunday 28th July!!
  • INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS – return!
  • TEAM NEWSLETTERS – will come out at the end of the week with all the dates and programmes classes are involved in.
  • WRITERS TOOLBOX – our new structured writing programme for years 3-8.
  • TEACHER ONLY DAY IN THE HOLIDAYS – focus on our Cultural connections and Māori heritage with Hone Heke.
  • ROAD TO THE GARDEN PROJECT – Garden to Table upgrade & development.
  • POWHIRI – Monday 5th of August, all new families and international students are invited and will be followed by kai/ morning tea.

THIS WEEK 

FOWS – is returning to the traditional name of PTA and planning a relaunch!  By now you have received the information and invitation. PLEASE get involved, we need your full support! Even a small amount of time is really appreciated! Our school is a big part of the rural community, we love our events but we really need more family members to help us run them.

QUIZ NIGHT – is only 3 weeks away!!!! Get your babysitter organised, this is going to be such a fun night! This is a great opportunity for parents to have some fun, and bid on great auction items. Either come as a group or join a table, the PTA will find you some friends to team up with. Principal sponsors are Simone du Bernard Harcourts Cooper & Co and Pitstop Silverdale.

WORKING BEE – join us and 30 young YSAR’s this Sunday 28th July from 9:00am – 3:00pm. Thank you to Geraldine Bayly, landscaper and owner of Kaipara Coast Sculpture! These young people are completing community service at our school which is really great. We have a host of tasks (hopefully the weather will be kind!!).

Tasks include – Building the new Glass House for the Gardens, building more garden beds, weeding, raking and mulching the big playground area & the Matauranga Garden, and trimming the grasses around the newest carpark. There is cleaning up to do around the water tanks and painting as well. The tasks are many – there is a job for you!

Please let us know if you are coming BUT if you decide at the last minute we don’t mind. Tea, coffee, morning tea and some lunch will be provided. Please RSVP with numbers to [email protected].

BRING your garden tools and a wheel barrow if you can.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS – return this term. This week our first student from China has arrived. Welcome to John, he is a year 6 and has joined Mrs Sutton in Nikau class. We have another student that will be home stayed next week and starting with us as well. A total of 23 students will join us and various classes over the next two weeks.

These children will be in various classes and join the learning with the class. This will bring much welcome funds to our school, and allows us to get a feel for deciding if we continue with our cultural partnerships.

TEAM NEWSLETTERS – will come out at the end of the week with all the dates and programmes classes are involved in.

WRITERS TOOLBOXour new structured writing programme for years 3-8. Here is an overview from Mrs Blackburn:

Exciting News! We’re Launching the  Writer’s Toolbox!

We’re thrilled to announce the introduction of Writer’s Toolbox, a new and innovative writing program for our students in Years 3-8. Built on the Hunter Writing System, Writer’s Toolbox is designed with the belief that every child can become a strong writer. This program has a proven track record of success in schools, and we’re excited to embark on this journey with our students.

What is Writer’s Toolbox?

Writer’s Toolbox provides a clear framework and pathway for students to develop their writing skills. During our recent Teacher Only Day in the holidays, our teachers received their first comprehensive professional development to effectively use this program. Throughout Term 3, teachers and students will focus on core writing elements like sentence types, sentence structure, paragraph styles, and expansion techniques.

Benefits for Your Child:

  • Personalized Learning: Writer’s Toolbox utilizes Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assess and improve individual writing abilities. Students receive instant targeted support that caters to their specific learning needs.
  • Multiple Learning Styles: The program incorporates video and audio instruction, ensuring all learning styles are addressed. This allows students to grasp concepts in a way that works best for them.
  • Differentiation: Built-in video instruction offers additional support for students with specific learning needs, freeing teachers to focus on other areas. Additionally, differentiated writing tools ensure both struggling and advanced students receive the appropriate level of challenge.
  • Targeted Instruction: Auto-assessed quizzes pinpoint areas of strength and weakness, allowing teachers to tailor their instruction to address individual student needs.
  • Enhanced Feedback: Students will be able to receive written feedback directly on their online work, facilitating a more interactive learning experience.
  • Blended Learning Approach: Writer’s Toolbox combines online activities with traditional pen-and-paper exercises, providing a well-rounded learning experience.

Staying Connected:

We encourage you to explore your child’s work through your childs Writers Toolbox account. This will allow you to see their progress and celebrate their achievements. We also welcome any questions you may have about Writer’s Toolbox. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher, or Sandy Blackburn for more information.

We believe that Writer’s Toolbox will empower our students to become confident and skilled writers. We look forward to seeing their progress throughout the year!

TEACHER ONLY DAY IN THE HOLIDAYS – all the staff participated in a workshop run by Hone Heke Ngapua-Rankin on our cultural connections and Māori heritage with Hone Heke, yes he is a descendent of thee “Hone Heke”.  He “proudly traces my whakapapa to Ngāti Whātua and Ngapuhi, and was raised under the korowai of both iwi. His childhood was spent in Reweti near Kaipara Harbour.”  It has been a real privilege to explore and connect as a Board and now the staff with Hone Heke to develop our understanding of our cultural connection to the iwi of Kaipara, to being a deeper journey for Wainui School in connecting to the past to understand our place.

THE ROAD TO THE GARDEN PROJECT – extends the existing garden to the bike track, and the second stage is developing under Kauri classroom to create a garden shed and project place. This weekend we will build the new tunnel house and more garden beds, shelves and areas for the tools. SO exciting for the Garden To Table programme! Our huge thanks go to the Broederlow Family for the loan of the digger – this was truly generous! And also to “Kings Quarry” for providing gravel. The generosity of the community is amazing!!! Mr. Bray and Mr. Meikle, along with the Decna Building Team managed to get so much done in the holidays!! Despite all the mud right now it will be amazing when everything is finished!!!

NEXT WEEK  

The school will look great after the working bee!! If you would like to donate a citrus tree for our garden to add to our citrus orchard this would be most appreciated! Now is the best time of year to plant trees!

COMING UP 

POWHIRI – on Monday, 5th August at 9:15am in the hall, we will welcome our new families and our overseas visitors, our new teacher – Mr James Godfrey- and anyone else that is new to our school!! All are welcome to join us afterwards for morning kai and tea in the staffroom.

WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING:

Sadly sKIDS, our after school care programme is temporarily closed, (for two weeks) like many businesses, there are some staffing needs to sort plus the issues of decreasing numbers. Marielle Rodriguez the owner of our franchise apologises for this happening at such a late stage. We will have a clear picture of what will happen for you very soon.  We would like to know if you need this service and what you would like from a programme like this.

FINALLY

We can’t forget that amazing end of term 2!!!!

I have added a few photos throughout the newsletter, as we had the most amazing events and programs to finish term 2!!! From the Waifactor finals, the best we have ever had!!! Juniors Grandparents and special friends afternoon and the year 7&8’s.

WAIFACTOR FINALS – were the best we have ever had!! Thank you to the year 8 student councillors who did such a great job of organising this competition: Ella Brea Wells-Lakeland, Flynn Dixon, and Lexi Albert. The winners were Gabby Long and George Jarvie!

GRANDPARENTS AND SPECIAL FRIENDS AFTERNOON – the smiles were amazing from everyone!! Many thanks to Abby Cavanagh and the Junior Team for the wonderful culmination and afternoon of learning “manaakitanga”!!

YEAR 7&8 ART WITH JEFF – As you may be aware, a group of Year 7 and 8 students have been working with Jeff Thomson, a renowned sculptor.As a side project, we used corrugated iron to weave miniature sculptures and handbags. The weaving is pictured below, each sold for $12 at the Matariki Art Exhibition at Helensville Art Gallery. Hamish and Zach also sold a painting they created at school for $45!!

I am very proud of all of them, what a unique opportunity for our students!!!

Ka kite ano,

Gillian Bray

FOR YOUR CALENDAR

  • Monday 22nd July – Start of Term 3.
  • Thursday 25th July – Yr 0-2 Kiwi Vally Farm Trip.
  • Sunday 28th July – School Working Bee. 9am-3pm.
  • Friday 2nd August – Pukeko Assembly. 2:15pm.
  • Monday 5th August – Powhiri welcoming new families and International Students. 9:15am in the Hall.
  • Saturday 10th August – Quiz Night.
  • Monday 12th August- Start of Book Fair Week
  • Wednesday 14th August – Learning Conversations
  • Friday 16th August- Kiwi Assembly. 2:15pm.

OTHER

The Wainui School PTA: The Wainui School PTA is relaunching and looking for new members. The PTA provides essential resources for the school and organizes fun events. Involvement can be as little as attending a social meeting or helping out at events. A relaunch morning tea is being held on August 2nd at 9am in the staffroom. Everyone is welcome to attend and bring their pre-school children. This is a new beginning for Wainui School’s PTA. Please get involved from the start and help us make Wainui School the best it can be. Register your interest here https://forms.gle/M7SV7auxcFpDfKPG9

Tell us a little more about you!
forms.gle

Ag Day – Friday 25 October 2024. Update # 3: 

Congratulations to those of you that adopted a lamb/goat/calf over the holidays! I am hearing lots of lovely stories! If you are interested in entering a lamb, kid goat or calf for Ag Day this year and you didn’t get your animals over the holidays, you still have time! Your animal can be born between the 1st of July and the 15th of September!

Here is the link to register your Ag Day animal for 2024 –  Animal Registration form. Every animal MUST be registered.

If you have any questions or are unsure of the rules or how it all works, please just come in and see me at school (I am in the Puriri classroom) or email me. Here is the link to the Wainui School Ag day rules

LAMB DAYCARE:

Our lamb daycare will be set up at school from Monday 29th of July. Please make sure it is only the owners of the lambs that enter the pen. We have a very limited grass area and would like to keep the grass in the pen mud free so that they have lovely fresh grass to eat.

The milk and feeding bottles need to be kept in the Garden to Table kitchen by the Art Room. You are responsible for warming up the milk and cleaning your bottles and kitchen space after each use. Please take off muddy shoes at the door to keep the floors clean.

Also please remember the daycare is ONLY for lambs that cannot be fed at home because the adults are at work and you cannot get a neighbour or family member to feed them during the day. The lambs are incredibly noisy when they are in the pen and it makes it very difficult for teachers to teach and the children to learn when all you can hear is the baaing of lambs!

PGG Wrightson PROMO for our Ag Day families.

 PGG Wrightson has set up an account for our school families to use so you can purchase feed at a discounted price for your Ag Day animals. All you need to do is ask to use this account number: 2898512   –   PGW Helensville Ag Day – Cash

Here is the link to look at the prices for various feeds and products – PGG Wrightson discounted price list

ICAS Exams: There is just one week left to register your child for this years ICAS exams.  Entries close on Monday 29th July.
This competition is open to students in Year 4 to 8. Additional information can be found
here: ICAS 2024 Info
You will be able to follow the above instructions and pay online for the exams you would like your child to enter.
What is ICAS?  – ICAS is an online academic competition that gives students the
opportunity to challenge their higher order thinking and problem-solving skills in English,
Mathematics, Science, Writing, Spelling Bee, and Digital Technologies.
Every student who participates is celebrated and recognised with a printed certificate in
each subject area, and an online results report to track development each year. Top
performers are eligible for one of the highly coveted ICAS medals.
To learn more about this year’s exciting ICAS competition,
visit: (icasassessments.com/products-icas/)

SPORTS RESULTS

email your sports results to Miss Ludwig in the office, exo@wainui.school.nz 

The Wainui Surges won 8 – 4 against Red Beach Manta Ray’s in the Flippa Ball League Finals!

POD was Jaydon Lehmann. Congratulations Wainui Surges!

Hockey

Wainui Yr 1/2 Dribblers vs OB Giants Dribblers. Won 3-0.

Wainui Yr 5/6 vs OBS Kiwi Sticks. Won 9-1.

Wainui Yr 5 Wairau vs. OPS Kiwi Mixed Yr6. Won 7- 2. POD’s: Mia Trail, Ollie England.


Netball

Wainui Yr 7 Galaxy vs The Waioneke Falcons. Draw 10-10.  POD: Arielle Oswald. Date of game 05.07.24.

COMMUNITY