Principal's Weekly Update
RAISE Goal: to use my manners and greet adults, staff, and peers on arrival
Te reo phrase of the week: waiho tēnā (leave that alone)
Kia ora,
On Wednesday we held our Sports Prize Giving and today we celebrated our younger students’ achievements at our Junior Prize Giving event. These occasions mean a lot to our school and community and to be able to welcome parents/whanau back into the community hall was fantastic. A big well done to our junior students for singing some great waiata and celebrating the achievements of their peers.
Defibrillator
We had some special guests from Farm Source today who presented our school with our very own defibrillator! This is a considerable expense and we very much appreciate Farm Source’s generosity. Medical events can occur when we least expect it and to know that we have a life saving device on hand to use when needed is fantastic. A big thanks also must go to Kurt Parry (Board Presiding Member) for his hard work in making this happen. Please look out for a date in the newsletter next year, where we will invite our community members to a training session to ensure that they know how to use the defibrillator and where to access it on our school site. This initiative is aimed at supporting all of our community at any time of the day.
Swimming Pool - Community Keys
Another great community opportunity that we’ve been able to bring back this year after the last few Covid affected years is our pool key option. If you would like to access the school pool outside of school hours, you can pay $70 at the school office and sign an agreement that covers our requirements. You will be able to use the school pool from Monday 5th December right through until the end of March. Every year I get asked if the school makes money from selling pool keys. I can assure you that the money we raise doesn’t even cover the cost of the chemicals required to keep the pool running, let alone the cost of power to heat the pool. The Board sees this as a great opportunity for our families to have fun in the water and practise their swimming skills and water safety.
Matapu History Fact
Matapu Tennis Club: seventeen people attended the first meeting of the Matapu Tennis Club in October 1939. Although older residents recall playing before then, it would seem that no official organisation existed prior to 1939.
Kia pai to wiki (have a wonderful weekend).
Ngå mihi nui
James Willson
Values Awards
Room 2 - Aden for your care and kindness towards our new class member.
Room 3 - Isabelle (absent) for your effort in your Zoo Destinations work this week.
Room 4 - Brock for an awesome effort in your class work! You are nailing it!
Room 5 - Rhea for the great effort you are putting into your learning!
Room 6 - Oliver for persisting in learning to write your whole name!
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Room 4
Room 5
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Room 6
There have been lots of interesting experiences for Room 6 over the past week!
On Friday we had a great session learning how to keep ourselves safe in a fire emergency. Lighters and matches are tools not toys and if we have to leave the house or class when the fire alarm goes off we don’t go back to get toys or treasures. They can be replaced but we can’t!
We have really enjoyed adding to our learning about ‘Friends of 10’. In pairs we worked together, one person finding all the pairs of numicon shapes that make 10 and the other writing the number stories that match. Lots of chat and discussion and a chance for kids to be teachers for their peers.
On Tuesday we had a very little kid to visit- not of the human kind! Maddie’s wee kid goat came for a quick visit at the end of the day and everyone was besotted. Lots of smiles on dials!
