Wānaka Primary School Newsletter for Term 4  Week 5
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Newsletter Term 4  Week 5
7th November 2023

IN THIS NEWSLETTER

IMPORTANT DATES

 
Term 4
Week 5
Rooms 6, 7 and 8 Swimming Week
Wednesday 8th November - School Disco
Week 6
Tuesday 14th November - Netsafe Parents Workshop - 7-8.30pm - Hall
Wednesday 15th November - COPSSA Triathlon
Friday 17th November - Tribe Afternoon
Saturday 18th November - Pantomime Practice - 9am until noon
Week 7
Wednesday 22nd November - COPSSA Orienteering
Saturday 25th November - Pantomime Practice - 9am until noon
Week 8
Tuesday 28th November - Parents Deep Dive 11-12.30pm,1.30-3pm or 4-5pm
Friday 1st December - Pod 2 Assembly - 2.15pm - Hall
Friday 1st December - Reports sent home
Week 9
Wednesday 6th December - Matinee Pantomime Performance - 1pm
Thursday 7th December - Evening Pantomime Performance - 6pm
Week 10
Tuesday 12th December - Tribe Water Fun Afternoon
Wednesday 13th December - Year 6 Leavers Graduation Assembly
Friday 15th December - Last day of school for 2023 - school closes 3pm

Term 1 2024
Wednesday 31st January - First day of Term 1, 2024

IMPORTANT NOTICES

 

Netsafe Workshop for Parents

 

School Photos

School photo proofs have been sent home with the children this week.  If you wish to place an order, please follow the instructions on the Heritage leaflet included and make your order online. 

You have until Sunday 19th November to get free shipping with the bulk school order.  After this date $7.00 will be added and your order will be posted to your home address. 

Gumboot Friday

$320.00 was raised from the Gumboot Day on Friday.  Thank you to those who contributed - all proceeds go towards helping improve the well-being of young kiwis.
 

Leaving Wānaka Primary School

If your child / children are leaving WPS at the end of this term and you have not yet advised the office, can you please do so as soon as possible as we will be starting to plan classes for 2024.

If your child is in Year 6 and leaving to attend MAC, there is no need to contact us.  However, if your Year 6 child will be attending a different school, please advise us of this.

WPS Disco Tomorrow...YAY!

$2 entry at the door.  Parents please drop your child/children off outside at the main entrance, where one of our disco helpers will welcome them in.  Children please bring a named water bottle.  We are asking parents, if you are not already designated as a helper, to not go into the hall.  Please pick up your children at the finish times below from the tennis courts beside the hall.  No children can leave the hall until their dance time is finished.  This drop off and pick up zone allows us to move one group out quickly so we can move the next group in.  Having extra parents in the mix just makes it too hard.

Scholastic Book Fair - 2 weeks to go

There are 2 weeks to go until 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. 
 
CURRICULUM COMMENT

Year 6 Transition process 

Last week staff from MAC met with our teachers here at WPS and our Year 6 teachers talked at length to the MAC team about next Year's new intake into Year 7.
They covered academic and social information so that the MAC teachers can place our graduates with the right teacher and get them into learning and life at MAC right from the start of the year.  The Year 6s will visit MAC in a few weeks for their orientation and there are some extra visits also planned for some small groups as well. 
 

Netsafe Workshop for Parents


 

Panto Rehearsals

These are going so well this year - what a great bunch of actors Jennie and I are working with.  However, as school life, especially lunch times when we rehearse, is so busy we are hoping to get as many of our panto cast along as possible to a couple of mornings on the weekends, where we can run through all of the scenes.  The panto is around 80 minutes long and during our lunch times we only have 30 minutes at the most.

The days we have set are:
Saturday18th November and Saturday 25th November from 9am until noon.    

Please send your children along with morning tea and a drink.
 

End of Year Reporting to Parents

Our end of year reporting has three opportunities for you to be involved in finding out about your child's progress and achievement over the last 2 terms.

You are welcome to talk to teachers at any time about your child's learning and progress either before or after these opportunities.
  • Parents; Deep Dive:  Tuesday 28th November 11-12.30pm or 1.30-3pm or 4-5pm.  During this time students will share their workbooks and other evidence such as assessments, work on the walls, digital formats to show their learning, progress and achievement.  Prompts will be provided for parents by teachers, and children are well supported and practised in what to share with you before the Deep Dive.  As you arrive children leave their class work and join you with their evidence and 'checklist' to make sure they cover everything.  The teacher is there should you have any questions about finding information about your child's learning.
  • Written Reports:  Friday 1st December.  The link for these will arrive in your emails.  
  • Teacher/Parent Conference:  If you would like an interview after these two opportunities, or if you need more info or have some questions to ask, please email your child's teacher directly for a meeting time or let the school office know.  After reports go out you will have Week 9 and 10 to have this meeting.  We also ask that teachers get in touch with any parents with issues or information, before this 3 tiered process, so hopefully there are no real surprises when reports are received.

Tribe Afternoon - Friday 17th November

Time to dress up in tribe colours again! 
Our penultimate tribe afternoon will be held on Friday 17th November.  The fabulous tribe leaders will be running activities for their tribes, that link in with World Kindness Day earlier that week.
SCHOOL NOTICES

Year 3 & 4 Camps

Two weeks of awesome camps for Pod 1 and 6.  Year 4 classes camped for one night in Bannockburn in Week 3.  Followed by the Year 3 campers, who were tenting "some say glamping" on the school field last week.  Thanks to all the wonderful parent help and the great attitudes of all students. 


Year 5 Camp

Last week, our lucky year 5 children went down to Camp Columba for 'the best camp ever'!  We were so fortunate to have amazing weather and awesome parents and instructors to make the camp what it was.  Children were busy each day with flying (kiwi), kayaking, raft-building, climbing and abseiling to mention just a few of the activities.  Lots of children met and exceeded the challenges that they had set themselves and were rewarded with marshmallows by the bonfire.

Huge thanks go out to the parents that came to help make it a truly amazing experience for our tamariki.

Year 6 Leavers Clothing

Crumbs and Confetti Fundraiser
PB4L SCHOOL-WIDE GOAL

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 are open to new learning opportunities and challenging ourselves - we are brave!'
SPORT NOTICES

Central Otago Primary School Sports Association


COPSSA has 2 remaining Championships left for 2023.
  • COPSSA Triathlon Championships in Queenstown on 22 November
  • COPSSA Orienteering Championships in Alexandra on 29 November
We are currently sorting out our individuals and teams for both competitions and will be in touch in the coming week about who has been selected/qualified for the events from the Upper Clutha Schools.

Junior Challenge Race Information

 
The Junior Challenge is a whole school event for all Wānaka Primary Students from Y1 to Y6. 
 

Friday 16th February 2024
Location: Glendhu Bay
Event: Junior Challenge
Compulsory for Wānaka Primary School Students

 
Registration – local Wānaka students – by December 1st 2023
All Wānaka Primary school children must register online via the following link:
 

*Students who are starting a new school at the start of 2024
register with the name and year at WPS

Registration closes for all Junior Challenge events on 1st December 2023

All event Information can be found on the Challenge Wānaka Junior Challenge webpage.
 or on the school website.

Current Year 6 register here for Intermediate Challenge
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. 
 

 
 

Scholastic Loop

The last Scholastic NZ Brochure for the year is available from reception for all parents interested.  It closes on Monday 27th November.  If you wish to place an order, please follow the instructions on the inside back cover using Option 1 – Credit Card / LOOP.  No cash / orders are accepted at school. 

If your order is a gift, please tick the ‘GIFT’ option, otherwise all orders are handed out to the children. 

Orders will close on Monday 27th November at 9am.

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

Auditions

Year 6 Only Drop-In at Kahu Youth

Watercolour Workshops

Calm Minds Parent Group

Helping your anxious or distressed child

 

ENROL NOW
Also available to complete at your own pace online via the Mindsense website.
https://mindsense.co.nz/calm-minds-programme/

Harry Potter Quiz Night

Alpha Challenge - Kids Event

Wanaka Coeliac Kids Club

Connected Parenting Workshop

Local School’s Cardrona Bike Park Pass

Summer Reading Challenge

Hawea Christmas Wonderland

Dance Wanaka Presents Narnia


DANCE WANAKA presents 'Narnia’ on 18th and 19th November at the Lake Wanaka Centre.  4 shows, including a preschool Junior showcase.  Story based upon The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe.  Always an entertaining family show with local dancers aged 3-18yrs.  Purchase tickets at dancewanaka.co.nz.
HOLIDAY PROGRAMMES

Wanaka Kids Club Holiday Programme
OUT OF SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

Sailing


Children have you noticed how many sailing boats are on the lake recently? Its really going nuts down at Wanaka Yacht Club and you can be part of it too!

Wanaka Yacht Club offers high quality lessons for anyone 9 years or older.  We have an amazing UK coach, Angus Jamieson, here to offer summer holiday programmes at a variety of levels and for lessons during term 1 2024. He, and his many qualified assistant coaches can't wait to show you how much fun sailing can be. The Wanaka Yacht Club has an extensive range of boats and several pathways for your continued sailing journey, way beyond learn-to-sail. Before you know it, you could potentially attend regattas all across New Zealand and perhaps aspire to one day be part of MAC's sailing teams: currently the 12th best sailing school in the country, and "aspiring" to be the best!  

Parents you can learn too!   Angus and his team have created great programmes for adults. There are several 2 day weekend courses on offer. Once you have learned to sail competently you do not have to own your own boat! Instead you can make the most of the club's new initiative and hire one inexpensively for the season, using it (only) during our safety-supported Thursday night and Sunday afternoon club sessions. Need something bespoke to suit your calendar?  No problem, we are all ears.

Have a Go Day everyone, any age, FREE.  Come along to Wanaka Yacht Club between 10 and 12 on Sunday 17th December and have a go!  This is free. We provide life jackets. Our instructors will share their enthusiasm, answer questions, make it desperately obvious that we are a competent, friendly and inclusive club,  and take you sailing!

There's no need to book for 'have a go' but for all our lesson products please email learn@wanakayachtclub.co.nz . 
Delicious, nutritious and popular with kids, Subway delivers school lunches every Friday.  Order online at subwayexpress.co.nz by 9am.
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Wānaka, Otago 9350
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