Wānaka Primary School Newsletter for Term 4  Week 1
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Newsletter Term 4  Week 1
10th October 2023

IN THIS NEWSLETTER

IMPORTANT DATES

 
Term 4
Week 1

Friday 13th October - Pod 7 Assembly 2pm - Hall
Week 2
Wednesday 18th October - Polyfest in Queenstown
Wednesday 18th October - Year 5 Camp Info Parent Evening 5.30 - 6pm - Pod 8
Thursday 19th October - AWE Festival Orchestra Performance
Week 3
Monday 23rd October - Labour Day - School Closed
Tuesday 24th October - School Photos
Tues 24 Oct - Fri 27 Oct - Year 4 Camp - Bannockburn
Week 4
Pod 2 Swimming Week
Monday 30th October - Board of Trustees Meeting - 5pm - Staffroom
Tues 31 Oct - Fri 3 Nov - Year 5 Camp - Camp Columba
Wed 1 Nov - Tues 2 Nov - Year 3 Camp 
Week 5
Wednesday 8th November - School Disco - see poster below
Week 6
Tuesday 14th November - Netsafe Parents Workshop - 7pm - 8.30pm - Hall
Week 10
Friday 15th December - Last day of school for 2023 - school closes 3pm

 

IMPORTANT NOTICES


Pod 7 Assembly - Friday 2pm

The Pod 7 assembly, that was postponed last term, is now on Friday this week.
The assembly will begin slightly earlier than usual in order to pack up the hall for Elections.  Please be seated by 1:55pm for a 2pm start.  
 

Year 5 Camp Info Parent Evening

Wednesday 18th October - 5.30pm - 6.00pm in Pod 8.
This information session is for all parents of children attending camp. 


Missing a Bike?

This was left at school during the holidays and was being test-ridden by some curious young members of our community until we redirected them elsewhere.  Please claim from the school office by the end of the week before we drop it at the Police Station.

School Photos - Tuesday 24th October

REMEMBER OUR SCHOOL PHOTOS are on Tuesday 24th October (the day after the Monday Labour Day holiday) so we want all children in their uniforms, looking absolutely gorgeous with a NAVY polo please, rather than their white.

Kelly and Anne's Year 4 students are off to camp at Bannockburn that day.  Please send Kelly's and Anne's Year 4 students to school in uniform as we will take their class and family photos first.  They can change into their casual clothes before heading off to camp.  Watch out for more info re this from Kelly and Anne.  A ping will also be sent to you the night before to remind you.

Crumbs and Confetti Fundraiser

BOARD BUZZ

Board face to face Consultation around Strategic Directions

for 2024-2026

Francis Jasper from the Board of Trustees will lead 2 consultation sessions for parents around the strategic goals and priorities for 2024.  The Board and Leadership Team have pulled out the main points from the Term 3 parents survey feedback and these will be shared with you and discussed.  We value your input and would love to see as many of you along as possible so we can be sure we are capturing our full parent voice. These sessions will be held in the staffroom on Wednesday 25th October at 7-8pm and on Thursday 26th October at 3.15-4.15pm.  Supervision will be provided for children at the pirate ship playground for this afternoon session to enable parents to attend.

School Board Parent Mid Term Election 2023


Mid Term Nomination Close

Our school will be undertaking a mid term parent election for 2 School Board vacancies.  The School Board nominations close tomorrow, Wednesday 11th October at 12 noon. We will not accept any nominations, photos and statements after 12pm 11th October.

We have employed CES to undertake the election process on our behalf. The nomination form and full instructions on how to place your nomination into our own School’s Election website has been emailed to you.  If your email address is not on our database you would have received it by post.

Nomination papers will also be available at the school office. The school will send those on to CES for processing upon receipt from candidates.

A reminder nominations close tomorrow, Wednesday 11th October at 12 noon. Election day is Wednesday 15th November.

Wayne Jamieson
Returning Officer
CES
89 Nazareth Avenue | Middleton | Christchurch | PO Box 414 | Christchurch 8140
P (03) 338 4444 | Cell 021 399 744  Web www.cessl.org.nz
CURRICULUM COMMENT

School Uniform Expectations

School hats with a brim that protect the face, ears and neck are COMPULSORY in term 4.  We expect to see everyone with a named sunhat tomorrow otherwise they will be asked to play under the shade sails.  No caps please.  They do not have to be WPS school hats - the more varied children's sunhats are, the easier they are to find.

We also need to remind parents and children that only navy shorts, longs or skorts are permitted - we do not expect to see children coming in any clothing that has logos on it, apart from our WPS one.  Also if your child is not in uniform for any reason please email the teacher.  We have noticed a lapse in the uniform code in the latter part of term 3 and we want our learners looking smart in their uniform.  

CROCS are a no-no - not part of the school uniform.  We have had a few injuries with children playing and running in these and that was over winter!  They are not safe to be worn at school, as they are a hazard with phys-ed and in children's ability to run and be mobile safely.  They often do not fit well and are clumsy.   We do NOT want to see your child coming to school in Crocs and this seems to be becoming a fad hence my need to address this. Crocs are not accepted as part of our school uniform. Footwear needs to be suitable for play, games, PE and sport.  Lace up casual shoes, running shoes, sneakers, or well fitting sandal type shoes are much safer and more appropriate for the school context.  Also bees are starting to hang around and that means bee stings, so jandals, which are also not good to run or play sport in and are not bee proof, are not great footwear for school either.  If children are wearing bare feet on the grassed areas we take no responsibility for any bee stings incurred.  

Another issue with the Crocs is that the 'jibbitz' they attach to them can cause issues and upset if lost, or 'misplaced'.  This morning a group were seen swapping their jibbitz and there were big kids 'negotiating' with little kids. I see these are quite expensive and highly attractive to our young 'collectors'.  So no Crocs or jibbitz at school please.  Children need well fitting suitable footwear to make the most of school life.
 

School Orchestra Performance

Our students are so fortunate to once again have an orchestra from the AWE festival come and perform for us next Thursday 19th October.  They perform for us annually with a quality performance our children really enjoy.  And they do it for the love of their music so we get it for free.  Thanks to Anne Jenkins for all her work in bringing the groups and individuals who offer Arts performances to our school for the benefit of our learners.
 

ERO Visit

Murray South from ERO is in school next week as part of their regular visitation around the new Evaluation System. 
 

Netsafe Workshop for Parents

Dealing with social media and being safe on computers was an often mentioned concern for parents in our Strategic Planning survey last term.  We have been able to access an expert from Netsafe who is coming to school on Tuesday 14th November to run a parents' information session on 'Keeping Children Safe Online'.  It will take place in our school hall 7.00-8.30pm.  Everyone is welcome.  Netsafe is offering this to us free of charge which is awesome.  

There will also be a session for staff 3.30-5.00pm on the same day to update their knowledge about how to handle/teach/prevent issues in the school context.  Managing the online environment for our kids is something both parents and teachers need to be actively involved in ensuring we are modelling and coaching appropriate and safe behaviours.  Mark this one in your diary.
 
 

Property Work

Over the holidays Pod 7 was painted to match our pods which were reclad.  Over the January holidays the hall will have a couple of panels of the Shadowclad, which have deteriorated, replaced rather than engaging in a full reclad with a different product.  The hall will then be painted in a paint that will, we have been told, lessen the likelihood of more repairs being needed.  We have noticed that a couple of the panels of Shadowclad in Pod 8 have also shown signs of deterioration so we are also getting those replaced and Pod 8 repainted in January.  

Our irrigation and landscaping project is now completed and the school is looking great!  This was a Ministry funded project and now the landscapers have finished, our gardening team take over, caring for our new gardens as well as the existing ones.  We have a few other areas that will need attention over the next year or so but our wonderful gardeners, Simply Garden Care, Nicky and Rich and their team, will be able to undertake these future improvements for us.  

The Maker Spaces we have been waiting on are hopefully not far away and will be installed by the end of the year ready for use in 2024.  I am an optimist and a good nagger so fingers crossed.  The roofing project to sort out the many leaks we are having due to flashings around the mushroom shaped vents that protrude from the roof, and also the solar lights, is next.  The scope of work has been prepared and is about to go out to tender.  We are also having the fencing around the front of the school being replaced by 1.8 metre fencing to start bringing our new fences up to Ministry code.  This fencing project is also about to go out to tender and will probably be another January job.

My job has been as much about property management this year as it is about teaching and learning!  But as I said earlier the school is looking awesome.  Come in and have a look if you haven't already.
SCHOOL NOTICES

Creatives in Schools Art Project

Thank you to everyone who came along to our assembly to celebrate the completion of our whole school arts project.  The children are very proud of the collaborative artworks they created as a pod; if you haven't had the chance, do pop into school to see the four permanent installations in our school grounds.
 

Scholastic Book Fair

Term 4 is the time for our annual SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR.  A percentage of the proceeds go straight back into our school library so it's a win win for everybody.  This is a great opportunity to do some Christmas shopping.

This year it is on Monday 20th November -  Friday 24th November.  Mark the date on your calendars now.  I will be calling out for parent help before and after school closer to the time.

School Camps 2023

 


Payment details:

Online to Wānaka Primary School Account No:  02-0673-0023784-001

OR

Eftpos / cash at the office

If there are challenges that would make payment for camps difficult, please come in and see, ring or email Wendy (wendyb@wanaka.school.nz) or Lucy (office@wanaka.school.nz) as soon as possible.

Payment can be made in instalments.

More information will follow about each individual camp.
Please regularly check your emails.

New Sandpit Toys - Thank You Wanacare Pharmacy


Pod 2 were very excited to receive a very kind and generous donation of new sandpit toys from Wanacare Pharmacy. Thanks so much to Ian and Jen Jurczyluk for their very kind donation and suppliers Sweetpea NZ for their generous discount.

PTA NOTICES

WPS PTA School Disco

LIBRARY NEWS

Library News

 
Click the image below to view our wonderful Library Webapp.
 
 
Feel free to email Melissa at any time if you have any questions.
 

Digital and Audio Resources

Borrow box is an amazing resource which you can have free access to for digital reading and audio resources for your children.  Click on the image below to look at the amazing range.  You need a QLDC library membership (which is free) to borrow. 
 

 
 

Quote of the Week

 
HEALTH SNIPPETS

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
COMMUNITY NOTICES

Feedback on QLDC Speed Management Plan

Biketober


Click here for the full schedule of events

Kids Duathlon

OUT OF SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

After School Watercolour Fun

Artrageous

Art in the Garden

WORD Youth Mountain Biking -Term 4

Starting 16th of October

Registrations are open HERE

https://www.word.org.nz/wanaka-bookings

The WORD Term runs for 7 weeks meeting once a week from 4.00-6.00pm. Groups are split based on abilities (1:8 ratio) and head out for a ride!  Each week these groups focus on one or two new skills:

-MTB riding skill (ie. cornering, braking, fitness etc)
-MTB community skill (ie. trail building, bike maintenance)
-Life skill (ie. self confidence, kindness, helpfulness, etc)

Mondays
7 - 9 yr old boys 
Tuesdays
10 - 12 yr old boys 

Wednesdays
7 - 9 yr old girls 
10 - 12 yr old girls 

Thursdays
13 - 17 yr old girls
13 - 17 yr old boys

Costs: $235/term (includes Bike Glendhu pass for the sessions at this location)

Contact Pete if you have any questions: wanaka@word.org.nz

Junior Touch

Kids that Run

Aspiring Athletics 

Delicious, nutritious and popular with kids, Subway delivers school lunches every Friday.  Order online at subwayexpress.co.nz by 9am.
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