Friendly reminder to wear your Happy Hats with your school uniform this Friday for Travelwise Day and to use sustainable transport. This is not a Mufti day and students are not required to bring a gold coin donation.👒🤠🎩

Coming Up

• BOT Meeting - Thursday 27 March - 6.30pm (Staffroom)

• Happy Hats Travelwise Day - Friday 28 March

• FOTS 3rd Ice Block Sale - Friday 28 March - 3pm (Junior Playground)

• School Lunchroom Closed - Friday 28 March - Friday 04 April

• FOTS Meeting - Monday 31 March - 6.30pm (Staffroom)

• Y5 Zoo Trip - Tuesday 01 April

• Whole School Assembly - Friday 11 April - 9.45am (Y6 Hosting)

• Term 1 Ends - Friday 11 April - 3pm

• Term 2 Starts - Monday 28 April

Contents

Principal News

• Teacher Only Day

• Pool Closing

• School Lunchroom - Closed Until Friday 04 April

• Writer's Toolbox Parent Meeting

Awhi Update

• Is it Bullying?

School Notices

• Scholastic Book Orders

School Events

• Friendship Games Art Competition

• Happy Hats Travelwise Day

• Level 5 Waterwise

• Chinese Traditional Dance Troupe

Friends of the School/P.T.A

• Ice Block Sale

Principal News

Teacher Only Day

At the Teacher Only day on Monday, the teachers and learning support staff worked on the new Maths curriculum. At the end of 2024, the Ministry of Education made provision for two Teacher Only days. Within our Kahui Ako / Cluster of Schools, we try to make school closures happen at the same time as we know families have children across multiple schools.

On Monday, we spent some time with two lead teachers from our Kahui Ako further unpacking the new curriculum and new resources that have become available to schools since the start of the year. Teachers are all teaching to the new curriculum which contains new content.

The Government are still working on ways in which they are going to collect data from schools to ensure that the changes they are making continue to raise progress and achievement for students. When we fully understand the impact of this on reporting to parents we will explain the changes through newsletters.

Pool Closing

Thank you to everyone who has used the pool so respectfully throughout this term. With the work that was needed it was disappointing for everyone that we could not open the pool to the community earlier, but we are looking forward to next year when we will be able to offer the pool for the whole season.

The Property team will close the pool on the last day of term, Friday 11 April. Please return your pool card to the school office by the end of Week 1 next term, (Friday 02 May), to receive your $50 bond refund.

School Lunchroom Closed Until 04 April

Due to some personal circumstances we have had to close the school lunchroom for a short period of time. The Lunchroom will re-open on Monday 07 April. eZlunch orders only in the meantime.

Writers Toolbox Parent Meeting

We have added a parent meeting for Year 5-6 students to the school calendar for Week 1 of Term 2. We will share with you some of the tools for learning and you can experience what it feels like to use the platform as a learner.

Awhi Update

Is it Bullying?

This week, your children have been learning the difference between rude behaviour, being mean and bullying. You may find this poster useful when asking your child about the differences: 

Next week, our Awhi lesson will focus on when and why we use manners. We will be looking to praise students who use please, thank you, excuse me and sorry. It would be wonderful if you can spot your children using manners at home and out in the community. Many thanks. 

Kiara from Rm 16 has demonstrated our school values and enjoyed the day with our Mascot, Trimper.

School Notices

SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB

Parents wanting to order Scholastic books, to do so online by Friday 04 April.

There will be no cash orders at school.

Online book orders

School Events

Friendship Games Art Competition

At the end of last year, the Friendship Games students had an art competition to create a design for the placard that will be put up near the Friendship Games area. Eileen won the competition and chose a group of fine young artists to help her design and paint the placard. Mrs Vermeij is pictured at the top of this newsletter along with Eileen, Veronica, Madeline, Elynn, Reina and Lume. Today they presented the final piece of art to Mrs Burn and Mrs Hammelburg. A very proud moment. 

Happy Hats Travelwise Day

On Friday 28 March we will celebrate our Happy Hats Travelwise Day at Browns Bay School. Our new Travelwise Team decided that students are allowed to decorate and wear any hat to school (it does not need to be a school hat) while using sustainable transport by: walking, biking, scootering, parking and walking or taking the bus. 

This is a kind reminder that this is not a Mufti Day and students are not required to bring a gold coin donation. 

Teachers look forward to meeting many of our students at the following checkpoints at 8:15 am and walking to school together:

• The corner of Mirwill Road and Hyde Road

• Old Testing station, Corner of Beach Road and Browns Bay Road

• Corner of Sandown Road and Korotaha Terrace

• Corner of Philson Terrace and Browns Bay Road

LET’S ALL WEAR OUR HAPPY HATS AND BE TRAVELWISE!

Level 5 Waterwise

Some of our students out on the water, learning and enjoying the Level 5 sailing activities at Waiake Beach.

Chinese Traditional Dance Troupe

Our Chinese Traditional Dance Troupe were asked to perform at the Lake House Arts Centre in Takapuna as part of their annual Race Unity Day. Nicole, Eileen, Meilun, Felicia, Sophia and Margarita performed the Umbrella Dance beautifully.

Meilun and Eileen performed a new dance, the Fan Dance with grace and skill.

Annie played a traditional Chinese instrument known as Gu Zheng, also called the Chinese piano.

We can be very proud of the talent, commitment and dedication these girls show, practicing every week in order to achieve personal excellence.

A very special thank you to Jessey Song for working with these girls to reach such a high level of performance, and for giving them the opportunity to shine through dance and music from the Chinese traditional culture.

Friends of the School/P.T.A

Ice Block Sale

FOTS will be having another Ice Block sale on Friday 28 March at 3pm in the Junior Playground under the blue shade. $2 cash preferred. Eftpos is available.

The FOTS Team.

Community Notices