Wānaka Primary School Newsletter for Term 2 Week 5

Newsletter Term 2 Week 5

1st June 2021

IN THIS NEWSLETTER

IMPORTANT DATES

Term 2
Week 5
Thursday 3rd June - Pod 1 Assembly 2:15pm - Hall
Week 6
Monday 7th June - Queen's Birthday - School Closed
Wednesday 9th June - Gifted Awareness Information Evening - 7:00pm - Staffroom
Thursday 10th June - WPS Swimming Comp
Friday 11th June - Pod 8 Assembly 2:15pm - Hall
Week 7
Monday 14th June - Recapitation Meeting for WPS Parents 3:15-4:30pm - Staffroom
Tuesday 15th June - Recapitation Meeting for WPS Parents 7-8pm - Staffroom
Wednesday 16th June - PTA Meeting 7:00pm - Staffroom
Week 8
Monday 21st June - Board Meeting 5:00pm - Staffroom
Friday 25th June - Pod 7 Assembly 2:15pm - Hall
Week 9
Tuesday 29th June - Upper Clutha Swimming
Thursday 1st July - School Closing at 12:30pm
Week 10
Tuesday 6th July - Parent Teacher Interviews
Wednesday 7th July - Parent Teacher Interviews
Thursday 8th July - Central Otago Swimming
Friday 9th July - Pod 5 Assembly 2:15pm - Hall
Friday 9th July - Last Day of Term 2

IMPORTANT NOTICES

School Closing at 12:30pm on Thursday 1st July

On Thursday 1st July, the NZEI are holding a Paid Union Meeting (PUM) for teachers starting at 1pm. This PUM is an opportunity for teachers to discuss upcoming contract negotiations. As all but one of our teachers is an NZEI member, and this is a paid union meeting during the school day, we will be closing the school for instruction. We are asking parents to pick their children up early - 12:30pm. Buses will be cancelled. We will be able to provide minimal supervision for children who cannot be collected early - and it would be first in first served. I know this is inconvenient but this meeting is very important to continuing to improve the working conditions of teachers, which also means an improvement in the learning conditions for our students (e.g. class size and staffing provision for extra programmes) in our primary schools.

Pod 1 Assembly this Thursday

A reminder that Pod 1 Assembly is this Thursday 3rd June at 2.15pm in the hall.

Recapitation Meeting for Parents - June 14th and June 15th

The Board are holding 2 information and question sessions on retaining the Year 7s and 8s within the primary school. We are offering the meeting at 2 different times to get as many parents together as we can to look at the positives and any negatives and also interesting ideas around recapitation. Howie our Board Chair will facilitate these consultation meetings.

For those of you who prefer the afternoon, the meeting is 3:15-4:30pm on Monday 14th June. We will provide supervision of children for parents opting for this.
For those who prefer the evening the meeting is 7-8pm on Tuesday 15th June.

Please come along and find out more information about this process and to also have your say.

CURRICULUM COMMENT

Thank You

Many thanks for your messages of support and of condolences with Cosie's passing and funeral last Friday. Our staff helped with the catering as well as attending the service to support our gorgeous colleague and friend, Marj and to give Cosie the great send off he deserved. Thanks to Clair for organising us all and to the rest of our awesome team of staff who just rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in. I feel so proud of them as when times get tough they just get in behind any project we take on.

Many thanks to Kai Pai for their generous help with the savouries.

The numbers who attended the funeral spoke volumes of the love and high esteem the community held for Cosie and Marj. Marj is a valued and much loved teacher and I know all of us at Wānaka Primary School will keep her close to our hearts and support her when she is ready to come back to school.

Outdoor Maker Spaces

If you have any more feedback on the outdoor classroom/maker spaces concept drawings, included in last week's newsletter, please get this to us asap. We are keen to get the plans out for tender as soon as possible as this building work needs to be completed by the end of the year.

Rumpelstiltskin Performance

Rumplestiltskin performance 11.30am this Friday. This company has great shows and we are always wowed by them. This comes out of the activity fee you have paid which allows for at least one performance, event or show a term. This saves us having to ask you for $2 here or $5 there each time. We plan these shows up to a year ahead - Anne Jenkins does this as our show organiser and she does an awesome job to pick the best performances to suit our children...and the staff and principal too; I hate to miss a show!

SCHOOL NOTICES

StarLab

On Monday 24th and Tuesday 25th StarLab visited from Otago Museum. They installed a star dome where students could star spot and they performed a range of science demonstrations related to space. Children also had the chance to learn about the upcoming Super Blood Moon with many excited to see it on Wednesday night.

Spelling Quiz

Some of our Year 5s and 6s are competing in the Otago Daily Times Extra! Spelling Quiz this Thursday, which will be a live online event against other schools in the Otago District.

The spelling quiz consists of 10 rounds including, speed spelling, proof reading, all or nothing, and know your words just to name a few. The top 20 teams from each year level will be invited to a special “Grand Final” in Dunedin later in the year hosted by the Otago Museum.

2021 Snow Sports Programme

All information regarding the winter sports programme (skiing and boarding) is on our school website. Please read ALL information carefully. Enrolments for Cardrona and TC are online. Snow Farm forms are available from the school office. Please ensure you keep copies of your receipts etc...for evidence of paying for the school programme.

LINK to Information and Registration

Great Value Kindling Fundraiser

We are selling banana boxes full of hand-picked kindling for $10 each to raise money for our girls' and boys' clubs to allow them to do their planned activities this year. Come into the office to purchase a box. Thank you for your support.

PTA NOTICES

PTA Meeting - Wednesday 16th June - 7pm

Our next PTA meeting is now Wednesday 16th June at 7pm in the Staffroom. Everyone is welcome to attend.

SPORT NOTICES

Otago Rippa Rugby Competition

Congratulations to our Year 6 team who competed in the Otago Rippa Rugby Competition yesterday and came 5th out of 16 teams - a great effort!

Special thanks to Will Radford and his team of parents.

WPS Swimming Competition - Parent Help Needed

When: Thursday 10th June (9am - 1pm approx)
Where: Wānaka Recreation Centre

We still need parents to help with timing races. If you can help please email Hannah - hannahc@wanaka.school.nz. Without parents on stopwatches we will not be able to complete the events. Thank you in advance for your support.

LIBRARY NEWS

Library News

Click here to view our Library Webapp.

Feel free to email Melissa at any time if you have any questions.

JOURNAL CLUB NEWS

StarLab

Otago Museum kindly came to Wānaka Primary to teach the school about the stars and planets in the universe. We were split into two different groups. One went inside a blow-up dome where we learnt where stars were in the sky, and finding constellations in the night sky. The other group was in the hall with two scientists from the Otago museum doing experiments and learning about space. This was a great opportunity for the students and we learnt so many new things.

By Izzy Ashford and Sophie Bull

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

Second Hand School Uniform and Winter Wear

www.kidschangeup.co.nz

Movie Night Fundraiser

The senior leaders of MAC are inviting years 5 and 6 to a movie night, showing 'The Incredibles'. Friday 4th of June in MAC's gym on the new big screen, 5:30 - 7:30pm. There will be popcorn and lolly bags to purchase on entry and tickets are $5 that you purchase at the door. Please bring pillows, blankets, cushions to sit on! Look forward to seeing you all then!!