FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK
Kia ora Koutou,
Half way through the term!! Summer was here last week and this week everything from hail to storms!! Thank you to everyone who has let us know your plans for 2020, it all helps with our planning!!
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING
Senior School Athletics – Fantastic day last Friday at Sinclair Park. Thank you Mr Irvine and all the teachers for this day!! Wonderful to see all the parents supporting our students who enjoyed the variety of events from sprinting, high jump, shot put and discus. These are all run as a house competition, with the house relays yet to be run. We have set the date for these to be run together with the Young Farmer competitions which we still need to complete.
Chicken Coop – Thank you to Mr Lee who has refurbished / rebuilt the chicken coop!! Miss Stevenson and the Garden to Table team will be adding back some chickens into the sustainability programme – eggs are a very vital part of the cooking and the chickens will be able to feast on some of our scraps!! Miss Stevenson would like some spare chickens if anyone has these?
THIS WEEK
Assessment, Testing and Report Writing – Lots of assessment and testing is happening to enable the teachers to write the summative reports for 2019. All children receive a summative report that enables you and your child to see where they are at after the year. To help, please ensure your child is well rested and feeling postive about the day ahead at school.
Foot Steps Dance – We start this week with a series of four lessons for every class in the school in Dance with Kate from Footsteps Dance, a professinnal dance company our school has worked with over the last 6 years. This enables almost all children to develop confidence, coordination and for many further their love of dance. This is lots of fun and will result in all students being able to perform a dance item at the end of year Christmas in the Country.
Master Chef Wainui – Started with a a bang today!! Thank you Julia Buchajczyk, one of the student counsellors who has done a wonderful job of organising this competition for us this year!! This year each age level is linked into the gardens at school and have to use the produce in some way. We began with the heats for the Year 7 & 8’s. It was amazing to observe the confidence and the delicious items that were produced in 45 minutes out of our kitchen – very exciting. I have included a photo for you all to see. This is judged by some of the other Year 8’s and today Mrs Collins was the adult judge!! Tomorrow we have the Year 5 & 6’s.
Bees – Finally after 18 months of planning, learning and preparing we have Bees at school. I wonder how many people have noticed where the Bee team have housed them?? Keep an eye out as you drive up the driveway. Thank you Kyle Atkinson who has got this organised and enabled us to actually go ahead with the Bees. Kyle (Dad to Lexi and Neva) is an accomplished Beekeeper himself and is thoroughly supporting us all and ensuring we are able to responsibly keep Bees. It will not be until this time next year that we will have honey. The Bee team of Lucas and Morgan Keller, Bowen Jonkers, Ollie Steen, Riley Purdie, Jurgen Bezuidenhout, Cody Climo, Neva Atkinson, Kate Flynn and Cole Davies have all been amazingly patient with me. Well done to all of you.
NEXT WEEK
Masterchef Semi Finals – Julia and the Year 8 leaders will keep us informed as to who is going through to the semi-finals and what they will be cooking and when.
Kapa Haka Ruupu Maori Consultation and launch of the Junior Kapa Haka Group – Friday 22 November – 9.30am start. We are all very excited to be able to lauch our Junior Kapa Haka group next week!! Mr Irvine and I thought this would be a great time to korero (talk) about Te Reo at Wainui School and Consult, not only with our parents of Maori childen as we are now required to by the Ministry of Education, but with all parents who have an interest in Te Reo i.e what we are doing at Wainui School and also as it is tied in with the Kahui Ako – the Community of Learning. All parents will be recieving a letter from Mr Irvine outlining this further – it does of course include sharing of kai (food) and a cup of tea together!! All are very welcome!!
FINALLY
I thought I would share a special note from another colleague shared on a social media platform and agreed by many of us that might help explain some things to us all. “Have you noticed that your child is more emotional, temperamental and difficult to deal with lately? You are not alone! In education circles, this month is sometimes referred to as “Madvember”. The combination of lighter nights (which makes it difficult to get to sleep), the unpredictable weather, the low-level anxiety about leaving their teacher and class, and the excitement of Christmas on the horizon means that children can be particularly tired and temperamental at this time of year. Another thing you might notice with younger children is the urge to build forts and huts or to get under furniture. This is all part of the changing of the seasons. Sometimes November can be hard for adults too as we gear up for a huge two months ahead. The best remedy for all of this is slowing down and ensuring there is ample down-time for everyone, and meeting all temper tantrums and tears with compassion and understanding.”
Ka kite ano,
Gillian Bray
FOR YOUR CALENDAR
- Wednesday 13th November – BOT Meeting
- Thursday 14th November – Young Farmer Competition (Save day Monday 18th November)
- Friday 15th November – Tui Team Assembly – 9.15am
- Wednesday 20th November – Kids for Kids Concert at Bruce Mason – 7.00pm
- Friday 22nd November – Kapa Haka Ruupu Maori Consultation and launch of the Junior Kapa Haka
- Tuesday 26th November – Year 5 / 6 Interschool Athletics
- Friday 29th November – Year 1-4 Junior Athletics
- Friday 29th November – Kiwi Team Assembly – 9.15am
- Thursday 5th December – Christmas in the Country
- Monday 9th December – Year 8 Graduation Dinner
- Wednesday 11th December – Music Performance Assembly
- Friday 13th December – Pukeko Team Assembly – 9.15am
- Tuesday 17th December – Prizegiving – 1.00pm
- Thursday 18th December – Last day of Term 4 for 2019 – Happy Holidays Everyone!
OTHER
Young Farmer Competition – This competition postponed from Ag Day will be held this Thursday November 14th. (Saving day will be Monday 18th November). All welcome along to watch.
Year 1-4 participate from 10.15am – 12.15pm.
Activities for year 3-4 include: horseshoe toss, firewood stacking, brick challenge, target shoot.
Activities for year 1-2 include: ordering gadgets, duck fishing, kashin knock, gumboot throw.
Year 5-8 participate from 12.30pm – 2.30pm.
Activities for these year groups are: fencing, farm tools and machinery identification, wheelbarrow slalom, nailing staples
There are trophies for each team to compete for. The winners from Year 1 & 2 and Year 3 & 4 will be determined on Thursday but 16 students from years 5-8 will participate in a “FINALS” event on Monday 25th November to determine the year 5-6 winner and the year 7-8 winner.
Reminder about Lost Netball Medal – Amy Lowe, Year 3 student had her netball medal for Prizegiving the last Friday of Term 3. She had left it in her tray in class and when she came back into Term 4 she went to get it and it was gone out of her tray? Amy is in Miss Ross’s class. Could all parents please check their children’s bags just in case it has accidentally gone home. It doesn’t mean anything to anyone else but it’s very special to Amy.
Measles Vacination
SPORTS RESULTS
– email your sports results to Mrs Elliott in the office, kelliott@wainui.school.nz
Hockey
Year 3 /4 Wainui White vs Silverdale Rockets lost 1-2. POD: Phoenix Sweetman-Jones.
Year 5/6 Wainui Raptors drew against Birkenhead Happy Sticks 0-0. POD Maya Ledger.
Touch Rugby
Year 1/2 Wainui vs Dairy Flat Red. Won 8-2. POD: Archer Olliff. TOD: Kayami Atkinson
COMMUNITY
Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes & Dirty Beasts – Live on stage – 21 – 23 Dec | Bruce Mason Centre
Don’t miss the seriously funny and frighteningly silly show as it bursts off the page and onto the Bruce Mason Centre stage. It’s the perfect pre-Christmas treat for children 5 to 105, penned by the world’s number one storyteller. Don’t gobblefunk around, tickets selling fast!
For more information visit: aucklandlive.co.nz/show/kids19-roald-dahl or join the Facebook event: www.facebook.com/events/255789531989295/
“Call out to artists for works, kids & adults”
“Brain Play – coding, robotics, and 3d printing classes. After-school, weekend, and holiday courses. Free trials available.
Ages 5+. 5+ Auckland locations. Email us for more information on info@brainplay.co.nz or see brainplay.co.nz.”
