Week 1 NEWSLETTER

COVID-19

This Delta outbreak carries on, and sadly more events have fallen victim to our Alert Level settings. Grandparents Day was meant to be tomorrow, and next week we were off to Russell Street School for our sports exchange...both no longer happening.

Our Alert level 2 protocols have had a little tweak at school. Those of you coming into the school grounds we are now requiring you to wear masks. This has been very easy to put in place...pretty much you all were anyway! Thanks for being so awesome.

You’ll no doubt be aware from the media that last week the government announced that the vaccine would be mandatory for the education workforce, and anyone working with children by January 1st. The details around this have yet to be released, but as always DPS will be following the Public Health advice and ensuring that we meet requirements.

Personally...I have had both doses, the second of which was over two weeks ago so I am now considered fully immunised. Why have I done it? Many reasons...but mostly it boils down to people. My two sons are too young to be vaccinated, my Dad probably falls into an at risk age (sorry Dad if you read this!), and all of your beautiful children here at DPS are also too young to be vaccinated. I did this to do my part in reducing the risk to these people, to do my part in helping to keep them safer...I do my part for my people.

I would urge those of you who have not yet had your first dose to head to the Book my Vaccine website and nab a time. If you are still looking for information I would also encourage you to get the information from those that know...head to your GP for firsthand medical advice/information, or head over to the Ministry of Health website and look through the wealth of information there.

Camp 2022!

Pleased to announce that (COVID willing) the Year 5 & 6 children next year will be off to camp in Term 1! We are booked into Camp Kaitoke once again for 3 days, 2 nights (March 16-18 2022). Camp is such an amazing experience for the children...a real highlight of their time at DPS.

These things do cost...and we’d like to give you advance notice of that cost now. We are aiming for $120 per student (it won’t be higher than this). Our wonderful Board of Trustees pays 50% of the cost of camp, and our equally wonderful FoDPS come to the party and pay the cost of the bus to Camp Kaitoke. Without these contributions, camp would be over $250 per student, so a massive thanks to the Board and FoDPS for making this such a great deal.

50% of the cost will need to be paid by early into the 2022 school year, and fully paid before we head away to camp. If you’d like to drip feed the money to us that is totally fine...we keep track of the totals at school. Paying $6 a week from now until we head away would more than cover the cost. Some more information will come home with the children currently in Year 4 and 5 at the end of next week. Exciting times ahead!

Aratoi Wairarapa Schools Arts Exhibition

Congratulations to our DPS tamariki whose artwork was selected for the annual Aratoi Wairarapa Schools Arts Exhibition supported by Breadcraft Wairarapa.

Tino pai rawa atu DPS tamariki.....some very happy faces!

Meerkats

What do meerkats look like?

Meerkats are brown bushy animals with striped fur. They have large dark patches around their eyes and a small pointed nose. Meerkats' tails are used for alerting other meerkats when prey is coming near.

Where do meerkats live?

Meerkats Natural habitat is in one part of the world.

Some can live in deserts,grasslands, zoos and different countries. Most meerkats live in South Africa and zoos.

Their habitat is the Kalahari desert.

What do meerkats eat?

Meerkats have different diets to other cats.

Meerkats eat lots of different foods. Meerkats eat beetles, Scorpions ,spiders and centipedes. meerkats also eat lizards and snakes. Meerkats fruit is tsamma melons. They can also survive with no water.

Meerkat facts.

Interesting meerkat facts. meerkats can live up to 12 to 14 years but if they're lucky they can live up to 20 years. The male and female meerkat Have different weights. The male weighs 730 g And the female weighs 720 g. The Meerkat normally only goes outside during daytime because they usually hunt for food then.

By Chloe Coley

Abigail

A place where

the wind deeply blows,

a place where

there are forbidden ghosts

and unwanted souls.

Crooked house

and mysterious shed,

big empty space around it

and nature dead.

There lives an old witch

with pimples all over her face,

hot fire in her eyes

but in a cold dragged place.

A woman with grey hair,

black clothes and black hat,

quite a skinny woman, not so fat.

A ginormous crow,

the witch’s flyable pet,

a foreboding bird

as fast as the fastest jet.

Inside,

book shelves and more,

broken vases

and a rusty rotten wood door.

Up on the wall

five cracked broken family picture frames

that had looked like

they had been set aflame.

A potion room

filled with fragile tubes

and potions everywhere,

even mysterious vials of doom.

No broom.Just giant crow

and scary house

with big cauldron pot

Everyone knows

not to tie this evil lady's knot.

An evil witch who needs no friends

a poem of a evil witch

that now comes to an end.

By Shaun Lumukana

The Term 4 sports teams have gone out on Hero. Click here to see them again.

The draws will come out on Hero as we get them. All children must wear the Douglas Park School sports uniform.

Fees are due this Friday 22nd October. These can be paid at the office or online - bank a/c details - Westpac 03-0687-0310653-00

Our FoDPS fundraiser for term 4 is 'Calendar Art'. This is a great way to raise money for our kura and make excellent Christmas presents for whānau. All student artwork will be displayed in the hall during weeks 1, 2 and 3. Please feel free to come and check it out. There are also samples of the available products in the school office. Your child will come home with an order form on Monday. All orders must be returned to school by Friday 5th of November. Please note that we are unable to accept any late orders.