Waterlea School
17 House Ave
Mangere Bridge
Ph: 6364233 or 027 3239368
www.waterlea.school.nz
12th April 2017
WATERLEA WEEKLY
Mission Statement
Great Learning Happens at Waterlea by connecting
to our community, culture, world and future
Hello, Kia Orana, Talofa Lava, Taloha Ni, Malo e Lelei, Fakalofa Lahi Atu,
Ni Hau, Namaste, Bula Vinaka, Deea awit, Dia daoibh, Huan Ying,
Hola, Sagutom, Konichiwa.
Tēnā koutou,
This last newsletter for Term 1 brings best wishes for a happy holiday to you all and
for those who celebrate Easter. The past 11 weeks have been full and productive
with classes settling well into the new school year and getting learning routines
established. We encourage you to help keep your children’s learning going over the
break by playing games that involve some maths skills and reading together with
your children.
It was great to receive news this week from Marcellin College about the Level 3
Excellence attainment of an ex-pupil - go Divnil Achary.
Just a reminder that all children are to leave the school straight after the 3.00pm
bell unless they have an adult with them. We want our children walking home with
others for safety reasons. Children and families are welcome back after 4.00pm.
Thanks for your assistance with this.
Today we joined with other schools across the country acknowledging the great
work our Support Staff do in our schools. Support staff are the backbone of
schools. Without teacher aides, admin staff, librarians, technicians and caretaker
our schools just wouldn't function. In 2016, the Government froze the funding that
schools use to pay support staff wages and other school running costs making it
hard for us to make our funding go around all our needs while paying our Support
Staff their annual increments. You might like to support the Campaign for Better
Funding for support staff and the children they support by talking to our staff
about the great work they do and contacting MPs.
With Easter marking the start to our first term holidays please note the school will
be closed from 13th April at 3.00pm until the start of Term 2 on the Monday the 1st
May at the usual 8.50am - enjoy the break.
ANZAC Day Celebrations:
As ANZAC Day falls in the holidays this year we will not have any formal
remembrance here at school. In association with the national ANZAC memorial
celebrations, our library has a small display of books to help our children build a
picture of the role New Zealand played.
Waterlea Welcome:
On Friday the 5th May we welcome all our new families at our Waterlea Welcome
assembly. It starts at 9.15am with some words of welcome, introductions, an item
or two and finishes with the children going to morning tea and the adults enjoying
a chat over a cuppa. You are most welcome to join us to make our new families feel
at home. If your child is new and you have not received your formal invitation then
please take this as your invite as we’d love you to come.
CALENDAR
April:
13th Assembly 11am
13th End of Term 1
14th Good Friday
May:
1st Start of Term 2
2nd PTA AGM 2:30pm in the
staffroom
4th SLCs Y3/6/Book fair
5th Waterlea Welcome for new
students
8th Sign language wk
15th Community swimming starts
for Yr 3-6 classes
18th Y3-4 Natives in a nut shell
27th PTA Quiz night
26th Jump rope for heart
29th Vision & hearing testing– new
entrants and any follow-ups
29th Samoan language wk
31st BoT meeting
June:
2nd Happy Hour
5th Queens’s birthday
15th SLC Yr 1-2
19th Matariki week
28th Whanau Day—e-learning
30th Assembly 2pm
July:
7th End of Term 2
24th Start of Term 3
24th Life Ed van on-site all week
24th Rms 1-4 revamp begins
31st Class photos/ netball photos
31st Life Ed van on-site all week
31st Cook Island language wk
August:
14th Maths & Money week
18th Whanau Day maths SOLO
18th Assembly 2pm
September:
1st Teacher Only Day
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EZ Lunches:
Starting on Monday of Term 2 (1st May) lunches can be
ordered online through EZ lunches on Mondays,
Wednesday and Thursdays. See back page ,website or visit
www. ezlunch.co.nz for more information.
For all lunches purchased, a small % is returned to the
school. We will still continue to have our school fundraiser
lunches on a Friday. Thanks to those who have supported
these so far.
Hall Paint:
In the holidays the interior of our David Lange Memorial
Hall is being painted so if you are coming to school to
enjoy our playgrounds we ask that you do not use
the entrance beside the hall and keep well clear of the
area - thanks
Final Assembly:
The Year 2 students have been busy in the school gardens
this term as part of our Sustainability inquiry. They will be
sharing their learning at our assembly tomorrow through
song and a digital presentation. Please come to support
them if you can.
Choir update:
The choir have been busy rehearsing during lunchtimes
this term and will be performing 2 songs at tomorrow’s
assembly. Please come along to support the students if
you can.
Other cool news - we have received our World Vision Kids
for Kids November song list, so we’ll begin learning our
new repertoire in Term 2. A letter outlining concert
details will come home early in Term 2. -Helen Wedde
Communities of Learning:
Following the Ministry of Education’s Community of
Learning (CoL) initiative we are working with our schools
cluster to develop our CoL. Our school has always had a
good working relationship with our local schools. Now we
are working together formalising those relationships so
that we make the best use of additional government
funding to support our under achievers in our schools.
Our CoL is called Te Iti Kahurangi - meaning striving for
excellence.
Pool Next Term:
The mobile pool has arrived and we ask that if you are
here in the holidays that you make sure the kids stay off
the trailer - thanks. If anyone has some spare time on
ANZAC Day morning from 11am a team from school will
be putting the pool up and any help would be most
appreciated - please let the school know if you are able to
help.
Don't pack the kids togs away as there will be swimming
for all classes in Term 2 either here at school in our heated
pool or at the Moana Nui pools (Years 3-6 only) - days and
times will be in the team newsletters which will be out in
the first week. The junior classes might appreciate a hand
during their swimming times so if you are free don’t
hesitate to tell the teacher - thanks.
Kaitiakitanga:
Congratulations to all our Week 10 wonderful
Kaitiakitanga awardees who have treated the earth
with respect by cleaning up, not writing on furniture
and being great guardians of our environment.
Library News:
Huge thanks to Annaleah Smith and Lionel Gallaway
who donated 'Moana' and 'Quake Dogs'. Look out for
these in the library next term!
Book Fair- Thursday 4th May
While Student Led Conferences are on, the library
will once again be holding the Book Fair. Years 1 & 2
students are welcome to come have a browse after
school!
We are very lucky to have a Book Character visiting
us that day too! I wonder who that could be?
Cheers Anita Hundborg
Uniform:
The Airport Warehouse is going through a major
refit at the moment (approx. another 4 weeks). With
the refit going on all uniforms have been
temporarily moved onto mobile racks and due to
room constraints, not all stock is out as usual.
These racks have been put at the end of the children’s
clothing.
To take the pain out of this for you ,the store manager
is happy for parents to email him their requirements
beforehand and staff will have the order ready at
customer service for you.
[email protected]
Mowing out of Hours:
Our mowing contractor tries to come when the
children are not here for safety reasons. If you are
down here enjoying our grounds when the mower is
working please keep the kids well away - thanks
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Student Led Conferences ( SLCs):
Thanks to those parents and caregivers of the Years 3-6 students who have booked their SLC times. A reminder to those
who have yet to book, SLCs are on Thursday the 4th May -this is the first week back. SLCs are when our Years 3-6
children invite their families to school to share the progress they are making. They will also talk about the goals they are
setting to improve their work. Please book your time by using the link www.schoolinterviews.co.nz and entering the
code kjrmn. This will take you to the ‘Waterlea School Years 3-6 SLCs interviews’; follow the steps to book your
interview times.
If you do not have access to the internet drop into the school office as we will have a computer set up with someone who
can help you. This can be done this tomorrow from 8.30am -4.00pm .
Please note: the children from Ys 3-6 will be heading home at 12.50 to allow the teachers to prepare for
the interviews. It will be a usual school day for the Years 1 & 2.
Playground use for early arrivers:
For those families who arrive early to collect their children at the end of the day, we ask that if you have toddlers with
you that you are considerate to the classes bordering the playground. Please be mindful of the noise level the little ones
are making while enjoying our playground - thanks
Sustainability in the Senior School:
The Senior School have been learning to live sustainably to save the planet. Being sustainable means keeping things
going for years and years. Room 8 decided that we couldn’t change the world in one term, but we could change our
lunch boxes. We know that rubbish in landfills is a problem so we have been thinking about zero waste lunch boxes. We
did an experiment that involved burying different materials underground, waiting for two weeks then digging them up
and observing any changes. Here is what we found out: foil, glad wrap and plastic bags are not biodegradable. Honey
wraps and lunch wrap paper need longer than two weeks to biodegrade. But food scraps, paper towels and cardboard
biodegrade within a short time. So what we need in lunch boxes to be zero waste is honey wraps, paper towels and
plastic containers that can be washed and reused. This is Room 8’s solution - do you have any ideas? Please share them
with us! -Cameron Ross and Peter Muller, Room 8
Saturday Netball:
Last Saturday was the final weekend of grading for our year 5-6 players. Their competition will commence on the 6th
May. The Yr 1-4 players also start their programme on this day.
I have only had a hand full of registrations back for this age group. Please come in and pick up a registration form from
the office or email me on [email protected]. Cheers Michelle
A Dog at School:
You may have seen a puppy doing the school run recently. This is MPI Harley. Harley is training to be a Ministry of
Primary Industries ("MPI") Detector Dog. Harley is a Beagle / Harrier Hound cross and the first generation of what
MPI is calling the "super sniffers" (you may have even seen him on the news). Harley comes along on the school run to
be socialised and learn about busy areas with lots of people and noise. He even gets to go to the mall. Sometimes you
will see Harley in his official jacket and he is "working" but other times his jacket will be off and you are free to come
and give him a pat. In a year or two you might run into Harley at the airport protecting our borders! For more
information on Harley and his canine friends you can check out the MPI Detector Dogs facebook page.
PTA News
Quiz night – Saturday 27 May
Tickets are on sale now for the Waterlea Quiz Night (R18 event: beer, wine and delicious food available to purchase).
Get in quick; it’s sure to sell out! $100 for a table of 10.
It’s hilarious, fun and just a little bit competitive!
Get your team together now and sort out your Music Icons costumes! Donations are rolling in for the silent auction, but
we need more...do you know someone who could donate goods, services or an experience? Please email us at
[email protected] with your ideas or to book tickets.
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