Newsletter
Week 7 NEWSLETTER
from the principal
Our Vision: Together we Nurture, Explore and Create for a Better Future
Just a quick follow on from last week’s newsletter about mental health, and being kind to ourselves. I came across this image on Twitter…and it ties in nicely to the idea that comparing ourselves to others isn’t a helpful thing to do, and in fact it can lead to unkind thoughts forming in our heads about ourselves. Being kind to ourselves means looking for and celebrating our strengths. We all have talent, we all have gifts…but they are largely unique and distinct from others. The crayon should celebrate its colour, and the pencil should celebrate its sharpness. And…even more powerfully…we should notice our own strengths, recognise those of others, and collaborate in ways that bring out the best of both. Together the pencil and the crayon can do great things. Together we can Nurture, Explore and Create for a Better Future
2023 Staffing + Farewells
Pleased to confirm that our 2023 staffing and team make up remains much the same as it does this year. Great to have that stability and continuity, and I’m very lucky to have such amazing staff to be in the rooms, learning alongside your children each day.
The teaching teams will be:
Rimu: Kiri Eagle (Team Leader), Sally Hunter, Brooke Gibson, Hayley Sinton, Helen Gard’ner with Amanda Mitchell and Renee Tua-Davidson returning in Term 2
Kōwhai: Megan Syben (Team Leader), Juliet Bridges, Josh Fielding, Gemma McPhail, Michelle O’Connell, Emma Harkness, Philly Rutherford and Rachel Wyeth
Rātā: Sophie Macdonald (Team Leader), Trent Archer, James Riley
Kahikatea: Josh Vergunst (Team Leader), Hannah Choat, Deb Rei
We do have some staff finishing up with us as well…and I’d like to personally say a huge thanks to them and the mahi they have put into this school over time. Hannah Moore, Martha Brienza and Kate Devenny are finishing with us as teaching staff, and we wish them all well for what comes next! Cherish Alafotofia and Laura Leaf are also finishing their teacher aide role with us, and we wish them all the best for the next challenge they are tackling!
Top Man Liam!
Heard great story about Liam from Kahikatea this week after the Triathlon. Liam was down there and saw our Lead Councillor Eliza competing in her event. He started to cheer her on, making a racket from the sideline. As she started her run, Liam continued to cheer…and ran alongside her encouraging her all the way to the finish. He didn’t have to do this…but it is a great example of the cool relationships our DPS Kids have, and an example of our PRIDE values in action. Just as I was typing this he has popped into the office…so I asked him why he ran/encouraged Eliza…his answer: “I just wanted to see her do well, and finish the race as strongly as she could’. Top man Liam!
Dental Bus
A message from the Dental Bus Team, please check your child's bag for dental forms and return to the school office thanks.
2023 Starting Date
The 2023 school year will start on Tuesday 31st January. Waitangi Day falls the following Monday, making two shorter weeks to start the school year.
Dates for the Calendar
A couple of other dates to remember
Tuesday 13th December. School closes at 12.30pm (our final day of the school year). We will come back to school from our Final Celebration Time at Wairarapa College and release the children from school
Thursday April 6th 2023. A town-wide teacher only day…effectively making the last day of Term 1 Wednesday 5th April.
Writing - Josh fielding's homeclass
The Factory
Me and Oliver went to the factory. At the factory there was a giant robot. We tried turning the door but the door would not budge and the robot shot lasers at us.
By Gregory
Camping
I went camping and when I woke up I was a monster! Everyone was scared of me. I went home and went to bed. I was going to be a human again when I woke up.
By Heath
Riversdale
I can see Jell the jellyfish.
I can smell salty air.
I can taste revolting sea water.
I can hear people screaming with terror!
I can feel squashy sand.
By Maisy
Riversdale
It had flags and lines.
It had big waves.
I could hear seagulls screaming.
I could feel sand.
I could taste salt water.
I can smell bird poo.
By Nevaeh
Haunted House
Once upon a time I was walking down the road and I saw a haunted house. It was scary and silent, there was shattered glass all over the backyard. The trees were swaying like ghosts. The chimney was clogged up and smelt like a dog’s chewed bone. The grass felt like scrunched up paper. There were rough wooden battens on every shattered window in the house.
By Thea & Sophie
Order Subway online or at the office for delivery to school friday
What's hAPPENING AT DPS?
SPORT
Summer Sports are well under way. If you are yet to pay your fees, these are now overdue.
Find the draws here. (Please note that some draws come out weekly or are yet to be set for the season.)
Thank you
Earlier in term, we had two lovely St Matthews students, Rita and Catherine, come and interview Hayley and some students about PE equipment use at DPS as part of a school project. As a result, they have generously donated a whole heap of their preloved PE gear to us. Some of this equipment will go into our PE shed to be used for PE lessons and some of it will go into classes to be used at break times. We talk a lot at DPS about acts of service and kindness and this was an awesome example of that.
Community notices
