West Park School - T4 Wk5
Thursday, November 17, 2022
Principal's Message
Kia ora, Talofa, Kia orana,
Greetings Parents, Grandparents and Caregivers,
I am pleased to be able to announce our 2023 team structures and staffing allocations. Over the coming weeks staff will begin the process of allocating students to their 2023 classes and teams. Student allocations will take into consideration a large number of variables including academic needs, social needs and teacher strengths. The process is one that teachers devote a large amount of time to in order to ensure the best possible placement for all students.
If there are any special requests or information you would like staff to take into consideration when making the 2023 allocations, please address them to myself in written form and deliver them to the school office marked ‘Confidential’ by Friday the 25th of November. When the lists are finalised they will be communicated and/or displayed accordingly. Towards the end of the term students will have the opportunity to come together in their 2023 class and spend some time with their 2023 classroom teacher and class mates.
Please note that requests will be considered in making allocations, however no guarantee is given that requests will be met.
Important notes:
- Congratulations to Michael Joseph who will be acting as Principal during Term 1, as I will be on a term’s sabbatical. Michael will also then act up as Deputy principal during Emily Osborn’s maternity leave in Terms 2, 3 and 4.
- Congratulations to Taylor Houston who will be acting as Junior Team Leader in Terms 2, 3 and 4, as Nicola Woodward takes maternity leave.
- Congratulations to Laura Bell who will be acting as SeNCo in Terms 2, 3 and 4, as Nicola Woodward takes maternity leave.
- The highlighted Green means that either those teachers will be working in an open team teaching environment or that their teaching space will be a larger open environment.
- Due to a smaller than usual school roll and the addition of two new classrooms we will be able to allocate an MLE space to a single cell room.
Scooters and Bikes
It is great to see the large number of kids who are now riding scooters or bikes to school, unfortunately many are doing so without helmets. As a school we can’t enforce the wearing of helmets to or from school but do ask that you encourage your child to wear one. Over the past few years we’ve had several nasty injuries that could have been avoided by having worn a helmet. Please help us keep your children safe.
Have a lovely coming weekend.
Luis Echegaray
Principal
Newsletter Sponsored By
Update from the Board of Trustees
Kia Ora West Park school community,
The Board met again on Monday 14 November and is continuing to settle well into our roles.
Term 4 is in full swing and last Friday night the Westpark FiaFia Maori and Pacific variety night was held at Raroa school. The kids had been practising for weeks, mainly during their own lunchtimes and it was a great evening. A special thanks to Angelina Ashford and Serg Hollis for all their efforts organising this fantastic event.
Congratulations to Jessica and Riley in Year 6 and Jonah in Year 4 who qualified for the interzone athletics carnival later this term.
The Year 5 and Year 6 students had an amazing adventure at El Rancho on camp. Many students came home with a desire to explore new hobbies and interests. All students, teachers and parents came home with a renewed interest and appreciation for SLEEP!
A special shoutout to those parents and students who make camp possible.
While the seniors were at camp, the middle school was participating in swimming lessons at Keith Spry pool. Swimming is a basic life skill that the both the current and previous Board consider to be vitally important to our children. We consider it so important that the Board pays for every students swimming lessons.
If you feel strongly about how the school should be run or think you have a special skill set the Board could use, please contact us at Board@westpark.school.nz
Nga mihi
West Park School Board of Trustees
Junior School Update
This week we have worked on our oral storytelling. We started with retelling familiar fairy tales like 3 little pigs and goldilocks using story stones. After that we moved onto creating our own imaginative stories! Next week we will continue to practice building on our ideas.
Middle School Update
Rooms 7 and 8 students did an incredible job learning about how to use procedural
writing to report on a science experiment that we did in class. We wanted to know
how plants drink water. For this experiment, we needed water, food colouring and
white flowers. We used red, yellow, green and blue for this experiment and put a
couple of flowers inside each plastic cup. The flowers didn’t change colour instantly,
but after an hour or so students started to see a little colour appearing on the petals.
After a few hours, we noticed that the petals began changing colour and on the next
day the colours were even deeper. These flowers were left in the coloured mixture
overnight.
Senior School Update
In Rooms 19 & 20 we have taken a little time each day for our Rock and Water practice. Rock and Water are physical exercises, often derived from martial arts, where we practise key human skills. First we learn to ground and settle ourselves. Then we learn to stand strong and from this move into testing our strength under pressure. Rock refers to our access to strength and pushing past obstacles. Water is where we accept what is happening to us and work with it.
This term we’ve been looking at how to collaborate with others. Our first exercises had our students in groups creating shapes, such as a house or a horse. After the initial practice we tried the same exercise without talking, forcing the students to collaborate by taking initiative, by fitting in or extending the ideas of others. From here we moved to creating shapes with string. The group would make a rectangle or a triangle for instance. Using the same progression as before the groups would then try the same exercise without talking. And even without seeing! These have been fun experiences and good learning for all involved.
School Notices and Upcoming Events
Sports News
Northern Zone Athletics Carnival.
After a successful school athletics carnival we had 834 students from Years 4-6 qualify for the Northern Zone Athletics Carnival held last Monday.
The students' behaviour, effort and sportsmanship was exemplary and they were fine ambassadors for our school. A big thank you to Mrs Alsford who ran the girls high jump competition and to the Yr 6 students who helped her.
While all the students did their very best a few students stood out; qualifying for the interzone competition later in the month:
Jessica Yr 6: high jump, long jump, 80m sprint
Jonah Yr 4: Long Jump
Riley Yr 6: Vortex
Good luck to those students and I am sure you will enjoy the experience.
Michael Joseph and Sherrick Reid
Sports Coordinators
Subway Orders
Please ensure that if your child usually gets Subway on Friday's to bring a packed lunch.
The box will be open again on the 28th of November, ready for delivery again on Friday 2nd December.
Lucky Book Club
Orders for Term 4, Issue 8 close on Wednesday, 23rd November. Orders can be made online through the Scholastic Loop set-up or cash orders can be given to Mrs Ayres in Room 17, in the Treehouse.
This is the final order for 2022 and I would like to thank all the families who supported the school by ordering books and attending the Book Fair in June. Special thanks go to all the parents who gave up their time to help run the very successful book fair which we received a considerable amount in rewards and we also get 20% on all sales from the brochures. The rewards are used to buy books and resources for classrooms and the library.
Upcoming Events
Friday, 25 November - Northern Zone Primary Citizenship awards
Monday, 28 November - Totara and Miro – Zero Waste (visit 1)
Tuesday, 29 November - Totara and Miro – Zero Waste (visit 2)
Thursday, 1 December - Junior School Picnic
Tuesday, 6 December - Interzone Athletics
- Year 1-3 Athletics Day
Tuesday, 13 December - Year 1and 2 Water Play day
- Team Rimu trip to Wellington
- Year 6 graduation
West Park School Board of Trustees approved 2023 Term dates are as follows:
Term 1: Tuesday 31 January - Thursday 6 April
Term 2: Monday 24 April – Friday 30 June
Term 3: Monday 17 July – Friday 22 September
Term 4: Monday 9 October – Thursday 14 December
Community Notices
Kelly Club - Bring a friend day!
We have so much fun everyday and we would love to show more families and children at the school what we are all about.
The friend must be a new enrollment that hasn't been to Kelly Club before and a profile will need to be created for them on our Kelly Club website (for medical, safety and emergency contact purposes). From there, they can book into our '2022 Beforecare and Aftercare Event' for either the Wednesday morning or afternoon session.
The child who already attends and the friend they bring will both each receive 25% off their Kelly Club fee for that day.
So if you know of any families that might be interested in our programme, then pass this information onto them! If there are any additional questions, send us through an email at westpark@kellyclub.co.nz
We will have limited spaces available and please also note that our usual terms and conditions of trade apply.
Festive Family Fun
Wellington Young Voices Choir
Bigair Gym - Cheerleading Trials
GREAT NEWS! Bigair Gym is holding its Annual Cheerleading Trials for next years 2023 teams!
NZ Cheerleading is a mix of dance, gymnastics & tumbling. Don't miss out on this opportunity to find out more by signing up today via emailing office@bigairgym.co.nz! Cheerleading is a rewarding individual & team sport that young people love, adore, and continue right through and into their teens, having a positive impact on their health and development. Your cheerleader will also create friendships that last a lifetime!
BIGAIR GYMS Drop & Shop December School Holiday Programme is running Mon 19th – Wed 21st December 2022!
Full day and half day sessions are available. This is a wonderful opportunity for kids to keep active and to learn something new during the holidays! BIGAIR GYMS January Holiday Programme will run Mon 9th – 27th Jan 2023. Bookings will be open on Monday 28th Nov! Book through our online website: www.bigairgym.co.nz
Christmas Parade 2022
Would you like to host an international student for Onslow College?
We need families who are willing to share their home with Year 10-13 international students from July 2022. We offer a competitive weekly allowance and on-going support.
This is a great opportunity for you and your family to learn about different cultures, share New Zealand culture and values, and practise your language skills.
If you are interested in discussing the possibility of hosting, please send us a brief description about yourself and your family, including why you are interested in hosting an international student to homestay@onslow.school.nz
Kelly Sports
KELLY SPORTS AT WESTPARK SCHOOL – TUESDAY’S 3.05PM-4.05PM
A weekly multi sports programme that provides an essential base for children's motor skills and help build confidence and coordination.
The programme gives children skills and confidence in a fun and enjoyable environment.
It also encourages their enthusiasm for sports and the life skills that such involvement brings – giving them confidence to join sports clubs and teams in the future.
The sports we will be focussing on in Term 4 are:
Rippa Rugby, T-Ball, Cricket and Football
Enrol at https://kellysports.co.nz/kelly_events/view/14742
FOOTBALL SKILLS FOR TERM 4
NEW DAY - NOW ON WEDS
Aimed for beginners, this is a 8 week football skills programme held at the Green Room, Wests Rugby Club Rooms, Ian Galloway Park, Wilton, on Wednesday's from 3.30pm-4.30pm.
Come and learn all about Football! This programme covers both individual and team skills including, Game rules, Ball control, Dribbling, Passing, Tackling, Defence, Team work, Goalkeeping, practice and warm up drills for players and teams. It is ideal to improve skills and confidence .
It’s also great practice for the summer series football competition.
To book go https://kellysports.co.nz/kelly_events/view/14831
Kelly Club
School Holiday Fun
Pride Lands
SPRING SCHOOL HOLIDAYS AT WESTERN SUBURBS RUGBY CLUB (WILTON) AND
SOUTHERN SUBURBS SWIS (BERHAMPORE-NEWTOWN)
Dates: 19th – 23rd DEC 2022 and 9th JAN – 3rd FEB 2023, from 7.00am-6pm daily.
Interactive Activities and NO TV or Video Games.
Cooking, Fitness, and Life Skills Programme creating healthy Breakfast, Morning Tea, Lunch and Afternoon Teas.
One-on-one care and shuttle services available.
Daily: $81.04/cub per session or $137.77 for two siblings per session.
Weekly: $324.16 per cub/week or $551.07 for two siblings/week .
MSD Approved & WINZ subsidies are available for eligible families.
Please contact us: 0800 PRIDE 4 U Or Register online: www.PRIDELANDS.co.nz or Visit our Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/PrideLandsChildcare
Contact Us
Email: office@westpark.school.nz
Website: https://www.westpark.school.nz
Location: 97 Broderick Road, Johnsonville, Wellington, New Zealand
Phone: +64 (04) 478 7074