Week 6 NEWSLETTER

from the principal

Support Staff Week: Together we Nurture, Explore and Create for a Better Future

We have legendary support staff at this school, and this week is our week to celebrate them. Support staff come in all forms…but the name sums it up, they are the wonderful people that support all the wonderful things that happen in school. Meryl and Sara in the office…taking calls, applying plasters, finding lost shoes and helping sick children…as well as doing their ‘normal’ jobs! Nicola and Catherine, vastly experienced and supporting our youngest children in Rimu as they start their schooling years as both learners and young people.. Andrea and Mrs Blue, our awesome teacher aides in Kōwhai…literacy support, play supporters and emotional support advocates for the children. Kris, Joe, Laura and Pania…being there for our eldest students in the class, and in the playground (kids swarm like bees when Joe is out for a game). Grace, Dan, Cherish and Anna…supporting our lovely ORS students, as well as others in their classes…a tight crew! And of course Mr Blue…who is everywhere…sweeping up leaves, repairing a childs scooter, cleaning up any mess, sorting our trades people, preparing the hall for the disco…you name it, he does it.

It is hard to sum the mahi of these people up in a sentence or two…but they do live our vision…Together we Nurture, Explore and Create for a Better Future. They are the people with a kind word to a child that needs it, that gives the extra reading practice, explains a concept during play learning, stops to help tie a shoelace, help regulate the emotions of the kids, be there for our most needy and least needy children, sort out the biggest and the smallest of issues…and they do it all with a smile on their face. Absolute legends!

Illness Strikes!

I wrote last week that across the other schools an influenza/sickness had hit, and it is our turn at the moment! Over 100 students away each day this week (in amongst that just 1 COVID case) and we have had staff away as well. Flu symptoms, gastro symptoms…these are what are being reported to us. We really appreciate you keeping the children away when they are sick, and also acknowledge the stress and strain that this causes. All of our usual hygiene practices are in place, and mask use is great amongst the senior teams. Interestingly again…the illness has hit the junior teams more than the seniors. Take care out there, team, be well.

Extra Opportunities

It is easy to forget, and easy to take for granted, the opportunities that our DPS Kids have here at school. The Pedal Safety crew are back in to do some cycle safety work, in particular getting our Year 6’s out on the streets safely on their bikes. Great to have the experts in for this. A huge amount of children are learning a brass instrument this year, massive numbers. While we’ve always had some students learning brass instruments, the tutors are having to be here all day now to cope with the numbers…awesome! We have a sewing/craft club running at lunchtime…the kids at this school clearly love to make/create, and this is an extra opportunity to deepen these skills. We also have an electronics/digital technologies club running at lunchtime. Likewise, the kids get these skills anyway in our programs….but this is a chance to have a deeper dive into them. Children can take part in maths games at lunch, extra writing opportunities, we also have a choir, and our Year 4-6 kids get weekly kapahaka instruction. Children also have leadership opportunities as they progress through the school…PRIDE Team, Librarians, Road Patrol, Enviro Kaitiaki, Councillors, the radio team…all extra curricular activities, but all awesome.

On top of all this are the sporting opportunities we provide…our participation rates are massive, and DPS often contributes more children to sporting events than other schools.

What sits behind all of this…our wonderful staff. None of this is in a contract for teachers, all of this is above and beyond. Teaching could be like a ‘normal’ job…with teachers having full lunch breaks, and not having to work ‘out of hours’...but that isn’t the reality. Staff give up lunch breaks to run these opportunities, go to sports afterschool and on the weekends, and take the time to arrange the outside people like the Brass tutors to give those opportunities. Not just teachers, our Support Staff are also involved in these opportunities, and even coach school teams, meaning they work ‘out of hours’ as well. Hats off to you all, you guys are legends.

Writing - Mrs Hunter's Homeclass

I went to Australia on six aeroplanes to go on a boat to an island. It was amazing.

AJ Ihaka

I went to my secret beach for the weekend.

Asher Malcolm

Look at me. I am a mermaid. Do you like me? I have a mermaid tail. I am having fun at the disco.

Charlie Woodley

“Roar! I am the Queen of the dinosaurs and I am going to gobble you up!”

“Oh, please don’t gobble me up.”

“OK, I won’t gobble you up.”

“Thank you.”

Milla Martynova

Boing, boing, I am the Queen of the bunnies. I need you to get me some carrots.

Hazel Harrison

When I was about to eat my sandwich, it hopped up. It ran away. “Come back sandwich,” I said.

Piper Harkness

I was going to Upper Hutt. Hooray, hooray, we are going to Upper Hutt! Yay, yay, I am so excited to go because we get to go and eat lunch there. My brother got a massive burrito.

Jorja Lumukana

I came first in cross country and I was cheering for Vega.

Henry Henderson

I ran fast and I ran too fast. I was puffed.

Tineka-Jane Wilkin

Look at me. I am an octopus.

Ethan Monk

FODPS

Reminder - Pies arrive Friday June 17th, pick up is 2.30-3.30pm you may drive your car into school by the hall as this is a teacher only day. Please be aware there will be children and other adults around collecting pies so remain vigilant

FoDPS AGM - Thursday 16th June 2022 @ 7pm, DPS Staff Room. All are welcome. Followed by the General Monthly Meeting. Refreshments provided. Please remember to wear a mask.

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