Year 5-6 Term One Update
Tēnā koutou, nau mai hoki mai | Greetings to you all, welcome back!
Thank you for attending our 'Meet the Teacher' evening last night. It was great to meet so many of you and answer questions that were on top about learning in Year 5-6. Below are the slides that we presented. Please note the particular slides about Camp and Digital Safety, as these are very important for our year group.
Year 5-6 learners have started the year well and are into exploring and unpacking the Stonefields' School values, including what these look like at a senior level. We have been doing this through exploring stories with morals, doing hub sport, and using the MITEY wellbeing approach in our hubs. Soon, we will be in our core learning groups and starting some assessments.
In Year 5-6, our learners have been exploring the skills and strategies they will need for their upcoming camp. In literacy, they will be reading about the plants, animals and birds of the Hunua Ranges. Please see further details about our learning design via SchoolTalk.
As discussed, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the hub teams.
Progress Updates: Next Opportunity to Connect
We look forward to sharing a short progress update with you in late March, after the learners return from camp. We will be in touch with details on how to book a timeslot shortly.
Camp Kokako
Details for Camp
Camp Kokako is quickly approaching! The team has been working to follow up with families regarding permissions for their children. If you have received a missed call from the team, please phone us back to chat about camp, should you need reassurance.
Please ensure that you make your payments or part payments on Kindo. These are due before learners attend camp, by Friday 7 March.
The camp packing list can be found here.
Learners will be allocated to one of the three camp groups by next week. Thank you for your patience while we work through the allocation of learners to their camp groups.
Camp One
Monday 10th March - Wednesday 12th March
Camp Two
Wednesday 12th March - Friday 14th March
Camp Three
Monday 17th March - Wednesday 19th March
Year 5-6 Learning Design for Term 1
In year 5-6, in the lead up to our Camps, learners have been connecting to their peers and working together.
Learners will be creating Camper Helpbooks, to help each other prepare for camp and the challenges they will encounter.
They will also be learning and writing about the native birds, plants and animals found in the Hunua Ranges
Practical skills we will be exploring include: making knots, reading compass directions and staying safe in the water.
Thursdays: Year 5-6's Exploring Through (ET) Day
Learners will enjoy a range of exciting experiences this term in ET. Here is the teaching team who will be taking them through STEAM, art, play-based learning and music. Learners love these opportunities and look forward to their ET sessions on Thursdays.
Important Reminders
Chromebooks and Online Safety
Year 5-8 learner devices are monitored to ensure learners’ safety online, while at school.
During school hours, leaders are alerted to searches or typing that could show a learner is at risk, for example, sexual language, inappropriate language, racism, mental health concerns, bullying, violence, self-harm, suicide ideation, drugs and more. Red flag alerts are sent to leaders and teachers should this occur and parents are informed.
It is important to note that our firewalls and other safety procedures in place on Manaiakalani Chromebooks mean that learners cannot access harmful content online while at school, but our systems can now pick up the search and typing itself, even though it will not show up any results.
We strongly recommend open conversations with your children to support them in their journey into the online world, including the use of cellphones and apps (Most have an age restriction of 13+). It is important to review your safety and protections at home, as once the child’s device is off the school’s connection (and outside of school hours), these safety procedures are over to the family.
Uniform
At Stonefields School we wear our uniform with pride. Care has been taken to ensure the comfort and longevity of the items. We appreciate your support in ensuring your child is wearing the correct school uniform:
Blue polo shirt (short sleeve or long sleeve)
Charcoal skort, shorts or trousers
Black shoes, including black laces (white soles are acceptable). Black sandals are acceptable in summer
Black or white socks
Bucket hat or School Cap (compulsory during Terms 1 & 4)
Fleece Jacket
Black or dark blue plain hair ties/bands (no other colours please)
No jewellery or necklaces should be worn, as this is a health and safety concern during playtimes and PE sessions. Exceptions to this include jewellery of cultural significance, small stud earrings, and watches however no smart-watches.
FOSS and Friday Cafe
Introducing FOSS (Friends of Stonefields School). We welcome all members of the school community to get involved with FOSS and help support our school. This group of dedicated and supportive parents, grandparents and wider whānau, play a vital role in bringing us together as a school community and helping to enhance the school's resources.
FOSS is looking for helpers to support with Friday Cafe. This is a weekly event on Friday's after school where we have the opportunity to gather as a school community and get to know other parents. The FOSS team sell ice blocks and snacks which is a great Friday afternoon treat for the kids. If you're able to offer any support or would like to know more, please add your details to our Friday Cafe volunteer sign up sheet.
Thanks for your support!
Sports Website updates and School Clubs
Please check on our Sports Website to sign up to any Termly sports. Parents we also need you to coach a team on the day, Thanks.
The school has a wide variety of groups and clubs available for your child to join. Here's a list of everything that's on offer, we'll provide more detail on days and times in our next newsletter:
Kapa Haka - all ages welcome, come along to practices on Wednesday mornings. Shoba Segar
Orchestra - Katherine Wilcox
Senior Choir (Year 5-8) - Nathan Imboden
Recorder club (Year 3-8) - Katherine Wilcox
Bands (Year 5-8) - Nathan Imboden
Senior Enviro club (Year 5-8) - Yubin Han
Trees for survival - Yubin Han
Book Club - Esther Casey
Senior Art club (Year 5-8) - Emma Clark
Run club (Year 4-8) - Sophie Atkinson
Minecraft Education Club (Year 5-6) - parent run! more details to come
Upcoming Dates
Kapa Haka practice | Wednesday 19 February | 8.20am Te Pou Manawa
Friday Cafe | Friday 21 February | 3pm
Senior Assembly (Year 5-8) | Monday 24 February | 2pm, Hall
New Entrant Cohort visits | Monday 24 - Thursday 27 February
Stonefields School Board Meeting | Tuesday 25 February | 5.30pm, Te Pou Manawa
Visitor Tour | Wednesday 12 March | register here
Year 5-6 Camp group 1 | Monday 10 - Wednesday 12 March
Year 5-6 Camp group 2 | Wednesday 12 - Friday 14 March
Year 5-6 Camp group 3 | Monday 17 - Wednesday 19 March
Senior Assembly (Year 5-8) | Monday 24 March | 2pm, Hall
Pasifika Talanoa | Thursday 27 March
Stonefields School Board Meeting | Tuesday 1 April | 5.30pm, Te Pou Manawa
Senior Assembly (Year 5-8) | Monday 7 April | 2pm, Hall
Whole School Athletics Day | Tuesday 8 April
View our School Calendar to keep up to date with all events
2025 Term Dates
Term 1: Monday 3 February - Friday 11 April
Term 2: Monday 28 April - Friday 27 June
Term 3: Monday 14 July - Friday 19 September
Term 4: Monday 6 October - Tuesday 16 December
Public Holidays during term time
Thursday 6 February - Waitangi Day
Monday 2 June - King's Birthday
Friday 20 June - Matariki
Monday 27 October - Labour Day