The Super Duper Start to Term 2 Continues Your children have continued to be settled and very keen to get on with their learning. It has been eerily quiet, apart from a calming buzz, going into classrooms as students are so focused and engaged in what they are doing. Busy, humming pods are what I like to see!
Last week one of our Wānaka Primary School teams gained second place in the EPro8 Technology Challenge held in our school hall, and all teams that took part created their structures with enthusiasm and teamwork. It was the team work that showed through mostly with successful constructions from the schools taking part right across the CO region.
Pod 3 had a successful trip to the Arrowtown Museum last week and they came back full of excitement with their new learning. It was a fabulous day had by all.
This week our Year 6 students are taking part in a cycle skills programme with our biking instructors. This is such a great programme for our students and we thank the instructors who are out there with our students, even in the drizzle this morning.
Room 6 is off to Te Kākano as part of their Deep Learning work on Friday, to learn about what they do there and pick up knowledge and skills they can use back at school, in the next part of their learning. Room 7 will head there on Thursday 11th, and Room 5 the week after on the 18th May.
As mentioned in last week's newsletter, to date we have 92% of our students attending more than 85% of the time. However, over the next week or so, parents of children with attendance less than 85% will be contacted by teachers just to let them know their child is below what the Ministry expects. This may be because of trips overseas during the school term, (we acknowledge these can be a great learning experience), or explained, as opposed to unjustified reasons, but as part of the attendance project we are talking to parents to see how we can support all of our children to be at school as much as possible. Remember that even at 85% attendance, this works out at almost 6 weeks or half a term of education missed over the year. The goal should be for 90% minimum attendance.
Waste Free Wanda Show Today we had the amazing Anna Van Riel perform her Waste Free Wanda Show for the whole school where children were given valuable messages about waste and protecting our environment. The children watched as, Anna, as New Zealand's newest superhero, performed in an interactive, 80's-inspired rock opera for children (written of course by Anna). Waste Free Wanda was a dynamic hour long show with a focus on empowering children to discover achievable ways to reduce their single-use waste, care for waterways and protect biodiversity. Children were an active part of Wanda's show through actions, call and response and a Q&A session after the performance. The cost for attending this performance was taken from your School Activity Fee. Across the Ditch Collaboration in Learning Teachers and students in our Year 1 and 2 classes are joining Jennie (our NPDL lead teacher) and I, in a collaboration with staff and students from Highfield School in Australia and Wharenui School in Christchurch to work on a joint Deep Learning unit, to link our different schools together on a common theme of inquiry. We are looking forward to this Trans-Tasman piece of work around New Pedagogies for Deep Learning as we continue to grow our community and global connections. This is an initiative that will be spread over the rest of this year as we go through all phases of learning design, planning, consultation, implementation, communities' involvement and review.
PLD - Professional Learning and Development for Teachers Our staff are continuing to build our capabilities in building student resilience, emotional regulation and self direction, as well as student agency and a sense of awe and joy in learning and in life. Anxiety and emotional ups and downs are much more evident these days in our tamariki and we work hard to support our children through tough times as well as everyday life.
Last year we focused on the Pause, Breathe, Smile programme and this year we are adding to our kete with all staff taking part in the Life Education Trust Zoom training sessions, around managing student anxiety, over the next couple of weeks.
We also have teachers in the senior school taking part in the Incredible Years teacher training which also focuses on building student resilience and positivity, as well as self managing skills through the use of specific teacher strategies. All of our junior staff have undertaken this training over the last few years so we are now bringing some of our Year 4-6 teachers on board with this wonderful 'training', which will be 6 days spread over terms 2 and 3. We have asked the Incredible Years trainers to also provide some parent sessions for anyone interested in using some of these successful strategies in the home. Keep an eye out for these in future newsletters.
Seasons for Growth Sessions Start Next Week Children who have opted into the S4G programme this term will receive an email from Mandy at REAP later this week. The sessions will be held here at school over the next 6 Fridays between 1.30-3pm.
Clued Up Kids On Thursday our Y6s will attend 'Clued Up Kids', a multi-agency programme run by QLDC teaching primary school-aged children confidence and life skills to help them stay safe in a range of real-life scenarios.
Chess Power Competition On Monday, 9th May, Wānaka Primary School is hosting the annual Chess Power Central Otago Regional Chess Tournament in our school hall again. We welcome students from various schools in the Upper Clutha region who compete in three different divisions against each other playing seven games of chess throughout the day. We are recruiting our players for this tournament from our WPS chess club which runs on Fridays in the lunch break in our hall.
Tribe Day Next Friday Tribe Day is next Friday 12th May - remember to come dressed in your Tribe colours. | 
