Newsletter 10, Term 3 Week 6 2020

We may not be able to celebrate and meet together in large groups at the moment, however, we can make a difference to others in our community by noticing them and being generous with our words and in our actions. Thank you for the kindness that many of you are showing towards other families in our community, whether it be through time, lunch food packs, helping other students to get to school, smiling or saying hello – every little action counts. If you need a bit of TLC, please let us know so that we can find ways to support you and your family. Thank you also for the yummy baking and flowers for our staff members – we really appreciate your kind thoughts.

COVID-19 Level 2 Expectations

Thank you to all of our families who are following expectations to keep our students and staff safe. These include: keeping 1–2 m distance from each other, no adults – except staff – in the classroom block and staying away from school if you are unwell. We ask those who attend after school activities, such as ASC pick-ups and music lessons, to please respect this request. By doing this, we have a greater chance of keeping surface areas free of germs. Our students continue to use sanitiser each time they enter their classrooms and our teachers and cleaners disinfect surfaces on a daily basis.

Review of our R.I.D.E. Values and Active Learner Skills

Over the last 3 terms we have gathered voice from our community, teachers, students and Board as to what we felt it was important for the year 6 graduates from Rewa Rewa School to be equipped with when they leave our school as competent, lifelong learners. See the R.I.D.E. Values and Active Learner Skills below (these used to be called Bronze and Silver Learners), which we will be teaching across the school.  The next step in developing these documents is to add Māori language.  Progress against these values and skills will be celebrated (e.g. certificates), and recorded in student reports to show the competencies achieved over time.

If there are any graphic designers in our parent community who would be willing to lend their expertise, please do get in touch with us – we would be pleased to hear from you!

Extracurricular Opportunities

Although we are in Level 2 all of our students have had access to a wide range of exciting facilitators/performers in our school who have delivered high quality learning experiences. This term these have included:

PE – EasySwim gymnastics

Health – Magic Show (Healthy Eating)

Social Sciences – WCC Waste Heroes show – how Wellington (Whanganui a Tara) was formed according to Māori mythology

Inquiry – WCC school video produced (Reduce Reuse Recycle theme)

Maths – ASB financial literacy

Science – Victoria University of Wellington (Chemical Reactions)

Our classroom teachers have also been teaching Digital Technology in all classes, as well as DIMC maths problem-solving. If you would like to know more about this learning, please ask your child’s teacher.

Board News

Biennial Health Community Survey

Thank you to the 60 participants who completed the recent Biennial Health Survey this term. We are in the process of reviewing this information and will report back to our community shortly. This is a task that every primary school in NZ undertakes every 2 years, using it to inform us as to the PE and Health programmes that our parents would like to be included in our localised curriculum. The lucky winner of the $30 New World gift card was Joanna Dunn – congratulations!

School Policy Reviews

The policy due to be reviewed this term is:

• Learning Support

Please email office@rewarewa.school.nz for SchoolDocs login details if you would like to review these policies.

New Enrolments / Out of Zone Ballot Applications for Terms 1 & 2, 2021

If you have a child due to begin at Rewa Rewa School within the next year, please pick up an enrolment pack from Office so that as soon as we receive your completed form, we can pre-enrol them. If you live out of zone – even if you have a child currently enrolled at our school – you MUST submit an enrolment application by the Ballot Deadline. Our enrolment advert will be placed in the 30 September edition of the Independent Herald.

 School Term Dates for 2021

The Board will be setting 2021 term dates at the next Board meeting (Tuesday 8 September), and will then inform our community in the next newsletter. We will try to keep dates in alignment with other Newlands/Paprangi primary schools, where at all possible.

Vision & Hearing Checks for Students

Wellington Regional Health Vision & Hearing checks have recently been undertaken onsite. An unusually high number of students were identified as needing follow-up for their hearing and/or vision. If this was your child, you will have received a letter in their schoolbag and also been contacted by the Wellington Regional Health Service. We strongly urge you to make a booking to have this seen to. Being able to see and hear makes such a HUGE difference to a child’s learning!

Road Patrol

As you walk to/from school, we ask that you use the patrolled crossing outside school.  If you are a vehicle driver, DO NOT use the driveway to turn your vehicle – you cause danger to those around you!

Tuesday 8 September      5.30pm

Tuesday 8 – Wednesday 16 September

Friday 25 September       3pm

Monday 12 October        9am

Friday 13 November

Tuesday 15 December    1pm

BOT Meeting

Bee Healthy Regional Dental Service onsite

End of Term 3

Start of Term 4

NIS 2021 Enrolments Orientation Morning

End of Term 4