PRINCIPAL'S TALANOA
Saane Faaofo Oldehaver
Kia ora koutou, talofa lava and warm greetings to our Weymouth Community, Parents, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, Cousins and our beautiful Tamariki.
WELCOME BACK - Our term has started well, even though the weather has been unkind. We encourage you to bring your children to school every day - as every day counts. Our attendance slipped last term.
Year 1 - 81%. Year 2 - 81%. Year 3 - 82%. Year 4 - 84%. Year 5 - 84% and Year 6 - 79%.
We need to do better this term.
ATTENDANCE - The Ministry of Education guidelines are: Regular attendance = more than 90%. Irregular attendance = 80-90%. Moderate attendance = 70-80% and chronic attendance = less than 70%.
Our data for term 2 is as follows:
Regular 90% or more = 46%
Irregular 80-90% = 25%
Moderate 70-80% = 14%
Critical 70% or less = 15%
We would appreciate your help this term to get our children to school on time - 8.30am is perfect and attending school every day. At WPS we begin each day with Te Reo and tikanga Maori, so it is vital our children are in classes, ready to learn by 8.50am.
Pōwhiri - Our opening on day one was beautiful. We welcomed more new families to our school and finally welcomed our new teachers. Thank you Matua Reg and Whaea Danielle for your work in ensuring we follow our protocols and teach our children correctly.
Our inquiry for this term is ‘Mana Motuhake’ - ‘Changing direction to grow’. Our curriculum focus is ‘Science’. Our Weymouth Way for this term is ‘We learn’.
Kapa Haka & Pasifika - this term we have added a junior Pasifika group and a huge thank you to Ms Lila and Ms Noa for taking this group. Pasifika practice's every Tuesday (1.30-3pm) in the hall, and we would love support from parents - so come and help if you are free. Whaea Moana and Whaea Danielle continue to take Kapa haka for our Moana, Te Awa and Papa teams and our senior kapa haka is taken by Matua Ranea. Kapa haka is on Monday for Moana, Te Awa & Papa teams and fortnightly for our senior kapa haka by Matua Ranea.
COOK ISLAND LANGUAGE WEEK - next week we celebrate Cook Island Language Week and the theme is ‘Atuitui’is au ki te au peu o toku kainga Ipukaera’ ‘Connect me to the traditions and culture of my homeland. We are excited for our expert children to share their language, culture and identity with all of us at WPS. We encourage parents and grandparents to come and share all about the Cook Islands with our school and we encourage all children to come in their traditional attire, especially on Friday at 1.45pm when we have a celebration of learning assembly.
LAUNCH OF A BILINGUAL FRAMEWORK - I had the privilege as the NZPPA President to attend the launching of EROs new resource the Afa Framework - Pacific Bilingual and Immersion Education Indicators. It really reminded me how important language is. Sutton Park - Tongan bilingual class performed the Ava ceremony and it was amazing. Finlayson Park did the pōwhiri and the Samoan group completed the ceremony. There were ERO, MOE and Principals from all over NZ present to witness the occasion.
WAIMAHIA INTERMEDIATE - We have the lovely Deputy Principal, Jayne Irwin from Waimahia coming next week to talk to our Year 6 students about transitioning to their school next week.
LEARNING CONVERSATIONS - thank you to all those who were able to attend the conversations with your child’s teacher and discuss their goals and where they are at. If you were unable to attend, please make a time to meet with your child’s teacher at a later date this term. It is important that everyone comes to meet with their child’s teacher this term.
TEACHER AIDE - We are currently looking for another teacher aide to start in our New Entrant class next term from, 9.00 to 12.30pm. If you are interested, please come and see me and we can discuss the role.