Newsletter

Week 3 NEWSLETTER

from the principal

Nathan Wallis - Teacher Only Day

Many thanks for your support having the children at home on Monday. We don’t have many teacher only days here at DPS as we know the impact it has on whānau...but the ability to have time with experts is priceless for us.

Our time with Nathan though was awesome. Fernridge and DPS brought Nathan here, and opened the day up to other schools...in the end we had around 120 educators attend. He is an excellent speaker, with some powerful messages. Hearing about brain development and what we can do to help children fully develop their ‘learning’ brain (frontal cortex) is key information for us in education, and challenging as well. He spoke strongly about how the brain isn’t fully developed for cognitive learning (think reading, writing, maths) until around the age of 7. Until then he promotes the idea of developing emotional intelligence, and allowing children free creative play. Play is something we value highly at school, and we see real benefits for our DPS Kids.



Nathan has strong views about Relationships, particularly between parent and child. He also acknowledged the relationship factor in education...repeating often that the “Quality of the relationship between the teacher and student” is the number one predictor for schooling success. We value Relationships, and they form part of our DPS Curriculum framework...a key part in developing our awesome DPS Kids.

Something that we have been thinking about, and that Nathan promoted to help build deep relationships, was the idea of children staying with a teacher for up to 3 years. Currently our kids have the same homeclass teacher for two years (in general), but Nathan suggests an extra year could make a real difference. I’d love to know what your thoughts are...what you think about your child having the same homeclass teacher (remembering in our shared spaces they could be taught by others) for 3 years? Flick me an email with your thoughts: principal@douglaspark.school.nz

The parent evening was also very well attended (sold out several times), filling our hall with parents from across the community. We’d love to have him back in future years to keep these messages out there in front of us.


Where am I?

After our day with Nathan on Monday it was a quick mission down to Wellington to grab a flight to Hamilton. As part of our professional development for the year I’ve organised for local Primary and Secondary principals to visit new schools in Hamilton. Shaun and I last year were lucky enough to visit Rototuna Junior High...which totally blew us away. I wrote about it last year, but it still stands as the best learning environment I have ever been to. I wanted to take the Principals back there to experience it, as well as visiting two new primary schools. Tuesday saw us visit Te Ao Marama, a school that only opened in January this year, and Endeavour School which opened in 2015. Hearing from their principals, and seeing learning in action has affirmed many of the choices we have made at Douglas Park. Learning through Play, children making and creating, technology being used (but not 1:1 devices), flexible learning environments, collaborative teaching, and the importance of relationships.

Yesterday we visited the twin Rototuna High Schools, and once again I was blown away by the quality of thinking and learning. I was shown around by two Year 9 students, two of the most confident and articulate young people I have ever met...they could explain their learning, how their teachers work together, what they value in life and what they aspire to. I love what they are doing at Rototuna...collaborative teaching spaces, kids undertaking passion projects, kids learning and applying skills (often through community work and internships), the culture of making & creating, and that their central aim is to help learners connect with, and lift their community. All learning must have a positive social action.

whakatauki

Kids Korero

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT DPS?

bake sale

Next Wednesday 14th August, Rimu will be holding a bake sale at morning tea.

Remember to bring your money to buy some delicious baking!

Guess the number of lollies in the jar

This jar will be outside the Tui room for everyone to guess how many lollies are inside it!

This is also part of the Rimu fundraiser.

Each guess is worth $1! Get in quick because once your number is guessed it's gone!

It’s that time of year again! The photography competition is back and we need your photos!

This year there are 4 categories that you can enter:

  • Non-Living
  • Living
  • Photo Essay
  • (And a new one this year) Graphic Design – Theme: Promote Your Region

Get your photos in to Miss West at awest@douglaspark.school.nz

For more information - check out http://www.reapwairarapa.nz/wairarapa-photography-competition/

A message from the Dental Clinic ladies...

The Mobile Dental Clinic will be returning to DPS in week 4, Term 3.

There are still children to see for their annual check and children to have their treatment completed.

If there are any urgent concerns before we return, please phone 027 264 4319 or 377 9071.

Please could parents check that the current consent forms have been returned to us.

Thank you

FRIDAY LUNCH

Order your subway lunch at the office or online.

Please ensure/remind your child to write their name on the envelope

DPS Sport 2019

Yr 3-6 Miniball in Term 3

Miniball games and practises start in Wk 2. Teams/Practise days are on the daily notices

All games are at the YMCA in Masterton and the link to the draw is on their website.

http://ymcawellington.org.nz/index.php/sports-leagues/

DPS Bulls play in the Monday night league and all other teams play on Wednesday night.

Players need to wear correct DPS sports uniform and sneakers to games , and check in with their coach 15 minutes before their game.

A big thanks to our parents: Nicole, Rachelle, Lena & Rachel for offering to coach Miniball teams this term...we appreciate this!

Yr 3-6 Netball 2019

NETBALL FINALS are only a few weeks away...

  • Monday 26th August is the Yr 3/4 Festival Day
  • Tuesday 27th August is finals day for all Yr 5-8 teams.


If games are cancelled it will be on the Netball Wairarapa FB page and the DPS FB page.

Please do not assume if it is raining that it will be cancelled.


Please check the Netball Wairarapa website or the Netball Wairarapa FB page for the draw. All games are at the Colombo Rd courts.

Players need to arrive at games 30 minutes beforehand to warm up. They need to be netball ready...

*In correct DPS uniform and sneakers/white socks

*Nails cut

*Long hair tied up

*No jewellery - this includes earrings

Winter Hockey

Practice Day:

Tuesday 7.30am: 11 aside

Tuesday: Renegades and White

Wednesday: Macs and Red

Thursday: 11 aside and Black

6 aside games for Tuesday 6th August

DPS White vs Dalefield at 5.45pm JNL2

DPS Red vs Fernridge at 5.05pm JNLQ4

DPS Black vs Hadlow at 3.45pm JNLQ3

6 aside games for Friday 9th August

DPS Macs vs Solway at 6.10 JNLH2

DPS Renegades vs Hadlow at 4.10pm JNLH1

Keep an eye on the Hockey Wai website for the draws each week.

Please see the image below for parking expectations. We appreciate your help with this.

writing - Rimu

I am going on the scooter. I am going fast. I like scooting.

Caylee Graham-Clark.


This is a caterpillar in the tank.

Emma Payne


I am outside at my house. It is sunny.

Lucy Monaghan


The bunny is looking for the caterpillar.

Charlie Gilmore


I am in the truck.

Taylor Malcolm


I am at Grannies, eating ice-cream.

Luka Anderson-Roe


I am eating a lollipop at my house. It is yummy.

Milan Afegogo


I am hunting a stag. It is sunny.

Henry Gardiner


I went down the little ramp at the skatepark.

Abel Wilson


I am at school. I am 5.

Scarlett Wilson


I am at the park with my Dad and I walked to the park and it started to drizzle.

Alessandra Brienza


I am going to Wellington to go for a swim. I like swimming.

Riley Tigerholm


I went to the zoo with my Mum and my dinocolours.

Shemuel Jacob


I am making a hut with Jack and Pippa. We are making it out of pillows.

Edie White


I am feeding a giraffe at the Wellington Zoo. I fed it some grass.

Brooklyn Todd

community notices

Talofa

REAP supports a Masterton based playgroup for all Pasifika whānau. It is called Moana Playgroup and was established in 2016 to enable Pacific Island families, with their pre-schoolers, to come together and celebrate their unique languages and cultures.

It takes place on Mondays and Tuesdays 10.00am-12.00pm at The Spot, 365 Queen Street, Masterton and is supported by Fale Lio.

The playgroup promotes: Early Childhood Education and participation, Pacific Languages and cultures, healthy eating and living for whānau.

Kids, are you looking for fun on a Friday night?

Then come along to Kids' Club, 5.30 till 7.30pm on Fridays at the Baptist Church. We provide a safe, family atmosphere with table tennis, computer games, craft, a kid-friendly light tea, Bible stories and organised games. The cost is just $2.50 per child. Phone Liz on 0272233100 for more details or just come along and have a look. We're on the corner of Renall and Chapel Streets; entrance off Renall St.