Week 5 Term 2 Newsletter
Monday/Rāhina - 31st May
Contact Us
Email: office@witherlea.school.nz
Website: https://witherlea.school.nz
Location: 214-216 Weld Street, Witherlea, Blenheim 7201, New Zealand
Phone: 64 (03) 578 5568
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/witherleablenheim
Thanks South Fuels for donating a TV to Witherlea School Room 15 - happy kids and teacher!
Principal Message
Kia ora koutou Witherlea whānau,
We are already at our Week 5 point and we have our last four classes to complete Fundamentals at the Stadium. It never ceases to amaze me how motivated our students are by competition and how much it means to them to have the 'Player of the Day' or support their team to win. The pride on their faces and how hard they work all week to display the attitudes of 'good sportsmanship' is one of those unseen factors that come out of this wonderful programme.
We use Fundamentals to engage our learners with the Pillar of Hauora (wellbeing) for Term Two and throughout the classes, you will see and hear about aspects of the Whare Tapa Whā which is the Māori model of wellbeing created by Dr Mason Durie. It is a regular feature in the Pep Talk Magazines and considered one of the essential models for supporting wellbeing. Make sure you talk about this with your children to see their growing knowledge and understanding.
Witherlea School is part of the Piritahi Kahui Akō with all of the schools in Marlborough. We have developed and created many consistencies across all our schools from; ECE, Primary, Intermediate to Secondary. One of these things is our Piritahi Framework which talks about 'Equity, Excellence and Belonging'. We ensure that as a group we have shared understanding of these principles as they are the principles of the New Zealand Curriculum document - what we ALL want for our learners.
Here is one of the agreed/shared understandings regarding Mauri Ora which links to wellbeing.
Mauri Ora
Durie (2016) uses the term Mauri to help us understand how identity, language and culture are essential for student’s wellbeing and sense of belonging in schools. He describes mauri as the particular vitality, integrity, uniqueness and energy that exists within every person, ora refers to one’s holistic wellbeing.
Therefore Mauri ora, or wellbeing, is demonstrated by a spirit that is enlightened, a mind that is alert and inquiring, a body that is fit-for-purpose and free of pain, and with relationships that are nurturing and mutually beneficial. (refer to Whare Tapa Wha Model - picture below).
We are asking two things from our community this term;
- The first is to just read about this model and definition and discuss it at home so that we all develop a shared understanding of this and its place in schools.
- The second is to take the time to fill in our Health Survey Form which will be essential to our Health and Wellbeing planning for Witherlea School.
- The Form is attached to this Newsletter and should be very simple to fill in.
Your voice, your perspective and your input are vital for our continued creation of a local curriculum.
Wellbeing is one of the most important topics and/or issues facing our society; young through to old and it will take a shared understanding, collaborative approach to problem-solving to ensure that our young people are mentally, physically, spiritually and socially strong. That is why we are linking up with you to create a 'Wellbeing Team' at Witherlea. It is part of the Survey that is in this Newsletter and in LINKs on our School App.
Together, anything is achievable.
Ngā manaakitanga,
Andrea Harnett - Tumuaki
Nau mai ki te kura o Witherlea
We wish to welcome these new students and their families and whānau to our school and community;
Clara A, Eva A, Macie T
Welcome to School Certificates are given out at our Flag Raising on a Monday morning at 9am when we are in Alert Level 1.
Term 2 Events - Wahanga Tuarua
Week 5 - Wiki Tuarima
Monday 31st May - Friday 4th June
FUNDAMENTALS = Kauri Team Group A: Room 6, Room 7 @ Stadium 2000
Monday 31st May
Flag Raising = Welcome to School, Early Words and Be Kind, Be Safe, Be Fair Shoutouts
Friday 4th June
Subway School Lunches - Order Online (Not for Room 6 and 7 this week)
Week 6 - Wiki Tuaono
Tuesday 8th June - Friday 11th June
Monday 7th June
Queens Birthday Holiday = School Closed
Tuesday 8th June
Flag Raising = Welcome to School, Early Words and Be Kind, Be Safe, Be Fair Shoutouts
Thursday 10th June
Whole School Cross Country - Coffee Cart onsite
Friday 11th June
Westpac Helicopter Charity Day = RED dress up and Gold Coin Donation
Subway School Lunches - Order Online
Week 7 - Wiki Tuawhitu
Monday 14th June - Friday 18th June
FUNDAMENTALS = Kauri Team Group B: Room 8, Room 9 @ Stadium 2000
Monday 14th June
Flag Raising = Welcome to School, Early Words and Be Kind, Be Safe, Be Fair Shoutouts
Wednesday 16th June-Friday 18th June
Life Education Bus = Ferns Team
Wednesday 16th June
Marlborough Rippa Rugby Tournament = Lansdowne Park
Friday 18th June
Subway School Lunches - Order Online (Not for Room 8 and 9 this week)
Week 8 - Wiki Tuawaru
Monday 21st June - Friday 25th June
Monday 21st June
Flag Raising = Welcome to School, Early Words and Be Kind, Be Safe, Be Fair Shoutouts
Friday 25th June
Subway School Lunches - Order Online
Week 9 - Wiki Tuaiwa
Monday 28th June - Friday 2nd July
Monday 28th June
Flag Raising = Welcome to School, Early Words and Be Kind, Be Safe, Be Fair Shoutouts
Friday 2nd July - SCHOOL CLOSED
Teachers Only Day
Week 10 - Wiki Tekau
Monday 5th July - Friday 9th July
Monday 5th July
Flag Raising = Welcome to School, Early Words and Be Kind, Be Safe, Be Fair Shoutouts
Friday 9th July
Subway School Lunches
Matariki Celebration and Open Morning = Friday Last Day of Term
More information to come
Cross Country Timetable (APPROXIMATE TIMING ONLY)
Be Kind, Be Safe, Be Fair Shoutouts
See above the winners for Term One - selected from all the nominated students in each team.
Ferns Team
Punga Team
Taylor Thompson: always showing kindness, empathy and compassion to her peers in Room 12 and supporting them in what they do.
Zoey She: you always think carefully about the work you are doing and give 100%.
Kauri Team
Fionn Heagney: For displaying compassion, kindness and being a good friend to those around him. Fionn actively approached a member of Room 8 to make sure he was ok after seeing he was upset. He put an arm around his shoulder, pulled him aside and talked before coming back to class. Ka Pai Fionn.
These students have been using their kind, safe and fair qualities within our school, towards other students and supporting our culture at Witherlea.
Kowhai enjoying the Water Challenges and Swimming Lessons at Fundies
FUNDAMENTALS TERM 2
WEEK 5: Kauri Team Group A - Room 6 and Room 7
WEEK 7: Kauri Team Group B - Room 8 and Room 9
No Subway lunches on the week your children are at the Stadium. All children need togs and towels.
Early Words Recognition
Ethan H, Mason M,
We are very proud of the effort towards learning that our youngest students put in as the Early Words is the start of mastery at Witherlea School.
After School Arrangements
Marlborough Riding for the Disabled
Do you have a few hours a week to spare?
The Marlborough Riding for the Disabled are on the lookout for some amazing volunteers to help us with preparing horses for lessons, leading horses, side walking and general stable-hand duties!
Horse experience would be great, but this isn’t essential as all training is provided.
Contact us for more info at : admin@mrda.org.nz or give us a call on 03 578 3051.