"Together we are lifelong CREST learners"
Principal's Message
Kia ora PBS whānau
We are 14 sleeps away from our school’s Matariki celebration and I can smell the hangi, sausage sizzles and hot chocolates already! Our teachers and kids are busy gearing up for the big night; personally I’m really looking forward to the kids’ performances, including band, choir and kapa haka.
If you haven’t purchased your delicious hangi yet, you can do this on KINDO. These sold out the last two years, so don’t leave it until the last minute. Thanks again to all our incredible business sponsors (see details later in this newsletter); you are FABULOUS!
Please keep reading as today’s newsletter is bursting with news about:
- Learning Conferences – Wednesday, 3 July – School closed for instruction
- Matariki night details – please read and be informed
- Seeking business sponsorship to repaint our pool
- Digi-Tech corner: How to make social media safer and kinder
- Cross Country results
- New Entrant Parent information session
- Is your child autistic? Parent Learning opportunity
Ngā mihi nui,
Jess Ward
Principal – Tumuaki
Upcoming dates for your awareness:
- Tuesday, 25 June – Matariki event at PBS (Wednesday, 26 June p/p day)
- Friday, 28 June – Matariki Public holiday
- Wednesday, 3 July – Learning Conferences – school closed for instruction
PRINCIPAL’S GREAT NEWS CORNER:
Sharing good news spreads positivity, changes attitudes and ultimately leads to more people feeling encouraged and happy
Last week three student councillors – Ruby Blake, Charlie Hanna and Juvan Scholtz came along to our Board meeting. They spoke to the Board about recent events they have been involved in and answered the Board members’ questions articulately. It was fantastic to see students so confidently involved in school processes and embodying everything that our CREST values embody.
Welcome to Our Recent New Students
Skylar – Rm 19
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/
Student Feedback
At the end of 2023, our Year 8 students were surveyed to gather feedback in a few key areas. We have been reflecting on this data, which paints a positive picture in most areas. Feeling respected and supported at school is an area I wish to investigate further so that these feelings are not simply dismissed as just a stereotypical pre-teen attitude. Future work in this space will be shared with you.
Matariki - Fun for the Whole Whānau
A Big Thank You to Our Matariki Sponsors!
We’d like to express our sincere gratitude to our generous sponsors who are helping make our upcoming Matariki celebration a night to remember! Their support allows us to provide exciting activities, free hot chocolates for our tamariki and a wonderful cultural experience for our community.
Want to get involved?
There’s still time to donate or sponsor our Matariki Event! Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference. Contact Hillary Houston for more information: hhouston@pbs.school.nz
Delicious Authentic Hāngi for Sale
Learning Conferences (Parent-Student-Teacher interviews) Wednesday, 3 July
This year our mid-year learning conferences will be held on Wednesday, 3 July (in the last week of the school term). Please note that school will be closed for instruction on this day, however we will offer childcare for families who cannot arrange alternative care on this day. Complete this form if you have no alternative care for your child/ren https://forms.gle/bcEPPt3iujw5BEYK9
To book your learning conference slot, see the info below.
At PBS, we recognise the importance of involving students in discussions about their learning. This enables the student to feel more ownership over their learning, be praised for their progress, and encouraged in their next steps by the important adults at home and school.
During these conferences…
- The role of the teacher is to facilitate and lead the conversation about the student’s learning
- The role of the student is to share some of their learning and join in the discussion as they feel comfortable or as prompted by their teacher
- The role of the parent or whānau member is o listen, ask questions (of their child or the teacher) and encourage their child to participate
Important information for parents:
- Parents will need to book an interview slot and bring their child/children along to school at that time. See the instructions on Skool loop (below)
- If for whatever reason you cannot make it along on this day, I encourage you to email your child’s teacher and try to set up another time or set up a zoom call on another date
- Know that the school playgrounds and library will be available for siblings to wait or play during the interview slots. This means your child can have your full focus during their learning conference slot
- Know that these conferences are not the time to raise complex social issues or sensitive matters, as it may be preferential to discuss these without your child present. You can arrange a time to do this with your child’s teacher by emailing them
- Note that there is only one interview slot per child. Therefore, we encourage parents living apart to attend together – what better way to show your child that they come first
Learning Conferences (Parent-Student-Teacher interviews) Wednesday, 26 June for Rm 5 Only
This year our mid-year learning conferences for Room 5 will be held on Wednesday, 26 June.
To book your learning conference slot, see the info above as for the rest of the school.
Using the @School App
I will regularly highlight a button on the @school app. This week it is:
This button has more of a relevance in Years 3 to 8. This button takes you to the Spotlight Learning goals set for your child.
In the left-hand corner, you will see the word ‘ALL’. By clicking on this word you will get the drop-down menu and you can select the learning area to view.
This screenshot shows you what you see:
The orange highlight – shows you if the learning intention is ‘working towards’ or ‘acheived’. If all the text is in a grey box it is ‘working towards’ if it is in a green box the learning intention is ‘achieved’
The yellow highlight – shows the curriculum level of the learning intention
The green highlight – tells you when the comment by the teacher was added
The blue highlight – tells you when the learning intention was assigned to your child
The purple highlight – if you push this speech bubble you can add a comment
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.
Puanga: Many iwi actually observe the rise of Puanga to mark the new year instead of Matariki as it made more sense to their geographical settings.
Puanaga (the star Rigel) is the brightest star in the Orion Constellation in the late autumn and early winter sky. The iwi of Taranaki, Whanganui, parts of the far North, parts of the South Island and the Chatham Islands observe Puanga.
Matariki: Around the end of May or early June in New Zealand, the Pleiades cluster of stars can be seen low on the north-eastern horizon just before dawn. This cluster carries the Māori name, Matariki. The rise of Matariki and the sighting of the next new moon during June/July mark the Māori New Year.
Over the next few weeks we will look at each whetū (star).
Tupuānuku: is the whetū associated with food grown in the ground. This whetū is connected to all cultivated and uncultivated food. “Tupu” means ‘to grow’ and “nuku” is the shorted version of “Papatūānuku”
Tupuārangi: is the whetū
associated with food that comes from the sky. Tupuārangi is linked to birds. Tupuārangi connects the cluster to the harvesting of birds and other elevated food such as fruit and berries from trees.
Help Make a Splash! Seeking Business Sponsorship for Our School Pool
We all know how important it is to teach kiwi kids to swim and be water-confident, right? Well, we need your support in continuing on this mission as our school pool needs sandblasting and repainting (quoted at $16,000). Grant applications haven’t been successful, so we’re turning to our amazing community for support.
The Solution: With your help, we can reach our goal! Imagine if 16 businesses contributed $1,000 each, we’d be able to complete this project and be ready for next summer!
Be a Part of Something Special: Sponsoring businesses will be recognised on a prominent display board by the pool, showcasing their commitment to our students’ safety and well-being
If your business is able to contribute please email Marie on mbarfoote@pbs.school.nz and together, let’s make a splash!
DigiTech Corner
Although most social media has a minimum age of 13, a lot of kids start asking for it before they’re technically allowed to join. It’s important that kids know how to use social media in a considerate, kind, respectful and safe manner. We regularly remind our students that our PBS CREST values don’t stop at the school gate and can be applied to all areas of their life. Social media is no different.
Below is a great little comic to help educate your child about staying safe and being kind.
Further advice on the topic can be found on these sites.
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/help-my-kid-wants-to-use-social-media
Midweek Munchies
Midweek Munchies will be available outside Room 7 at morning tea on Wednesday, fundraising for the 2025 Te Motu camp.
Hoodies - Fundraising for Te Motu Syndicate School Camp
Payment is due by 14 June and can be paid on Kindo or by correct cash to the office.
New Entrant Parent Information Presentation – Tātahi Syndicate
A New Entrant Information Presentation will be held for all parents of new children on Friday, 14 June 2024 from 10.00-10.30am in the staffroom.
This session will:
· provide an overview of the ‘Transition to School’
· provide an overview of the New Entrant Programme in reading, writing and mathematics
· highlight how you can help at home with learning
In Tātahi Syndicate, we believe that successful partnerships between home and school are established when both parties have a shared expectation and knowledge of their child’s learning. We would love to see you there.
Te Motu Cross Country Results
Year 7 Girls
Peyton McGarry-Paku
Sophie Stevens
Zoe Gee
Sophia Cartmer-Strauss
Kaya O’Brien
Sapphire Tiata
Lilly James
Isla Warren
Amelia Qela
Libby Ryan
Year 7 Boys
Kade Gardiner
Phoenix Tee
Noah Hunt
Hosheia Bolton-Smithson
Leo Holloway
Zavier Marshall
Isaac Murphy
Jackson Gough
James Crabb
Cash Va’a
Year 8 Girls
Mia Thomson
Quin Steinmetz
Emily Hamdan
Madi Rolls
Phoebe Corin
Karli Potgieter
Joy Ransfield
Holly McCullagh
Sienna Carter
Holly McGregor
Year 8 Boys
Corey Whitfield
Juvan Scholtz
William Hamdan
Mitchell Moloney
Tom Johnstone
Matthew Livingston
Lucas Yeoman
Christopher Neves
AJ Bath
Zach Leeksma
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
Big Buddy
Have you heard of a organisation called Big Buddy? https://urldefense.proofpoint.
They are always looking for great men to volunteer some of their time to make a positive impact on a young boys life.
Free Presentation
