Wk 5, 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.
Thank you to all the families that could make it to the Setting the Scene meetings last week. It is a great opportunity to share with parents some specific learning information about what is happening for your children in their classes this year.
Parents often ask us how they can help at home, in the first instance talk to your child's teacher. At the Setting the Scene each team would have shared what 'home learning' you could do at home. School homework is not compulsory at TPS, we do understand that just getting through a school day can be exhausting and children need down time to rest and recharge. However, there are definitely ways you can support your child and their learning:
- Spend time together and having fun. Having a meal together is an excellent opportunity to support your child's growth and development. Our School Entry data indicates that the oral language skills of five year olds have definitely declined over the last ten years. Children gain confidence and learn so much from one on one time talking with adults who love and care for them. Fun for children does not need to cost - a picnic at the park, beach or anywhere in nature is fun. Family games night can be a highlight of the week and can cost as little as a pack of cards, or writing up some ideas for charades.
- Sleep. Primary aged children benefit from a good 10-12 hours sleep every night. During sleep a child's body makes HGH (Human Growth Hormone), which helps the body grow and also repairs muscles, tissue and bone. During sleep periods information is 'deposited' into long term memory. In short, a good night's sleep helps children to thrive and learn.
- Reduce screen time - especially before bedtime. Electronic back lit devices such as phones, tablets and computers emit blue light, which has been shown to reduce or delay the natural production of melatonin in the evening and decrease feelings of sleepiness.
If you wish to specifically support your child's learning related to class activities the following is recommended with the caveat that it should be a short and enjoyable experience. If the homework is not fun and ends up in a fight or angry words then I can guarantee that learning will NOT be happening. Don't do these things on the back of a stressful day, it won't help anyone, best to get everyone fed, watered and into bed as quickly as you can.
Spelling words: these come home weekly to be learnt. READ them lots of times, spell them out loud (while looking at the words), write them many times, using different pens, practise practise, practise until they are memorised.
Reading: in the early school years, books will come home for you to read with your child. As your child progresses from "learning to read" to "reading to learn", reading at home can be more self directed and include books of interest. The town library is a fantastic free resource to borrow multiple books and have a fun family outing.
Mathematics:
Basic Facts: learning basic facts to the point of automaticity (learnt off by heart) is the absolute greatest gift you can give your child to improve their mathematical understanding.
Early on the basic facts are understanding what numbers are, counting objects forwards and backwards, identifying the number before and after, and number bonds to 5, then 10 and 20 etc. e.g. 2+3=5 and 5-3=2. NB: Learning subtraction along with addition is important.
For our youngest learners there is a lot for them to understand and commit to long term memory and to do this it requires many, many opportunities to practise and learn. In year 1 students need to understand:
- that a number represents a quantity
- how numbers can be added to and subtracted away from to create other numbers (quantities)
- that there is an order to numbers (eg 1st, 2nd, 3rd)
- how to write numbers.
As children become proficient with numbers forwards and backwards from 100, they also learn how to skip count in 2's, 5's and 10's (forwards and backwards) and start to learn about multiplication and division facts. These need to be practised and memorised. This could be a good activity in the car - keep it fun and not too hard, let children have a sheet they can look at for the answers until they are proficient.
Below is a short video which has a short introduction to our school and our three guiding kaupapa that we strive to achieve. Normally I would have shared this korereo with parents at the family picnic, but we decided to free up time so parents could hear more from the teachers in their child's teaching team instead.
A very warm welcome to Samayra Sharma, Yash Mavani, Brodie & Haidyn Castle, Dan Yohan, Nuhaa Osman, Jannah Manglicmot, Casper Zhang, Lisa Li, Ethan Liu, Yehyun Moon, Sihyeong Park, Jiwon Kim, Millie Wang, Ziara Isaacs, Cassidy Baylis, Kavleen Sidhu, Meera Mondal, Shanvi Kumar, Anas Toha, Elle Walsh, Ritchie Haden, Arielle Howell, Iris Fletcher, Nevaeh Izod, Lexi Miller, Hudson Hauraki, Ada Willson, Mia Ostapenko, Marella Xing, Ella Stevenson and Shayon Pitiduwage who have recently started at TPS.
Hei kōnei rā
Fiona
Fiona Hawes
Principal
Teacher's Paid Union Meeting
We have been notified of a Teachers’ Paid 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
Contact Details
Have you moved recently? Does the office have your correct contact details?
Do we have an alternate contact number in case of an emergency? If you have moved or changed phone numbers, please let the office know as soon as possible. It is very important that we are able to contact you if there is an accident or emergency. Email us office@tauranga.school.nz or ring 578 6222.
Medication
Sometimes children will need to bring medication to school. All medication that comes to school must come with parental permission to the office and will be administered by school staff.
Medication must not be kept in children’s school bags.
Long-term, ongoing medication can be kept and distributed from our sickbay.
Emergency medications (such as Epi-pens) are kept in appropriate first aid stations around the school. Any child who has a significant medical condition should have an individual medical plan which is available to all staff.
Please note that expiry dates and replacement of all medication is the responsibility of parents.
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
We had a full agenda for our first meeting of the year. The FOTS are fundraising for several projects this year and we are investigating water bottle filling stations and portable shade gazebos.
So far we have scheduled two Frosty Fridays, one on the 15th March and the other on the 5th April. We will also sell pizza for lunches on the 12th May and 21st June. We will hold two more in term 3 with dates yet to be set.
After the successful event last year with Oxford pies, this fundraiser will be held again in 2024. The pies will be available to order at the end of term 2 for a week 1 term 3 delivery. Keep an eye out for further information closer to the time.
The repeat of the fabulous TPS Quiz night is scheduled for 7th June so reserve this date in your calendars now !!
If you are able to help with any of these events please indicate on the sheet linked below. Helpers for Frosty Friday are required for about half an hour between 2:40pm and about 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 I'm sure Theresa will let us all know closer to the time. We will also be looking for helpers sorting Oxford pie orders in term 3, again this would only require an hour or so of your time.
The Great Tauranga Duck Race
Tauranga Primary Year 6 students will be supporting the Great Tauranga Duck Race on the 24th March by selling tickets over the next couple of weeks. Tickets cost $5.00 each. The number on your ticket corresponds to a plastic duck which, on the 24th March, is dropped into the harbour at the Strand waterfront. The first, second and third ducks over the finish line all win cash prizes. This is a great fun event for families but also a great fundraiser forthe school where we get to keep all the money raised by selling tickets. Tickets are also available for purchase at the school office. If you are able to help sell tickets, please pop in to the office to take some to sell.
FOTS meeting Thursday 11th April 6:00pm in the staffroom - everyone welcome
Parent Session
Thank you CBK for sponsoring the Player of the Day prize for our TPS Sport Teams
- 7th March - Year 4 camp
- 8th March - Year 3/4 activity day
- 10th March - Ramadan begins
- 15th March - Frosty Friday, ice blocks for sale after school
- 18th March- 17th May - Dental van on site
- 19th March - BOT meeting 6:30pm school staffroom
- 21st March - Teacher's Paid Union Meeting- Early pick up 12:00-12:30pm
- 29th March - Good Friday (school closed)
- 1st and 2nd April - EASTER (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
Lunch Orders
You have the option to purchase lunches to be delivered to school at lunchtime on Thursdays and Fridays. Sushi is delivered on a Thursday, you are able to order before 4:00pm Wednesday - email or text and pay online direct as outlined on the menu below. Pita Pit can be ordered for a Friday lunch, you can order and pay via school shop.
Writing from SH2
Remember Summer? I Know you do!
Remember when you felt the cool water over your body in the big pool?
That was the coolness of summer.
Remember when you heard the quacking of the ducks, frantically trying to get some of the bread you were feeding them? That was the feeding frenzy of summer.
Remember the smell of the sea when you opened the heavy, metal outside door of the interislander? That was the ocean spray of summer.
Remember when you tasted the sticky, tasty watermelon? That was the taste of summer.
Remember when you saw the farmland and trees passing by in the car?
That was traveling in summer.
Remember when you were swimming in the sea, and you bit onto a hook with human bait on the end, and were pulled up by a fish who was humaning? That was the end of summer.
By Duncan Arnott
Remember Summer? I know you do….
Remember the sweet smell of watermelon? It just made your mouth water with its sweet aroma. That was the taste of Summer.
Remember the road trips and getting into the car with the hot burn of leather on your skin? Oww! That was the life of Summer.
You must remember the cool splash of fresh Lake Taupo on your face. That was the shine of Summer.
Do you remember the beautiful beach with its crashing waves on the rocks or the fishing rods click clacking with fish? Splish,splash! That surely was the sound of Summer
Remember when you jumped in the pool and the water splashed on the cobblestones, as hot steam rose up? That was summer alright!!
By Harriet Street
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 go directly online to view.
Book club 1 closes 22nd March.
Deep Water Safety
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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