Week 9 NEWSLETTER

Cultural Evening - Tonight!

Can’t wait to see all the DPS Kid talent on show tonight at our annual cultural evening. The kids have been putting in a tonne of practice getting ready, and the show will be amazing like always. Getting involved in a performance group develops a wide range of skills...not just the obvious ones. Yes, you may learn to sing well in Choir...but just as importantly you will pick up team work skills, communication skills, perseverance, you’ll fail, you’ll try again, your hard work will pay off. This richness is the same for Kapahaka, dancers, guitar/piano players, magicians and everything else in store for the crowd tonight. Performing also builds confidence, and the feeling that comes when a crowd applauds after all the work you have put it...that feeling is priceless. Good luck to all our kids involved tonight, break a leg team.

Inquiry Learning - Sharing Morning

A hive of activity first thing Monday here at DPS as classes and learners got ready to share their learning from Inquiry. The focus has been ‘Me, You & a Better Us’, and the final part of the process was to share with others. The learning displayed was awesome, but the discussions between the kids were the real win. They were able to explain what they had learnt, the process they had been through and what they would do to improve next time. One of our Core Beliefs is Learner Agency, kids empowered as learners...kids who are inside the learning, active...not passive having learning ‘done to them’. The morning showed a heap of Learners with Agency at DPS, can’t wait to see the next session at the end of Term 3!

Learning Conversations

Next week will see you taking in part in Learning Conversations with your child/ren. The Conversation next week is just that...a chance for your child to chat with you about how they are as a Learner at school, how they show our Core Beliefs, to share work and learning that they are proud of and for you to have your say through some questions/prompts we will have for you (such as I think you did a great job because … & What are the steps you went through to complete this…). Teachers will come into the conversation and engage both you and your child in a discussion about the progress and achievement made using a visual image based on the New Zealand Curriculum. Teachers will take you through an explanation as part of the Conversation.

Look forward to seeing our awesome children lead their Learning Conversation with you next week.

NZEI - Teachers Settle pay dispute, Principals Reject

After 18 months the pay dispute between teachers and the Ministry has come to an end. Teachers have accepted an offer that will hopefully attract more people to the profession, and retain the quality people already working as teachers across the country. It also restores pay parity with our secondary colleagues. The agreement comes with an Accord...a deal that will see the Ministry work monthly with both Primary and Secondary teacher Unions to discuss workload and working conditions...a great step forward.

Primary Principals however have rejected their pay & conditions offer. The offer hadn’t changed from the earlier ones already rejected, even though a better deal was sorted for teachers. The offer for principals in smaller schools is particularly rough...potentially the new teacher pay offer would mean some teachers could be earning more than their principal. While teachers deserve every cent they get (teaching is a complex job, involving a lot of hard work and personal sacrifice), I don’t think it is right that principals could earn less...why bother stepping into the position? I personally voted No to the offer to support my U1-3 colleagues (Principals of smaller, often rural schools) and because I believe the current situation would de-incentivise becoming a Principal. Just as we want the best people to strive to be in front of our kids as Teachers, we want the same for school leaders...we want the best.

Here are a couple of articles that give a full picture of the issues, one from Stuff and one from the NZ Herald. Principals aren’t sure what the next steps are, but the Union is headed back to the negotiating table with the Ministry soon.

Here is the link to purchase tickets:

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

I am toasting marshmallows on the fire.

Luka Anderson-Roe

I am in the tent at home. I am sneaking marshmallows.

Caylee Graham-Clark

I am asleep in a tent at my house. Mum came and gave me a kiss.

Abel Wilson

I am in a tent at my house and it rained.

Dayton Simon

I like the tiger. He is getting out.

Marley Addis-Fricker

I am with Constable Julie at school. I am singing.

Riley Hooker

I am in Wellington with my family.

Amaia Norling-Hansen

I am dancing with my family.

Milan Afegogo

I am getting ready for school. Mia came in while I was on the toilet

Alessandra Brienza

Dad and me and my brother went in the car. We went to the park then we went home.

Cairo Karaitiana

I was playing with my little pet dragon. My little dragon turned me into a butterfly. Then my little pet dragon turned into a butterfly too.

Jasmine Lal

Stomp! I saw a giant and he was big. He chased me on the road. I chopped his big ugly head off.

John Kane

⚽️⚽️PIFA HOLIDAY PROGRAMME MASTERTON ⚽️⚽️

As the weather has been so good, we've decided to put on a winter holiday programme!

8th & 9th July 2019 | 9am - 12pm

Trust House Memorial Park Turf,

Dixon Street

8 - 14yo

$45 per day or $80 for both days

Register now at http://www.paulifill.com/holiday-programme-registrations.html

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.