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Principal's Pen
 
Photo by Stephen Harrison

Principal's Pen - Term 2 - Week 9, 2019

Stephen Harrison —

Kia ora koutou

Good luck to all our students who are taking part in the Jump Jam Competitions at the Aurora Centre on Saturday.

The Fortnight Ahead

Term 2 – Week 9

Term 2 - Week 10

  • Monday - CPSSA Rippa Tournament
  • Monday - Tōtarabui Kahui Ako Cantamaths
  • Thursday - Hot Chocolate Day
  • Friday - Reports To Parents
  • Friday - Term 2 Finishes At 3.00pm
  • Saturday - School Holidays

The Weeks Notes

Cotswold School Board of Trustees

The newly elected Board held their first meeting on Tuesday evening.

Cotswold School is governed by a Board of Trustees comprised of:

  • Five Parent Elected Representatives
  • One Staff Elected Representative
  • The School Principal

Trustees are elected every three years with the next election due during Term 1, 2022.

Membership

Chairperson

  • Kiri Terry - kiri.terry@cotswold.school.nz
    • Property and Personnel & Employment Portfolios

Trustees:

Principal

Staff Representative

Minutes Secretary

All trustees also share the Strategic Documentation & Legislative Requirements Portfolios.

Board Responsibility

The board of trustees is a crown entity and is responsible for the governance of this school. The key focus of their role is the improvement of student progress and achievement.

At Cotswold School, the board of trustees is responsible for the following board-level overarching policies:

NB: To access our school policy and procedures please use:

  • Username: cotswold
  • Password: elephant

The board delegates the day-to-day implementation of many of its responsibilities and the supporting operational policies and procedures to the principal, but does not delegate the board's accountability.

Principal Responsibility

The principal is the educational leader, the chief executive, and an employee of the board. The principal is also a full member of the board of trustees and is the link between policy and operation.

The principal:

  • is responsible for the supporting policies and procedures relating to the board-level overarching policies
  • has discretion to manage the school's day-to-day administration (as the board delegates)
  • may further delegate some of the responsibility to other staff members
  • keeps the board of trustees informed of the information it relies on to carry out its own responsibilities.

Beauty and the Beast Performance

The children loved the Beauty and the Beast show at Papanui High School on Tuesday. Thanks to Papanui High School and all the parent helpers that made this possible.

Parking At Our School Gateways

Image by: Stephen Harrison

Please note the following parking restrictions at our school gateways:

Cotswold Avenue

A three-minute parking limit has been placed on all parking spaces directly outside the school gateway – from the school gateway to the school driveway entrance during the following periods:

  • 8.15am – 9.15am
  • 2.30pm – 3.15pm

This has been done to establish a drop-off zone outside our school gate for parents who would like to drop their children off without entering the school grounds.

Martbern Crescent

A no parking area has been established directly outside our school entrance on both sides of Martbern Crescent. This restriction is for the following periods:
  • 8.15am – 9.15am
  • 2.30pm – 3.15pm
This has been done to provide a clear view for students and parents crossing Martbern Crescent outside our school gateway. Student safety is paramount.

Private Driveways

We receive a number of complaints each term from local residents regarding the behaviour of parents dropping off and picking up students. Residents have been instructed to record registration numbers and pass these to the Police for prosecution. Section 16 of the New Zealand Road Code includes the following statements:You must not stop, or park a vehicle:

  • Where it will be in the way of other people using the road
  • Near a corner, bend, hill, traffic island or intersection if it will stop other people from seeing the road.
  • On any footpath
  • On, or closer than 6 metres to, an intersection – except where there are parking spaces or a notice telling you that you can park there.
  • On or closer than 6 metres to, the approach side of a pedestrian crossing.
  • In front of a vehicle entrance – or closer than 1 metre to a vehicle entrance.
  • Next to another parked vehicle (‘double-parked’).
  • Where there are yellow “no stopping” lines.

Please ensure you do not block residents driveway access points. 

Juno Can’t Wait To Explore Tech Careers in Wellington

Image by: Stephen Harrison

Congratulations to year-six pupil, Juno Rainey who is heading to Wellington as part of the ‘The Tech Life Project’ – an exciting initiative from Christchurch company Global Office.

Committed to changing the gender imbalance in the technology industry, Global Office, one of New Zealand’s leading software development companies, is sponsoring five female year-six pupils from Christchurch to travel to Wellington to learn more about a career in technology at Trade Me and Xero’s head offices.

Juno is excited about being part of ‘The Tech Life Project’ and exploring various roles in technology in late July. She will meet inspirational women, working in digital technology at Trade Me and Xero and visit some of Wellington’s attractions, including Te Papa.

“I love coding and programming and am excited about learning new things on the trip,” she says.

Juno’s father Scott Rainey says, “I hope Juno learns from the trip that there is a world of opportunities out there. Women add significant value to the tech industry.”

Global Office director Chris Tacon says he wants to see more diversity in the industry, noting that women are currently greatly underrepresented. A 2018 report from the Ministry of Women found that only 23 percent of Kiwis employed in digital technology were women.

Student Reports & Learning Conferences

Image by: Stephen Harrison

Student Reports will be send home with children on Friday 5 July, 2019.

Learning Conferences will be held on Wednesday 31 July and Thursday 1 August, 2019. Further information will be provided by Paula Fleming-Connell & Andrew Simpson.

A Long Time Between Wins Mr Harper!

Image by: Stephen Harrison

Ngā mihi nui                                 

Principal

STEPHEN HARRISON

Repeated Information

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Rebuild Update

Image by: Stephen Harrison

The New Block is well underway with a large amount of the internal framing in place. It is pleasing to see that the work of the Board and Senior Leadership Team has resulted in eight clearly distinguishable teaching spaces that can also open to become larger spaces when required.

Glazing is being fitted to all external doors and windows over the next few days.

There will be a large number of sub-trades onsite over the next four weeks as internal plumbing, wiring, heating and cooling fitout is completed. 

Cotswold News – June, 2019

The June Edition of Cotswold News was published on Thursday 6 June. You can access it as follows:

World Vision Hot Chocolates Are Back..

Enjoy a warming hot chocolate on Thursday mornings

The World Vision Leaders will be selling delicious hot chocolates with marshmallows on Thursday mornings for the rest of this Term.

Please bring a NAMED mug and a $2 coin to the hall kitchen window on a Thursday morning from 8.30am and leave it in your class bucket.

Your hot chocolate will then be delivered to your classroom before morning tea.

This fundraiser is to raise money for the World Vision 40 hour famine.

Bring Back Bullrush

Back by popular demand….Year 2–6 Bullrush. Girls and boys who are interested in taking part in Bullrush can register ‘on-line’ on the Cotswold Website. Bullrush sessions will take place on Tuesday, 12:55-1:25pm - Term 2 and Term 3. Participants will need a change of clothes and a mouth guard.

2019 Term Dates

Term dates for 2019 have been confirmed as follows:

  • Term 2: Monday 29 April to Friday 5 July
  • Term 3: Monday 22 July to Friday 27 September
  • Term 4: Monday 14 October to Tuesday 17 December

School will be closed in 2019 on Saturdays and Sundays and on the following holidays:

  • Labour Day – 28 October
  • Canterbury Anniversary Day – 15 November

Keeping Up To Date

Please refer to the attachment at the bottom of this article – “Keeping Up To Date At Cotswold”. A printed copy of this information can be collected from the school office.