PAPAKOWHAI SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
Week 10  Term 1  5th April 2017
Dear Parents/Caregivers
SWIMMING SPORTS
We had two wonderful swimming sports this week for our Year 1 and 2 children. The level of participation,
enjoyment and water confidence was fantastic.
Thanks to the teachers for their organisation, the parents for their support and to the children for their
involvement. It was a really great morning.
Next term, in Week 1, we have the Year 3-4 and Year 5 -8 swimming sports.
The Year 3-4 children will be competing at Cannons Creek Pool from 10 -12 on Wednesday 3rd May.
The Year 5- 8 children will be competing at Cannons Creek Pool from 10 -12 on Thursday 4th May.
ERO
Last week we had our regular review by the Education Review Office. We have had positive verbal
feedback on the review and will receive a draft written report in May. When this is finalised at the end of
May we will share it with you and it will be on our website.
AOTEA SCHOOLING CONSULTATION
The Board have had no response from the MOE about questions raised at the 1 March meeting despite
being told it would take five working days. We are following this up with the Ministry. The Board are
developing their submission which will be shared with you next week. The BOT submission will focus on
the positives and negatives about each option rather than stating the Board’s preferred option.
STANDARDISED TESTING
This week and next week we are doing standardised testing in Years 3 -8. Year 6 - 8 children are doing the
first three tests online this year.
Listening PAT Years 3 -8
Children listen to a series of stories read aloud to them and answer a set of multi-choice comprehension
questions.
Maths PAT Years 3 -8
Children answer a range of multi-choice Maths questions covering Geometry, Statistics, Measurement,
Algebra and Number.
STAR Reading Years 3 -8
Children answer vocabulary and comprehension questions in a cloze and short answer format. Cloze
reading is when you have to choose the correct word from a list to insert into a blank space in a sentence.
Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary PAT Years 4- 8
Children read a series of stories and answer a set of multi-choice comprehension questions and also find
synonyms for underlined words in a series of sentences.
The results of these tests will be shared with you in your child’s learning portfolio at the start of Term 2.
Kind regards
Mark Smith
PRINCIPAL
[email protected]
HOME AND SCHOOL COMMITTEE
The Home and School committee AGM will be held in the staffroom next week, on
Monday 10 April at 7.30pm. If you are interested in joining the committee please
come along.
ASSEMBLY NEXT WEEK
The next school assembly will be held on Monday, 10 April, at 10 am in the school hall. The classes sharing
their work will be Rata 1, Rimu 2, Rimu 5, Totara 2 and Kauri 1. We will also be presenting New Entrant
certificates to those children that have recently joined our school.
LOST PROPERTY
We have several bags full of lost property at the school. We will be putting it on display at the assembly on
Monday for you/your child to check as we will be disposing of the majority of it on Thursday of next week,
before the school holiday begins. We also have many ‘treasures’ in the office, including a paper fairy
house, a pink backpack of charms and a Lego torch. If you have lost any special items please come and
describe them to one of the office staff.
LOST ITEM - Lost in the 1st week of school 2x pacific island style necklaces: 1x shell flower with black cord,
1 x blue turtle with sea plants & starfish inset in resin & blue cord. If you happened to find these please
return them to the school office for collection by owner.
ENTRIES FOR 2017 CEMNZ SCIENCE, ENGLISH AND MATHS PAPERS, YEARS 5-8.
Entries for all papers close this Friday, 7 April. The entry fee is $8.50 per subject and students must return
the signed permission slip from the back page of this newsletter to sit these papers. Please complete the
slip and return ASAP, with payment, to the Office. Payment can be made by cash, EFTPOS, cheque or
internet banking (please see permission slip for details).
ICAS MATHS FOR YEARS 3&4
There have been several enquiries about the possibility of children in Years 3 and 4 experiencing an ‘exam’
situation so we are offering the ICAS maths paper for these students. The sitting date for this paper is not
until August 15 so we will put out a permission slip for these entries late next term.
AUTHOR'S VISIT AND DRESS UP DAY
Brian Falkner will be visiting our school in Term 2 on Friday 26 May. He is a New Zealand author who is now
based in Australia. He has written over 15 books and we have quite a few of them in our library. He is only
in NZ for a week so we have been lucky to secure time with him.
Brian will be talking to Totara block children between 11.45am -12.45pm. He will then have a session with
Kauri block children between 2pm-3pm.
We would like the author's visit to coincide with our 'Dress Up as Your Favourite Book Character Day'.
We will have storytelling and a parade of costumes for Rata and Rimu children. More details will follow
next term.
PORIRUA ANZAC DAY CIVIC SERVICE
The Porirua Basin Combined Civic Service will be held on Tuesday 25 April, from 9 am, at the Peace
Memorial on Te Rauparaha Park. All are welcome to join in this commemorative service and those who
wish to lay flowers etc. are encouraged to do so immediately after the official wreath laying.
PAPAKOWHAI KINDERGARTEN QUIZ NIGHT
Papakowhai Kindergarten have a fundraising quiz night this Sunday, 9 April from 6.30 pm, at the Co-Op in
Whitby. $10 per ticket and there are only a few left! To book please email [email protected]
PAREMATA RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION AGM
Are you passionate about and love living in the Paremata/Papakowhai/Camborne area? Then Paremata
Residents Association needs you. Please head along to the AGM on Tuesday 11 April, from
7.30pm, upstairs at the Mana Cruising Club (Ngatitoa Domain). The guest speaker will be the Mayor of
Porirua, Mike Tana who will talk about issues affecting this area, his priorities and other matters. There
will then be a brief presentation from Lisa McLaren of the Wellington Region Emergency Management
office (WREMO) who will talk about preparedness and our Paremata/Papakowhai Community Response
Plan. To find out more about the Paremata Residents Association visit their
website, www.paremataresidents.co.nz or Facebook page: Paremata Residents Association.
GUARDIANS OF PAUATAHANUI INLET (GOPI) PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION
Entries for the annual GOPI photo competition must be received by 21 April. Full details, conditions of
entry and an entry form are available on the Guardians website, www.gopi.org.nz
PORIRUA CITY AQUATICS (PCA): LEARN TO SWIM AND SWIMMING CLUB
Did your budding young swimmer come home from Year 1 & 2 school swimming sports yesterday all abuzz
about their racing? Or do they have an eye on the upcoming Year 3-8 swimming sports next term? How
about coming along to PCA! Our family friendly club caters to everyone who is 5 years or older and can
stand (and breath!) in our 1m deep Cannons Creek pool. Whether its Learn to Swim on a Sunday (note for
your diary - Term 2 lessons start 7 May), our coached club sessions on Monday and Friday evenings and
Sunday mornings, or our squad training, we help to bring the exciting sport of swimming alive - to find out
more check out our website swimporirua.co.nz or contact President, Viv Morton, on 234 7071.
MANA JUNIOR SQUASH CLUB REGISTRATION
To register for Mana Junior Squash club in Term 2 please attend the Mana Club rooms at Ngatitoa Domain
on Friday 7 April, between 6 and 8 pm or email [email protected]. Coaching will run for 8 weeks
from Monday 8 May. Membership fees $25 per term and coaching (beginners) $75 or (proficient) $85. For
further details either contact Barry Ryan (Junior Convenor) on the above email address, call 027 3600299
or visit the club website, http://www.manasquash.co.nz/
AFTER SCHOOL FUN CLUB AUTUMN HOLIDAY PROGRAMME @ ADVENTURE SCHOOL
The Holiday Programme is open during the autumn holidays from 18 – 28 April, 8.00 am - 5.30pm. The
quality programme offers exciting field trips by chartered bus (e.g. Visit to Soames Island, roller skating,
Carter Observatory and Brookfield Camp), fun games, arts & craft and sport activities for primary aged
children. The experienced team members are all trained, police vetted and looking forward to meeting
your child. For enquiries, information and bookings please visit the website, www.asfc.co.nz, and choose the
relevant Holiday Programme. They are approved by MSD and you may be eligible to receive an OSCAR
subsidy. All welcome!
MUSIC TUITION WANTED
Local tutor required for piano and drum students, starting term two. Please contact Melanie 021 334 016
or 237 4405.
IMPORTANT DATES
April
Thursday 6
Wednesday 12
Thursday 13
Rimu 5 & 6 trip to Te Papa
Kids Lit Quiz – Samuel Marsden College, Karori
Assembly, 10am, in the school hall
Home and School AGM, 7.30 pm in the staffroom
Kauri block field trip, 9.15 am – 3 pm
Totara block field trip, 12.15 – 2.30 pm
BOT meeting, 7.30pm in the staffroom
Last day of Term 1
May
Monday 1
Wednesday 3
Thursday 4
First day of Term 2
Year 3 & 4 swim sports, Cannons Creek pool
Years 5 – 8 swim sports, Cannons Creek pool
Monday 10
Tuesday 11
CEMNZ ENTRY FORM for Science, English and Maths papers
Form and payment to be received at office by Friday 7 April at latest.
I give permission for my child/ren to participate in the following 2017 CEMNZ competitions:
CHILD’S NAME
YEAR and CLASS
SUBJECT
I enclose $_____________ ($8.50 per entry)
OR
I have paid by EFTPOS on ________________
OR
I have paid by internet banking (12-3140-0133108-01) on __________________
Please state child’s name and ‘CEMNZ’.
Parent/caregivers signature: ________________________
Fee ($8.50)