Principal's Message
Kia ora PBS whanau!
After 30 years in education I must admit to getting cynical when it comes to government policy for education. Yesterday morning I watched Dr Nina Hood, from The Education Hub, talking on Breakfast (TVNZ) with great interest. Dr Hood’s research shows that schools simply do not get the funding or resources they desperately need to support students with neurodivergent needs (e.g. dyslexia, adhd, autism, dyscalculia and more).
In my years of personal experience, I have not seen any political party or coalition improve spending for students with additional learning needs, despite this continuing to be the area of greatest need in all schools.
I am proud to say that PBS is a well-performing school. A school where every single staff member gives their all and truly cares about your kids making progress. However, the system is failing us and progressive governments are not listening to principals when we give them honest feedback. As educators we hold a lot of knowledge. We know the things that impact a child’s success. Here are just some of the things we know that we are seeking better government support with.
We know that…
- children’s mental health needs are on the rise, yet not all schools qualify for a social worker (PBS doesn’t)
- the funding for teacher aide support is woefully inadequate
- neurodiversity is real but there is no additional funding to support interventions
- children need school breakfasts and lunches to provide them with the energy to participate in learning; for some children in NZ, the food they receive at school is the only meal they get in a day (PBS uses its own funds to provide lunches for students in need)
- culturally responsive practices enable our Maori students to thrive; just imagine the support local iwi could give schools if they each had a government-funded educator
- progress and achievement rely heavily on children attending school everyday
- most schools have to self-fund a Special Education Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) by taking a teacher out of a classroom, resulting in higher class numbers for other teachers. NB: lower class numbers have a positive impact on achievement
The new education priorities, detailed thus far, have little to no impact for PBS e.g. the cell phone ban and structured literacy. Why? Because our students haven’t been allowed to use their cellphones between 9am – 3pm for at least 10 years, and PBS adopted a structured literacy approach back in 2021 (in fact we were a pilot school for the University of Canterbury).
What I do want more details on is the government’s priority for targeted support for students with additional needs, because quite simply, things need to change. I have written to our Local MP, Tim Costley and Minister for Education, Erica Stanford, inviting them to Paraparaumu Beach School to discuss what is really needed. So, if you have questions you want answered on this front, please feel free to email them to me.
Please keep reading as today’s newsletter contains information about:
- Parenting Tips and Strategies Workshop
- Our Community Directory – list your business on our website!
- Make-up and jewellery reminders (School Dress Code)
- Pink Shirt Day next week
Before I sign off, I want to give a SHOUT OUT to our incredible SUPPORT STAFF! This Thursday we celebrate Support Staff Day and I know each and every one of our team at PBS is worth their weight in gold. From our multi-talented Mr Trask, to our team of Office Angels, our highly skilled Teacher Aides and cleaning crew, PBS could not be more fortunate. Thank you for the significant contribution each of you make everyday to help our kids, teachers and leaders.
Ka kite ano,
Jess Ward
Principal – Tumuaki
Upcoming dates for your awareness:
- THIS THURSDAY is Support Staff Day. Join us in showing appreciation for our Teacher Aides, Office Team, caretaker and cleaning team
- Friday, 24 May – Pink Shirt Day
- Long weekend: PBS is closed Friday, 31 May (Teacher Only Day) – Monday, 3 June (King’s Birthday). NB: The Teacher Only Day on Friday, 31 May is for Paraparaumu Beach School, Kenakena School, Waikanae School, Kapakapanui School and Paraparaumu College as we are all undertaking professional learning together
PRINCIPAL’S GREAT NEWS CORNER:
Sharing good news spreads positivity, changes attitudes and ultimately leads to more people feeling encouraged and happy
Look at our multi-talented Admin team! Paula and Marie have been busy making student council hoodies with a clever cricut machine and lots of patience. The student councillors were delighted with the results. Thank you.
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/
Parenting Tips & Strategies (Free Workshop)
Our local cluster of schools is offering another free learning opportunity for parents. This time the focus is on strategies for positive parenting.
Come along to find out about:
– How to build strong relationships with your child
– How to encourage behaviour you want to see more of
– How to have effective communication between you and your tamariki
Date: Wednesday, 29 May
Time: 7-9pm
Presenter: Di Coleman & Beatrice Fisher
Facilitator: Sam Edwards
Venue: Paraparaumu College Te Manawa (Staffroom)
Registration Link
List your Business
This May, if you list an opportunity or business on our School community directory it will cost just $5. It’s super simple to do, takes 10 mins max and will help people get to know your work
- Opportunity and event listings are $5 and appear on the site for 60 days
- Or list your business or other offering for a whole year for just $5
- Or you can support us with a $20 donation
- You can pay securely by credit card on the site
- It will also help boost your online “signal” to search engines making your website more findable
Using the @school App
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.
Here are some essential kupu that you may hear ia ra (everyday)
I te ata (In the morning)
E oho! – Wake up
Maranga mai – Get up
He rā hou tēnei – Today’s a new day (you can swap ‘hou’ -new for ‘pai’ good, ‘wera’ -hot, ‘makariri’ – cold)
Kāti te moeroa! – No sleeping in (you can swap ‘moeroa’- sleep in for ‘amuamu’- moaning)
I au te moe? – Did you sleep well?
Haere ki te horoi – Go and have a wash (you can swap ‘horoi’ – wash for ‘uwhiuwhi’-shower, ‘kai’- to eat)
Kia tere kei tōmuri koe! – Quickly or else you will be late
From: A Māori Phrase A Day – 365 phrases to kick start your reo – Hēmi Kelly
School Dress Code - Make-up and Jewellery
We want to reinforce to kids that natural beauty without accessories is celebrated and expected at PBS. However, we are noticing a resurgence in some students wearing lots of jewellery and makeup which is unnecessary (plus some jewellery can be dangerous). Please be reminded that our student dress code rules include:
JEWELLERY:
● For safety reasons, only stud earrings are acceptable. Only ears may be pierced
● Other jewellery, other than taonga, is discouraged and/or must be removed or made safe for physical activity
MAKE-UP:
● Face make-up is not to be worn. Teachers may allow face paint or make-up for special occasions or performance purposes only
Pink Shirt Day - Next Friday
It’s almost PINK SHIRT DAY time again – Dress in pink next Friday (24 May)! Pink Shirt Day is about all people feeling safe, accepted and valued in all areas of their lives. It is a time when we remind our students and our community that bullying is not OK. It’s a time when we encourage kids to be upstanders not bystanders.
Bullying is not OK. Bullying others does not make you cooler, tougher or more popular. Bullying is a waste of everyone’s time. It’s very important for kids to understand the difference between a poor behaviour choice and bullying, so we can work towards tackling the issue. Not all unkind behaviours that happen in schools, workplaces or in society are examples of bullying, but perhaps that of a poor behaviour choice. Sometimes poor behaviour is a spur of the moment decision or a response to anger, upset or an assumed slight.
So how is bullying defined? There are four widely accepted factors that can be used to identify bullying behaviour:
- Bullying is deliberate – harming another person intentionally
- Bullying involves a misuse of power in a relationship
- Bullying is usually not a one-off – it is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated over time
- Bullying involves behaviour that can cause harm – it is not a normal part of growing up
Pink Shirt Day is always very well supported each year at PBS. Everyone is encouraged to wear something pink to show their support of the campaign to show they will SPEAK UP, STAND TOGETHER AND STOP BULLYING. The first step is to tell someone – after all a problem shared is a problem halved.
Cool Kids Anxiety Programme
In Term 3, Paraparaumu Beach School will be participating in a pilot programme that aims to support students to build strategies to overcome anxiety that interferes with their day-to-day lives. This programme will run for 10 weeks from Week 1 of Term 3 and is primarily aimed at students in Years 5-7, though if places allow, Year 8’s could be considered. There will be 6-8 places available.
The students will be working with MOE Psychologist, Becca Moore and MOE Advisor & Speech and Language Therapist, Asmaa Fakhreddine, with Carrie Reid, SENCo and Hillary Houston participating. There will be two parent information sessions to attend.
If you would like your child to be considered for the course, please either contact your child’s class teacher, or contact Carrie Reid (SENCo) creid@pbs.school.nz for further details, or collect an expression of interest letter and form from the School Office from tomorrow until 28 May.
Expressions of interest close on the 28 May.
Matariki
Delicious Authentic Hāngi for Sale
Road Safety
While on road patrol duty we have noticed that the majority of parents when dropping of their children off are being responsible. Thank you!
However, there have been instances lately of the poor driving behaviour which in some cases is dangerous and in others makes it very hard for our road patrollers to be able to see. These behaviours are:
- turning in the school driveway
- parking in bus stops on Martin Road
- stopping on yellow lines to let passengers out
- stopping in front of the pedestrian crossing and letting passengers out
Mid-Week Munchies
Yummy scrummy home baking is on sale at morning tea time tomorrow outside Room 13. 50c to $2 for a yummy treat!
Hot Dog Lunches This Friday
****Delicious hot dog lunches are available this Friday****
Orders close on KINDO at midnight on Wednesday
Be in quick to order yours now!
Ngaru Syndicate Lunchtime Disco - Next Friday
Friday, 24 May from 12.50-1.30pm in the school hall. Tickets $5 each (includes a face painting, ice block and a bag of chippies).
Order your tickets on KINDO soon.
Junior Cross Country
Landscaper/Concreter Required
Are there any parents/caregivers who are landscapers or concreters that would be available to help us lay an exposed aggregate path in the garden area behind the stage (as soon as possible)? This would be a paid job.
Please contact John Trask on jtrask@pbs.school.nz if you are interested or would like more details.
Ordering School Photos
Class/sibling photos were taken towards the end of last term. Order envelopes have been sent home to all families. You can order online using the order code on your envelope.
The closing date for orders is 28 May. Please contact the office if you lose your order code.
Year 8 Leavers' Hoodies
Any Year 8 student wishing to buy a leavers’ hoodie can purchase them through KINDO. $58 includes their name or nickname printed on it.
Orders close Thursday, 23 May.
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
School Top Donations Requested
Parenting Tips & Strategies
This is the registration link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeVZrPTv54RZ3T3dc-ogM_bdIa-HdVVdSjmsRMV_FUdQ5l67g/viewform
AUT Survey
Click to particate or learn more: https://aut.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1Cip0TC9wLfEIXc
