Week 5 NEWSLETTER

Success in cross country isn’t just about coming first, it’s about tackling the challenge, and about improving self. To all those kids who struggle, who find it hard, but in the face of that improve themselves...that’s awesome, that’s the real success.

Teacher Strike

Thanks for your support of the industrial action taken yesterday. We had teachers attend both action here in town outside our Town Hall, and partake in the March to Parliament in Wellington. I was proud to walk with my staff, my primary teaching colleagues, with area school teachers, with secondary teachers and a heap of the community to the steps of parliament to deliver our message to Minister Hipkins. 5000 marched with us, and over 50,000 walked off the job yesterday. Both sides are returning to the negotiation table in order to avert further action, but our Minister is standing firm with his offer.

While we know that industrial action impacts on you, our school community. We do it for good reason and it really is a last resort action to try get our message through to government. We do it for the future education of our DPS Kids...I’ll return to the maths: 40% less people interested in training to be teachers, 40% quit within 5 years as the job is so demanding, and 40% of teachers are close to retirement age. The crisis point is here, and action needs to be taken now.

DPS Kids being Awesome

At Douglas Park we aim to develop the ‘whole child’, we know that learning and success is much, much wider than just ‘knowing stuff’. I like the two photos below a teacher flicked through to me while on duty as they show part of what we are trying to achieve here.

Here is the link to purchase tickets:

https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2019/the-developing-brain-masterton/wairarapa

10 year old Lola Robertson joins the blacks sticks women's world cup squad after scoring 5 goals against the old black sticks team. Robertson says she “never thought she was good enough’’ but that was all wrong . Robertson also states to the black sticks ‘’if you don’t let my friend Alexi Haglund-Turley join as well, I'm not joining OK?’’. So the black sticks had no choice so Haglund-Turley and Robertson are now in the black sticks. They have already played a handful of games, every time scoring 5 goals each with everyone on the sideline cheering them on. Robertson and Haglund-Turley have joined the hockey 1v1 program if you win you get $100,000,000,000.There was extremely hard competition. They both won each game they had then the evilest thing happened. Robertson and Haglund-Turley had to face each other. So it was a long struggle but the game finally ended and it was a draw so they each got $500,000,000 each. Gemma Mccaw comments ‘’I have never seen a hockey player as good as a gold medal and as fast as a pronghorn antelope and is as jumpy as a flea.’’. Robertson says I am going to give DPS (her school) $1,000,000 to go towards anything they want - including a hot dog party where everyone eats hotdogs and dresses up like a hotdog. We just can’t wait till the world cup to show her skills get even better.

Luke Jonas has won the 20 and under NZ breaststroke competition on the 31st of May. Jonas says,”I was surprised that my best friend Kit Oliver was not annoyed that I beat him because he is normally amazing” It was a stroke of genius by Jonas. Oliver was one second back, so a tight race between those two. Jonas interviewed by Michael Phelps. “Better watch out for Jonas and Oliver at the NZ champs!” Jonas would love to have a parade but he has the NZ champs on the same day. Jonas wished he could play a lot more sports but he has swimming interviews every day. Jonas loves cricket but he loves swimming more! Jonas says he was more happy about him and Kit racing in the age 20 and under. The prize was $1000,000,000. He decided to share the money with Kit. They said they wanted to buy $200,0000 Lamborghinis but their parents did not let them because they could not drive. Everyone is wondering if they could compete in the Olympics? Michael Phelps asks if Jonas has ever won any race before and he says “no.” Jonas's pals Izaac Hagland and Josh Southon say, “ We are very proud of him and he is one of our best mates.” Luke Jonas and Kit Oliver will have an amazing experience at the NZ champs on the 13th of June. The prize is $999,999,999.

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.