Year 5-6 Term Four Update

Tēnā koutou, nau mai hoki mai | Greetings to you all, welcome back! 

Tēnei te mihi, e te whānau,

What a wonderful end of Kotahitanga showcase we enjoyed at the end of last term. Learners in Year 5-6 should be proud of the high-quality projects they created. Inspired by their trips to the Auckland Museum, our learners' digital, interactive and artistic displays showcased the care and time they put into their projects. Learners spoke about their cultures with pride and it was wonderful to see the range of cultures that we have in our kura. 

This term is set to be another great term of learning and experiences for our learners, from Epro-8 opportunities, to swimming, to athletics day. More information about our concept for the term can be read below. 

As always, our team is open to hearing from you. Please let us know if there is anything we can help support you with. 

Ngā mihi nui,

To contact the Hub Teaching Teams, please use the email addresses below:

• hub12teachers@stonefields.school.nz

• hub13teachers@stonefields.school.nz

This term's concept is: "Unlocking Fun IRL - What to do when you don't know what to do!"

You may have already heard from your learners about the Korean “spacing out” competition! Through this, they’ve been learning about the benefits of pausing, reflecting, and focusing — and how “spacing out” can help their body and mind reset. We encourage you to ask your child what they’ve discovered about how being bored, spacing out, or unplugging can actually be good for them and their brains. 

Learners will now be building knowledge and making meaning around what it means find activities to do “in the real world.” Teachers will run a rotation of real-world provocations for them to experience and learners will then create a brochure showcasing ideas for things they can do in the real world when they feel 'bored'. Experiences include themes around brain games, story telling, creativity, the outdoors and olden day writing. 

Teacher Strike - Thursday 23 October

NZEI Te Riu Roa Teachers’ Union are currently in negotiations with the Government regarding their collective agreement. The union has called a strike on Thursday 23 October. With the number of staff involved in this strike, we will not have the ratios to safely remain open, therefore, school will be closed for instruction on this day. Kelly Club will be open if you need childcare. Apologies for the incorrect date in our previous comms.

Water Safety Sessions - Wednesday 15 October

A reminder our Year 5-6's will be taking part in a Water Safety Skills session on Wednesday 15 October. Learners will be bused to Swim Magic in groups throughout the days. 

Cost: $20.00, please make payment via your Kindo account. 

Please ensure your child is prepared with the following: 

• swimming togs 

• towel (preferably a hooded towel to keep your child warm)   

• goggles and a swimming cap (if you have these) 

• a waterproof bag for after their lesson 

• Hair to be tied up  

• Shoes that can be easily put on and taken off by themselves, like sandals. For health and safety reasons, they will be wearing shoes on the bus to and from swimming.

Learner’s will get changed at school and leave behind uniforms, bags etc. They will bus to swimming wearing their hooded towel to cover up and keep warm. Please ensure all items are CLEARLY NAMED including underwear, socks, shoes, uniform, togs, towel, goggles and swimming cap. 

Please complete the Google form from Swim Magic. This will help the swimming instructors to place your child in the correct confidence level group. 

Senior Assembly Dates

This term we have two senior assemblies. This is a great opportunity for parents to see everything we've been exploring and learning about in the Hubs. We hope you can join us at 2pm in the Hall on: 

• Monday 3 November

• Monday 24 November

Friday Cafe volunteers needed

A reminder that Friday Cafe will be run a little differently this term. Each week has been assigned to a Hub. We require two parent volunteers from that Hub to help run the cafe for that day. There will be an experienced volunteer there each week to help support and train up any newbies. Volunteers are only needed for one hour, 2.40pm to 3.40pm, on the Friday. We are assigned the following weeks:

• Hub 13 - Friday 24 October

• Hub 12 - Friday 31 October

If a Hub is unable to secure two volunteers for their week, Friday Cafe will be unable to operate that week. Many hands make light work! Please let the office know what date you can help on.

Guitar lessons with Nathan Imboden

• We have two spots available in group guitar lessons with Nathan Imboden for Term 4. 

• Lessons are $35 for a 30min lesson with two other learners. Term 4 will consist of 9 lessons

• Please contact the office to book in

EPro-8 - Engineering Challenge 

This week, our Year 5–6 learners had the exciting opportunity to take part in EPro8, a fast-paced engineering challenge. Participants were tasked with building an exoskeleton featuring articulating arms and legs, using a range of materials such as bolts, metal rods, and axles. This served as a fun introduction to the exciting STEM opportunities awaiting learners in the Intermediate years.  

Reminder: Chromebooks Charged, Ready for Learning!

A reminder that learners should be bringing fully charged Chromebooks to school each day. Chromebooks tend to be used at various points throughout each day, whilst balancing this with book work. 

• You may be interested to know that Keyboarding is a new element in the 2025 NZC Curriculum. 

• Please ensure that your child charges their Chromebook each night, so they are ready for learning the following day. 

• Chargers should be kept at home.

• Please also be aware that the school only monitors activity on Chromebooks during school hours. Outside of school hours, monitoring of the safety and security of your child while online, is the responsibility of parents and guardians.

• Please note that Chromebooks purchased through the Manaiakalani Education Trust are the only devices that can be supported on our school network.

Learning Achievement Celebration - Wednesday 10 December

Mark the date in your diary! On Wednesday 10 December from 6pm we will be having our Learning Achievement Celebration, held at Sacred Heart College Auditorium. This is an event for the whole school community to celebrate all learners' achievements this year. All learners Year 1-8, and whānau are expected to attend. 

Senior Athletics Day - Wednesday 29 October

Our Senior Athletics Day is coming up this term on Wednesday 29 October at Colin Maiden Park. Learners will be involved in a variety of events including Sprints, Shot Put, Discus, High Jump and more at our fun activation stations. Whānau are warmly invited to come along, cheer on our athletes, and be part of this energetic day. We look forward to seeing you there

Wet weather save date: Wednesday 5 November.

Term 4 - Inter School Sports 

• AUCC 6-aside Cricket Smash Festival Y5-6 | Wednesday 26 November

• Tamaki Athletics Y5-8 | Wednesday 26 November | Qualifiers from School Athletics Day

Sign up forms are on the sport website: stonefields.school.nz/sport 

Here's all the key dates for Term 4

• Fijian Language Week | Monday 6 - Friday 10 October

• Friday Cafe (run by Hub 17) | Friday 10 October | 3pm

• Year 5-6 Water Safety Sessions | Wednesday 15 October 

• Friday Cafe performances (run by Hub 16) | Friday 17 October | 3pm

• Diwali Morning Tea | Tuesday 21 October | 10.50am, Staff Hub 

• Stonefields School Board Meeting | Tuesday 21 October | 5.30pm, Te Pātaka Ako

• NZEI Strike Day | Thursday 23 October | School closed 

• Diwali-Themed Friday Cafe (run by Hub 13) | Friday 24 October | 3pm

• Labour Day | Monday 27 October | school closed

• Senior Athletics Day (Year 5-8) | Wednesday 29 October  

• Friday Cafe (run by Hub 12) | Friday 31 October | 3pm

• Senior Assembly (Year 5-8) | Monday 3 November | 2pm, Hall 

• Friday Cafe (run by Hub 9) | Friday 7 November | 3pm

• Mid-Term New Entrant Cohort starts | Monday 10 November

• Manaiakalani Film Festival | Wednesday 12 November 

• Diabetes Day | Friday 14 November 

• Friday Cafe (run by Hub 8) | Friday 14 November | 3pm

• Friday Cafe (run by Hub 7) | Friday 21 November | 3pm

• Stonefields Market Day | Saturday 22 November 

• 2026 New Entrant Cohort Visit  | Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 November | 9.15am

• Senior Assembly (Year 5-8) | Monday 24 November | 2pm, Hall  

• Stonefields School Board Meeting | Tuesday 25 November | 5.30pm, Te Pātaka Ako

• AUCC Cricket Festival (Year 5-6) | Wednesday 26 November

• Tamaki Athletics (Year 5-8) | Wednesday 26 November

• Whānau Hui | Thursday 27 November | 6pm

• Pasifika Talanoa | Thursday 27 November | 6pm

• Friday Cafe (run by Hub 10) | Friday 28 November | 3pm

• Kapa Haka at Te Kōtuku Cultural Festival | Saturday 29 November 

• Friday Cafe (run by Hub 2) | Friday 5 December | 3pm

• Learning Achievement Celebration | Wednesday 10 December | 6pm at Sacred Heart College

• Friday Cafe (run by Hub 1) | Friday 12 December | 3pm

• 2026 Transition Morning | Monday 15 December

• Term 4 ends | Tuesday 16 December | 3pm  

View our School Calendar to keep up to date with all events