Wilson School, Term 4 Newsletter
2023
Key Term Dates
2023 TERM DATES
Term 4: Monday, 9th October - Friday, 15th December
Please note we close at 1.00PM on the 15th of December for the Christmas break.
Staff Only Days – Friday 20th October & Friday 17th November
2024 TERM DATES
Term 1: Thursday, 1st February - Friday, 12th April (Staff Only Days 30th & 31st January)
Term 2: Monday, 29th April - Friday, 5th July
Term 3: Monday, 22nd July - Friday, 27th September
Term 4: Monday, 14th October - Tuesday, 17th December
Letter from Principal, Neil Kefford
Kia ora koutou,
We have lots of exciting things planned for the term, including an art exhibition, sports day, and our end of year awards assemblies. We look forward to seeing lots of you in school across the term.
A reminder that we have two staff-only days planned for this term, Friday 20th October and Friday 17th November. We have several items planned to support staff professional development on these days, this includes working with TalkLink on encouraging communication and leading in a specialist classroom. The 17th of November is the second staff-only day provided by the Ministry of Education to support the roll-out of the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum. We will continue to work with Dr Debbie Lomax, from Cognition Education, to ensure we keep up to date with the curriculum changes.
Last term we were visited by Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga (ERO - The Education Review Office). ERO is undertaking a national evaluation of all specialist schools this year. Our first visit was last term and focused on our Board Assurance Statement, policies and procedures, and compliance with the Education and Training Act. The visiting team found we were compliant with all aspects and were very complimentary about what they found. There is a further two-day visit planned for 15th & 16th November which will look further into the key indicators for specialist schools.
We would again like to extend thanks to our School Board for continuing to support with investment into school vehicles. We have recently received another accessible Toyota Hiace to support extending community-based learning and opportunities outside of the classroom.
We have a staff team entering Run-The-Point at Hobsonville, on 26th November, as a fundraiser for the school https://hobsonville.werun.nz/. Please keep your fingers crossed that it doesn’t rain on the day! If you would like to support this, you are welcome to come along and cheer or make a donation via https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/wilson-school
We are working on our plans for 2024 class lists and placements, if this means a change for your young person, we will contact you to discuss this.
Have a great term everyone.
Mā te wā
Neil Kefford
Wiremu Lord
It is with sadness that we inform you of the death of Wiremu, one of our students. Wiremu was greatly loved by the staff who have worked with him and will be missed dearly. Our thoughts and aroha go out to those who love and care for him. Wiremu will be remembered for his bright smile that lit up the room and the joy that he spread to those around him.
Kia hora te marino, Kia whakapapa pounamu te moana, kia tere te Kārohirohi i mua i tōu huarahi.
May the calm be widespread, May the ocean glisten as greenstone, May the shimmer of light ever dance across your pathway.
School Board Election
Thank you to everyone who expressed interest or put themselves forward to stand as a school board member. We really value your support. Congratulations to Walaa Elzayady who was elected as a board member last term.
Medication in School
If we need to administer medication for your child in school, please make sure you send it in the full packaging it was provided in by the Pharmacist. This needs to include the child’s name and the dosage that needs to be provided. This is important should we need to work with emergency services.
Parent to Parent: Connect, Inform, Support
Are you aware of Parent to Parent? They are a group who support by connecting parents and supporting siblings by providing information on thousands of disabilities and conditions. Examples of workshops include:
· Renew, connect and reflect
· Navigating the system
· Championing your needs
· Supporting parents
They also host a number of coffee mornings, helping to bring parents together, sharing experience and knowledge. https://parent2parent.org.nz/events/parent-support-group-north-shore/
Resources, details of events, training and contact details are all published here - https://parent2parent.org.nz/
Hidden Disabilities
The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is a simple tool for you to voluntarily share that you have a disability or condition that may not be immediately apparent and that you may need a helping hand, understanding, or more time in shops, on transport or in public places. Visit https://hdsunflower.com/au/ for more details.
Ministry of Education – School Donation Scheme
From the start of 2023 Wilson School opted into the MOE School Donation Scheme. This means we won’t be asking for school fees, contributions towards trips/visits or towards classroom programmes. Our Board will be providing the money received from the MOE directly into classroom budgets for teachers to utilise towards their programmes and visits. Please note, this will not cover Riding for the Disabled, who will continue to invoice families directly should this be used. We will also still request stationary (where required) at the start of the year, lists will be sent out.
Should you wish to make a donation, you are welcome to at any point, this will be gratefully received and will go directly towards our students.
Donations can be made at any time: ASB – Wilson School – 12-3109-0011807-00
Whānau Highlights
Pohutukawa whānau
Manuka 15 had such a busy Term 3. We loved the circuits and the super-long trampoline at our weekly Friday gym sessions. On Tuesdays our Music teacher, George, got us playing great rhythms together on so many different instruments. We also got to make our own Māori clay Koruru carvings with Kipa, celebrate birthdays in class and try Hungerball at Glenfield College for the first time! We also welcomed Spring by collaborating on our Spring Art and playing outside in the lovely sunshine!
Music is a lovely way to learn where the mind and body work together. The students in Manuka 16 enjoyed their Music sessions with George (music therapist) last term. Our weekly sessions at North Harbour Gym were a blast and it was great to see the students move in a big space and use various equipment while refining their coordination and social skills. Our class is focusing on independence and taking responsibility and we are learning to use individual timetables to structure our learning throughout the day. To welcome Spring, the students made some lovely flowers using colourful paints and forks.
AJHS T16 was fortunate to take part in a multi-sensory activity by Spark Productions, where we explored various sensory items such as parachutes, mountains of tissues and fans, bubbles, water, feathers, and paintbrushes. The students showed great engagement and we are all looking forward to another session soon. We had an amazing time during Rippa Rugby and took advantage of the opportunity to learn about the game and various techniques. It was an enjoyable and educational experience for everyone. The MERC outdoor learning trip was a fantastic experience for the students, offering them a refreshing break from their regular routine. All students really enjoyed paddle boarding and Stack ém’ we well as the opportunity to connect with their peers from other satellite classes at Wilson School.
AJHS T15 class really enjoyed the Transport Unit last term. We learned about the history of transport over the last 100 years, made 3D models, and explored a whole lot of interesting facts about various transport systems. A particular highlight for the students last term was Rippa Rugby lessons on Wednesdays. The students had an amazing time learning and practicing some new ball skills. Everyone pushed themselves at MERC and actively participated in all the activities with the best part being enjoying a campfire, complete with marshmallows after a very exciting day.
Room 3 has been continuously developing their life skill abilities as it helps to promote their well-being and foster independence. Last term, as part of developing independent skills our tamariki continued to focus on regularly doing the daily chores and participating in activities such as baking cakes, bread, and muffins, washing dishes, collecting food scraps, and cleaning the classroom. We had an exciting day at the Marine Environment Recreation Centre (MERC) at Long Bay. We had so much fun with the activities such as paddle boarding, Stack ‘em, and campfire where we grilled marshmallows. We also enjoyed socializing with other students from across the school.
Nikau whānau
We had a term full of fun and new learnings. Our tamariki at Bayswater 1 have been learning to be independent. Some of the children have also been active in taking care of their friends and helping in the class. We have also been working on our communication skills with a focus on sharing our ideas and thoughts. It has also been amazing to see such positive relationships developing in the class.
At Bayswater 2 we explored materials and states of matter. In cooking, we explored the mixing of solids and liquids for our ‘pasta cucina’. We stretched the dough, made pasta noodles and sheets and made ravioli. We helped one another retell stories such as ‘The Fidgety Itch’. Robin typed our retell to create our script. Then we acted out the story with stick puppets as the narrator read our script. So much fun!
In term three, Room One put on their science lens to investigate the world around us. We enquired and observed how things grow and change while walking in nature. To expand our understanding, we began planting seeds and carefully observed the germination and growth processes. We are quite excited to see our future garden. We made sun dried bowls out of paper as part of our sustainability project. We also got a taste of science and sensory discovery by mixing and playing with colours. We love participating in social groups and enjoyed participating in the Pasifika festival which provided both social and cultural experiences. In addition to the above, maintaining physical fitness is a vital aspect of our daily routine where we work on fine motor and gross motor skills.
Karaka whānau
Our Transition classes at Glenfield College have had such a social, active and empowering term. We enjoyed visits every week from Hungerball, where we took part in competitive games and increased our hand and eye co-ordination skills. Some of our students started a Te Kura project where we learned all about our extended family and this will now be assessed and marked by an outside accreditation facility, we are hoping to do more of this going forward. We organised and ran a successful disco and got to spend some quality time with our Wairau Valley Special School friends. Week 10’s icing on the cake was a trip to The Pumphouse, we saw a live performance from the shared book we focused on this term, The Twits! What a treat and what a term!
It’s been a busy term at Glenfield Junior. Last term some of us started attending specialist classes in the mainstream. In the Y10 Digital Technology class we had an opportunity to design and create our own website and during the woodwork class we designed and completed a project of our choice. One of the most unforgettable class trips we had in Term 3 was visiting Sir Peter Blake MERC (Marine Education and Recreation Centre). Some of us were the most excited about trying stacking up crates and climb on top of them. We definitely want to go back and do it again. Another highlight was the Pasifika Festival where we were able to practice our language and number skills when people came to buy things from our stall.
We had a really busy term 3 in Room 2. We have been learning about the past and the differences between the past and today. We have done a lot of learning about wheels and their different uses over time as part of our literacy topic. We went on some great educational visits outside the classroom which included; MERC and our public transport trip to Devonport. Alongside our usual trips to the library, gym, FAM and Flourish Café. Thank you all for supporting Room 2 over the last term and let's hope for a fun and exciting Term 4 for the end of the year.
Toe Toe whānau
During Term 3, students in Room 4 enjoyed working together. We continued to enjoy regular Music Therapy with Chris. We worked as a team to retell the story of the 3 Little Pigs, building the houses and taking turns being the Pigs or Wolf. Students enjoyed sharing morning tea together on Fridays remembering to take one thing from the plate! Our topic study focused on ‘Pacific Voyagers.’ We explored how water moves, sinking and floating before making our own wakas. Well done Team R4.
Last term was absolutely incredible for our students in Room 5! We embarked on a journey filled with diverse and enriching activities that made it truly special. From a delightful ferry trip to downtown and back, where our students experienced riding the ferry with their friends and teachers, to the vibrant Pasifika celebrations and Marae visit that brought cultures together in a beautiful showcase of diversity. Our students have also engaged in sensory arts, allowing them to express themselves creatively through various mediums, and sensory cooking, where they enjoyed the delightful smell and flavours they created. Through these activities, we've not only expanded their horizons but also fostered a sense of community, creativity, and inclusivity in our classroom. I couldn't be prouder of our students' enthusiasm and the way they've embraced these opportunities for growth and learning. Here's to a term filled with incredible memories and the promise of even more exciting adventures in the future!
Last term was filled with enjoyable and enriching activities for the students in Windy Ridge 1&2 from beginning to end. We started off with a fun and meaningful Daffodil Day celebration, wearing yellow and baking delicious daffodil cookies to raise money for cancer patients. We also took part in exciting mainstream activities, such as riding on a firetruck, roasting marshmallows, interacting with incubated baby chicks, and dancing at a disco. To expand our knowledge, we visited the zoo to learn about various animals and explored Māori myths and legends to gain a deeper understanding of the local culture. As a culminating activity, parents, students, and staff participated in a lovely Cultural Day celebration. They dressed in their traditional attire, shared their cultural food, and even sang songs celebrating diversity. It was indeed an unforgettable term filled with excitement and learning.
School Policy Reviews – Have your say
We use the services of School Docs who design policies for many New Zealand schools; updating them to reflect current legislation. Periodically parents are asked to review certain policies. This term parents are invited to have their say about the following policies.
Term 4 review topics:
Curriculum and Student Achievement
· Student Achievement Information/Student Assessment and Achievement
· Religious Instruction/Religious Education
- Visit the website https://wilson.schooldocs.co.nz
- Enter the username and password
- Follow the link to the relevant policy as listed or click ‘Current Review’
- Read the policy.
- Click the Policy Review button at the top right-hand corner of the page.
- Select the reviewer type “Parent”.
- Enter your name (optional).
- Submit your ratings and comments.
- If you don’t have internet access, school office staff can provide you with printed copies of the policy and a review form.
Disability Connect
Disability Connect is a Disability Information Advisory Service. We are based in Penrose and operate throughout Auckland – north to Warkworth and south to Bombay. There are lots of ways we can help individuals with a disability, or family members of a disabled person, to navigate the New Zealand disability sector.
Spectrum Care School Holiday Programme
Spectrum Care run a school holiday programme for Wilson School students. For further details please contact -
Darryl Benge – 0272948892 - darryl.benge@spectrumcare.org.nz
will&able
Student Absence
Please report all student absence to the main school office for base and satellite students. Absence can be reported via phone/email or via our Wilson School website:
09 489 5648 - phone
office@wilson.school.nz - email
https://www.wilson.school.nz/absence/ - website