Wednesday 30th May 2018
Roll Count to date: 315
Phone number: Fax number:
(09) 441.8730 (09) 441.8731
email:
[email protected]
Website: Newsletter number:
www.glenfield.school.nz 005/2018
Dear Parents, Over the last year, teachers have worked with students to develop a learner profile. The profile includes skills, values, attitudes and knowledge that we would like our students to have acquired before they leave our school at the end of Year 6. To be able to do this our students will need to use a range of tools. The tools that we have identified as being really important for our children to become effective learners are: Questioning Collaborating Risk taking Reflecting Connecting Innovating As we want these tools to become a part of everyday language, we need to design symbols / visuals / characters which depict the intention of the tools and can be displayed around the classrooms and school environment. We would like you and your child to talk about the tools, and together design a symbol that you think is representative of the tool. You do not have to be a great artist to do this as we really only want ideas that we can take to a graphic artist to work on and create something that is easily recognisable to the children. (If you have a graphic design background and would like to help us with this, please let me know). I have included a separate page in this newsletter for you to work on. You can submit a design for as many of the tools as you wish - it can be just one or the whole 6. Reusable Bags Next week we will be asking you to sell reusable bags as a school fundraiser. Please support us with this as it is one way that we can support the Y4 - 6 inquiry on how to reduce waste. One off use of soft plastic bags is having a huge impact on our environment and we need to find ways of reducing this. By buying and selling the reusable bags, you will not only help the environment, but you will also support us in our much needed fundraising to purchase learning materials for your children. Recently your child/children went on a museum trip. The cost of this trip was subsidised by the school and we can only do this if we generate the funding through fundraising or accessing donations. Teacher Shortage Crisis Last term teachers who are members of the teachers union (NZEI) attended meetings to discuss the nation-wide crisis facing schools. They were particularly focused on the teacher shortage that is already starting to disrupt children’s learning. The statistics around teacher supply are simple and disturbing: Over the past 6 years there has been a 40% drop-off in those training to teach. 40 % of new teachers leave the profession in the first five years. Meanwhile, 35% of our experienced teachers will be eligible to retire during the next 10 years and many are leaving early. The Minister of Education Chris Hipkins has described recruitment and retention of teachers as “a ticking time bomb.” At Glenfield Primary we are lucky to have a full complement of teaching staff, however we are unlikely to remain unaffected if the staffing crisis continues. We are particularly concerned that over the winter term we will find it difficult to find qualified relievers. Our children deserve the best education. However that can only happen when there is a supply of committed, talented teachers and principals. Much has been made in the media about teachers asking for a substantial pay rise. We are doing this primarily because of the teacher shortage. New Zealand has experienced a 40% drop in teacher recruits in the past six years caused partly by unattractive pay rates. In the coming months teachers, principals and our union N.Z.E.I. Te Riu Roa, will be attending more meetings to pressure the Ministry of Education and Government to invest in our children’s future by addressing our staffing crisis. We are hoping that we can rely on the support of our community in this critical matter. In the months ahead teachers and principals will be calling on Government to make a major investment in recruitment and retention of teachers. Parents can help this campaign by supporting their local teachers and by making their own concerns known to local M.P.s and media. Board of Trustees Meeting The next Board of Trustees meeting will be held on Tuesday 19 June at 6pm in the staffroom. You are welcome to join us. Student Led Conferences Year 4 - 6 These will take place on Tuesday 26 from 3.15 - 6pm and Wednesday 27June from 3.15 - 7pm. Your children have spent a lot of time writing their reports to share with you, so please make the time on one of these afternoons to attend a conference. Details of how to book a conference will be sent to you closer to the date.
Important Dates to Remember Monday Tuesday
4th June 5th June
Queens Birthday Holiday Museum trip Rooms 4, 2, 19
Wednesday
6th June
Museum trip Rooms 13, 1, 14, 15, 17, 18
Thursday
7th June
School Assembly
1:30pm
Thursday
7th June
Glenfield Intermediate parent information meeting
2:15pm
Friday
8th June
Portrait Photos
Monday
18th June
Teacher first aid refresher course
Tuesday
19th June
Board of Trustees meeting
Thursday
21st June
School Assembly
Friday
22nd June
Sausage Sizzle
Tuesday
26th June
Student Led Conferences Year 4-6
3:15pm—6pm
Wednesday
27th June
Student Led Conferences Year 4-6
3:15pm—7pm
MERIT CERTIFICATES The following children have been or will be awarded Merit Certificates for demonstrating qualities from our Glenfield Primary School learner profile. Room 1: Benz Acub, Anita Hout, Kay Onodera, Peyton Tahiwi Room 10: Ryo Yuasa, Jeremiah Afu, Jaidyn Harsant, Dhruvi Patel
SCHOOL CLOSED
SCHOOL CLOSES 2PM 6pm 1:30pm Lunchtime
WORKING BEE We would like to hold a working bee around our school grounds, if you are able to help please leave your details with Jo in the office.
Room 14: Joshua Morris, Nicholas Christian Room 15: Adah Mainwaring, Avery Armada, Kenisha Prasad, Lanny Hokoza, Ruby Solanki, Sarthak Singh Room 17: Sonika Bou, Hassan Aleem, Leen Alshatrat
NEW SPORTS WEBSITE! We have a new sports website that will be updated and added to throughout the year. At the moment, draws and notices have been added. We are also trialling online registration for Semester 2 miniball (basketball). The links will be on the first page however if you require paper registration forms, they will be available at the office. The new sports website is: https:sites.google.com/glenfield.school.nz/gps-sport/home
GARDEN PROJECT Some of our 2018 school leaders have initiated a gardening project at school. They are currently redesigning the beds between the office block and the library. They will also be responsible for fundraising for plants and materials, sourcing the plants and then planting the garden. We look forward to seeing the finished product!
REMINDER SCHOOL CLOSES AT 2PM ON MONDAY 18th JUNE So all our teachers can update their first aid training.
LEGO NEEDED We are starting a lunchtime Lego club and would love to have donations of any Lego blocks you may have to spare! Please see Mrs Seaman in Room 3 if you are able to donate any blocks.
TRAVELWISE POSTER WINNERS Congratulations to the winners of our Travelwise Poster Competition. New Entrants: Myra Nath and Avery Armada Year 1/2: Poorv Patel and Lynkin Williams Year 3/4: Ryo Yuasa and Leighton Jones Year 5/6: Annika Guillermo and Arnav Bist
Please check our online newsletter for our community notices. www.glenfield.school.nz
Hi there, My name is John-Michael Stoof and I am currently studying a BA in Education at Massey University and am hoping to go on to complete a graduate diploma in Primary School teaching. One of my third-year subjects is a paper called ‘Practising Engagement’, in which we were asked to work collaboratively to tackle a particular issue in NZ. My group has been working on child poverty and we found that one of the most detrimental and damaging effects that poverty can have on children is a lack of proper food and nutrition. No other run off effects from poverty can stunt children’s development and cognitive ability like poor nutrition. We decided to create a petition targeted at Jacinda Ardern in her role as the minister of child poverty reduction. The petition is aiming to put government funded and cared for gardens in our low decile primary schools to ensure children not only get fed at school but also learn valuable skills surrounding growing food and proper nutrition. I am just emailing your school alongside many others to ask if you might be able to share this petition on your school Facebook page or in your newsletter? Petition: https://www.change.org/p/jacinda-ardern-help-implement-vegetable-gardens-in-all-low-decile-newzealand-schools The more signatures we receive the higher the likelihood that this request could be reviewed in parliament and with a higher number of signatures we can draw more attention to the issue and let the government know that people care. Thank you for your time reading this in any case,
