Newsletter
Week 5 NEWSLETTER
from the principal
Our Vision: Together we Nurture, Explore and Create for a Better Future
We have made a few changes to our end of year classroom awards, the ones that teachers give out to 3 children in each homeclass. Historically, these have been aligned to learning, leadership and PRIDE. The changes we have made bring our new Vision into the picture...still recognising Learning, Leadership, PRIDE and our Core Beliefs, but using the vision as a framework. We will have these as our new awards:
Nurture Award: Kids succeeding as themselves
Explore Award: Making the most of school
Create Award: A well-rounded learner
Better Future Award: Makes a difference
We often get questions about our Play/Maker learning and how that fits with traditional academic learning. The answer...it enhances and improves learning. I’ve been sharing our Creative Schools Index results over the last few weeks...we’ve been recognised across NZ/AUS as a school doing wonderfully in this area, and the results also show academic outcomes. Overall in the area of ‘discipline mastery,’ we are above the average once again (this is the area that would be weak if our children didn’t perform well academically) and you can see some heartening things in the image below, particularly that our children are expected to understand, not just memorise. Academically DPS Kids do just as well as other children both locally or nationally, (I just saw some PAT Maths results yesterday...huge numbers of children way out-performing their peers nationally) but we also excel in developing well rounded children. A real win all round, and this is our vision and values coming to life.
Mr Blue!
We all know how much of a legend Mr Blue is, and this week he was (once again) recognised for being such an awesome man. Mr Blue does an endless amount of work for us at DPS...and probably half of that is outside his job description...he just sees what needs to be done and gets on with it. He can be cleaning up leaves one moment, the next repairing a child’s scooter followed by having a laugh with our ORS kids. But outside of DPS he does a massive amount of mahi for the sports community...particularly his beloved Pioneer Rugby Club. The Wairarapa Times Age sports awards were earlier this week and he won the volunteer of the year and the people's choice award! Tino pai to mahi Mr Blue!
COVID Info
I wrote last week about the potential for our Final Celebration Time to be disrupted due to COVID and that it was looking unlikely we would be able to have parents come along. Since then...we’ve had two confirmed cases in the Wairarapa so the chances for parents being able to attend our event are looking even more unlikely. We are now underway with planning for alternatives to our usual event. We will let you know our plans when we are confirmed...but I can assure you that as a minimum, we will be able to live stream the event so parents won’t miss those precious moments as we celebrate the year. .
Latest vaccine data for our region below...still making good progress towards that 90% mark with nearly 2000 doses given over the last 6 days (nearly 800 of those were first doses). I believe that as of yesterday only 60 or so people were needing their first dose for us to reach 90% first doses in the Wairarapa...great news! 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.
If I can be of help in any way...please reach out to me: principal@douglaspark.school.nz.
Great work Jaxon & Chloe
These two came to show me some of their Maker learning yesterday...making a boat with a working, motorised propellor. They’ve sealed up the hull, stabilised the outriggers and left my office with some ideas to construct a switch for the motor. The physical learning here is quite complex which is awesome, but is matched by the ‘academic’ learning around circuits, electricity and the mathematic measuring to construct their parts. Tino pai to mahi.
Farewells!
We had a few farewells over the last week. Firstly, we were finally able to farewell Anne Kershaw face to face. Anne retired during our Level 4 lockdown...and while we had a video conference farewell it was great to have her and Jock come in for a real farewell. Anne was the first to start our new tradition of planting a tree for staff that leave. They may have left, but a part of them will endure with us.
We also farewelled two of our wonderful support staff. Tori had finished at the end of Term 3...and like Anne we hadn’t had the opportunity to farewell her properly. Ginny finished on Monday. Both have worked with our ORS students for the last 5 or so years and have been integral in the success and development of both Kahlai and Jahzayah. A lot of heart and care shown, and the boys have come such a long way under this care. Tori and Ginny also planted some trees, leaving their enduring mark on our school. Farewell guys.
2022 Start Date and Term 1
Children start back next year on Wednesday 2nd February. Waitangi Day is the following Monday which makes two shorter weeks to start the school year. Advance notice...Masterton primary schools are having another combined teacher only day on Thursday 14th April. This is the day before Good Friday (Easter) and the holidays...so effectively Term 1 will end on Wednesday 13th April.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE THE DENTAL BUS ON SITE. A REMINDER TO CHECK YOUR CHILD'S BAG FOR ANY DENTAL FORMS THEY MAY HAVE BROUGHT HOME.
WRITING - Rimu
I found a cockroach and I forgot to feed it but it is still alive. I’m going to feed it today because I do not want it to die. It is a boy not a girl because it doesn’t have an egg at the back. Cockroaches are the fastest bugs. We found a cockroach egg but we lost it.
Henry Sinton
I was playing with Kaelen and we were playing pokemon cards. You battle each other.
Hugo Sutherland
Crack, crack. I can see an earthquake. The earthquake broke down my house and we ran away.
Ashton Dyer
Swoosh, swoosh, there was a tsunami. I was afraid of it. I thought it would get me. It was super scary because it had humongous waves.
Giselle Broughton
When I was going to the sports bowl, it was very hot. I was running fast.
Jaxom Crocker
I went to the sports bowl. I ran as fast as I could and I got very hot. I liked the sack racing.
Amaia Burt
I have found a Christmas present. It was by my fireplace. Inside it, it was a cat. She was shy.
Bowie Matthews
I got a new house. It just got built. It is big so it can fit lots of stuff in it.
Lachlan Sayer
Greg will come home with me. We will get into our uniform then we will go to netball. We went into the sprinkler but Greg did not want to get wet. I got soaked.
Kaelan Hall
I heard fireworks outside. They were so loud, I blocked my ears. All of the fireworks went off at the same time.
Abel Foster
I went in a lambourghani and it was exciting. It was fast.
Milla Martynova
Brrrm! went my Dad’s motorbike. My Dad went so fast my clothes came off.
Piper Harkness
I am going to school in my car.
Aashiyana Ward
Everyone is in town and someone crashed.
A.J Ihaka
When I was walking to school, I saw a baby lion.
Aidyn McKendrick
Sport
Athletics Results
We had an amazing Athletics Day last Monday. Check out the results below!
Community notices
ATTENTION TENNIS PLAYERS:
There is an opportunity for Masterton junior tennis players to be provided with extra coaching.
Boon Huxtable (Wairarapa Number 1 Senior player) would like to do 1hr coaching sessions on a Wednesday. Three time slots would be available with a focus on between 4-6 players per group, starting at 3.15pm. Cost to be $20 per player, per lesson. Only 18 spaces available for Wednesdays. Please contact Boon Huxtable on 02108370797 or via email: boon.huxtable@hotmail.com if you are interested.
