Week 10 newsletter

This whakatauki is awesome, really captures the learning spirit we want for our learners here at DPS. This part of being a DPS Kid is all about setting goals, challenging goals, aiming high...and backing that up with hard work. The word ‘strive’ implies that hard work. It implies failure, picking yourself back up and trying again...to persevere in the face of the learning challenges that school (and life) can throw at you.

Perseverance is a skill learnt early, and lost easily. Watching an infant learn to explore his/her world, to pick up an object to take their first shaky steps...that is perseverance in action. At some point in development, things can become ‘too hard’, and children can start to lose the gift of grit and perseverance. It is this that will be the focus of the last week of term.

Out of Zone Applications (Ballot)

Douglas Park School is governed by an enrolment scheme. This was put into place so that the school could manage the rapid roll growth we were experiencing a few years ago. The scheme means that only twice a year can we accept enrolments for students that live out of our zone (further information and a map can be found here). The Board of Trustees have opened up spaces for Terms 3 & 4 this year, and applications will be sent out to interested people early next term. The applications and deadlines are final, and we always have people disappointed that they cannot attend DPS because they have missed the ballot. If you know of a family that are keen, please pass this information onto them.

The Board have opened spaces for:

• Twenty New Entrant children
• Five Year 2 children

New Spaces - Video Walkthrough

The new learning spaces are now 99% complete, and we are all shifted in. Quick video below showing each of the 3 new spaces, in case you have been unable to get in for a look firsthand.

Attendance at School

Students who are absent from class have an increased risk of disengagement from the education system.

Sustained absence affects educational achievement and can lead to significantly diminished opportunities later in life. Longitudinal studies of Christchurch and Dunedin children have found absence to be a strong predictor of violence later in life, delinquency, substance abuse, suicidal risk, unemployment and early parenting.

Pretty bleak stuff, but a powerful message. We keep track of attendance here at DPS, and send home letters occasionally if we think you need to be aware of the level of attendance of your child. A day off here, sick days here, small trip with family there...all of a sudden attendance figures drop quite a lot. Attendance of 90% and lower is of concern, that is only 1 day a fortnight. When children are sick they should stay at home, but need a medical note after 3 days away. If not sick, they should be at school.

Half Day next week

Next Thursday will be a half day for the children as staff work with Rebbecca Sweeney on our Spirals of Inquiry project. The project is a year-long, intensive look at how we are teaching our children, and is already proving both challenging and informative. The half-day will allow Rebbecca to help us analyse the data we have been collecting about our learners, and to form a plan for more research during the first half of term 2.

We appreciate your ongoing support for these days.

Whakatauki

Whāia te iti kahurangi ki te tūohu koe me maunga teitei

English Translation

Aim for the highest cloud so that if you miss it you will hit a lofty mountain.

Parent Feedback on Movin’March:

Movin’March was a month-long event organised by Greater Wellington Regional and local Councils to encourage students to walk or wheel to school. To help us build on this initiative, please could parents complete this short survey by Friday 27 April. Survey respondents will also go in the draw to win a $100 prezzy card. Thanks for your help - your comments will help us encourage more students to walk and wheel to school!

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Go by Bike Week events

Decorate Your Helmet

Wednesday 18 April

9.30-11am

Carterton Library

Free event

To celebrate the Vantage Age Group Road National Championships, which take place in the Carterton District between 20-22 April, Huri Huri is co-hosting Go By Bike Week with Carterton District Council.

On the look out for some wheely great fun for the kids during the Easter holidays? Kids get down to Carterton Library and decorate your cycle helmet.

Prizes for the best helmets.

Huri Huri Kids BMX Workshop

Saturday 21 April

9.30-12pm

1.30pm-4pm

$10, please register via EventFinda

To celebrate the Vantage Age Group Road National Championships, which take place in the Carterton District between 20-22 April, Huri Huri is co-hosting By Bike Week with Carterton District Council.

Kids can join the Freestyle Lifestyle BMX team for one of two biketastic workshops - where they will learn about bike safety equipment and essential safety skills, and how to fix and maintain their bikes.

There will also be games, stories and stunt demonstrations, and the kids get to try out some basic BMX stunt skills.

After all that hard work - we're wheely sure the kids will want to grab their free sausages from our sausage sizzle.

Kids must bring their own bike and bike helmet, and we recommend that they wear long sleeve tops and long trousers / track pants for the workshop. Minimum age 6-years old.

Cost is $10 to register, and caregivers will need to complete a registration form and waiver at the start of the workshop.

Go to https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2018/huri-huri-kids-bmx-workshop/carterton

Huri Huri is very grateful for the generous support of Mitre10 MEGA and Carterton Rotary Club for helping to bring the Freestyle Lifestyle team to Wairarapa

Mini Wheelers

Saturday 21 April 2018

12.30-1.30pm

2-5 years

Carrington Park

Free event, please register via EventFinda

To celebrate the Vantage Age Group Road National Championships, which take place in the Carterton District between 20-22 April, Huri Huri is co-hosting Go By Bike Week with Carterton District Council.

We’ve made a wee little course for little legs, Biketastic fun especially designed for kids aged 2-5-years old.

Don’t forget to bring along your bike!

Gold coin sausage sizzle available – a fundraiser for R2R (Rangatahi Tu Rangatira)

Go to https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2018/mini-wheelers/carterton.

PIFA Holiday Programme

Date: Monday 23rd & Tues 24th April

Where: Trust House Memorial Park Turf, Dixon Street, Masterton

Time: 9am - 12pm.

Price: $45 a day or $80 for the 2 days

Register online at www.pifa.co.nz

Kev the kaka loved Easter so much he has a whole range of "eggtivities" happening at Pukaha over the whole month of April. It is Whio-Blueduck awareness month and also time to sign up for Pukaha's famous Junior Ranger school holiday programme and the new Te Kakaknau-The seed, a school holiday programme for the older kids. There is an Easter themed egg hunt to an amazing Bug Hunt with the world famous-Bugman-Ruud Kleinpaste, there are so many cool activities to keep the kids busy! Read below for information about them all!

On our egg hunt, see how many brightly coloured eggs you can spot around the Pukaha forest enter your egg count in the draw and you could win an annual Pukaha Family Membership!

Join in the fun at the EGGS, EGGS, EGGS discovery centre off the Kākā Cafe' with kids colouring pages, guess who's egg games and more.

On Saturday, April 21st Pukaha Mount Bruce gets “Bugged” by the world famous, Ruud Kleinpaste- a.k.a- The Bugman.

Ruud is best known for his television and radio shows which have included Newstalk ZB’s Ruud’s Awakening that was a popular radio talk-back program for more than 27 years.

Ruud’s television highlights include Maggie’s Gardening Show, the children’s programme What Now?, various series for Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel series -Buggin’ with Ruud.

On Saturday morning April 21st at 10:00 am your little conservation hero’s can join Ruud on a Bug hunt around the Pukaha forest. For $10 dollars children aged 15 years and under can participate in a guided bug hunt where they will learn all about bugs. The Pukaha rangers will take groups of up to 25 children through the Pukaha forest to hunt for all sorts of bugs. Ruud will be on hand to help identify the bugs and make sure all the citizen scientist gets plenty of bug knowledge. All participants will also receive a “Buggin with Ruud” official bug hunter pack. Each pack will contain a signed certificate by Ruud that makes each child an official bug hunter. The packs also contain some great bug facts and bug resources to continue the bug learning at home. Places are limited and must be booked in advance. The $10 booking fee includes entry to Pukaha Mount Bruce, so you can stay and enjoy all the other activities Pukaha has to offer. Parents are welcome to accompany their bug hunters. Normal entry prices for adults apply.

To book in your Bughunters email us at info@pukaha.org.nz or you can ring the visitor centre 06 375 8004.