This week has been an exciting week for our Year 5 and 6 Tamariki!

Education Outside the Classroom

This week our Year 5/6 tamariki have visited Ferrymead Historic Park as part of their inquiry learning.

This group have been learning about how Canterbury was used by Māori and the Early Settlers who followed. It was a great hands on experience for tamariki who were able to learn more about Early Settler life and how they adapted to life in New Zealand with support from local iwi. Children experienced a V Hutt - the first type of buildings used by the settlers . Tamariki played with colonial toys, baked and learned where ingredients came from. They also experienced what 1800s school life was like - a somewhat confronting experience for many! The children dressed up in period costume and were expected to followed 1800s etiquette for day! Thanks to Miss Muir and our team for their organisation and as always, our fantastic parent helpers.

Teaching and Learning

This week, we have had Lynda and Rebecca from Literacy Connections providing coaching and mentoring with classroom teachers around their delivery of our structured literacy programmes.

I have received positive feedback from Rebecca and Lynda around what they have observed. It is great to see quality teaching practice being consolidated in this curriculum area. Our staff have been provided useful next steps to further refine our teaching practice.

Sharing Concerns

Our teaching team is always willing to help and support your child/ren. If you have any questions or concerns with your child’s learning, pastoral care, or behaviour, please reach out to your child’s teacher in the first instance.  As per our Raising Concerns and Complaints policy, it is really important that the classroom teacher is given the opportunity to address your questions or concerns first.  Approaching parents or other children directly with a perceived problem rarely leads to a positive outcome and is discouraged under our Behaviour Management Policy. 

Incidentally these polices alongside all of Redwood School’s policies are hosted with School Docs . Feel free to view our policies by following the link, entering the username (redwoodprimary), and password (climbing).

Thank you for your support with this.

Staffing Update

Recently the Board of Trustees accepted the resignations of Candice Weir and Sarah Burt. Both of these amazing teachers have accepted positions closer to home (Darfield and Lincoln).

Candice has been with us for two years and Sarah for 7 years. Both Candice and Sarah have made positive contributions to our school community. They will be missed and I thank them for there service and wish them all the very best.

We currently have a recruitment process underway.

Coming Up

A reminder that next Thursday the 14th November is a Staff Only Day. This is a Ministry of Education approved day where our team can continue learning more about the new Mathematics and English Curriculum Documents. It is the Government's expectation that these new documents are implemented from the begining of next year, so this opportunity is well received by schools. We appreciate the inconvenience this may cause.

Friday the 15th is Canterbury Anniversary Day. School is also closed for instruction on this public holiday.

We are looking forward to our Whakatipu Athletics afternoon the following week - Wednesday 20th November.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Nick