Newsletter
Greenmeadows
Intermediate School
Piki ki te rangi - Reach for the sky
Thursday 12 March 2015
Greetings, Kia Ora, Talofa lava, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Malo e lelei, Taloha, Ki Orana, Ni Hao, Buenos Dias, Chao Malo Ni,
Namaste, Habari Dobar Dan, Bula Vanaka!
Our first term is going by so quickly, we are already at the end of week 6 and there is a real positive feel to the way that
our students have settled into Greenmeadows this year!
You may have already heard that the Ministry of Education has begun to review the provision of schooling across the
Manurewa community to ensure there are suitable options available as students move from Primary to Intermediate to
Secondary school. This may result in some changes to the current structure. Our Board will be asking you what you
think as this process progresses - it is really important for the community to have a voice in this process. We will be
conducting a survey at 3 Way Conferences night so please do take time to complete this so the Board of Trustees are
able to include your thoughts in our recommendation to the Ministry of what we think should stay the same or should
be changed.
Cathy Chalmers
PRINICPAL
SCIENCE
3 WAY CONFERENCES
Very shortly you will be receiving your 3 Way
Conference form so that you can book a time to meet
with your child’s teacher. The 3 Way Conferences are
happening on Tuesday 31st March. The conference
times are in 15-minute slots and they start at 12.30pm
and the last interview time is 7.15pm. So send your
form back to school with your child quickly to ensure
the time that you want to meet with his/her teacher will
be available. Please take the time to meet with the
specialist teachers as well.
Our school is part of a Science Learning and Change
Network working with a number of other schools across
Manurewa to improve Science learning opportunities for
our students.
On Tuesday we had two facilitators working with a group
of 30 students to find out how they learn about science
and what they think needed to happen for them to learn
more in this subject area. It was an interesting exercise
and has given us lots of information for us to ponder as
we work to improve Science learning at Greenmeadows.
SCHOOL LEADERS SELLING
ICECREAMS AND DRINKS
CRICKET
Over the past two weeks, the Year 7 and 8 boys have
been trialling for the GIS cricket team. Two mixed teams
have been selected and the boys are busy practicing
during their lunch breaks and after school on Tuesday and
Thursday to prepare for the Inter Zone Cricket
Tournament happening on Thursday 19th March at Bruce
Pulman Park in Papakura. If you are available to go along
and support our boys, please feel free to do so!
Tomorrow, Friday 13 March our student leaders have
organised a fundraising event to raise funds so they can
attend the National Young Leaders Day on the 21st May.
They will be selling ice cream sandwiches and small
bottles of drink for $1 each. So if you wish for your
child to be able to purchase an ice cream sandwich and a
bottle of drink, send him/her along to school with some
coins tomorrow.
PARENTING BOX COURSE
So far we have four parents keen to do this course. We need more before we can go ahead. Remember this is
something parents asked for! It would be great to see it happen. We have decided to shift it to next term - please
contact Lali Hopkins if you are interested or fill in the slip below.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------I am interested in taking part in this Parenting Course. Please send me the registration form.
Name: ________________________________________
Contact phone number: __________________________
Email address: ________________________________________
My child is ____________________________________ in Room ____________
LEARNING LANGUAGES
This year Miss Amy Wheeler in Room 8 is taking part in the Teacher Professional Development Languages program with
the University of Auckland. She is learning to speak and teach Spanish and her class have been very fortunate to be
learning basic Spanish. Harleen in Room 8 has this to share:
ESPANOL
A new year and a new beginning! This year the not so prehistoric Room 8 is not only learning Maths, Literacy and
Inquiry but they have had the privilege of studying Spanish as well. So far we have conquered the basic greetings, months
of the year and numbers; also let’s not forget the Alfebeto. For example, “Como te llamas?” “Estoy bien y tu?”
Translated to English: “How are you?” “I’m fine, and you?” The challenging part of Espanol is trying to pronounce the
words properly, like in the word before ‘llamas’ it is said with a ‘y’ not an ‘l’ so it is like “yamas!” Today we are rookies
but by the end of the year we could be a fluent Espanol classroom.
TE REO
Matua Iki is enjoying being our Te Reo specialist teacher this year and the students are thoroughly engaged in his lessons.
Wytalia in Room 10 shares:
Tena Koutou Whanau! Every week we go to Te Reo classes and we learn kupu hou (new words in Maori). We learn
names of things and places, greetings, waiata (songs), karakia (prayers) and whakatauki (proverbs). We also play games
that help us to remember what we have learned, it is so much fun! One whakatauki that I really related well to was:
‘Whaia te iti kahurangi kite tuoho koe me maunga teitei.” This means, “Pursue that which is precious and do not be
deterred by anything less than a lofty mountain.” This whakatauki always encourages me to follow my dreams. Nga mihi
ki a koutou!
POLYFEST
The Polyfest trip will take place on Friday 20 March for the 100 students who chose to go. Students need to wear
correct school uniform. They will be leaving school at 9.30am and will return by 3.00pm.
GREENMEADOWS INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL - BOARD OF TRUSTEES ELECTION
Nominations are invited for the election of two parent representatives to the board of trustees. A nomination form
and a notice calling for nominations will be posted to all eligible voters. Additional nomination forms can be obtained
from the school office. Nominations close at noon on 13th March 2015 and may be accompanied by a signed candidate’s
statement. The voting roll is open for inspection at the school and can be viewed during normal school hours. There
will also be a list of candidates’ names, as they come to hand, for inspection at the school. Voting closes at noon on 27th
March 2015.
Helen Chalmers - Returning Officer
ORIENTEERING
There has been a change of date for the Orienteering
Team. The Interschool Competition is now on Friday
20th March at Totara Park. Students in the team going to
this event will have received updated information from
Miss Wheeler.
TE MAHIA TRAIN STATION
Great news that the train station will remain open! This
does mean the community needs to use it though! We
have a number of teachers and students who travel by
train, so this was good news for our school.