1. Principal's News Term 3, Week 8, 2020

Our Community

I am missing the playground chats and connections at the beginning and end of the day and look forward to when we can be more relaxed about them again, soon hopefully.  Even though it is hard to gather together please do let us know if you are concerned or if there is something we can do for you or if you can help each other.  

Our community comes from many different parts of North Otago, and is a community of many different cultures.  One thing we are though is a Catholic Community.  Whether or not you are Catholic or follow religious practice, as part of our school you are part of our Catholic Community and every single person is valued and respected.  Please remember this.

Year 2 Narrative Writing

Olivia and Anashae:

Road Safety

A big thank you to the Lye Family Charitable Trust (Mitre 10) who have donated a set of high viz vests.  We have given vests to children who catch buses, walk, scooter or bike to school.  They are numbered and we will ask them to be returned at the end of the year to redistribute next year.  They look great!

Healthy Teeth

There has been increased tooth decay noted this year in particular.  Please remind your children to brush their teeth twice a day.   For morning tea the best thing to be kind to their teeth is fruit, or dairy such as cheese or yoghurt, saving sweets and carbohydrates for lunchtime.  

Maths

Our staff have reviewed our maths curriculum.  Some of the things we have noted and maintain are important for learning in maths are:

• authentic real world problems and contexts - for instance the children are going to be growing sunflowers and they can measure them and graph the progress.
• open-ended problems - that means problems which don't have one set answer.  A simple example is, "How many ways can you make the number 8?"  
• multi-level groupings - this means that children with different maths levels can work together to solve problems.  Children who tend to find maths easier tend to rush to the answer and need to be encouraged to explore further.  Children who struggle to find the answer often explore further.  Each child can learn something from the other.
• Basic facts are important - it is still important to know the times tables and addition and subtraction facts to 20 but if children are ready to leap ahead in other areas of maths we provide them with tools so that they can do that.  We don't let basic facts hold them back (we still teach them and children are still learning them of course).  

The Arts

We have also looked at achievement in the Arts.  Our children are doing well right across the school.  We have many opportunities for visual art, music, dance and drama.  Our religious and cultural celebrations afford lots of opportunities for creative expression and the children get exposed to many different techniques and opportunities.  We expect this to be happening from age 5 and it explains why most of our older students are comfortable with creative expression.

This week our Year 7 class have given us a very good example of dramatisation of this week's Gospel:

Tongan Language Week

This week is Tongan Language Week and here is a message from our head boy Lisiate.  There will be a Tongan performance in assembly on Friday which we will video and share.

Thank you to the people who have replied to help in the Hungry Horse Cafe.  We really need everyone to step up for fund-raising as all of the children benefit.

Aroha and God Bless,

Lorraine Frances-Rees