Wairau Valley School

From the Principal

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Welcome to the start of Term 2. I hope you all had a relaxing term break. It was lovely to see everyone again last Monday, ready for the term ahead. The staff is looking forward to the next weeks and the programmes and events they have planned across the term.

This term began with business as usual and the children are already very focused and back into learning. We are fortunate to have students that look out for and encourage, each other so well.

We are now working under the Orange Traffic Light Setting. This is close to business as usual but we still need to work on lowering the transmission of COVID-19. In that respect, we do ask that any visitors to the school wear a mask, please. We will continue to keep the classrooms well ventilated and wash/sanitise our hands. I also request that if your child is sick or unwell at all, keep them home, as you will most likely receive a call during the day to collect them.

This term we look forward to participating in the Wairau Cluster Cross Country Event at Tua Marina School on the 5th of July. This event is for all year levels and daily practice will begin a little later this term. It will be nice to finally take part in an event that can involve our school and the wider community together.

There is no Technology for Year 7-8 this term for our school. However, we have 4 days in term 3 beginning on the 22nd of August each Monday.

It’s great to be back

Nga mihi

Karen

Kia Ora Parents and Whanau

We are getting busy and from this week onwards we are in full swing, learning in all curriculum areas in the Wairau Room. Students might be getting tired, but just continue to encourage them and find out what they have learned each day at school.

During the first week of school this term, we had a taste of ANZAC day and we did some Mother's Day activities. I hope you enjoyed the poem, bouquet, and a voucher from your child last weekend.

Writing

We are starting Procedural (Instructional) writing this term, where the students have to give instructions to make or do something. This fits into inquiry where the students are going to make their toys and they can write instructions to follow in order to make their toys. When baking with your child use the verbs like mix, put, add, break, sift, or anything that is relevant for the thing you are making.

Maths

This week in maths we are studying position and direction. Encourage your child to use language such as over, under, left, right, high, low, near, far, to describe where objects are in relation to each other. Ask your child to describe the path they would follow to get from one end of the garden to their room. Ask them to describe the route they take to get to a friend's house.

Reading

Students are reading books at the levels they are comfortable with and please continue to read with them and do read the words and if possible ask them to spell it orally or in writing.

I would really encourage parents to come into the classroom to check what your child has been learning and I am free most days of the week except Wednesday and Thursdays after 3 till 4 pm. Feel free to come in and have a chat about your child’s learning or if you have any questions or concerns.

Inquiry

We are looking at forces in Physics continuing from last term. The students will design and build toys and a Marble run at school in groups or individually. We are learning to work like scientists by researching, making, testing and fixing our toys or anything. Ask your child what forces are used to run a toy, car, aeroplane or anything that involves force. The seniors (Fishtail Room) are going to help them make their toys. The juniors had to explain their design of the toy they are going to make answering deep thinking questions posed by the seniors. See the pictures below of the experts leading the novice!

Nga Mihi

Nimmi

(Wairau Room Teacher)

Teacher Message

We have had a good start to the term and the class seems happy and settled. I have enjoyed listening about the adventures that took place throughout the school holidays.

We would like to say a huge thank you to the PTA and WV Newsletter team for our awesome new blinds, it makes a huge difference in our learning space. (See picture below).

We have plenty of wonderful learning opportunities planned for this term and look forward to sharing them with you all.

Teacher Message

This week we had the Ride On team here teaching bike skills to the year 5, 6, 7 &8 children. Lots of fun was had and many new skills learnt.

In the Fishtail room we are well into our weekly programme where we are developing our deep thinking skills by creating a family management plan for a family in a natural disaster. In maths We are building our multiplication and division skills alongside exploring aspects of financial literacy. We have begun developing a piece of biography writing on a someone who we find interesting or inspiring.