| | | | | | IMPORTANT DATES
Term 2
Week 4
Thursday 26th May - Family Maths Evening 6:00-7:30pm - info below
Week 6
Monday 6th June - Queen's Birthday - School Closed
Tuesday 7th June - COPSSA Rippa Rugby Competition
Thursday 9th June - WPS Swim Competition
Week 8
Book Week
Friday 24th June - Matariki Holiday - School Closed
Week 10
Friday 8th July - Last Day of Term
Term 3
Week 1
Monday 25th July - First Day of Term 3 IMPORTANT NOTICES Snow Day Procedure If snow occurs overnight, a decision regarding school closure, or a delayed start, will be made in the morning – we will notify you by the following methods: - Radio Wanaka – 92.2FM
- Our school website – home page
- Our School App
- Bulk email
If the school closes during the day due to snow, we will notify you via the methods above – please refrain from phoning the office. Buses will not run. Children can be collected and signed out from their classrooms where they will remain under the supervision of a teacher. If you are personally unable to collect your child, then other arrangements should be made for collection.
If a parent wishes to have someone that is recorded as an emergency contact collect their child, the pick up person should go to the classroom, provide identification (if not known to the teacher) and sign the child out.
Now is a good time to consider your emergency contacts – and ensure that the office has recorded the details of at least two people, living locally, who you trust to collect your child if the school closes due to snow. |
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Maths Activity Night  $5 cash at the door please
Adults please wear masks |
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Board Buzz We had a great Board meeting last night where we were presented with all the latest results from the PAT tests that our children have recently completed. The great news is that our children have continued to perform well above the national norm in these tests.
These kind of results are reflective of the time and effort that our teachers are putting in to ensuring your children have the best education possible.
We also had a presentation on the SKI/EOTC survey results and there was an overwhelming level of support to keep the programme over a 5 day period. We also discussed whether transport could be provided to children and unfortunately this is not possible, due to the staffing levels that would be required to look after a bus load of children and collect rental equipment, etc on their behalf. If you are a parent that is working on a Thursday and can’t make it up the mountain, please reach out to other parents to see if they can assist from a transport perspective.
The energy that is starting to build in town since the snow fall last week is fantastic and I look forward to seeing the children out on the netball courts, rugby or football grounds and up the mountains this Winter!
Have a great start to Winter…my favourite season!
Brendan Hearle
Board Chair – WPS Board of Trustees |
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2022 Annual Activity Fee and School Donation Thank you to those families who have paid the 2022 Annual Activity Fee and School Donation.
Reminder invoices were sent out last week to those who still have outstanding balances. Please find below an explanation of what the Activity Fee and School Donations cover.
Activity Fee
The annual activity fee is $40.00 per child for 2022. This is a compulsory fee which covers extra-curricular costs, such as those incurred by bringing visiting performers/specialists to Wānaka, for example, sports coaches, dance/music/drama performances and special events. Collecting this annual fee avoids the time consuming exercise of collecting 500 plus entry fees each time there is a performance or activity.
School Donations
Since 2010, the Ministry of Education has frozen core funding to schools. This has increased the reliance on receiving a donation from parents to adequately staff and resource the school.
Your donation assists the Board to fund the following: - Specialist music (e.g. band, instrumental)
- Arts extension programmes
- All second languages (e.g. Spanish, Mandarin)
- Specialist Maori Tutor and Kapa Haka programmes
- Extra assistance for children in specific programmes (extension programmes, Boys Club, Girls Club, etc)
- Excursions outside of the classroom to learn about our history and the environment
- Specialised equipment for the classrooms (computer equipment e.g. headphones)
- School shows (e.g. Pantomimes)
Unfortunately, Wānaka Primary only receives the bare minimum in operational funding due to the school being a Decile 10 as determined by the Ministry of Education, hence the donations received truly make a difference to your child’s experience at Wānaka Primary School.
The suggested School Donation is $150.00 per child for 2022. Tax deductible receipts are issued for all donations.
Payment of the Activity Fee and School Donation can be made by:
Direct Credit to Wānaka Primary School – account 02-0673-0023784-001
Eftpos (cheque or savings no credit) available at the school office
Cash – please ensure you provide your child’s name with payment |
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An Excellent Parent Information Session Just For You The Maths Activity Night this Thursday 26th May is going to be awesome. I urge you to come along to this session, Rob Profitt-White is an amazing teacher of mathematics and an exuberant and exciting presenter. You will take away heaps of ideas and resources that you can use at home to support your children's learning in maths. Come on, write it on your calendar, and we look forward to seeing you at the Hall at 6pm on Thursday.
From Her in the Principal's Office |
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Student Absence (on a prolonged holiday during the term or out of school ski programme)
Absence for Prolonged Holiday We live in an area where pre-Covid, taking an extended holiday during the term was a common occurrence. However, the Education Act 1989 requires that all children six years old and over must attend school regularly (over 90% of the time). Many of our children attend less than that, and therefore are on our attendance alerts, due to days absent with snowsports and with extended overseas holidays. Only 10 half days (5 days) per term of absence is considered acceptable by the Ministry and the Education Act.
This question and answer is on the Ministry of Education website… - ‘Can I take my child out of school during term time to go on holiday? And the answer…
- No, a holiday is not a good enough reason to take your child out of school, so holidays should be planned outside of term time.’
However we know from experience that families do take their children out of school during term time for overseas holidays and to visit family overseas. And particularly post Covid I can see this happening as we reconnect with loved ones.
So hence this process needs to be followed: Any request from a parent to take leave during the term must be made in writing, well in advance, to the Principal. We have a link on our website for a digital option or a paper form is available from the school office. This leave will then be acknowledged by the Principal with the following conditions in place: - Acknowledgement that the leave has been explained and submitted to the Principal.
- The parent takes full responsibility for their child’s safety and learning during this time.
- The school cannot be held responsible for missed instruction or any effect this may have on a child’s learning.
- Principal acknowledgement of the request will be emailed to the parent.
Teachers will not provide any online learning support, or provide any programmes whilst children are absent from school on an extended holiday and no catch up programmes will be offered upon the child’s return.
Absence for Out of School Ski Programme The school currently provides 3 different ski/snowboard out of school winter ETOC options. However we acknowledge that a number of students also have an extra day a week over term 3, out of school to be part of a skifield programme. Once again this is not approved by the school, but acknowledged in the same way as the holiday during the term, along with the same provisions as above: - I take full responsibility for my child's safety and learning during this time.
- I understand that the school cannot be held responsible for missed instruction or any effect this may have on my child's learning.
- I understand that teachers do not provide extra work or special programmes during this time.
The appropriate online or paper form must be submitted to the Principal and receipt of this will be acknowledged by email. Please ensure any leave request is submitted well in advance. |
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Senior Kapa Haka Marae Visit Last Tuesday our senior kapa haka students visited Puketeraki marae in Kaitane for the first time. We arrived at midday and were welcomed onto the marae with a pōwhiri. As manuhiri this was a wonderful new experience for us all. We learnt so much on our visit about food gathering, sustainability, the pōwhiri process, Māori games and the best part - storytelling and building relationships. All tamariki recited their mihi and slept in a wharenui together, learning so much about Marae stays. Thanks to the awesome parent helpers who accompanied us and the welcoming whānau at Puketeraki. |
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Thanks 'Honey' Thank you to those who bought our 'Honey' and in turn supporting our Enviro Group. We would appreciate the jars being returned to the office when you've enjoyed the last of your honey. |
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St John's First Aid  Well done to all the students who attended first aid training last week
and a huge thanks to St John. |
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Dry Kindling For Sale It's starting to get chilly! We are selling banana boxes of dry pine
kindling to fundraise for our girls' and boys' clubs.
Support our students and keep your home warm this winter. Available to collect from the school office. $10 per box or 2 for $15  A big thank you to Doug from Wood for Good and Dave Collett Contracting for the donation and delivery of the kindling. |
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Top Bike - A Great Day! On Monday, 18 children had the opportunity to represent Wānaka Primary School at the Top Bike Competition in Alexandra. The weather was kind and although results are still to be shared, all the kids had smiles on their faces and enjoyed the opportunity to show their speed and skill on 2 wheels, and furthermore showcased the school values making me proud to work at our fantastic school. A special mention to Henry Coad who, without a thought or needing to be asked, offered his bike to another rider from another school. You rock! Thank you to our parents: Mike, Anna, Ed and Megan who transported the kids and made sure they had a great time and were ready to give it their best.
Jason Cowan |
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WPS Swimming Sports - Y4, 5 and 6 Our swimming sports is being held on Thursday 9th June. Please click on this link to find out more. |
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No Snow Farm in the SKI/EOTC Programme Sam Lee from the Snow Farm had to unfortunately send this email last week:
'I have reviewed our bookings through August and we can't run our primary school programmes this year. We are currently faced with a severe staff shortage and we just don't have the ability to deliver our usual season.'
Hence this year there will be no Snow Farm option with the SKI/EOTC Programme. |
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Positive Behaviour For Learning - PB4L PB4L School-Wide looks at behaviour and learning from a whole-of-school as well as an individual child perspective. The framework is based on international evidence and is helping New Zealand schools build a culture where positive behaviour and learning is a way of life. Each fortnight we focus on a school wide goal to encourage positive behaviours. The current goal is: 'We leave and enter areas in a respectful way' |
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Library News 
Ebooks and Audio Books
The Wānaka Public Library has 2 fantastic Ebook Platforms which are highly recommended. All you need is a library membership which is free. Click on the image below to find out more and browse to see what is available: 
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Wānaka Primary School Cookbook - Bite |
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Contact for our Local Public Health Nurse Pip McLean is our local Public Health Nurse - should you wish to get in contact with Pip her contact details are: 03 440 4309 or 0272 839 395 or email Pip.McLean@southerndhb.govt.nz |
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Subway Customer Appreciation Day 
Subway Free Cookies Up For Graps  |
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Growing Taller Growing Taller is a fun, activity-based group programme for children who may be having a hard time at home or school; contributing to poor self-image, anxiety, lack of confidence, issues around loss and separation, and causing difficulties for them in managing their emotions.
Growing Taller provides a place for children to share and learn skills in a supportive, safe, peer environment. Children have the opportunity to change the way they see themselves, increase their self-esteem, and learn to identify, express and manage their emotions.
The next Growing Taller programme in Wānaka is planned for Term 3 for 8 children aged 8-11 years.
It starts on the 2nd of August and will run for 7 sessions, once a week on Tuesday mornings, 9-11am at the Wānaka Community Hub. |
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Part Time Bus Driver Wanted |
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ILT Kidzone Winter Wonderland |
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| Delicious, nutritious and popular with kids, Subway delivers school lunches every Friday. Order online at subwayexpress.co.nz by 9am. |
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