Newsletter - WE 04/08/223

Janine Jack

— Aug 4, 2023

Kia ora Koutou

Term 3 is now in full swing as I am sure calving is for many in our school community! Our students had a firsthand experience of this earlier this week when a hungry calf found it’s way to the junior field. Needless to say, the calf wrangling skills of our Deputy Principal - Kylee Habgood, have now been officially recognised and added to her job description!

Well done to all students who participated in the North Canterbury CantaMaths competition this week. It has also been great to see students out preparing for the 7-aside tournament and the upcoming kapa haka festival. It was also amazing to see a wonderful turn-out at our Matariki celebration at the end of week one.

Our senior formal held at the Hanmer Hotel was an amazing evening. It was a pleasure to share the evening with students who represented the school in such a mature and positive manner. My thanks to the team who organised this event, it was such a success due to the effort you all put into making it happen.

Our school value this term is SELF DISCIPLINE. There is a Māori proverb or whakatauki that reads ‘he kai kei aku ringa.’ Translated this means ‘there is food at my fingertips.’ This is a metaphor suggesting that we can use the resources that we have within or in front of us to help create success. When we apply self-discipline it can help to create our own success and it is an attribute that can be translated to all aspects of life.

Amuri Area School Strategic Plan:
From the beginning of this year the Ministry of Education has been rolling out changes to the way that schools plan and report to their community. We have recently received the finalised versions of their requirements. This has provided an opportunity for the Board and Senior Management Team to look over our strategic and annual plans and consider what this might look like from the beginning of 2024. There are many changes going on in the education sector and our planning should reflect and incorporate all of these. Your voice and input into our strategic plan are incredibly valuable and I would like to give you all the opportunity to hear more about what we are thinking and provide feedback on aspects of the plan that are important to you as parents. It is the schools’ desire to see our students (your children) thrive and we would like to consider how we should do this through our strategic plan.

Later this term I would love to hold two information and engagement evenings (these will be the same format each night so you don’t need to attend both. This is designed to give some whānau / families some flexibility so we can maximise opportunities for our community to engage). The dates for these nights are Monday 4th and Tuesday 5th September. The evenings will be held in our Community Room. More details will be forwarded to the community closer to the time.

I have included a one-page summary of the strategic direction that we are proposing to take on page two of this newsletter. If you are unable to come to an engagement evening, you are welcome to email your thoughts/feedback to me at principal@amuri.school.nz. We may also consider sending a further survey to the school community, however, I will confirm this at a later time.

Some themes for the engagement and feedback will include:

What does it mean for your child to ‘thrive?’
What does it mean for the school to ‘know’ your child?
What does it mean for the school to ‘grow’ your child?
What does ‘success’ look like for your child?
How can we connect students to ‘time, people and place.’
What are your thoughts about the ‘guiding actions’ that flow from each aspiration?

There are a lot of considerations and requirements from the Ministry of Education and legislation that sit behind this graphic, and these will be explained in some more detail at the engagement evenings. I acknowledge that this is a busy time of the year for many and at the same time hope that as many parents as possible are able to engage.

We look forward to your input into our strategic direction.

All the best for the next few weeks!

Kia kitea toikaka

Matt Barlow
Principal

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Primary School News

Kia ora Parents and Whanau

This week Constable Ken Terry has been visiting classrooms in Year 1-6 to teach some of the lessons from our ‘Keeping Ourselves Safe’ unit. Here is a link to the parents/whanau page for Keeping Ourselves Safe on the New Zealand Police website:
https://www.police.govt.nz/advice/personal-and-community-advice/school-portal/resources/successful-relationships/info-parents-whanau

Copies of both programmes for Year 1-3 and 4-6 are available in the school office for you to come in and read if you wish to know more.

Gifted educator, Julie Arliss from the University of Oxford stretched and challenged 10 of our Year 7 and 8 students, who had an opportunity to attend a high level of challenge thinking-day at St Andrew’s College on Tuesday. This day was called ‘Junior Stretch and Challenge 2023’. Topics included: how to think through decision making through philosophical theory, exploring the issue of how do we know if things are fair, equality or equity; an introduction to the science of nanotechnology and then the great debate, ‘Is it always right to tell the truth’? Thank you to Mrs Nicholls and Morag Godfrey-Grant for accompanying the students to Christchurch.

A team of Year 6-8 students attended the North Canterbury CantaMaths competition at Ohoka on Wednesday. Our Year 7 team performed particularly well gaining 70 of the possible 100 points. The teams were all observed working well together and should be very proud of their efforts.The primary assemblies for the remainder of the term are listed here:

Term 3

11 Aug - Maths Week, no assembly
18 Aug (pp day for 7 aside) Singing
25 Aug – Room 1
1 Sept – Room 5
8 Sept – Room 6
15 Sept – Room 7 (Māori Language Week)
22 Sept – Room 2
Term 4
13 Oct - Room 4
20 Oct - Singing
27 Oct – Primary Athletics
3 Nov - Room 7
10 Nov - Room 6
17 Nov - Show Weekend
24 Nov – Room 2
1 Dec – Terako (Leavers Assembly)

Our Year 1-6 classes are putting the finishing touches on their artworks, ready for our Kids Art Works calendar art fundraiser. It’s been quite a few years since we have completed this so we thought we would try it again and get everything ordered before the final term gets underway. Students have completed an artwork in class and this can be printed on calendars, diaries and note cards, making personalised gifts. There will be more information next week with a link that allows parents and whanau to view the art online and instructions for ordering.

If your children are missing any uniform, the lost property box is overflowing. Please come in and have a look if you’re missing something.

A very warm welcome to Arthur who has joined Year 8 with Mrs Voice. It is a welcome back for Arthur as he was here in Year 1 with Mrs Shanks and has returned to Amuri. It is great to see you back Arthur!

Ngā mihi nui

Kylee Habgood
Deputy Principal - Primary

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Roll of Honour

1st Merit

2nd Merit

Jade Butters | Jack Cater | Isabella Godfrey-Grant | Mackenna Williamson

3rd Merit

Alexandrina Godfrey-Grant | Alex Shaw

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Dates for Your Diary

August
8th Ethics Olympiad Training Day
9th Bus Safety Training Student Executive Meeting @ 1:10pm
7th-11th Amuri Maths Week
10th Jake Bailey Speaking to Year 9-13 students
14th School Photos
14th Year 11Ag Field Trip to Iverachs Road, Rotherham
16th 7-Aside at Hurunui College
17th NC Kapa Haka Festival at Ohoka
18th 7-Aside at Hurunui College PPT
23rd Mitchell Assembly @ 9:00am
23rd Student Executive Meeting @ 1:10pm
27th-1st SISS Senior Netball Tournament, Invercargill
30th Mitchell Assembly @ 9:00am

September
11th Year 11Ag trip
13th Choir rehearsal at Haeata Community Hall
14th Caverhill Assembly @ 11:20am
20th Student Executive Meeting @ 1:10pm
22nd End of Term 3

October
9th Start of Term 4
9th-11th Year 6 Camp to Living Springs
11th Student Executive Meeting at 1:10pm

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AMURI AREA SCHOOL PTA CALF SCHEME 2023

The Calf Scheme we run every year is our No. 1 fundraiser for our school. Every year, thanks to your generous support, we raise in excess of $30,000.00. All money raised goes to classroom resources, school excursions or any other needs within the school.

If you are keen to donate to this years’ scheme, please let us know and we will get tags to you.

If you would rather make a monetary donation, as any donation is greatly appreciated, please donate through online banking using your surname and first name as reference, code CALF. Our bank account number is 03-1582-0069597-00.

If you are after a tag or two or need any further information, please contact Vicky Hamilton on 021-134-1793 or Fiona Dwyer on 027-260-2027. Please note that you will need to ensure all donated stock are NAIT tagged.

Thank you to FarmSource, Livestock Exchange and Amuri Transport for sponsoring this scheme.

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MATARIKI 2023

Kia ora ngā whānau

On Friday 21 July we held a Kapa Haka performance and shared dinner at school to celebrate Matariki.

These are some of the comments from whānau:
• “Thanks for a wonderful evening, the kids did an amazing job. Well done!”
• “Amazing performance – kids looked like they really enjoyed it too.”
• “What a fantastic performance by the children. Their hard work and practice has paid off. Ka pai.”
• “Was a brilliant evening. So nice spending time with our Kapa Haka whānau and seeing how much our
tamariki have grown in their performance.”
• “What an amazing performance. Well done everyone, you have all worked so hard.”
• “I enjoyed the tamariki performing. You can see how well so many have improved since last year. It’s
well and truly worth our drive from Christchurch to come and watch. Well done to you all.”
• “It was a great celebration and the dinner was amazing.”

Thank you very much to the amazing staff and whānau who attended and supported our Kapa Haka students. Thank you for doing dishes and helping prepare and put out food. We cannot run events like this without these incredible people supporting us, so thank you.

A special thank you to Alix Bush for taking such beautiful photos of the tamariki.

We hope you can come next year and join in all the fun! Bring on Matariki 2024!

Ka mau te wehi!

Ngā mihi

Eve Reihana, Renet van der Merwe, Phoebe Voice, Anna Jamieson, Denise Johnson and the 2023 Kapa Haka rōpū

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Amuri Maths Week

Maths in Sustainability

Competition for teams or individuals in each year group. (Yrs 1-2) (Yrs 3-4) (Yrs 5-6) (Yrs 7-8) (Yrs 9-10) (Yrs 11-13)

Entries to be handed to Miss Campbell or Mrs Ibbetson by Wednesday 9th August. Judging will take place on Thursday 10th August. Public can view exhibits on Friday until 1:20pm in the Community room.

Prizes to be won. Certificates for all participants.

Each entry must have an explanation of the mathematics involved and show a tangible application to Mathematics. Entry must include clearly written Amuri Area School entry label.

Category 1: MATHEMATICAL POSTERS - Advertisements; applications of mathematics; cartoons; famous theorems; slogans; the history of mathematics; mathematical curves; patterns; tiling; quilting; mathematical shapes in two dimensions. Computer generated work and hand-made items are both allowed.

● Judges will be considering originality when marking this section.

● Designs must contain less than 15 words.

● A3 or A2 paper is suggested.

● A brief description must be provided about which computer programmes have been used to create the poster as well as any

pre-designed template that has been used.

Category 2: MATHEMATICAL MODELS - Mathematical shapes in three dimensions; scale models (not kitsets) employing mathematical content; string designs; puzzles and games.

● Models must be made to be free standing and have no loose parts that can be lost; game pieces must be secured for display.

● A brief explanation must accompany each entry.

● The judges will be considering originality when marking this section.

Category 3: WEARABLE MATHS - Make a wearable item using anything from your knowledge of

mathematics. Use a mathematical story, message, slogan, theorem or principle.

● Wearable maths designs must be able to be worn.

● An explanation of the mathematics involved must accompany the display.

● They can be made from any material available.

Category 4: EDIBLE MATHS - Cakes, buns, pizzas, sandwiches, pies.

· Must be made or decorated by students and be edible.

· An explanation of the mathematics involved must accompany the display.

Category 5: RECIPROCAL MATHS PROJECT: Tuakana–teina (Big Brother Little Brother) Children teaching another group a maths activity and documenting this journey. For example: A Year 5 group of students could teach some Year 2s about 2 and 3D shape.

· Design a teaching plan including a list of equipment.

· Document the process: How did you assess each student’s progress?

· Include evidence of student voice.

Category 6: WRITTEN MATHS: - Description of maths used in a branch of agriculture, commerce, science, health or daily life; a statistical investigation; a mathematical principle or idea; a story with mathematical significance.

· May be prose or poetry.

· May include hand-drawn or computer-generated decorations.

· Presented as a single sheet or book.

· A list of references much be provided.

Category 7: MATHS PHOTOGRAPHY – Photo displays with a mathematical theme.

· Photos taken by students and adapted using technology are allowed.

· A brief explanation must accompany each entry.

· The judges will be considering originality when marking this section.

CANTAMATH PUBLICITY MOTIF COMPETITION: - Do you think you’ve got what it takes to design a Motif for CANTAMATH 2024?

· Use only A4 paper in portrait orientation.

· You must only use red and black on a white background; shading by cross-hatching is allowed.

· Technology can be used to create the motif.