Kia ora koutou,

This week we say a big welcome to new students Honor and Koby. Well done on making such a great start to school kids. We are all very proud of you both.

Now I Don't Know my ABC's

A new report from The Education Hub think-tank, Now I don't know my ABC - the perilous state of literacy in Aotearoa New Zealand, has drawn on multiple studies to paint a stark picture of the crisis in reading and writing. Lead author Dr Nina Hood from the University of Auckland talks about a systemic problem being at the heart of this decline. Over the next few years the revised curriculum will be rolled out, starting with the NZ Histories curriculum next year. We look forward to these documents supporting teachers and students in a positive way.

While student achievement at HNP is high with approximately 90% of students attaining expected levels of achievement or above in reading, writing and maths, we still have 10% of students who do not. We are committed to doing our very best for all students and the Board dedicates significant funds into staff professional development and learning support for our learners.

The direction of the new literacy curriculum will be made clearer by the end of this year with the draft version expected to be released early next year. We took an educated gamble on this direction in 2020 when we adopted a structured literacy approach in our junior school which flowed through to Year 2 last year. This year we have entered into a contract with iDEAL https://ideallearningapproach.com/ who are working with our Year 3-6 teachers to build their capacity. We expect to see good progress based on the teacher and student voice we have received to date. I would like to thank our Board for their financial support and vision to make these opportunities happen for both our students and staff.

While there is no magic bullet, clear systems and structures are important for learning. We are working closey with our local schools to build teacher knowledge and improve outcomes for all.

Administration Block opening

This Friday at 2:00pm we have the offical opening of our new Administration block. Our local MP Anna Lorck will conduct the opening and Jerry Hapuku will bless the space. They will be supported by the youngest and eldest child in our school. After such a long wait, it will be exciting to occupy this new space.

COVID-19 latest information

After what seems like an eternity we now have unlimited outdoor gathering sizes. This means on Friday we can have our first school assembly since October last year. We are certainly looking forward to this!

Masks are not required by parents, except when entering classrooms. The vaccination mandate is still in place until the 4th April.

On the Covid front, while yesterday saw a rise in numbers at school, I am hopeful they will taper off over the next week. We still have large numbers of students isolating, although these numbers are on the decline.

Uniforms

Please make sure uniform is named. We had 22 fleeces in the lost property last week with no names on them.

We have noticed an increasing number of children wearing Ethika underwear. These are long undies that show below the line of the shorts and are not part of the school uniform. Can we please make sure that no underwear is visible below the line of the shorts. Thank you!

Have a great week everyone!

Ngā mihi

Nick Reed

Principal

A huge thank you to Kyle & Melissa Stallard, Hawkes Bay Plumbing & Gas who have managed to create a water connection near our Year 4 garden. We can now use the hose donated by Bunnings to water the garden, thanks Hawkes Bay Plumbing & Gas adding a hose connection!

The children are loving the feijoa harvest.

Green tips - small changes can add up to big climate results

Sue Jarvis

"Water polo is new to Hawkes Bay and new to Havelock North Primary. The kids have had to play outside in all the elements (wind and rain more often than not) and have fully embraced the sport. They have listened to the HB coaches advice and have grown in confidence and skill each week. The most pleasing thing to see is how the players supported and encouraged each other, ensuring everyone was included and that each team member had the opportunity to score. The players were always positive and polite, making them a real joy to coach."

Way to go kids, that exactly what we want to hear from our coaches and community!

April

1st School Assembly and Admin Block opening 2:00pm

8th - Mufti Day - Ukraine Red Cross Appeal

11th - 13th - Year 5 7 6 Te Mata Peak Maintenance days

14th - Term 1 ends

May

2nd - Term 2 begins