Week 1 NEWSLETTER

Learning Conversations Week 4 + HERO

Our Learning Conversations are not too far away from happening, Monday 10th and Tuesday 11th August. Students will share work that they are proud of, how they have been using our Core Beliefs and how they are developing into great DPS Kids. As always you’ll have the chance to chat to the teacher, and have a look at how they are progressing academically. The celebration of progress made, the effort put in and the new learning is a key part of the Learning Conversation. This part will now use our new school app HERO. The takeaway piece of paper will be generated by the app (but you’ll be able to go into the app at any time to see it if you misplace the paper), and will show progress in Reading, Writing and Maths...as well as a teacher comment, and attendance information.

Over the next few weeks I will put out bits of info about the app, and how we will be using it within school, and to communicate with you, our parent community.

Feedback from the Prime Minister!

As we returned to school under Alert Level 3 we made a video of gratitude from all the classes (link down lower if you want to watch again). One of our awesome parents had sent it off to the Prime Minister’s office to show her what our DPS Kids are grateful for, and this week PM Jacinda Ardern sent a letter in reply which you can read below. Many thanks Renae for taking the time to do that, and for ensuring the kids' message got out to a wider audience...including one of the people who has ensured NZ is a safe place!

Link to the Gratitude video: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=294640705034540

Teacher Only Days! Add to your Calendar!

This term we'll be having two teacher only days. One is on Friday August 28th, and is a town wide teacher only day for the Primary schools, and MIS. I’m one of the organisers for this day, and the educators in town are lucky to be working with 3 leading NZ experts in Dr Ann Milne, Derek Wenmoth and Carolyn Stuart.

The other day is Monday 3rd August and this one is just for DPS. The focus for us here will be on reviewing progress in our teaching goals and further development of our school app HERO.

As always, we appreciate your support for these days, they aren’t something we do very often (although fair warning...we possibly will have another in Term 4) but when we do use them, they are extremely beneficial to staff...which flows onto the children.

Teacher Only Days: Monday 3rd August & Friday 28th August Teacher Only Days: Monday 3rd August & Friday 28th August

Wool Shed

Fabulous educational resource parked out the front of school at the moment. Sally has jacked this up for our kids and community once again, the Shed shows the power of Wool as a sustainable product as well as showcasing many awesome examples of innovation with wool. Lots of interest from kids (and adults!) so feel free to pop in for a look if the shed is open before or after school.

A big congratulations to our end of term gold draw winners!! Olivia from Rimu, AJ from Kowhai, Grace from Rata and Jazmyn from Kahikatea.

Man, we are actually going to ski on Mt Ruapehu! I thought when mum told us that we were going to ski the next day. We got told that we were going to stay at our Aunty’s house in Taupo but they weren't going to be there. When we got there we couldn't figure out which place had the rental gear. “Oh come on! I just want to get on the snow!” dad said. But we found it after a bit. Twenty minutes later we finally got skiing (but dad was snow boarding). All of a sudden everyone was walking up the hill, not going on the chair lift. “Why is everyone walking up the hill?” said dad, sort of asking a rhetorical question. But someone answered him. “The chair lift is closed,” “oh well, we might as well walk up.” So we walked up and when we skied back down the chair lift was open!!! “Woo hoo'' I cheered. We had to use our special cards to go on the chair lift. One of them goes down the mountain race with all of my family that was there. I was doing well at the start but then I fell over and this annoying snowboarder went to turn next to me and sprayed snow all over me! Well that was just great. Now I am freezing to death because snow was running all down my back and to add onto that I had fallen over at least once every go except for the last time. “Thanks alot dad!, that was really fun!” Then we all went home from Taupo to watch the Hurricanes game at home. I couldn't wait to tell mum all about it!

By Luke Jonas.

The orphanage

Once upon a time there were two girls from the London orphanage. One day they were sick and tired of being told what to do and cleaning every room there. They were woken up at five o'clock on the dot every morning, they got yelled at, they got pinched, punched and put in the corner. They had no friends, they just had each other because they never had time to get to know anyone else. They were not allowed to talk while cleaning and that's all they did was clean. So one day they decided to run away far away…

5 years later

Charlotte and Catty found themselves standing in front of a big Hollywood sign. Catty said “I think we have run far away from the orphanage.” Charlotte said “where are we going to sleep, are we going to have to sleep on the side of the road? We have nothing to keep us warm.”

“Nooooooooo” yelled Catty

“Hold on, there is a house right here it looked big enough that we could stay there with the people that live inside.

“Only if they are kind people and will feed us and be there for us when we need help” whispered Catty.

The day it all happened

Charlotte was the braver one and decided to go and knock on the door. They waited 5 minutes… the girls started to give up and walk away when the door slowly opened a lady stood in the doorway and started at the girls. It was very awkward because all they did was stare at each other. It lasted for about 10 minutes then the lady spoke up and asked

“What are you girls doing here? It's like midnight. Come inside you girls must be cold quick quick” and she ushered the girls into their house. They walked in the house and they were very surprised it was like a castle. There were paintings and bedrooms everywhere...

Fun after dinner

A little bit later after they had dinner the lady's husband took the girls to the shops and said they could buy anything they want. Of course Charlotte and Catty got an apple i-phone and a whole new wardrobe. It was almost like a normal kids Christmas. The girls had never, ever had a real Christmas, all they would get was maybe a lollie. 5 million kilometres away at the orphanage, the staff were starting to get worried. They did not know where the girls were but they were too busy to deal with that stuff. Back in Hollywood the girls and their new father went to Starbucks to get a drink. The girls were living a dream and they even got to go to the shops at like midnight. They got home at 5 in the morning. Charlotte and Catty were absolutely exhausted. The girls and the man went back to the house and fell asleep straight away. THE NEXT DAY…

An unusual start

The girls woke up and it was like they were in a different place. The room was completely different and had so much stuff in it, it was amazing. Catty and Charlotte went downstairs to the kitchen and there were waffles on the bench for them and it had their name on it. The girls wondered where the people that were looking after them were at. About 30 minutes later... the girls found a note saying that the man and lady had gone out this morning so the girls decided to go out and get something for them to say thank you and just to be nice. The girls got back just before the lady and man. The people had a big surprise and guess what it was...

The day they find out

Mary and Joe are going to be Catty and Charlotte's parents. When the girls found out, Catty and Charlotte were so excited and wanted to know what's next. Their new parents said they could go shopping and get room supplies and school supplies because the kids were going to be going to a very posh school just down the road. That day was absolutely exhausting and the girls felt excited but a bit nervous at the same time! They did not know what school would be like, are there kind people? People that will be their friends? The list goes on for ages. The girls could not get to sleep that night.

By Kenzie

Term 3 Sport - DRAWS

We will load the draws into this folder for Netball, Hockey and Miniball. Make sure you check it every week!

2020 Yr 5/6 Netball Season

Our netball season kicked off on Tuesday and it was great to be back at the courts!

A reminder to check the draw in Team 3 Sport - DRAWS folder or the Netball Wairarapa website. We really appreciate you having players at the courts on time and 'netball ready'.

It is very unlikely games will be cancelled, but if they are it will be posted on the DPS FB page or the Netball Wairarapa FB page.

One more grading game next week and then we are into our round robin games...GOOD LUCK!

2020 Yr 1-4 Netball Program

Due to Covid-19 the Yr 1-4 netball program only got through 4/8 sessions in term 1. In response to the feedback from delegates, the Yr 1-4 netball program will be completed in term 4, ending with a fun festival day!

- New players are welcome in term 4

- Players who paid the fee in term 1 are covered in term 4

More information will come out about this program in term 3.

Any questions...please contact Amy Williams on amywilliams@douglaspark.school.nz

Winter Hockey Season

Friday 24th July

DPS Renegades V Fernridge Hurricanes at 5.30pm on THT 1.

DPS Red V Kahutara Kiwi Sticks at 4.45pm on THT 2.

Saturday 25th July

DPS V MIS Pukeko at 10.15am on THT 1.

Tuesday 28th July

DPS Macs V Kia Kaha Gold at 4.00pm on JNL 1

St Mary’s Tui V DPS White at 4.00pm on JNL 2

Opaki Whitesticks V DPS Black at 4.00pm on JNL 4

All draws can be found here.

Yr 3/4 and Yr 5/6 Miniball

Games and practises starts next week and we are really looking forward to kicking off our Miniball season!

The teams will be in the sports board by the end of the week.

The Miniball draw will be in this folder each week, or on the Masterton YMCA website.

All players need to wear the DPS sports uniform (available from The Uniform Shop by McDonalds or the DPS second-hand uniform shop) and sneakers to their game.

Starts - Wednesday 29th July

Finishes - Wednesday 23rd September