31 March 2023

Time flies when..........

I am constantly on repeat it seems! I get to the penultimate week of the term, the last FULL Newsletter for Term 1, and wonder how we got here. It seems like yesterday we were catching up at the infamous 'Stationery Drop Off'! A huge amount has been undertaken since then - inside, outside, in sea and on land!

This year we are making a very deliberate choice to limit technology and ensure there is a healthy balance. Our Junior School has limited access to screens, our Seniors enjoy a little more freedom. For good reason, we need to keep the time spent looking at a rectangle under thoughtful scrutiny.

Centennial Reserve, Worser Bay Beach - walking, exploring, playing, experiencing - snorkelling, rock pool investigations, artwork..... science and art joining in with fantastic pieces of writing, measurement and number learning. This is the creative process, packed with learning opportunities in action and all in our backyard. Our children are so fortunate to be situated right in the middle of such a rich natural environment (and us).

The 'basics' - Reading, Writing and Maths - are always a highlight. We want our children to achieve academic excellence as well as being good humans who interact and contribute positively to their classmates and school. All of the 'hard data' and 'soft data' in these areas is being scrutinised by teachers at the moment. Yes, we use all those words - moderated, triangulated..... and debated! 

Teachers will be writing what we call 'Interim Reports' over the next month. These give you information about the strengths your child is demonstrating, what they are saying about their learning, how they are tracking in these three areas against their years at school. A lot of thinking goes into these 2 pages! You will then be meeting with your child's Base Group teacher (this time without your child/ren present!) to have a good chat about where things are at and what next. 

So much has been achieved - we are finally back to student-led Assemblies. Autahi Stay and Play had a great vibe, Māhutonga Matariki Fish 'n' Chips had great energy and, next week, Tautoru are wrapping up the term with Whakanui Ako.

To get all of this achieved, I always think we need to strive for excellence not perfection or very little would be happening!