Week 3 NEWSLETTER

from the principal

Vision: Together we Nurture, Explore and Create for a Better Future

Yesterday I had the privilege of working with Derek Wenmoth from Future Makers. Derek is a giant in the world of education...both here in NZ (he set up the largest provider of professional learning in New Zealand) and internationally (he works with and consults with the OECD education arm, and a large number of governments across the globe around their educational policies and practices). Derek worked with 5 principals from the Wellington region...looking ahead at the Curriculum Refresh that NZ is about to undergo. The day...while challenging...was very affirming for us as a school community, particularly the focus we have on play, making, our Core Beliefs (Agency, Collaboration, Creativity and Critical Thinking), our emerging work on service and citizenship as well as the normal academic work (reading, writing and maths). Finding the balance between all these is the trick...and also resisting the pressure to return to a sole focus on academic outcomes. Trends are clear now...kids who leave education ‘knowing stuff’ aren’t as prepared for life as kids who ‘know stuff, and can use that stuff’. We want, and we aim, to prepare children to be active citizens...and that means a wider look at learning, and giving students the chance to be active in the learning process. Derek shared his view on learning...captured in the framework below.

Friends of Douglas Park School (FODPS)

A timely opportunity to give thanks to our awesome FODPS crew. The Friends of Douglas Park School are a small, but dedicated, group of parents and staff who tirelessly run fundraisers across the year to ensure our kids have the extra opportunities that make learning so great. They are the ones who have kept the pool running (we’ve had more money from them than the Ministry of Ed over the last decade), that bring the entertainment (Magic Max the Magician), and who fund a heap of the EOTC...the trips our children get. If your child has been on a bus somewhere, likely FODPS have paid for that. They also contribute a large amount of money to our Camp adventures, and we all know how much the kids love camp!

They’ve just finished a successful firewood raffle and have some great plans for another fundraiser before the end of the year...stay tuned! Thanks team. Want to join, or keen to help out? Flick an email to fodps@douglaspark.school.nz

Giving Back

Awesome to see two ex DPS students giving back to the school by coaching a yr3/4 miniball team.

Illness

Wow, that time of year! Like all schools we have had a number of children away ill, more than normal. We appreciate your support by keeping your children at home when not well...coughing, runny noses, cold-like symptoms...it does seem like these things spread around a lot easier than in the past. Staff have also felt it this year. We haven’t had to split classes yet...we’ve managed to have relievers, or to re-juggle things...so, a big thanks to the great team we have here keeping the learning flow happening for our kids.

HERO

A reminder that the reporting function inside HERO is turned off at the moment while we make some changes. Once we have done our upgrade, this function will come back online in time for Learning Conversations at the end of this term (Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th September).

Staff Only Day - Friday 20th August

We are having a staff only day Friday 20th August. This is at the end of Week 4. We are looking at our assessment and reporting systems that day and doing some further work on our HERO platform. Many thanks in advance for your support.

WRiting - Miss fraser's homeclass

We read the story 'The Black Book of Colours' by author Menena Cotton. It's about a boy, Thomas, who is blind and he sees the world using his other senses. We practised writing poems using all of our senses to describe colours we love. Enjoy our poems!

Sports

This folder has a list of netball and hockey teams. Draws will be shared through Hero each week.

Miniball

Here is the Team List for the season.

Games begin on Wednesday 4th August. The draw will be posted on Hero.

Fees are now overdue. Please email Hayley Sinton if you have any questions.

hayleysinton@douglaspark.school.nz

Newsletter