2 February 2023 - Term 1 Week 1

Happy New Year to all of our David Street School community.

We hope that you all were all able to find some time for a happy summer break over the school holidays.

Our school has sprung to life once again with the sounds of joy and learning echoing through our classrooms and playgrounds. It is wonderful to see our children happy and adapting well to being back at school.

David Street School Staff and BOT would like to extend a very warm welcome to our new families who joined us this week. There will be a Pōwhiri tomorrow to officially welcome our new children, families and staff to David Street School. Please see the notice below.

A Big welcome to our new children:

Jacksun, Wairua, Ngamako, Waiata, Aidan, Piper, Zahli, Clara, Reiko, Taylor, Dexter, Griffin, Ryder, Jasper, Hugo, Sophia, Markus, Luke, Brayden, Levi, Blake, Brody, Tamihana, Harry, Emily, Nicole, Leo, August, Tyson, Cameron, Eloise, Grayson, Sarah, Chloe, Emily, Raevyn, Miley, Shelby, Isaac, Naaz, and Spencer.

Welcome to our new staff member:

We also welcome Jon Bettin who has joined us. Jon is Teaching in Room 10 and is Team Leader in the Middle School.

We wish Jon, our new children and their families, a happy and rewarding time with us.

Nau mai, haere mai ki te Kura o Rawiri.

This week we are having a Pōwhiri to formally welcome new staff, students and whānau to our school. If you were a new family to our school during Term 4 of 2022 or are

new in 2023, we invite you to be welcomed onto our school along with your child/children.

Any current families who would like to be part of this ceremony to welcome our new whānau are also invited to attend.

When: Friday 3 February

Time: 9:30am

Where: David Street School (under the covered courts)

A Pōwhiri is a welcoming ceremony for new visitors. New whānau and children to our school will meet in the hall at 9:15am and will be guided through this process with one of our local Kaumatua. Women if possible, please wear a black skirt, and men, black pants.

We are a COMMUNITY OF COURAGEOUS LEARNERS. Our teachers aspire every day to ensure that our learning programmes are engaging and exciting. An important part of this is getting to know a whanau’s aspirations for their child and their learning.

These meetings are an opportunity to strengthen parent/school partnerships to help meet the learning needs of your child and to share family ideas on your child’s interests and your aspirations for them over the next year and also answer any questions that you may have.

Tuesday 14 February - 3:15pm - 7:05pm - All Teachers

Wednesday 15 February - 3:15 - 5:05pm - Dom Lock (Senior Teacher)

Thursday 16 February - 3:15 - 5:35pm - All Teachers excluding Dom Lock (senior Teacher)

Bookings can be made through School Interviews

• Go to the link https://www.schoolinterviews.co.nz/code/b8a2h
• Choose your child's teacher and a time that suits you.

or scan the Booking QR Code to your phone

• Choose your child's teacher and a time that suits you.
• 
  

If you are unable to make an online booking please contact the office and we can help book your appointment.

New Bus Vests

Our children who regularly take the bus to school and home were issued with new bus vests this week.

The vests were kindly sponsored by school parents Brendon and Laurina Hunt from Hunt Building Ltd.

We really appreciate your support Brendon and Laurina. The fluro vests are designed to keep our children safe while waiting for buses before and after school and now we have enough vests and sizes for all of our school bus children. Thank you.

David Street School children who catch the school bus must wear their bus vest. Please ensure your bus child takes care of them and wears them every day when using the bus.

Notices went home with all children who get the bus to and/or from school.

We ask that you please read through these with your child/ren, and both sign the acknowledgement form that is attached, while also indicating the days that we can expect your child to regularly be on bus. Please get the completed forms back to school as soon as possible.

19 March – 22nd March - Ako Kea

22nd March – 25th March - Ako Tui

Our senior school are off to camp at Port Waikato in week 8 of this term. They will be going in two different groups, so parents of senior children please check your letters carefully for crucial information, payments and times.

Notices are being sent home this week with more information, including forms that are required to help us with our planning.

All forms need to be returned by Wednesday 15th February. Prompt returning of these is really appreciated. So please check your child’s bag.

If you have any questions or concerns in the meantime please contact your child’s PC Teacher.

Forms and Information regarding senior camp can also be found on our school website:

Senior Camp 2023

ALL students are to have their Togs - Towel - Goggles are optional.

Please have clothing named including togs, towels and goggles (if using them). This helps us return items to where they belong. Togs and Towels should be in a waterproof bag.

Our Juniors and Middle school have swimming most days using our school pool, please ensure your child comes to school prepared. If you are unsure, check with your child’s teacher regarding swimming times at school. The best way to do this would be via email. Teacher emails can be found on our David Street School website (click on the teacher profile to view their email address) School Staff , or alternatively on our School App.

The Senior children will be transported by bus to and from the Morrinsville Recreation Ground pools for swimming sessions starting Week 2

You can find swimming times for seniors on our school website; Senior Swimming Times

A HUGE Thank you to school parent Jason Stevenson. Jason donated his time and materials to create this amazing sandpit by the senior school playground. It is already being well used. Our Middle and Senior kids love it.

If parents have any matters to discuss relating to your child, your first point of contact should be with the classroom teacher. Please email the teacher directly.

Your child’s teacher will then make contact with you.

Contact emails for your child’s teacher can be found on our school website: School Staff (click on the teacher profile to display the email address) or alternatively they can be found on our school APP.

If your child is going to be late or absent, please send the absence through via our School APP or alternatively you can leave a detailed message on our dedicated absence line.

Phone the school office: 889-7780 ext 1.

In line with ministry policy we do need to know the reason your child is away.

If your child is not at school, and we are not sure why, someone from the office will give you a call.

After School Messages for Students

If you have an after-school message for your child, please phone these through by 2.20pm so we have time to get the message to your child before the afternoon bells.

We do discourage sending emails or private messaging of absences for after school messages as we are not constantly checking these forms of communication during the busy school day, and important messages may be missed or not relayed to your child on time.

If your child is late for school, they need to come to the office and sign in before going to their class.

It is important for students to arrive at school between 8:30- 8:45am so that they can settle and get ready for the start of school at 8:55am.

Children who need to leave school for any reason during the day eg: doctor or dentist appointment, must be signed out at the school office by a guardian.

If someone else is picking your child up you must first phone the office and let us know who that will be.

Our School App is our main way of communicating important information to our school community. If you have not done so already we encourage you to download our App now. See the flyer opposite.

· Please also like our facebook page another way of communicating news, photos and information to our school community.

· Our school website is a great place to go for general information about our school. e.g staff, Care for Kids (our before/after school and holiday programme), enrolment, school calendar and general information like term dates etc...

· The school newsletter is distributed online via our School App and also Facebook, Hero and email It can also be found on our school website every Thursday.

This will contain school news, events, photos and information.

Each Term we always have extremely large amount of lost property. We do our best to manage and ensure lost property is returned to the owner. Please name your child’s clothing, including towels, togs and goggles. This helps us get items back to where they belong.

Any lost property not claimed each term is donated to charity.