Our team have put together this summary of the Parent Information Evening which was held last week.

Communication - How do we find out information?

• School Website - www.merrin.school.nz - Each Team has a page with articles showing what has been going on in the classrooms. New articles are put on here each week. Our team publication is called Kāhui Blog (Y2 & Y3)

• Along with the regular School Newsletters, we also email out a weekly Parent Communication to let you know what's happening this week, dates and friendly reminders

• Email the classroom teacher if you would like to discuss any issues or concerns you have about your child or feel free to make an appointment to meet. Your classroom teacher is always your first port of call.

• If you have a quick query, teachers are in the classroom between 8:30am and 8:55am

• You are very welcome to visit the classrooms before and after school with your child

• Reporting Systems - parents will receive two written reports each year. A full or Anniversary report after your child has had 40, 80, or 120 weeks at school. You will also receive an Interim report when your child is between these anniversary dates.

• Student Led Conferences - are held in Terms 1, 2 and 3. Your child will invite you to attend these after they have received either an Anniversary or Interim report. This is an opportunity for your child to report to you about their learning at school.

Home Learning - How can I support my child’s learning at home?

IXL -Home and School Online Maths Skills Programme.

• The IXL computer programme is purchased for all Merrin School children at a small cost. It is charged to your termly account for the year. The school believes in this wonderful Maths programme which supports and reinforces the children’s learning in class.

• Your classroom teacher will email you a personal login and password to use at home. This is also available for the children to use in the class when it is appropriate.

• The skills offered at all levels follow the learning Pathways on the classroom wall and the New Zealand Curriculum. If you want to reinforce class Maths learning at home it is a good idea to check what your child is specifically working on and practise these skills. or ask the teacher if there is a specific focus during the term.

• Weekly reports are sent out to you personally and to the classroom teacher.

NZ Maths Website - www.nzmaths.co.nz - this is a fantastic site you can visit which gives you a wealth of information about what your child is learning in Maths at school, and how you can support learning at home.  Students will soon be able to access e-ako learning through this website, to help practise what they have been learning in class.  This is a free programme. 

Reading Eggs -Online Home Reading Practice

• This is an optional Reading Programme that covers reading, comprehension, vocabulary and many other important reading skills.

• If you are not familiar with Reading Eggs you should look at the programme online or talk to other parents who are familiar with it.

• A notice about Reading Eggs will come home shortly with an explanation and the cost involved.

Te Kortiritiri Challenges -optional homework challenges

• This is optional for families wanting to give their children an extra challenge. We understand that some families are already very committed with out of school activities, but other families do still want to support school learning with a focus on fun extension activities.

• The challenges do need to be documented in a book with some sort of evidence. We are expecting a high standard of presentation. To help with presentation it is a good idea to buy a book with lines, for the children to write neatly. The work needs a title about the specific challenge, how it was carried out and some visual evidence like drawings, photos or pictures. 

• Each child that completes all the expected challenges by the last week of term, to an acceptable standard, will be awarded a certificate during the final Junior Assembly for each term.

Home Reading Logs -parent recording of home reading

• A small yellow home reading log will come home with your children this week in their Reading Folders.

• The log needs to remain in the reading folder each day.

• Parents or children  record the books that have been read for that night, sign it to say it has been read to someone else, mark in a smiley face or sad face about your child’s reading and any other comments. 

• The children will get a sticker from their teacher when they have read for a certain number of nights eg. 25 nights reading, 50 nights reading etc.

• The book also contains great ideas for you as a parent to help your child’s reading at home.

Parent Helpers - How can I help at school?

• Classroom learning support

• Putting books away weekly

• School trips

• Preparing materials to support teaching and learning such as laminating or cutting up resources

Friendly Reminders:

Absences

• Please call the school and leave a message or email the teacher directly before 8.45am

Lateness

• Please take your child to the office if you arrive at school after 8.55am to report in, as teachers will have already completed their rolls

Before School

• Classrooms are not open until 8:30am each morning. On the odd day that students are early, they are required to sit outside Room 8 on the veranda till 8.30am. This is because teachers are often not in the classrooms and therefore can not supervise students.

Pick ups

• Thank you for wanting for your child away from classroom windows.  This allows students to complete their end of day routine without distractions.  If your child is not collected by 3.15 pm they will be taken to the office and you will be called. As again teachers have meetings and planning to do.

CASPA

• Please remember that there is a great before and after school programme running within the school grounds if you need your child to be supervised outside of school times.

Litter Free Lunch boxes

• At Merrin, we are guardians (Kaitiakitanga) and protectors of our environment.  We encourage sustainable practices by  limiting the number of rubbish bins at school and are encouraging children to take their non compostable rubbish home with them. You can support your child with this by using washable containers to send their lunch in.

Please ensure all your child's belongings are clearly named, including shoes, socks, and lunch boxes.  This means that belongings can be quickly returned to the right owner if they have been misplaced.

Learning Programmes - What do I need to know?

Action Stations

• Action Stations is based on research by Kath Murdoch, Reggio Emilia (Italy), Ann Epstein, Susan Lyle, L. Bird and W, Drewery.

• Action Stations are designed to help the students to become independent lifelong learners using a well planned and managed programme.

• Oral language is developed through discussion, explanations and reflection.

• The students develop their skills in the New Zealand Curriculum Key Competencies of thinking, managing themselves, using language and symbols, participating and contributing and relating to others.

Passion Time

• Research has shown that students learn best if they are interested in what they are learning.

• An inquiry model is used for the children to find out about their interests, gain understanding, think about their interests and then put their ideas into actions.

• Again it is an opportunity for the students to develop their skills in the New Zealand Curriculum Key Competencies.

• We would love parents and whānau to join us on a Friday between 12:45 and 1:45pm, to help our students research and develop their ideas and interests.  Perhaps you have a passion that you can share with our students.  Please contact your class teacher if you can help.

PE

• All classes go out most mornings for a 20 minute fitness session. Children will be expected to have changed into sports shoes so that their ankles and feet are properly supported.

• Every Friday we will all have a 2 twenty minute Physical Education lessons. All of the children need to change into a t-shirt and shorts for this.

• Each child needs to have their sport shoes and PE clothes at school everyday. Students may leave their PE gear at school on their hook in a clearly named bag.

The first few weeks

• During the first few weeks of the term, teachers are getting to know your child and collecting data about their learning. Each student will have an individual assessment in Maths and Reading with their teacher. This is so we can plan programmes that best meet the needs of your child.

• Your child will be doing Reading, Writing and Maths in their class but please do not be concerned if it looks a little different in these first few weeks.

Learning Pathways

• Displayed in each class with be a Maths knowledge pathway which shows the learning goal your child is working on. Please feel free to support your child with this goal at home.  Math strategy teaching is also part of our regular programme but not shown on a learning pathway.

• Writing goals are also displayed on the classroom wall. Students may also have a copy in their writing books. This means students know what they have achieve and the things they need to work on.

ICT - How will this be used in the classroom?

• Each classroom has a pod of around 5 ipads. These are used to enhance learning and for children to show their learning creatively.

• Some of the apps the children will be learning to use this year are Book Creator, Explain Everything and Pic Collage. They will also be using IXL and a few maths games to support their Maths learning as well as Reading Eggs to support their Reading program.