Acting Principal's Message
Kia ora koutou,
Today’s newsletter is packed with useful information for our whānau, with a few highlights being:
- The FIFA Women’s World Cup is over, but who won the pizza lunch?
- Removal of the mandatory COVID isolation rule and what that means for schools
- Information about the introduction of Cohort Entry for 5 year old children
Congratulations to Room 21 who were supporting Spain in the Women’s Football World Cup competition! Commiserations to Room 14 who were supporting the England Lionesses – they were feeling pretty confident that they had a good chance of scoring the pizza lunch, but it was not to be!
We are now half way through Term 3 with lots of upcoming events and activities on the calendar. Yesterday our juniors got to enjoy a show from the Little Dog Barking Company and today the Winter Tournament for Te Moana Syndicate (Year 5 & 6) has gone ahead. We also have our Year 2s heading to the Gymnastics Centre and groups of students preparing for the Tournament of the Minds. So there is lots happening. If you have any questions regarding upcoming events, please contact your child’s class teacher or the office.
Our whole school inquiry topic for this half of the year is based on exploring Aotearoa New Zealand’s history through the Arts. Syndicates have been learning about different perspectives and the richness of cultures that have shaped our country. I’m looking forward to seeing how they will tell the stories of New Zealand’s past through the Arts.
As you will be aware the Government announced the removal of the mandatory COVID isolation rule, which took effect on 15 August 2023. Public health officials have advised risk from Covid-19 is now considered low compared to other stages of the pandemic and it is safe to remove the final requirements.
We are aware that some students and their whānau are battling a bout of Covid-19 right now. As with any other illness it is recommended that students stay at home if they are feeling unwell, and we appreciate when parents contact the office to let us know. We take into account the guidance from Te Whatu Ora and have layers of preventative measures in place such as regular reminders about safe hygiene practices, ventilation in classrooms and the thorough cleaning of learning spaces.
Stay well everyone and have a great week.
Noho ora mai rā, nā
Sarah Chambers, Acting Principal
Upcoming dates for your calendar:
- Monday, 21 August – Tātahi Little Dog Barking Show
- Tuesday, 22 August – Junior Winter Tournament (PPD 25 Aug), Tātahi gymnastics visits start
- Tuesday, 29 August – Senior Winter Tournament 9am-3pm, Epro8 Internal Event Year 5 & 6, Tātahi gymnastics visits start, Dance NZ Made for year ⅞ dance group all day
- Wednesday, 30 August – Epro8 Internal Event Year 7 & 8
- Saturday, 2 September – Tournament of Minds regional competition at Victoria University
- Thursday, 7 September – Te Moana Speech Final
- Monday, 18 September – PBS Book Week
ACTING PRINCIPAL’S GREAT NEWS CORNER:
Sharing good news spreads positivity, changes attitudes and ultimately leads to more people feeling encouraged and happy
Last week I had Lydia, Rico and Hawaiki visit me to share their independent writing.
These moments are the highlights of my week, as I get to see student progress and celebrate their success with them. Ka wani kē!
Welcome to Our Recent New Students
There were no new students this week
Have You Checked Out Our Community Notices Directory?
Do you need to advertise your business, an upcoming event, need child care, or looking for a gift or new club to join? Check out the PBS Community Directory on our website https://kapiti.pbs.school.nz/
Introducing Cohort Entry
The Boards of KenaKena School and PBS are considering implementing cohort entry for 5-year-old children starting from the beginning of the academic year 2024.
We believe that adopting cohort entry will bring numerous benefits to our students and their families, as well as our schools and your Early Childhood Centres (ECE) as a whole. Cohort entry refers to the practice of having children of a similar age group start school together at set intervals throughout the year. In this regard, we are planning to offer two entry points per term, specifically during weeks 1 and 6.
By introducing cohort entry, we aim to provide a smoother transition for children entering school, promoting a sense of belonging (Whanaungatanga) and familiarity within their peer group. This approach offers a supportive environment for children to form friendships and build social connections with their classmates from the beginning of their educational journey. It also allows for a more structured orientation process, enabling our kaiako/teachers to focus on the specific needs of each cohort and their engagement in learning. A streamlined transition gives teachers more time to teach.
Before proceeding with the implementation of cohort entry, we value your input and feedback. A separate detailed letter will be emailed out to families this afternoon explaining in more detail this proposal and links to provide feedback. We will also have the information available on our school website later today. Our local ECE Providers will be involved in the conversation and we would appreciate you sharing this information with parents and whānau who intend to enrol with PBS in the future.
Using Māori Language at Home
Learning another language provides many benefits including greater academic achievement, greater cognitive development, and more positive attitudes towards other languages and cultures. So, let’s give it a go and help to revitalise this unique language to Aotearoa for our tamariki. Each week our newsletter will include words or phrases that you might like to try out at your kāinga/home.
Ways to say, Good Morning and Goodnight
Mōrena – Good morning – used as a greeting (it comes from the English word ‘morning’ and has been around for a long time)
Atamārie – Good morning – used as a greeting (a modern construct where two words are joined together to make one word. ‘Ata’ = morning, ‘mārie’ = peaceful)
Ngā mihi o te pō – Good evening/Goodnight – used as a greeting (‘ngā mihi’ = greetings ‘o te’ = of the ‘pō’ = night)
Pōmarie – Goodnight – used as a farewell (a modern construct where two words are joined together to make one word. ‘Pō’ = evening, ‘mārie’ = peaceful)
From – Everyday Māori – Hemi Kelly – (This can be found on Instagram, Facebook and Podcast)
Polo Shirts for Sale
Don’t forget we have polo shirts available for sale at the office for those students who are representing the school in sports etc. Shirts are $50 each and are available to purchase via Kindo or with correct cash at the office.
Please note that although we have some shirts available for lending out, there are limited sizes/amounts available and these will be given out on a first come, first served basis.
Netball
As the season for the Year 3 and Year 4 teams has now come to an end, it is time to return your child’s netball top. Please ensure that this has been washed and dried before it is returned as they go back into storage until next season.
The tops are to be returned to Paula in the office.
Thanks
Midweek Munchies
Future Student Achievements
If your child has an achievement you would like us to share in our newsletter, then please send details (and a picture if you would like) to mbarfoote@pbs.school.nz
Celebrate the Father figure in your life with Ezlunch!
Whether it’s a Dad, Uncle, Grandad or Poppa in your life, make them feel extra special this Father’s Day with our ezlunch giveaway. Every lunch order gets you a chance to win one of three $50 ‘Bunnings’ vouchers.
Order ezlunch for delivery between Mon 21 August – Fri 1 September to be in the draw to win. Three vouchers, three winners!
T&C’s – Winners will be selected randomly and notified by phone or email. Every order has the chance to win a $50 voucher. Open to NZ residents with a myKindo account, at schools with a lunch service available between Monday 21 August & Friday 1 September 2023. Competition ends and will be drawn on Friday 1 September at 11am. No correspondence will be entered in to. *Please note the vouchers may not be delivered in time for Father’s Day. May be exchanged for ezlunch credit if preferred.
