School Newsletter Term 4, Week 8
Friday 1st December 2023
Kia ora West End Whānau,
It has been another exciting week of learning here at Te Kura O Urumutu. Our Te Wao Nui O Tāne tamariki have continued with Cycle safety learning this week on the days where the weather has allowed. Across the school our classroom learning programmes have continued and it is wonderful to see our tamariki continuing to progress throughout the term. We are very much looking forward to our “Meet your 2024 class” next week on Thursday 7th December. Our staff have been working hard for quite some time to carefully place children in classes for next year and we look forward to children spending some time with their teacher for next year and their future classmates. A notice will come home with your child on this day outlining stationery lists for 2024 and who will be your child’s teacher for the year.
Today we had a number of children who are competing at the Interschool Athletics Competition at Massey University athletics track. Our children who attend all qualified through our WES Athletics Day events. We look forward to hearing all about how you have enjoyed competing on the day and representing our kura and sharing this in our Week 9 newsletter.
On Friday 8th December your child(ren)’s End of Year Reports will be sent out. Our awesome teachers have been working very hard to provide each child’s parents/caregivers with important information about your child’s progress and achievement this year. We look forward to sharing these with you.
As always, we have a jam packed last few weeks of excitement and learning planned for the end of the school year. Please make sure you are following our updates and calendar so that you are able to enjoy the last few weeks of school for 2023.
Yesterday, the WES Board announced that Tony West will be starting as the new principal at West End School in 2024 (see the announcement below). A warm welcome to the West End School Whānau, Tony.
To all of our West End Whānau I wish you a safe and happy weekend.
Ngā manaakitanga,
Farewell Assembly for Mr Kennedy
We will be having an assembly to farewell Mr Kennedy on Wednesday 6th December in our school hall. All are welcome. We will start coming into the hall from 9am, and hoping to start our assembly from 9.10.
Cycle Safety continues for TWNOT next week
The seniors have been showing whakamana in learning bike safety. They have been practicing the basic rules at school and some have even been out on the road to practice. This has been a great learning experience and a chance to practice some important life skills.
Koia kei a koe seniors!
There will be no Breakfast Club on Friday morning due to the Leavers Breakfast
Interschool Athletics held today
We had a very successful outing at the Manawatu Interschool Athletics Championships. With some of our very best results, the top being:
- 1st Place Yr 6 Girls Highjump: Eden Vitau
- 2nd Place Yr 6 Girls Hurdles : Eden Vitau
- 2nd Place Yr 5 Boys 800m : Connor Gear
- 3rd Place Yr 6 Boys 800m : Jackson Terri’s
Could the tops please be washed and returned Monday.
PE Tops
Can all PE tops please be returned by Wednesday next week, I would like to do a stocktake before the school holidays.
Enviro Working Bee
Please come and join us after school on Monday 4th December 2023 from 3-4:30pm, to help us clear out the wild weeds in our orchard! If you have gardening tools that you think might be useful such as gardening forks and your own gloves, please feel free to bring them! Many hands make light work :)
See you then,
Amy Burch
Enviro Team Leader
Learning Te Reo Māori
Tēnā tātou e te whānau
Have you been thinking about learning Te Reo Māori? Would you like to learn how to say basic commands and respond? We have a course free for all whānau if you are interested.
Our growing sunflowers
Room 13 have been carefully watching our giant sunflowers grow. We took our own sunflowers away and tried to measure their height using a piece of string - these measurements are graphed with purple dots. Then we used a ruler to see how close our measurements were to the actual height, and we graphed them in red. We noticed that 2 people in our class had the tallest sunflowers - 18cm tall! We are very excited to take them home and plant them!
Room 8 Smarty Pants
Room 8 have worked very hard on their recent art project which is based on the big book, Smarty Pants. They have had to show lots of whakamana and have used a variety of media to create their own Smarty Pants. They are very proud of their efforts. Tino pai Room 8!
Upcoming Events
WEEK 9 -
- Enviro Club Working Bee - Monday 4th December
- Room 5, 6, 7 to Te Manawa - Tuesday 5th December
- Farewell Assembly - Wednesday 6th December (9am)
- Visit new classes (and meet the 2024 teacher) - Thursday 7th December
- Whole School Fun Day - Friday 8th December
- Year 6 Breakfast - Friday 8th December
- School reports sent out - Friday 8th December
WEEK 10 -
- Staff vs RICOH Soccer team (Mr Kennedy testimonial match - Tuesday 12th December
- Year 6 Leavers Assembly and Poroporoaki (9.15am) - Wednesday 13th December
- TWNOT Lido Visit - Wednesday 13th December
- Last day of the 2023 School Year (finishing at 12.30pm) - Thursday 14th December
TERM 1, WEEK 1 2024 -
- Open afternoon (meet the teacher) - Friday 26th January at 1.30pm
- First day of 2024 school year - Monday 29th January
WEEK 2 -
- Staff Only Day (no school) - Monday 5th February
- Waitangi Day (no school) - Tuesday 6th February
PTA Events and Fundraising
Juicies have finished for the year!
Next week will be catchup swimming lessons
Next week, Te Wao Nui o Tāne classes will have one more lesson on Monday. Rooms 8, 12, 13, 16, and 17 will be swimming on Tuesday. A reminder will be sent out on the app in the morning to remind you. Swimming has finished for all other classes.
School Reports will be going out next week
End of Year Reports will be going out in Week 9, Friday 8th of December. Reports will be sent out to parents/caregivers via Seesaw and will include information about your child’s progress and achievement, as well as a comment from the teacher for reading, writing, maths. There will also be a general comment relating to attitude, behaviour and showing school values. An example of your child’s work to show the progress they have made in that area will also be provided.
Term Dates 2024
Term 1: Monday 29 Jan - Friday 12 April (100 1/2 days)
Term 2: Monday 29 April - Friday 5 July (96 1/2 days)
Term 3: Monday 22 July - Friday 27 Sept (100 1/2 days)
Term 4: Monday 14 Oct - Friday 13 Dec (88 1/2 days)
Which equals a total of 384 half days for 2024.
We would have Call Back Days Thur 25 - Fri 26 Jan before the year starts.
We have a scheduled Teacher Only Day on Monday 5th February.
Proposed Ballot Dates for 2024
Ballot held in Term 1 for Term 2
(To be held in Term 1 Week 3, 12th Feb-16th Feb)
Ballot held in Term 2 for Term 3
(To be held in Term 2 Week 3, 6th May - 10th May)
Ballot held in Term 3 for Term 4
(To be held in Term 3 Week 3, 29 July - 2 August)
Ballot held in Term 4 for Term 1
(To be held in Term 4 Week 3, 21st October - 25th October)
If your child is absent from school.
It is really important under the current circumstances you notify the school if your child is absent.
PLEASE DO NOT TXT OR EMAIL THE CLASSROOM TEACHER.
ALL ABSENCES SHOULD BE ADVISED VIA THE OFFICE.
Please remember to advise the office by 8.30am if your child is not attending school.
You can telephone 358-2465 and leave a message or txt 021 118 0156.
ABSENCES CAN ALSO BE SENT EASILY THROUGH OUR SCHOOL APP
In both cases please give a reason for absence.
Thank you.
Kindo Online Shop
It is very important that families register with Kindo, as this is now the only way to register your child for school sports, and ordering PTA lunches.
Below are the links to register.
If you require help please call the Kindo helpdesk on
0508 454 636
New users need this link
Existing users need this link
Location: West End School, 196 College Street, Palmerston North
Phone: 06 358 2465