School Newsletter
24 February 2023 - Week 4, Term 1
Dear Parents, Whānau and Caregivers
CANCELLED: Wheel and Meals Family Night
Unfortunately, due to the weather forecast today's family night is cancelled. We had intended to fundraise for schools who have been affected by Cyclone Gabrielle so we will organise a wheels day during school time combined with a sausage sizzle for lunch. We'll let you know when our new fundraising day is going to be.
Paid Union Meetings (PUMS)
Next week on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, we are running modified programmes while Paid Union Meetings are held off-site for teachers. School is open but if you would like to collect your child at lunchtime you may. Keep reading - more details below.
Enrolment Zone
A reminder that out of zone applications to enrol at Paparangi School during term two close at 9am on Friday 3 March. Go to the school website for more information. If you live outside our school's home zone and have a younger child starting school soon, please notify the office about when they are turning five. That way we can send reminders about each enrolment period to those who need to know.
Cool Schools Peer Mediation
This week Paparangi School was pleased to host over 20 educators from 12 Wellington schools for Cool Schools training. The Peace Foundation ran the workshops over two days with a focus on schools developing a whole-school approach to conflict resolution, creating a culture that supports positive, caring, safe relationships with others. Students learn to become effective communicators, co-operative members of a team, effective leaders and caring, concerned members of their school. We look forward to seeing our Paparangi Peer Mediators out and about during break times very soon!
Getting to Know You meetings
Thanks for coming along to meet with our teachers over the past two weeks. Teachers have appreciated the chance to connect and touch base for the start of a new year. Some teachers have a few more meetings to hold so please get in touch with your child's teacher about making an alternative time to meet.
Ngā mihi nui
Tracey Arthurs
Principal
School Picnic - Friday 10 March
Yah, we’re off to Waikanae Pool after a two year break! We are looking forward to spending a fun-filled day together and find the picnic is a great way for families to meet informally with each other. This year's picnic is on Friday 10 March, 10.30-1:30pm. A blue picnic notice is being sent home today - please return the permission slip by Friday 3 March.
Teachers are attending Paid Union Meetings - 28 Feb and 1 March
Whakamana tamariki, whakamana kaiako. We all want the best for our kids.
Our teachers love what they do, but not enough funding for New Zealand schools means that they don’t always have the time they would like to support all kids to thrive. We can fix this though - NZEI Te Riu Roa, primary teachers and principals are making the case to the Government for a better investment in our tamariki. Smaller class sizes, more time for individual students and more specialist learning support staffing would make a huge difference. When we support our children to learn and succeed, we are supporting families, whānau and communities to thrive.
Keeping and retaining teachers is top of mind right now too, and this term, our teachers will be meeting to consider a pay offer – and assessing if it’s enough to make sure that teaching is valued and is an attractive profession. That is why the teachers from our school will be attending paid union meetings on Tuesday 28 February and Wednesday 1 March.
Teaching staff who are members of NZEI are legally entitled to attend paid union meetings. The school will remain open on both afternoons, running a modified programme. There will be limited supervision with usual class programmes not running. If you are able to, you may wish to collect your child at lunchtime either day - between 1:10pm and 2:00pm. Children will only be able to leave early if they are collected by an adult. All other children will stay at school until 3.00p.m and be dismissed the usual way. We apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for your support.
Parents, can you help?
I'm sad to say that we are receiving complaints nearly every day about inconsiderate parking of several vehicles outside school during drop-off and pick-up time. It's often the same people every day breaking the rules, making it harder for our crossing monitors to do their job properly. Repeat offenders are reported to the Wellington City Council Parking Officers. When parking, do not park on yellow lines or across driveways, including the school entrance. Help us to be courteous neighbours and keep our kids safe on the roads. Other tips for safe road crossing and courteous parking:
- Road patrols operate every morning and afternoon. Senior students are trained as crossing monitors. All road users are reminded for their own safety, to use the pedestrian crossing.
- We ask that adults do not cross the road at the bus stop or at the blind corner on Beazley Ave and always model safe crossing to our students.
- Do not park in the hall carpark - it's only for staff cars. If staff can park in the carpark, then there's more street parking for the general public!
- Have you tried parking a little further away from the gate and walking part of the way with your child? Why not get them to meet you at an agreed spot?
Thanks to the many concerned parents who help our kids to get to school safely every day - your efforts to make Beazley Avenue safer are appreciated - ka pai!
Flying Fox Fun
We think Paparangi School is lucky to have a flying fox to play on! It's an authentic way for children to learn to take responsible risks within a structured, supportive environment. Students in Y4-6 may use the flying fox during break times. Thanks Rākau Nui for updating the rules about how we use the flying fox so it is safe for all users. They used our GROW values to explain all the things we do to keep safe on the flying fox.
Movin' March
Movin’March is here!
We’re proud to be a Movin’March school and this month we’re looking forward to seeing whānau and students walking or wheeling to or from school. Walking, biking and scooting is a great way to improve well-being, kick start learning for the day and it’s also great for the planet! Don’t forget your WOW Passport so we can stamp your trip and keep an eye out for our low plastic spot prizes!
Whānau can enter a photo of their journey to or from school and be in to WIN 1 of 5 x adult or child Micro Scooters! We’re also giving away family passes to Staglands Wildlife Reserve or Zealandia. WOW… that’s 15 prizes to be won! Go to the Movin’March Facebook page and share your photo in the comments under the weekly theme post. Winners announced by 12th April.
Let’s get stamping! We’ll stamp your walk or wheel trips at school and all entries will go in the draw to win one of 12 x $400 MYRIDE vouchers (you don’t have to complete your whole card to go in the draw!). If your family lives too far away, why not park a short distance away from the school gate and walk or wheel the rest of the way?
We’re taking part in a Pilot
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has created a fun online tool that tracks student travel and is running a pilot for Movin’March schools. Some classes at Paparangi are taking part in this programme which students will use to record how they travelled to school that morning. Data collection is anonymous and finding out how students travel will give teachers the opportunity to create graphs that show trends over time. It will also help class discussion and awareness around school travel and bigger issues such as the environment.
Sports News
Touch
Well done to all our touch teams who kicked off their season this week. We hope you enjoyed your first games of the season and know you will lots of fair play, team and ball skills during your games. Thanks to the awesome mums and dads who are coaching and managing Paparangi teams this year!
Netball
Netball registrations are open for students in year 3-6 who are interested in playing netball in Term 2 and 3 this year. Games start in Term 2 and the cost is $60 per child for the season. We also need coaches, managers and umpires. Please click the link and fill out the form to register by Friday 3rd March.
Getting ready for the start of the school year
Absences
Please notify the office before 9am every day if your child is absent. This can be done by email, via the school app (Absences) or please leave a voice message on the office phone - call 04 4786617. This helps us to know your child is safe and means the Office Staff don't have to call as many families to find out where our absentees are.
Emergency Packs 2023
All children must have an emergency food pack at school in case of an emergency. We are no longer able to provide packs through the school and ask that families provide a pack for each child at school by 28 February in time for our first practice drill of the year. At the end of each year, emergency pack food items are donated to the local food bank. Non-food items will be returned to you on the last day. If you would prefer the whole pack returned to you please let the office know.
Health and Permission Forms
Thank you to all the families who have returned their forms. We would appreciate these being checked, amended if necessary and returned to school as soon as possible so we can update our system. It is very important we have the correct contact details on record in case of an emergency. Thank you.
These dates are published in the online school calendar which can be found on the school app and the website.
Mondays
Welcome Goodtime Music Bus and Kelly Sport!
Tuesday 28 February and Wednesday 1 March
Teachers are attending Paid Union Meetings in the afternoon. We are running a modified programme.
Wednesday 1 March
Movin' March begins
Thursday 2 March
Northern Schools Cricket tournament for selected Y5&6 students (pp 9 March)
Friday 3 March
- Permission slips for School Picnic due back today
- Netball registrations close
- Applications for Out of Zone Enrolments in Term 2 close at 9am
Friday 10 March
School Picnic at Waikanae Pool.
Our popular family picnic is back on the calendar. A blue notice is being sent home today - return by Friday 3 March. You will be given the option to select whether your child/ren will be travelling by bus or private car. Many parents join us for the day, we hope you can too!
Tues 28 March
Northern Schools Football tournament for selected Y5&6 students (pp 30 March)
Thursday 6 April
- 9:15am, End of Term Learning Assembly - hosted by Pounamu tamariki. Parents welcome.
- Term one ends. School closes at 3pm.
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Term Dates These dates are published on our website for your convenience.
- Term 1: Tues 31 January – Thursday 6 April (Easter)
- Term 2: Wed 26 April (after Anzac Day) – Fri 30 June
- Term 3: Mon 17 July – Friday 22 September
- Term 4: Mon 9 October – Friday 15 December
Teacher Only Days (school is closed)
- Term 2: Mon 24 April (before Anzac Day) and Friday 2 June (King’s Birthday weekend)
- Term 3 or 4: The MOE is yet to advise schools about when other Teacher Only Days may be scheduled. We will let you know as soon at the information becomes available.
Community Section
Goodtime Music Academy
Goodtime Music Academy wants to say a big welcome back to all of the whānau at Paparangi School. GTMA is now taking enrolments for 2023 in-school music lessons now. Lessons are on Mondays during class-time, starting 13 February. If you want your child to be a part of these award winning music lessons, and want to be a part of their new curriculum and performing opportunities, then in-school lessons may be the solution for you. Learn in a group setting, and choose between Drums, Guitar, Keyboard, Ukulele. Or try their 'Intro to Music' course. Please visit www.goodtimemusicacademy.co.nz/learn-at-school to enrol and enquire. You can also call GTMA on 04 568 2237. Spaces are limited so get in quick!
Super Summer Sports
Monday’s 3.05pm-4.05pm for 8 weeks, starts Monday 13 Feb 2023!!
Our popular Kelly Sports multi-sport programmes is back in term 1! This weekly programme gives children skills and confidence in a fun and enjoyable environment. It also encourages their enthusiasm for sport and the life skills that such involvement brings, giving them confidence to join sports clubs and teams in the future. At Kelly Sports, we encourage kids to have fun, build confidence and give sport a go. The sports we will be focussing on in term 1 are: Cricket, Dodgeball, Athletics and Ultimate Frisbee.
To enrol to either programme go to www.kellysports.co.nz and in the school box put “paparangi”
Contact Us
Parents, please use the App to send a message about a student absence. It is our preferred method of contact for non-attendance and is quick and easy to do.
Email: office@paparangi.school.nz
Website: https://paparangi.school.nz
Location: 57-59 Beazley Avenue, Paparangi, Wellington 6037, New Zealand
Phone: +64 4-478 6617