From our Tumuaki / Principal

As I often talk about the different learning opportunities our ākonga (students) have, I thought this week it would be good to spend time looking at what our kaimahi (staff) are currently learning about.

Structured literacy

Our kaiako (teachers) across the school are involved in literacy professional development this year around structured literacy. We began working with Christine Braid from Massey University at the start of this year, and our literacy facilitator, Kerri Satherly, has been visiting Amesbury for four days each term, teaching, modelling, and coaching us around the content of structured literacy.

So far we have explored the scope and sequence of learning phonics - the most effective order and progression in which to learn the sounds of the English language, and how to teach sentence structures. As we continue with this learning, we will work with Kerri to help us develop our own Amesbury effective literacy teaching guidelines and expectations. Along with this, a smaller literacy lead team in the school are completing complementary learning around the science of teaching reading, and how our literacy programme will be structured going forwards.

Refreshed curriculum

As a school we are continuing to explore Te Mataiaho, the refreshed curriculum. This includes exploring the updated curriculum areas as they are released, the common practice model (agreed upon teaching practices and approaches for all teachers across Aotearoa New Zealand), and exploring our updated school matrices for maths and communication arts, based on the refreshed curricula.

Te Reo Māori

All kaiako (teachers) are required to grow and develop their knowledge and te reo me ona tikanga Māori (Māori language and customs). A number of our staff are participating in a Māori language course (either levels 2, 3 or 4) funded through the Ministry of Education. All teachers also complete some te reo (language) learning through staff meetings, and through our practice of continually learning waiata (songs), karakia (lessings) and our pepeha (introduction of self).

Kāhui collaborative professional development

Amesbury School is part of a cluster of ten local schools who work together to provide the best education for all ākonga (students) in the northern cluster. All kaiako (teachers) are part of a hub of interest across these schools, working together on self chosen areas of passion or interest, to continue to further their own professional growth and development.

All kaimahi (staff) also receive regular coaching and mentoring, to help with their individual ongoing growth and development.

Staff only day on Tuesday next week

As part of our continued growth and development, our staff only day on Tuesday 4th June (next week) is based at Onslow College and Rāroa Intermediate, and will focus on staff sharing and learning together around a range of topics. All schools chose to make this day a focus for schools to come together, and we use school-based staff meetings to continue our exploration of the ongoing curriculum refresh.

Please note: school will be closed for instruction on Tuesday 4th June during the staff only day.

School opening and closing times

As winter fast approaches, it is timely to remind all families of school opening and closing times.

* Hubs open at 8:30am each morning. Students cannot come inside before 8:30am, as we cannot ensure supervision in learning spaces. Prior to 8:30am, kaiako (teachers) will be completing tasks, preparing for the day, or having meetings.

We are seeing a regular number of students who arrive at school early and need to wait outside. This is not a good approach, as they are unsupervised at that time, and it is becoming increasing wet and cold. Please ensure that your tamariki don’t arrive at school prior to 8:30. If they need to arrive earlier, Kelly Club offers before school supervision - see the link here.

* School finishes at 3pm. We ask that all ākonga (students) have either been picked up or have left for home by 3:15pm. Ākonga cannot stay at school and play unsupervised after 3:15pm, as there is no-one supervising them. Once they have gone home, tamariki (children) are most welcome to return to school and play in the school grounds.

Have a wonderful extra long weekend. Enjoy the extra days of time with whānau and friends, and take time to rest and relax. Hei tērā wiki, see you next week.

Ngā mihi nui, 

Urs Cunningham