Kia ora koutou e ngā mātua, e ngā whānau, Talofa lava, Malo e lelei, Konichiwa! Welcome to the first newsletter for 2019!

 We are already into the third week and what an exciting and fun filled start to the year we have had! After wandering around the communities, chatting with children and parents, it is great to see everyone happy, engaged, smiling and bubbling with enthusiasm! We hope you have had a wonderful holiday with family and friends and feel rested and invigorated for another full and exciting year at West Melton School!

As this is the first newsletter for the year, there will be valuable information you may choose to enter into your calendar before the weekend ends! I always sat down with my children’s school newsletters at the beginning of the year and entered all the dates for the year to ensure I was available for any of their school events… as it was important to me to be as involved and supportive as I could be...it worked very successfully!

Welcome

On Friday 1 February, the board chair Sara Paris, senior leaders, our four school ambassadors and current learners and staff, welcomed new staff and learners to our school with our Mihi Whakatau. It was a honour to welcome members of our whānau who are new to the school and area. We welcomed Mandy Newcombe and Jane Howden teaching in our Tī Kōuka community and Leanne Morgan teaching in the Mānuka community. Thanks to Daisy for leading the school in the school song - such a confident and beautiful voice - a great role model for our children. A big congratulations and thank you to all students who were so well mannered and showed great respect for each other during our special time as a school.

We also warmly welcome to the team Rachel Balchin our specialist music teacher working on a Thursday with with Anna, Julie, Kathryn and Darren as one of our fabulous Fab 5 specialist teachers delivering The Arts Curriculum including Environmental and Sustainability education.

Back to School

The start of each year is like opening a new book on what learning will look like in our school. Our focus is on establishing relationships and team building, laying a solid foundation of collaboration and communication skills!

At our staff professional learning days on the 28/29 January, we reflected on 2018 and the changes we wanted to make building on successes and challenges experienced.

Of paramount importance this year is our overarching theme of ‘RELATIONSHIPS’. Already we are seeing a shift in our learners. We are spending the first few weeks this term focusing on

• establishing relationships - with learners and whānau ( learner interests, goal setting meetings)

• building team cohesion - community treaties, routines, expectations, respect

• how we relate to each other (manners, greeting others, kindness)

• what is important to us all - school priorities - Strategic Plan preparations and Charter

At our recent leadership meeting we discussed what we are seeing and hearing throughout the school in the space of 12 days! 

So far this is what we are seeing and hearing…

• Parents seeing buzzing excited students

• Expectations for behaviour are consistent

• Plenty of positives from students (fun, engaging, cool)

• All working hard on relationships - evidence in conversations

• Staff hauora - refreshed, happy, excited, enthusiastic

• Friendly, positive start - children are happy being back at school

• Great to see and hear the result of explicit teaching of manners

• Developing relationships with our learners

• Kōwhai Kindness wall display

• Lovely tone/feel to our communities

• Smaller class sizes in junior areas support relationship and explicit teaching opportunities

• Science with Dr Smalley

• Tōtara acoustics ceiling fabulous for reduction in noise levels

• Tī Kōuka breakout space is great

• Teams organised so all children are known to at least one teacher in the community

• Focus on relationships, manners and protocols has been positive for our learners

Going back to school is a transition for everyone - teachers, parents, principals and children... no matter the age, or if they’ve been to school before. Below are a few helpful hints I have shared to help the transition process from holidays to school days taken from a reading over a cup of coffee this week!

Listen to your child:  Make the time to listen and tune into what your children are talking about. Parents are the safe place for children to help them develop the language around expressing emotions. Don’t dismiss their fears or hear only what you want to hear. You can just be their sounding board. If there is an on-going anxiety find out what, exactly, is the problem - friends, classes, a new teacher -and then help them problem-solve.

Let them be the experts: Ask them what might make them feel better. Let them generate solutions. Help them come up with strategies they can use in situations that make them worried.

Positive messaging: Create a positive expectation. Talk about things your children can look forward to in school, past experiences they’ve enjoyed. Talk of their and your own successes in similar situations. Reassure them that they have the tools to get through the challenge ahead.

Reach out to the teacher: Teachers appreciate hearing from parents. They spend a lot of time trying to figure each student out so share what you know. Tell your children you have talked to the teacher, which can lower anxiety and send the message that the adults are on their side.

Start the routine early: Organise backpacks, lunch boxes and other supplies. Show them how to get their gear ready and keep it in the right place. Establish bed times and device-free times.

Do a practice run: If it’s a new school, visit together and take the route they will use with the same transport they will use.

Social connections: Give them strategies for joining other kids at lunch and making new friends.

Chill out after school: Give them a break after school, to have a snack and relax.  A few minutes of quiet or light conversation can be good for the whole family!

Signs that it’s not normal: Be patient and allow time for adjustment but if you are concerned, seek help at the school, starting with the classroom teacher.

                                                                    Acknowledgement: Mindshift

I wonder what my child does at break times?

Our children have a great selection of play equipment and opportunities to explore with their friends during morning tea, and lunchtime. We have on offer...

• A Gaga pit - dodge ball (new for 2019)

• Sandpits

• Climbing trees

• Sports shed open during lunchtime for children to get any equipment to play with

• A large field for soccer, rugby, cricket and child centred games

• A bike and scooter track

• A BMX track (bring your own bike and helmet or use the school ones)

• Organised games (Whānau leaders)

• Tyres for creative play

• Pipes for creative play

• Lunchtime swimming for cooling off!

Strategic Planning/Charter

Every year in January /February the Board and staff, review the school priorities. The 2018 - 2019 Strategic Plan will be discussed at a Board workshop next Monday and finalised in early March, then forwarded to the Ministry of Education. It can be accessed on the school website www.westmelton.school.nz once confirmed. This document details the school priorities for the year in an annual plan and DRIVES the school over the next year. In September this year the Board will be consulting with the community on what you would like to see as part of your child’s education for the next two years.

The current strategic themes include:

• Learning

• Environmental Sustainability

• Relationships

• Hauora wellbeing

• Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako Achievement Challenges

To inform this years annual goals staff have been preparing the action plans detailing the strategic themes to be discussed at Monday’s workshop.

Our Schooling Futures: Stronger Together: Whiria Nga Kura Tuatinitini - Public Meetings

Now that the Taskforce’s report has been published they are very keen to receive feedback from as many people as possible to help them complete their final recommendations and report to the Minister, which is due in late April.

Full Report

The New Zealand School Trustees will be holding nationwide public consultation meetings, in Christchurch on Thursday, 21 February. 4 - 6 and 7 - 9pm. Venue to be confirmed.

• An online survey which canvasses opinion on each of the 32 recommendations is now available here https://consultation.education.govt.nz/tsr/survey2019/ and will remain open until 31 March 2019.

Formal written submissions about the report can be sent to: tomorrows.schools@education.govt.nz

Learning Overview for 2019

Teachers started the year with professional learning days at Core Education in town. We were led by our NPDL (New Pedagogies for Deep Learning) facilitator Margot McKeegan. It was relevant to our inquiry focus. 'BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE'. We had good robust discussions resulting in innovative and creative ideas to hook our learners into learning! Common language included Respect - manners, communication, character - grit and tenacity.

As this is our second year on our NPDL programme, we are using this year to focus on deepening learning tasks with our learners/ school/ community and look forward to the moderation of our learning tasks on a national level.

We are considering an opportunity to showcase an afternoon and evening of learning later this term.The purpose being to give our learners an opportunity to share learning over the last year. More information will be shared with you in the next newsletter. If you would like to learn more about the schools journey with New Pedagogies for Deep Learning,please click on the link https://npdl.global/

Our school’s inquiry focus is based on I.C.E. - Innovative, Connected and Empowered Learners (areas of our school vision). Inquiry-based learning is about triggering curiosity. Developing questions to answer, researching topics, presenting what has been learnt and reflecting on the process. Inquiry is completed throughout the year and can include multiple curriculum areas.

                                     Our overarching theme for 2019 is ‘Be the best you can be’ 

Thank you

Kim Busch

Curriculum Leader

Communication

As part of the schools’ programme of internal evaluation, the Board of Trustees and staff continue to review and implement recommendations/feedback from the community and staff. Last year we engaged an external consultant to review our communication systems. We are pleased to hear that most of our systems continue to meet the needs of our school community. However, we continue to review our practices to ensure our communications are effective and efficient.

You will have noticed Keep in Touch (K.I.T) notices will now be coming home every fortnight rather than every week!

To help clarify various types of communication currently operating throughout the school.  We hope this table illustrates the different modes and purposes of the how and why of communication. Communication

Important Events and Dates

The school calendar is prepared for the year in January outlining events for the year. The purpose is to provide the community with as much notice as possible as we know how busy everyone is! Please visit the school website www.westmelton.school.nz to help coordinate your busy calendars! (More to come)

Cultural Responsiveness

Kia ora koutou katoa

The West Melton School Charter identifies our school’s current strategic aim for our learners to be engaged in their learning and achieving educational success, with pride in their unique identity, languages and cultures. Our recent ERO report identified an area for further focus as “continuing to develop and embed school-wide bicultural understandings and practices to reflect more strongly the bicultural nature of Aotearoa New Zealand and affirm Māori learners as Māori.” (Education Review Office, 2018)

We have identified three areas in which we can take action in 2019 to further acknowledge and celebrate New Zealand’s bicultural identity within our school:

1. Strengthening teacher’s professional knowledge of Tikanga-a-Iwi

2. Embedding te reo me ōna tikanga Māori in teaching and learning and the wider school culture

3. Enhancing our learning environments through the display of materials that reflect the cultural diversity of Aotearoa

All learners will continue to participate in regular school-wide events which follow local tikanga and kawa (values and procedures), including mihi whakatau (welcome celebrations); poroporoaki (leaving celebrations); Matariki; and annual language week events. These celebrations build on and reinforce what teachers integrate into their own teaching and learning programmes. Within individual communities we encourage the regular use of whakatauki, karakia, waiata and te reo Māori. All staff have access to the educational resources published by Ngāi Tahu, designed specially for our local schools. These resources include and incorporate the vision, values, histories, and tikanga of our area and of our school.

Whānau Hui

We warmly welcome all whānau Māori, Pasifika fono, and interested families to our evening hui on Tuesday February 26 at 6pm, to discuss our school priorities and action plan, view our available resources, and meet our local Taumutu runanga Education Committee members who will be attending. This special consultation with our school’s Māori and Pasifika families helps us develop future school policies, develop plans and targets for continued progress and achievement.
Please register your interest by email to carolyn@westmelton.school.nz

Thank you

Cultural Responsiveness Team - Carolyn, Leanne, Tracey Ogle and Sue

2019 Board elections

The period from 17 May 2019 until 21 June 2019 has been gazetted by the Minister as the range of dates for the Board of Trustees Triennial Elections for 2019. This date is likely to be Friday June 7.

If you are interested in learning more about this valuable and important role, please talk to any of our experienced board members. You are welcome to attend any board meeting. The first one this year is on the 4 March at 6pm in the school staffroom.

Paid Union Meetings

Children need teachers with enough time to teach so they can give each child the attention they deserve, and children need talented and inspiring people to be attracted to teaching.

Teachers at our school who are NZEI Te Riu Roa members have been invited to paid union meetings in March.

Whilst meetings are held during learning times, the meeting schedule has been planned so that teachers and principals can work out the best meetings for them to attend, including the option of groups of teachers attending meetings at different times. This is to help reduce disruption to teaching programmes, children and parents.

Thanks for your co-operation in this important matter.

Swimming Pool

Many thanks to the wonderful community members who have kept our school pool safe and clean over the school holidays. We really appreciate the efforts from the following people...

Kelly Dale and family, Rachel McElwee and family, Emma Baker Farquar and family, Anna Willats, Pip and Aaron Gould, Christina Sands and family, Belinda and Marcel McAnally, Kerryn Steel and family, Hannah Helm and family, Meyers family, Neal family and John Blondell who generously came in and helped with the pool during his annual leave.

Kea Crossing

Last week our Kea Crossing monitors were trained by Rick Groen our Police Education Officer ready to operate and keep our community safe. As they will be new to this very responsible and important role, we appreciate your understanding and support as they become used to this leadership role.

Thank you for your careful driving around our school as school commenced for 2019.