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Reminder: School is closed this Friday 28th, so that the teachers can take part in Maths professional learning organised by the Ministry of Education. Please make arrangements for your child's supervision that day. Thank you
Welcome
Welcome
Thank you to our wonderful Year 7&8 teachers, and our team of 7 volunteers who helped with our Year 7&8 camp at Makahika Outdoor Pursuits Centre. This is a very important role, ensuring that all of the children are kept safe and are supported through all of the challenges that a camp brings for them.
Through the 'camp' context, the 65 students were involved in: learning to be away from family & home; staying with a group in a cabin and a tent; setting up, tidying up and packing up their own gear; doing dishes; dressing and packing for a long hike; bush survival skills (including fire lighting, bivouac making, deciding what they could eat if needed); river crossings; high ropes; zipline; group games; and generally coping with the challenges of being an offsite event for a continuous time over the three days.
SFdS Donations
Soon you will receive a letter seeking your support for SFdS through our annual donations and payments for 2025. The SfdS donation is integral to allowing us to provide additional support for all students. We employ more teachers than we are funded for by the government so that we can provide the student support we believe is necessary. Across our school our ratio of teachers to students is 1:19 (1 teacher for every 19 students). This allows for classroom teachers, specialist subject teachers, and support teachers, leadership oversight and teacher mentors).
Please look out for the Donations and Payments letter that you will receive very soon. Thank you for your support.
Catholic Character
Catholic Character
Ash Wednesday
We warmly invite you to join us for Ash Wednesday Mass next week. Mass will be at 12pm. Ash Wednesday is an invitation and a call. It is an invitation to remember and turn to God in all things. It is also a call to turn from things that are and have been pulling us away and turn back to Christ’s loving arms. It is the first day in Lent, to help our tamariki understand the importance of the day, it would be great to have family discussions regarding Ash Wednesday. Discussions could include the reason why we put ashes on our forehead (usually in the shape of a cross) to remind us that we were made by God and are loved by God so very much. We do it also to remind us to return to God and to put the Lord first.
Learning
Learning
Schoolwide Learning Targets for 2025
Each year we set specific targets across the school. They are usually based on an area of need for a number of our students. These targets are to measure the success of our teaching programmes and identify areas that we need to strengthen through professional learning. The 2025 targets are below:
All learners will continue to improve their understanding of Te Reo Māori (measures: Te Reo PAT, NZCER Taku Reo Survey). This goal continues from 2023 and 2024 - with a focus on continuous improvements.
All learners identified in Literacy Target group make accelerated progress (measure: Dibels screening, BSLA Assessments). We have recently screed all students across the school to identify those students who are at risk of falling behind expectation for the age and stage. All students will have needs-based teaching, and a target group will have additional teaching. This literacy support is funded through our SFdS donations.
Gather 2025 Mathematics baseline data to identify areas for improvement and students who need acceleration (measure: MOE-mandated assessment(s) that are yet to be determined). This year we are introducing an adapted maths curriculum across the school as directed by the Ministry of Education. We are therefore unable to set specific targets for areas our students need support in. This target will be about preparing for future years.
School Notices and Events
School Notices and Events
Movin' March 2025!
Ko tā Māehe Haere he whakatairanga i ngā hua o te hīkoikoi, pānukunuku me te kake paiki ki te kura.
Movin' March celebrates the benefits of walking, scooting, and biking to school.
Greater Wellington encourages schools and whānau across the region to get active to and from school during March. Walking, biking, and scooting to school help increase independence, physical and mental health, decision-making, and road safety skills for tamariki.
Your child will come home with a Movin' March card on Thursday, 27th February. Each morning, Year 7/8 students will be stamping cards for those who have walked, scooted, or biked to school.
When your child’s card is full, drop it into the Movin' March box outside the office. Throughout March, we’ll draw names for spot prizes.
Additionally, we’ll have activities during lunchtime where your child can get moving and earn extra stamps. More details will be shared via Hero.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Anita at anita.patel@sfds.school.nz.
Athletics Day
This year our whole school Athletics day is for all students in year 1 - 8. It will be held in Term 1 on Friday 28 March at Newtown Park. For PE lessons this term, classes will be learning athletics skills and training for the events.
Athletics day heavily relies on extra adult helpers. If you are able to help for all or part of the day, please fill in this google form ASAP.
Form: https://forms.gle/NAaTnB1bjrqZLW2AA Thanks to those parents that have already signed up to help! If you have already emailed the office we have your name down and will be in touch shortly.
The bus will be leaving school at 9.10am and our juniors will return to school by 1pm and our seniors by 3pm.
All students will need to wear their school PE gear and bring a packed morning tea, lunch and water bottle (no lunch orders please as these won’t be delivered to the park). Please see the table below for the outline of the day: If you have any questions or queries please email Anita at: anita.patel@sfds.school.nz
Dates to Add to Your Diary
Dates to Add to Your Diary
Please also check our SFDS Events Calendar
Wednesday 26 February
Ranginui - Mountain to Seas - Snorkelling
Koura (Rm 6) PE Day - Wear PE Gear
Pohutukawa (Rm 10) PE Day- Wear PE Gear
Ranginui PE Day - (Rm 12 and 13) Wear PE Gear
Thursday 27 February
Technology Ranginui (Yr 7 & 8)
Tamure (Rm 5) PE Day - Wear PE Gear
Tarawera (Rm 2) Pe Day - Wear PE Gear
Friday 28 February
Curriculum Teacher Only Day - school closed
Monday 3 March
Life Education all week
Room 6 Island Bay library visit
Tuesday 4 March
Life Education all week
Parareka (Rm 8) PE Day - Wear PE Gear
Pohutukawa (Rm 10) PE Day- Wear PE Gear
Wheke (Rm 7) PE day - Wear PE Gear
Wednesday 5 March
Life Education all week
Ash Wednesday - Full School Mass
Koura (Rm 6) PE Day - Wear PE Gear
Pohutukawa (Rm 10) PE Day- Wear PE Gear
Ranginui PE Day - (Rm 12 and 13) Wear PE Gear
Thursday 6 March
Life Education all week
Technology Ranginui (Yr 7 & 8)
Tamure (Rm 5) PE Day - Wear PE Gear
Tarawera (Rm 2) Pe Day - Wear PE Gear
Friday 7 March
Life Education all week
Rm 6 &10 Buddy Mass
Parareka (Rm 8) PE Day - Wear PE Gear
Ranginui PE Day - (Rm 12 and 13) Wear PE Gear
Wheke (Rm 7) PE day - Wear PE Gear
Monday 10 March
Ranginui Surf Trip
Rooms 5 and 6 Beach trip Wear PE Gear
Tuesday 11 March
Parareka (Rm 8) PE Day - Wear PE Gear
Pohutukawa (Rm 10) PE Day- Wear PE Gear
Wheke (Rm 7) PE day - Wear PE Gear
Wednesday 12 March
Ranginui - Mountains to Sea – Snorkelling Scorching Bay or Owhiro Bay
Koura (Rm 6) PE Day - Wear PE Gear
Pohutukawa (Rm 10) PE Day- Wear PE Gear
Ranginui PE Day - (Rm 12 and 13) Wear PE Gear
Thursday 13 March
Technology Ranginui (Yr 7 & 8)
Tamure (Rm 5) PE Day - Wear PE Gear
Tarawera (Rm 2) Pe Day - Wear PE Gear
Friday 14 March
Rm 7&12 Buddy Mass
Parareka (Rm 8) PE Day - Wear PE Gear
Ranginui PE Day - (Rm 12 and 13) Wear PE Gear
Wheke (Rm 7) PE day - Wear PE Gear
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