Week 2 NEWSLETTER

Relationships

• The role of the homeclass teacher
• Whānau Fridays (starting this week, see below)

By developing these 3 areas our DPS Kid, your child, will become a better learner, and a better citizen.

Whānau Fridays

A new action for us this year is a return to an older way of working at DPS. For many years we had buddy classes where an older class was physically next to a younger class. These buddies would do some reading together each day. Once a term we would mix all the school up and have a vertical grouping day. As we shifted the school to work more closely as collaborative teams, these parts of our school life fell away...but we are bringing them back.

On Fridays after celebration time we will get into these whānau buddy groups, and have some time together. These buddies will stay together for the next few years, building that deeper relationship across the school. Whānau groups will share local Māori stories together, and complete activities to get to know each other. Starts tomorrow, look forward to seeing it in action.

DPS Kid

This term sees the DPS Kid learning focussed on the environment, and what we can do to contribute to a healthy environment. Fairly topical at the moment with the media covering news around climate change, reducing dairy cow numbers, carbon tax, removal of gas exploration rights and banning plastic bags. Each of these things is a loaded topic, but can often seem removed from our lives here. When I think of the environment I like to bring it a bit closer to home, and consider the rivers. I shifted back to Masterton as a Year 8 kid, and mates and I loved to spend time in the local rivers and MIS even had us completing EOTC activities on Henley Lake.

Fast forward 24 years and those things are no longer the norm, for a large part of the year even walking my dog Diesel near the rivers/lake is a bit of a risk. I think about my two young boys, and I would love for them to have the same river playing experiences I did...but in order for that to happen we need to take action to clean the waterways up. I don’t like the blame game played by corporates/politicians/media, but prefer to think about my own actions...what can I do to help contribute to a cleaner, greener NZ...so I think it is great we have this focus for Term 2, and look forward to seeing the learning turn into action.

The Myth of Average

Last week an article on Stuff provoked me to write about ‘modern learning’, to defend the changes that we have made (and that education in general is facing). I’ve just finished a book about Student Agency (one of our Core Beliefs) called Empower and in the book the authors refer to the ‘average’ student. They reference an old US Air Force study where they were having trouble with fighter jets and, long story short, they realised that cockpits had been designed for an ‘average’ person and that none of the 4000 pilots studied fit that profile. Designed for the average, thinking that should suit most people, cockpits actually met the needs of nobody.

This parallels classroom design, where a single cell classroom (like you and I were taught in) is the perfect example of designing for the average student, therefore suiting no student. The ‘average student/person’ doesn’t exist, so learning spaces need to be flexible and dynamic. They need to be able to change, to accommodate large groups, small groups, individual work, noisy lessons, silent times...and a space like this would then suit a wider range of learners, not just the ‘average’. As mentioned last week, the real power lies in the teacher and the relationship with students...but their practice can be enhanced through clever classroom design. We are lucky here at DPS, our refurbishment has provided us with fantastic flexible spaces, and work continues for us in developing the best practice for the teachers within them.

The video below talks about the ‘Myth’, the first 6 or 7 minutes are excellent (it is a US clip, so then talks about textbook learning etc...things that do not necessarily happen in NZ classes).

Term 3 & 4 Enrolments

Applications for Out of Zone enrolments close tomorrow. If you know of anyone wanting to enrol at DPS for the second half of the year, and they live out of our zone, tomorrow is their last chance. It doesn’t matter if siblings are here already...if you live out of zone, you must apply to attend. We often receive calls from parents wanting to enrol, but have missed the ballot. Once missed, applications do not open again for another 6 months. Please pass this message on to anyone you think is interested.

Bike Safety

Heard of another close call yesterday. One of our cyclists, riding on the footpath travelling along Pownall St, went straight across Essex Street. Screeching brakes, swerving car...one lucky child.

As I’ve said before, car vs child doesn’t end well for the child. If you have children walking, scooting, biking to school take this opportunity to discuss safety with them once again.

ERO (Education Review Office)

We have had notification from ERO that we are having our external review in week 6. ERO are the body that give schools an external set of eyes, looking over how we run the school, and how teaching and learning benefits our learners. The review is an opportunity for a great bit of feedback for us as a school. ERO will help us judge how effective we have been over the last year years, and suggest next steps for us to work on. This will be my first ERO visit sitting in the hot seat, but I’m confident given we have such a strong BoT, an amazing staff, and of course the great DPS Kids that the week spent with them will be a positive one.

More TV Stars!

Mila-Kay and Marleigh Paku featured on Piri Weepu’s show this week. Link below, check them out!

The Paku girls feature from about the 15 minute mark.

https://www.maoritelevision.com/tv/shows/piris-tiki-tour/S01E002/piris-tiki-tour-series-1-episode-2

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT DPS?

Hockey News

6 a side Tuesday night and Friday night games start next week...Tuesday 15th may and Friday 18th May.

Draw is displayed in Sports Draw cabinet.

Contact details update

Please return your update form if you haven't already done so...it is very important we have current contacts for all students

WRITING

COMMUNITY NEWS

Solway College

Solway College is an integrated Year 7 to Year 13 day and boarding school for girls. It is a small school with Christian and family values. Most of the students enrol in Years 7, 8 or 9. The college accepts students from all walks of life and our students have a wide variety of sports, cultural, service and academic opportunities.

Space & Science Festival

After inspiring more than 10,000 people in Wellington over the last two years, the “Space & Science Festival” is coming to the Wairarapa.

Space & Science Festival, is a mix of spectacular science displays, science talks and classroom activity. It's a not-for-profit charity created by a group of volunteer parents, teachers, scientists, engineers and technologists. Our focus is on making science accessible, and providing fun experiences that encourage young minds and nurture their interest in a wide range of STEM activities.

The Festivals' Lead Partner, Genesis School-gen, will be showcasing their hands-on child-friendly activities so you can explore the world of energy.

Otago Museum will be offering you a stunning mix of science demonstrations - don't forget your cameras!

Marvel at the beauty of Bio-luminescent Bacteria, thanks to Siouxsie Wile's team at BirghtEnz.

Enjoy a variety of talks and presentations in the hall including one of New Zealand's leading astrophotographs, Stephen Chadwick and his presentation, 'A journey through the Cosmos'.

Not to mention a feast of creative technology to play and learn.

Tickets are only available only through the Space & Science Festival website and have been kept to a very modest $10 a person thanks to our lead partner Genesis School-gen. Ticket sales will support both Greytown Primary School and the Space & Science Festival.

Tickets on sale online here https://spacesciencefestival.org/index.php/greytown-space-science-festival/

Check out our series of events running through May too:https://spacesciencefestival.org/index.php/events/

See you there!

Keeping our players injury-free this winter sports season

The winter sport season is now underway with lots of our students signed up for a team sport. Kids plus sport can often mean injuries, however there a number of ways to keep players having fun and staying injury-free this season.

· Plan to get kids to games in time to warm up with the team.

· Check they’ve got a drink bottle and a warm jacket for after the game.

· Make sure they have any protective equipment they need such as mouthguards and shin pads.

· Remind them to watch out for others – on the field, turf or court.

· Get them to cool down and stretch after games to take care of their growing muscles.

If an injury does happen, call your medical centre to see if they can help. If it’s at the weekend, the Wairarapa After Hours service based at Masterton Medical is open 9am-5pm. Contact them on 06 370 0011 or call Healthline on 0800 611 116 for free medical advice 24 hours a day.