Newsletter
Week 6 NEWSLETTER
from the principal
Passing of a Legend
Sir Ken Robinson passed away this week. You may not have heard of him, but within education he was a towering figure of influence. His TED talk 'Do Schools Kill Creativity' (which I’ll embed below) has been watched a staggering number of times, and since this first TED talk his videos, articles and books have had a big impact. Here at DPS we have used his work plenty, gone back to that well many times. For me personally, he challenged my thoughts about what learning really is, what is important to learn, and powerful ways to go about learning. He was passionate about creativity, about collaboration, about children playing and about learners being active and ‘making’ as they learn. All these things are evident within this school and what we are trying to do. An excellent article can be read here by NZ’s own Professor Peter O’Connor, our own champion of creativity. Some of his quotes are here:
“If you’re not prepared to be wrong you’ll never come up with anything original...but by the time they become adults, most kids have lost that capacity. They have become frightened of being wrong”
“Some of the most brilliant, creative people I know did not do well at school. Many of them didn’t really discover what they could do—and who they really were—until they’d left school and recovered from their education”
“There’s a wealth of talent that lies in all of us. All of us, including those who work in schools, must nurture creativity systematically and not kill it unwittingly”
And this one that I’d not come across before...but speaks so powerfully about why Service, being a good citizen and giving back are so important
“What you do for yourself dies with you when you leave this world, what you do for others lives on forever”
Mufti Day Food Drive
Huge thanks for your support of this Mufti Day, the response was massive! We loaded up the back of a tandem trailer, as well as the boot of a sedan, with all the food items brought along. All of this goes to the Food Bank, and I believe all Masterton schools took part in this….so an enormous contribution from school whānau across the town to support those in need.
Thanks to the School Councillors for the organisation of the event.
Teacher Only Day - Tomorrow!
Tomorrow! Many thanks again for your support of this. While the larger townwide event has been postponed until 2021, the time together as staff on Friday is still extremely beneficial.
COVID-19: Alert Level 2
Our current Alert Level 2 status carries on this week, and next. Systems are well established here, and despite some rainy days, it has been a pleasure to greet parents and whānau in the morning and afternoon as you enter school. Level 2 means no Celebration Time, but we will continue to share this digitally with you.
Thanks Road Safety Council
Holly from the Road Safety Council visited DPS before school earlier in the week, and was handing out hi-viz, waterproof bag covers to those children walking, scooting and biking to school. Many thanks for this Holly, the hi-viz will make the children stand out and be safe...as well as being a kind, generous thing to do.
KIDS KORERO
Our goal is for kids to learn the te reo PRIDE values and to use them as often as the english version. Use the following link to continue practicing
writing - RIMU
A helicoprion is here. I want to pat it. Gulp! Bad idea.Oops, maybe next time I should not do that.
Taylor Malcolm
One day I was walking down the footpath then Godzilla came and ate someone frozen in ice. I screamed. Argh! Godzilla, I said.
Riley Tigerholm
I am playing on the playground but a meteor crashed down in the school.
Marley Addis-Fricker
We went to the zoo and we saw a lion at the zoo. It was golden and beautiful. It had a mane which menat it was a boy. It had fleas in it’s mane. It had rotten teeth. I think it is because it ate too many treats. It roared at the lion next door. It is a girl.
Alessandra Brienza
“Roar!” I saw a golden lion at the zoo. It was a boy and it was shaggy and it had sharp teeth.
Lucy Monaghan
A roaring lioncame to my house. He had a golden back and he had shaggy fur all ovr it’s boday. His tongue was slimy.
Lacey Collin
I am going to the moon and I played on the moon.
Corban Tomuri-Williams
Zing, Zing. I can bike with no training wheels. I can do it on the green grass but not on the very hard concrete.
Ivy Malote
Emma Dickon
I am a spider in the web.
Cooper Suckling
I am a dinosaur and I ate my Dad
Henry Sinton
I am building my Christmas lego.
James Ellis
I am on the moon.
Amaia Burt.
I am a monster and I am at the beach.
Milly Stark
I am a fairy queen and I can fly.
What's happening at DPS?
CONSERVATION WEEK - August 15th - 23rd
He Tirohanga Hou Ki Te Taiao - Nature Through New Eyes
For Conservation Week this year we found out who our Native Birds are.
We selected the link below and clicked on a native bird find out some facts about their habitat. We listened to sound recordings of their voices. Native animals and birds a-z
Art competition
Students were invited to make a piece of art to show your favourite native bird.
They made sure they coloured them the correct colours.
Students could use crayons, pastel, jovi, paint or coloured pencils.
On Monday the Enviro Team chose the best entry from each syndicate.
Each students work will be displayed in the Enviro Show case and they each have bragging rights!
Well done everyone who entered.
This is the work they chose.:
Staff Profiles
Subway lunches can be ordered for delivery to school every Friday. Order online or fill out a form at the office.
DPS Sport
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
Many thanks for your co-operation while we play at level 2. A reminder that teams are allowed a maximum of 16 in total including players, umpire etc - we are allowing ONE spectator per player. Please be prompt to drop your children to their game and collect afterwards.
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'. This means long hair tied up, nails cut, correct uniform/sneakers and NO jewellery to be worn.
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.
Best of luck for your game!
Any questions...please contact Amy Williams on amywilliams@douglaspark.school.nz
Winter Hockey Season
REMINDER: draws can be found in this folder.
Primary Hockey will still be played at alert level 2. There are a few changes to ensure teams can still play. There will be hand sanitiser at the gates as well as the QR code for the Covid-19 app.
PLEASE NOTE
There must be no more than 16 people with each group, this is to include players, coach and spectators. Anyone else MUST remain outside the complex or in their cars. Each player will be allowed ONE spectator. There is no exception to this rule as the facility must keep numbers to a maximum of 100 at all times.
We have attached a turf map that shows you where you can go depending on the field that you are playing on. Please use the hand sanitiser and make sure children are not sharing their hockey gear. All teams must leave the grounds as soon as their game is finished.
The draw has been changed to accommodate the Level 2 restrictions. Please make sure you are connected to our school app, Hero, as there will be regular updates on there too.
GAME TIMES
Friday 28th August
DPS Renegades BYE
DPS Red BYE
Saturday 29th August
DPS Black V Chanel on JNLT1 at 10.00am
Yr 3/4 and Yr 5/6 Miniball
We have kicked off our Miniball season this 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
Community notices
