9 December 2020

Tena koutou e te whanau

Greetings to all our Parents / Caregivers

As the 2020 school year draws to a close we reflect on a year with a difference. Like you we had to rethink our year majorly and approach learning in a whole new unique way. Who would have thought that this time last year that we would be involved in a lock down and all the challenges that went with that - Not to mention distance learning ! A big thank you goes out to our Mums, Dads and Grandparents for the way you stepped up to this new challenge.

So much has happened this year. Our children and families and staff have had to cope with unprecedented change. The way our children have adapted to this change has been truly quite inspirational. In many cases they have shown us how to cope with change and uncertainty. Given the compressed nature of our school year we are simply amazed as to just how well our children have done with their learning. Their learning has happened in many unique ways and they have picked up some valuable life skills along the way. The recent showcase was a shining example of that.

End of Year Assemblies

Once again we have been overwhelmed by the great turn out of Mums, Dads and Whanau for our team assemblies recently. It has been great to see you taking the time to pause from the end of year rush, and reflect with us, as our children have shared their learning celebrations with you. We have seen lots of proud faces and all well deserved too.

We are proud of the vast array of learning opportunities that are offered to our children at Queenspark School. Our children are willing to get involved and take up these opportunities and it is most satisfying to watch them literally grow before our eyes in character and in the new learning they acquire.

Our traditional school ‘Stepping Up Assembly’ was held this week. The final school-wide Stepping Up Assembly is a time for recognising Personal Best achievements in the school-wide context. It is about recognising where students have excelled in their ability to make our 3Rs, our school values, come alive through their actions in and around our Queenspark school community. Being Responsible, Being Respectful and Being Resolute about their learning.

The awards are also about recognising the qualities that we value through our Q-Competencies of Thinking, Participating, Communicating, Relating to Others and Self Managing. As our education curriculum states, ‘People use these competencies to live, learn, work and contribute as active members of their communities.’ We want active members of our school community. Above all this assembly is about celebrating the future; our students. Congratulations to all students who received an award this year.

End of Year Reporting

Digital Reports are now live for parents to view. For information about how to log in and view your child's learning, go to the ‘Hero for Parents website’ page. The link is: Hero for Parents Website. You can use the HERO App on your phone or your computer browser. Please make sure the contact email you have given the school, is the one you will use for logging into your child’s digital report. 

Farewell to staff

We are farewelling 6 staff members this year:

Annemarie James

Annemarie leaves after 23 years of teaching service at our school. In 2012-2013 Annemarie worked part time while completing a Post Grad in Deaf and Hearing Impaired. In 2014 she took up the role of Learning Support coordinator overseeing learning programmes for children needing additional support and working with the many intervention workers who come into our school. In 2016 she went to Girls High as Head of Learning Support. In 2017 she returned to QPS in the learning support role once again. 

Annemarie said she feels grateful to have worked with such amazing teachers and has loved working alongside the Queenspark families very much.

Annemarie has made a significant difference for many children during her time at Queenspark School both as a classroom teacher and as our Learning Support Coordinator. We wish her well with her retirement. We will miss her.

Karen Hoult

Karen started as a beginning teacher at Queenspark School in 1987.  She began as a teacher in the junior school. In 1994 Karen left full time teaching to have children. From there Karen returned to Queenspark in the early 2000's to do release work while her children were still young. She then job shared with Andrea Sullivan for several years until she returned to full time teaching in 2010.

Karen had time teaching different year levels -  NE, Yr1/2s and in more recent years Yr3s and currently 3/4s and 4/5s.

When we caught up with Karen about what she loves the most about Queenspark, she said she loves the QP Whanau. Fabulous people to be surrounded by during her teaching career. She really feels the community is supportive too and feels blessed to have been at Queenspark and worked closely with amazing colleagues through challenging times.

Karen says the time is right for her to have a change. Karen is keen to explore new opportunities and we wish her all the very best for what awaits her next.

Aimee Connolly

Aimee has been with us the last two years working in the Junior School. Aimee has made a most positive start to her career and she has recently become a fully registered teacher. We wish to congratulate her on her new appointment at Linwood North School and we wish her all the best for the next stage in her career.

Kate Webster

Kate has been working with Annemarie James this year in Learning Support. We have so appreciated the seamless way that Kate has quietly got involved in our school and in the way she has been working with our children needing additional support. We thank Kate for the way she has stepped in and kept our student monitoring and intervention programme ticking over.

Anna Giera

Anna has been a vital part of our Learning Assistant Team for 2020.  Anna has a great strength in building relationships and our students have enjoyed working alongside her. We will miss Anna's fun sense of humour and positive attitude at Queenspark School.

Stacey Hewson

Stacey is stepping down from her role as Shining Lights Arts & Sports Coordinator. We thank Stacey for her work in these 2 very busy areas of our school.  Stacey has managed this role superbly and it is a tribute to her good work that the Arts and Sports are flourishing in our school.  The children and staff under her watch would testify to that.  We wish Stacey a well earned break with her family.

Next year Andy Parkinson takes over this role.

2021 Organisation

Learning Teams, Teaching Levels and Support Teams for 2021

TL = Team Leader

Year 7/8

Hub 1 - Helen Willis (TL)

Hub 1 - Linda Goodson

Hub 2 - Bridie Cassidy

Hub 2 - Mark Tarr

Hub 3 - Taryn Boyte

Year 6

Rm 21 - Mark Harris (TL)

Hub 19/20 (Rm 19/20) - Debbie Whitaker

Hub 19/20 (Rm 19/20) - Siobhan van Arendonk

Year 4/5

Room 15 - Fiona Lange (TL)

Room 16 - Laura Everest

Room 17 - Gina Rose Morris

Room 18 - Ashleigh Inch

Rm 24 - Brad Shaw

Year 2/3

Rm 9 - Andrea Sullivan (TL)

Rm 10 - Barb Mulholland

Rm 11 - Brigitte Duncan

Rm 12 - Becky Elliott

Rm 13 - Aaron Jukes

NEST +1 (Yr 1)

NEST (Rm 5/6) - Sue Page (TL)

NEST(Rm 5/6) - Amber Tucker

Plus 1 (Rm 7/8) - Rebekah Hayward

Plus 1 (Rm 7/8) - Karen Pearce

Specific Learning Intervention

Reading Recovery/Junior School Literacy intervention - Kate Simmonds

Extra Curricular Team

Shining Lights Performance Arts/Sports School-Wide Organisation - Andy Parkinson

Librarian - Maree Silver Hessey

Learning Support Team

SENCO DP - Kylie Murcott

Literacy / Numeracy Support Alim /ALL - Mike Jeffries

Senior Learning Assistant and Student Welfare - Judy Beal

Learning Assistant - Chris Jones

Learning Assistant - Chris Schwalger

Learning Assistant - Sharon Miller

Learning Assistant - Bev Kitto

Learning Assistant - Kim Taylor

Learning Assistant - Josh Middleton

Learning Assistant - Andrea Bennett

School Administration Team

Office Manager/PA - Bec Taylor

Bursar - Sherryl Haughie

Reception - Karen Wheeler

School Environment

Ben Kroening - Caretaker

Cleaning team - Crest Cleaning Co.

Principal Leadership Team

Principal - Ross Willocks

Deputy Principal - Tony Mabin

Deputy Principal - Kylie Murcott

Children Visiting 2021 Classes - Friday 11th December 2pm

On Friday afternoon the children will visit their 2021 learning groups where they will meet their teachers and classmates for next year. This is a time for children to become familiar with teacher expectations and to meet the students they will be working and collaborating with next year. 

Important information will come home from this visit. Please ask your child about this as you will need to read it carefully and some notices will have to be signed and returned to school. This information will be in a brown paper bag. Please check school bags for this.

Student Leavers

We say farewell to all of our Year 8 leavers and other children who are attending different schools in 2021. We wish them all the best in their future endeavors and we look forward to hearing of their future successes. It has been a privilege watching them all grow and learn at QPS. We are looking forward to these people staying in touch with us.

Final Accounts:

Please ensure your student accounts are paid by the end of this week. Parents of leaving students please also make contact with the office to tidy up your account.

If you wish to discuss any activities on your account please contact the office by this Friday 11th December. The office will be closed for payments on Tuesday 15th December.

Board of Trustees /PTA

A big thank you to Dean Taylor & team from the Board of Trustees and Krissy Tupou & team from the PTA. These 2 groups of parent representatives have worked tirelessly to ensure our children have the very best in learning in what has been a challenging year.  We acknowledge the time and expertise that they have willingly given our school: Job WELL DONE!!

Reminder

Our last day of the year is next Tuesday 15th December. Pick up is at 12.30pm.

Final words

Thank you for your support in 2020. At Queenspark School we have amazing children who have a love of learning and who are curious and creative, great staff who bring their learning expertise and passion for our children and parents who support us in all of this.

Have a relaxing holiday with your family. Let's hope we get some good weather so that we can all make the most of the outdoors this summer holiday in our shorts, sunhats, and jandals! We look forward to hearing of the children’s holiday adventures and we look forward to seeing you all in 2021.

Remember, our first day back for term 1 is Monday 1st February 2021.

Ka Kite ano - Meri Kirihimete

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Ross Willocks

Principal

Queenspark School