Kia ora

Have you booked for Learning Conversations?  We have bookings open on HERO for you.  On your home screen, there is a 'button' for bookings (see below).  Click on the button and it will take you to a booking screen.  If you have any trouble, please just email hub kaiako or call the office.  The Learning Conversations are for all tamariki.  If your tamaiti has just started school the Ahu kaikao will let you know what to do.  Make sure you book now so you can get the time slot that suits you.  The dates are Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th of September (next week!). 

Spring has sprung!  It is so lovely to see blossoms, spring flowers and some sunshine.  When the weather starts to get warmer, clothes seem to go missing!  Please name clothes so they can be returned to their owners.  Kathy has put up photos of lost property on HERO, so if you are missing something, have a look there so you know you can pop in and get it. 

Next week is Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, ‘Ake ake ake – A forever language’, echoing the adaptability and resilience of te reo Māori.  

Māori Language Week has been celebrated in Aotearoa since 1975.  This special week is an opportunity for the concentrated celebration and promotion of te reo Māori, helping to secure its future as a living, dynamic, and rich language.  In the mid-20th century, there were concerns that the Māori language was dying out.  The future of te reo Māori was the subject of a Waitangi Tribunal claim in 1985.  The tribunal’s recommendations led to far-reaching legislative and policy changes.  Māori became an official language of New Zealand in 1987.  Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori was established in the same year to promote te reo. 

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori is part of a broad Māori language revival programme and raises public awareness for Māori language learning and public usage.  Mahuru Māori is an initiative begun in 2017 to promote the use of te reo Māori throughout September. 

We will be using more te reo Māori than usual next week, starting the week together for waiata and karakia, having times of the day when we use only te reo, reading pukapuka in te reo Māori and many more. 

Christine Cowan is also having some weekend sessions for you to learn waiata that our tamariki are also learning.  Come for a bit of whanaungatanga.  If you have a guitar, feel free to bring it along.  Come and join us on Saturday, 14 September, in the hall 3-4pm and Sunday 22 September - Hall 3-4pm.  Mā te wā. 

Next week is also Book Week and Book Fair.  The Book Fair will be open in the library each morning and afternoon and during Learning Conversations.  We have 'dress as a book character' on Thursday 19th.  There will be a parade and prizes. We have a special author visiting us as well, Juliet MacIver.  We are all looking forward to this wonderful opportunity. 

We have some congratulations to share this week.  Jo Graham has been recognised as a kaiako who is dedicated to providing developmentally responsive, engaging, and inspiring learning experiences for our ākonga.  Her commitment to ensuring our ākonga are 'future ready' in these challenging times truly stands out.  In recognition of her work, she has been nominated for an exciting project in collaboration with HundrED, a global education innovation network based in Finland.  This initiative aims to spotlight the exceptional standard and innovation of teaching happening here in Aotearoa.  Tino pai tō mahi Jo. 

The newsletter is published every two weeks on Tuesdays.  The newsletter is available on HERO and on our website.  In each newsletter,  there will be te reo Māori shared to help us all to develop our knowledge and understanding.  This week is a focus on everyday phrases you can use:  Whakapaipaihia ō makawe - fix your hair, Kia there kei tōmuri koe! - Quickly or else you'll be late!  He aha hei parakuihi māu? - Did you sleep well?, He kawhe māku - I'll have a coffee.

Get your Lyall Bay School Art 2024

This term your child has been creating art that can be used to make wonderful calendars, cards, mouse mats and sketch pads for 2025 – these make great Christmas presents for families!

Orders open from Monday 2 September to Monday 16 September

• Calendars:  High quality laminated A4 print of your Child's Artwork.  Wire bound to a 12 month tear-off calendar.  Includes public holidays& school terms.

• Cards:  Child's Artwork on a pack of 8 cards.  Artist's name and age are printed on the reverse.  Includes envelopes.

• Diaries:  Hardcover print of your Child's Artwork.  A5 size (148 x210mm).  Wire bound.  Artist's name and age printed on the inside cover. Includes week view and year planner.

• Mouse Mats:  Child's Artwork, heated on to a high quality neoprene mouse mat.

• Sketch Pads:  Front cover features Child's Artwork.  Wire bound with 50 x A5 sized pages of blank art paper.  Protected with plastic covers front and back.  Watch out for photos of your child's syndicate art works so you can see what they have been creating.

You can order these wonderful items one of two ways, either: 

ON KINDO:  Orders will be open from Monday 2 September.  Please ensure you place a separate order for each child on Kindo (please note a small surcharge will apply).

ORDER FORM:  Pick up order forms from the school office closer to the time.  Please return these to the school office no later than Monday, 16 September 2024. 

Look on HERO in Celebrations of Learning for the art work.

Any questions, give FoLBS an email:  friends@lyallbay.school.nz

Do you have half empty potting mix bags lying around, small plastic pots in good condition that you’ll never use, or sad old packets of seeds that are past their ‘sow by’ dates?  Eke Ngaru wants them!  We will be holding a seedling sale next term and are keen on all of your gardening cast-offs. Please email or come and see Alex in Eke Ngaru (alex.mcleay@lyallbay.school.nz).  Keep an eye out in future Pānui for more details about the Seedling Sale!

We are always happy to see you at school.  Come and have a chat.

Kia pai te wiki
Melanie