Wk 8, Term 1 2024
Tauranga Primary School
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Principal's Update
Tēnā koutou katoa
Ngā mihi nui, kia koutou katoa - Warm greetings to you all.
At Tauranga Primary School we follow a Structured Literacy approach to the way we teach our students to read and write. Structured Literacy is an evidence-based approach that is grounded in the Science of Reading. As a school, we utilise the iDeaL platform to ensure our teachers are well supported with this transition and that the approach becomes embedded and is sustainable across our school.
Structured Literacy is taught in a systematic way, following a scope and sequence of skills from less complex to more complex. Children are explicitly taught within a teaching model that is very intentional and begins with direct instruction and includes lots of practise with decreasing levels of support as children master each skill.
Children start by learning how to discriminate the sounds they can hear in words and individual letters, and the sounds they make, this progresses onto learning words, sentences and then full text. Initially, you can support this learning at home by learning letters and the sounds they make, as well as how to write each letter. Correct pencil grip, letter sounds and construction of letters are very important; we do not let children practise incorrectly. For some children this might be quite challenging learning, especially changing a pencil grip, but it is definitely worth the effort for long term gains.
Next, children learn about combining letter sounds and learning words. At this stage, spelling words will be sent home to learn. You will notice that the spelling list follows a spelling rule that children are learning. The more this is reinforced at home the greater the chance that this will be embedded into long term memory.
When the children are ready, decodable text will also be sent home. These text focus on the letters and words or spelling patterns that the children are currently learning. Whilst the decodable text are not the most exciting books to read, they should be books that your child can actually read (as opposed to memorising and reciting text). It is important to also have lots of time to share books and stories that you read just for fun. These books are a great way to build comprehension skills and develop a love of reading for pleasure. If the book is beyond your child’s comprehension or skill level, don’t worry, read it to them and allow them to access the magic of a good book via you.
We have been tracking the data of our very first cohort of students who have only learnt via a Structured Literacy approach, they are now Year 4. At the end of last year 88% of those children were reading at or above the expected level and 86% were writing at or above the expected curriculum level. These results are very pleasing and reinforce the value of a structured literacy approach.
A very warm welcome to Lachie Kivalu-Anderson, Hans Kivalu- Anderson, Kaiya Jessup-Randell, Shivanya Nadan, Asher White, Annabelle Meys and Charlotte Kocher who have recently started at TPS.
Hei kōnei rā
Fiona Hawes
Principal
How you can help at home - Structured Literacy
Word Lists
Reading at home
Letter Sounds
These are the sounds we teach at TPS. They are the "kiwi pronunciation". If you are helping your child to sound out words it is important that you use the sounds we use at school.
Teachers' Union Meeting
We have been notified of a Teachers’ Union Meeting in the afternoon of Thursday 21st March. All teachers in the union are entitled to attend. Presently, at TPS, all of our teachers are NZEI union members.
We ask you to assist us with this organisation by either:
Picking up your child(ren) early that day, between 12:00pm and 12:30pm (no need to notify us, just sign out your child(ren)by seeing their class teacher on the day as you collect your child)
OR
Notifying the office if your child(ren) will be staying at school. Any students remaining at school for the afternoon will be supervised by the senior leadership team and teacher aides.
Please fill in the online form, on our TPS school shop if your children will be staying at school:
https://shop.tgcl.co.nz/app/shop/kindo/paid_union_afternoon_supervision
OR email admin@tauranga.school.nz
Mobile Dental Clinic @ TPS
The mobile dental unit will be onsite from Monday 18th March to Friday 12th April 2024
The dental team will be seeing the most overdue tamariki/children during this visit.
The dental team will notify the whanau and families prior to their tamariki’s dental appointment.
When you receive this notification, please contact the team to update any contact details, confirm medical details or renew permissions for examination and dental x-rays.
Current service demands and delays weigh heavily on our teams and your kindness and support is appreciated.
If you have any queries or urgent dental concerns,
contact: 0800 8255 83384. (0800 TALK TEETH)
for further help and advice.
Please note this is a health service that runs seperate from the school - all enquires need to go through the phone number above.
Cameron Road changes
You may have noticed the upgrade of Cameron Road outside the school is now complete, with the new two-way cycleway going across Fifth Avenue and Arundel Street, and a paved area outside the school near the signalised pedestrian crossing which is shared by cyclists, pedestrians and people catching a bus. This is a significant change for both drivers and people who cycle, and we all need to play our part to keep each other safe. A reminder to drivers that you must give way at intersections and driveways to anyone using the two-way cycleway, and that parking, driving and stopping on the cycleway and shared path is prohibited. For more information about the changes on Cameron Road visit www.tauranga.govt.nz/cameronroad. A flyer ‘Staying safe using Cameron Road’ is also available for download.
Sean Anderson | Travel Safe Co-Ordinator Young People
Tauranga City Council and Western Bay District Council | 07 577 7000 | 027 2013540
Term 2 Learning Conferences 'heads up'
Learning Conferences will be held on:
Wednesday 22nd May 2024 3:30pm - 6:15pm
Thursday 23rd May 2024 8:00am - 6:45pm
More details to follow nearer the time.
Birthdays
We understand the importance of a birthday in the primary years, and enjoy the opportunity to share our learners special day at school.
As a family you may wish to do something special at school to mark this occasion.
At TPS we have many children with various dietary considerations, some of which are very serious. Therefore please do not send cakes or lollies to school for a birthday save these treats for your celebration at home. We will not be able to share cakes or lollies with children, and will ask that you take them home. This is both awkward and embarrassing for you and us.
If you would like to include the school in the celebration of your child's birthday, please donate a book suitable for the school library. This book will be shared with the class and then will be available for borrowing from the school library.
All donated books will have a note added recognising that the book was donated in recognition of (your child's name) birthday.
2024 Ballot Dates
Enrolment for Term 3 2024 - ballot to be held Friday 10th May
Enrolment for Term 4 2024 - ballot to be held Friday 2nd August
Enrolment for Term 1 2025 - ballot to be held on Friday 25th October 2024.
Enrolment packs can be collected from the office, or use our online enrolment form at www.tauranga.school.nz / enrol.
Any queries or to check your child's name is on our pre-enrolment list please contact our Enrolment Officer: Barbara Turley at office@tauranga.school.nz
The FOTS are fundraising for several projects this year and we are investigating water bottle filling stations and portable shade gazebos.
Our first Frosty Friday last week was a great success and we will hold another on the 5th April. We will also sell pizza for lunches on the 12th May and 21st June.
The repeat of the fabulous TPS Quiz night is scheduled for 7th June so reserve this date in your calendar now !!
If you are able to help with any of these events please indicate on the FOTS HELPERS link below. Helpers for Frosty Friday are required for about half an hour between 2:40pm and 3:10pm. Pizza lunches also take about half an hour from 12:30-1:00pm. There are various ways you can be involved in the quiz night and Theresa will let us all know details closer to the time. Thanks to all the Year 6 students and their families who helped to sell the Duck Race raffle tickets. This has been a great fundraiser for us with all proceeds form the sale of tickets here coming directly to the school.
FOTS meeting Thursday 11th April 6:00pm in the staffroom - everyone welcome
Top School Team
- 18th March-17th May - Dental van at school
- 21st March - Teacher's Paid Union Meeting- Early pick up 12:00-12:30pm
- 22nd March - Last day for Lucky Book Club orders brochure 1
- 29th March - Good Friday (school closed)
- 1st and 2nd April - EASTER Monday and Tuesday school closed
- 4th April - Year 5 Waimarino trip
- 5th April - Frosty Friday, ice blocks for sale after school
- 11th April - FOTS meeting 6:00pm school staffroom
- 12th April - Last day Term 1, school finishes usual time
- 29th April - First Day of Term 2
- 14th May - TPS Cross Country, Memorial Park
- 15th May - Pizza Wednesday, run by FOTS
- 22nd May - Learning Conferences after school
- 23rd May - Learning Conferences all day
- 3rd June - King's Birthday school closed
- 4th June - Teacher only day school closed for students
- 7th June - School Quiz Night run by FOTS
- 18th June - BOT meeting, school staffroom 6:30pm
- 21st June - Pizza Friday run by FOTS
- 27th June - Matariki Celebration 7:30am
- 28th June - Matariki holiday
- 5th July - Last day of term school finishes usual time
Forward planning - please diary in these dates:
- School Production - evening performances are on the 4th and 5th of December at Bethlehem College (years 2 -6 students only)
SCHOLASTIC LUCKY BOOK CLUB
Book Club 1 brochures went home recently. Just a reminder that you can go online direct to Scholastic and purchase any books wanted or alternatively pay EFTPOS or cash at school. If you did not receive a brochure there are spare copies in the office or alternatively you go directly online to view.
Book club 1 closes 22nd March.
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School Contact Details:
Principal
Fiona Hawes
Deputy Principal
Cathy Ediker
Assistant Principal
Robyn Caley
Junior Team Leader
Pam Wilkins
Middle Team Leader
Jason Morgan
Senior Team Leader
Jo Howard
International Student enquiries
Cathy Ediker
Business Manager
Susan O'Neill
Enrolment Officer
Barbara Turley