Last Blog Post of 2021

 Wow! What another amazing year at Worser Bay. Here are some highlights...

And something from the staff...

The Year 6 item...

Farewell Year Six - Class of 2021!

Our Year 6 students were farewelled at our Poroaki. 

The Year 6 Dinner

The year six dinner was held on Thursday from 5.30-7.00.

The theme of the dinner was fancy and posh. Although not everyone wore something nice.

We Had to bring our own food. Some of us ended up with leftovers for dinner the next night (Not mentioning any names.)

We could either bring a sweet dessert, or a savoury meal.

I think we all were full at the end.

The teachers played us a video of us when we were little, and then a photo of us now. The teachers also gave speeches. There were lots of balloons. There was a disco room in the kever (Was last minute), and a photo booth downstairs.

A bunch of people got a bit carried away with the sugar.

It was a very fun opportunity to hang out with friends and classmates.

Also, the parents got to have drinks and connect with other families.

By Sabine and Cleo

Year 6 Pool Trip

Space Place Trip - We watched "Ngā Tohunga Whakatere - The Navigators" which was a wonderful summary of heaps of our Inquiry learning over the last few years. Then we did a scavenger hunt in the museum!

Gardening on Green Day

On the 13th of December is Green Day (Aka: Environmental day, Garden day).

On green day, everybody is encouraged to wear green and bring in seedlings such as zucchini, carrot, broccoli & lettuce.

On green day, lots of people have the opportunity to get into the school gardens and get their hands dirty. Unfortunately, because of the rain, only a few people got to get into the garden.

In the garden there was lots to be done. We had to replace all the soil in the garden boxes, pick out all the roots/ weeds that were in the soil and then plant, and finally, unreel the hose and water the new plants.

I got to help organise Green Day, be a journalist and actually get into the garden.

By Olive

Netball: Teachers V Year 6

Leo N:

The annual year 6 netball, in summary, was intense.

(Almost) all the Autahian and Tautorians were cheering for the year 6’s, though most (which I interviewed) said that the teachers were most likely to win, due to the odds, the teachers were on about 4 while the Year 6’s were on 1. People were very hyped for the match. Halfway through the match, hope was lost for the year 6’s, but some people still had a belief in them. Then, the unpredictable happened. The year 6’s were on a streak, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5! Teachers were losing, and fast, they had to get their game up, and they did. Going from 6 to 7, nearing the end of the match. Then, came the last deciding goal, the goal worth 3 points (or so people say, which the teachers agreed with), so the people who got this goal, would advance onto the number 1 podium, while the other team, will sit on number 2. It was intense, the year 6’s had the ball, they shot about 2 times, each time it bounced off but they collected it after they had missed. The final shot was upon them, the shot, it hit the pole, and into the hoop! Everyone was shouting with joy, it truly was an amazing experience, for the viewers and the contestants. The year 6’s had won. Sure, it was not that fair, but it was all for fun, and the outcome was pretty cool too.

Kura: 

Year 6 Netball was super fun! At first the teachers were winning: 0 - 5 and then when the netball team was put on we evened it to 6 - 7 to the teachers. Apparently the last goal won or last goal 3 points so year 6´s ended up winning! If it didn't count it would've been 7 - 7.

Thank you to Deb, Tamsyn and Kristy for all of your hard work with the Netball team.

Green Day

Meet the "Green Team"

We are organising Green Day! This will be next Tuesday (14th December)! Everybody in the school will be involved getting our gardens ready so that when we return in 2022 there will be fresh produce.

We are also making a steaming compost heap! Fun!

We would like to involve everyone in the school who is keen and will be involved in planting, weeding, watering and piling on scraps on the compost pile. 

Autahi and Tautoru will be working in their own garden spaces.

Bring compostable materials: Dry leaves, any bunny/ chicken poo, seaweed, fresh cut grass, any compostable material... 

Bring along a seedling or two: tomato plant, beans, zucchini, lettuce, herbs...

Wear your green-est outfit!

From the Green Team

Our Green Team have been collecting seaweed on the beach for composting!

Collecting leaves for composting

Kia ora Brindas School

Kia ora and bonjour to our friends at Brindas School in France,  

We have made a short video for you. 

We hope that you all have a great Christmas break and we look forward to collaborating again next year!

Here are some messages for you...

Jeremie's Visit: Grit, Perseverance and Resilience

Lisa: Today Jeremie came to school to tell us a bit about her story and what she has been through.

When Jeremie was in primary school she started biking and really enjoyed it as she grew up she started to do races for her school and she won lots of them. Jeremie started to train really hard and when she got into high school she was racing for New Zealand she did all types of biking; Mountain biking, Road cycling and Track cycling.

One day Jeremie was track cycling when she crashed and hit her head badly she lost her memory and found it hard to move her arms and legs, lucky she was wearing a helmet otherwise she would have died. She couldn’t go to school for a year and had to relearn everything. Ever since this happened she has had a constant headache for TWELVE YEARS.

Jeremie has leant how to be positive although her favourite thing was taken from her. She has had to take new paths. Now she does cycling at the gym on the bikes there because they don’t move. If she ever hits her head really hard there is a possibility that she could die. She is not to be on a screen for to long so she needed to find a job that doesn't include a screen and is now doing something that she loves as a gym teacher.

Charlie: Today we had a visitor. Her name is Jeremie and she taught us a story about a Growth Mindset and her story about how she represented New Zealand in cycling. She taught us about how a Growth Mindset can help us get through things. In her story she told us about her head injury and the struggle she went through for the last 12 years. She also teaches Nicola on one of those stationary bikes (RPM) you go on at Gyms. I found her story very interesting and I thought she was very brave. She also has some very good strategies that she used at times she needed them.

Marlon: Today Jeremie came over to the school. She came over to tell us her story. Her story was about a big brain injury that had happened to her because she fell off her bike. You have to remember that someone has something that you can’t see from the outside but it is still has on the inside. She started biking from college to the club then she got to race for New Zealand. Jeremie used grit, resilience and perseverance and took another path for 12 years but when she got better she started getting back on her bike. Amazingly she cycled the whole length of the South Island recently. 

Camp Info/Transition 2022

Year 5 + 6 Camp  - 9 -11 March 2022 (Year 4 - day at camp 10 March)

Aims of Camp

• Managing self 

• Participating and contributing

• Relating to others 

• Thinking (particularly goal setting and reflection)

 It is a great opportunity for our kids to develop Resilience and amazing to see them overcoming their fears and achieving success.  We need to plan carefully prior to camp to ensure that this is a positive experience for all.  

Health and Safety

All activities are well planned for and managed by YMCA staff. Safety guidelines and procedures are highlighted before all activities. Camp documentation is up to date with current practice in the sector.

Staying overnight

One of the greatest challenges of Camp is of course, simply staying away from home overnight. If your child has never stayed away from home before - practise!  Those who are nervous can choose (to a degree) who they share a cabin with, so they have the support of their close friends. Teachers encourage those who are homesick to hang on and overcome.  They are really proud of themselves when they manage this. Students are expected to pack their own bags so that they are able to keep an eye on their own belongings, a practical side of managing themselves.  

Top Tips - from a parent

1. DO NOT pack their camp bags for them! Despite how much easier it would be.  If  they physically choose and put the items in their bag they are building vital life skills in self-care, and setting themselves up for success at camp where they are responsible for finding what they need.

2. Discuss with them why each item might be important as they pack. Maybe hold the checklist and help check off the items as they pack - this also keeps your hands busy so you can’t help!!

3. If they don’t usually use a sleeping bag, practice taking it out of the bag and repacking it. If they want to let them sleep in it before camp at home so it feels more familiar.

4. Get them to name their belongings themselves. Lots of kids have similar clothing or sleeping bags – pack up and cabin clean up time on the last day is CHAOS! Named items are much easier to find and if they have written their own name they know what to look for.

5. Help them choose to pack snacks that will give them a longer energy boost, in case they don’t like the food.

6. Last reminder, because this is perhaps the hardest! Do not pack for them :-)

Transition 

Base Groups

Each child will be assigned to a Base Group made up of students in years 4-6. The teacher assigned to this group is your first point of contact ( pastoral care) and coordinates the pulling together of assessment and reporting and also conversations with yourselves.

Your child has spent time in their new space over the last term.  This is an opportunity to get a feel of the sorts of learning they will be involved in, as well as getting to know the new learning spaces and teachers that will be part of their learning journey next year.

Learning groups

As well as spending time learning in their base group, your child might have a different group of peers for Reading, Writing and Maths. This teacher may or may not be the Base Group teacher. These groups are organised according to need and can change over time. The Base Group teacher will still be the first point of contact in regards to learning.

Learning

We run an exciting programme based around big themes and questions connected to Inquiry.  There is a focus on Positive Education, The Arts and Te Ao Māori running alongside and integrated with our Literacy and Numeracy programmes.  We support the learning needs of our students and offer many opportunities for students to work to their strengths.  Learners in the Māhutonga Matariki Whānau are exposed to authentic and stimulating learning experiences and are given the opportunity to express themselves via their work.  Creativity is at the forefront of our approach to learning.  We communicate learning and notices through Seesaw, this is a great place to see what’s going on in the classroom.

What about devices?

In the Seniors, children can bring in their own specified device, if they wish to, but it is in no way compulsory at all. Technology is great if it can add value. We are trying hard to limit screen time across the school and ensure there is a good balance of physical, academic, social, emotional, relational activities happening that do not require a rectangle box. It’s a balancing act! You will already be familiar with the Technology Agreement. Any inappropriate use is taken very seriously and you will know about it. 

Our Teachers

Our teaching team is one fewer next year. John will be in the Matariki space and Nic and Jenny in the Māhutonga space. Please introduce yourself to us if your child is new to the spaces. Cloe is a Learning  Assistant spending some time in Māhutonga Matariki. We are already excited about 2022!

 

Ngā mihi nui, 

John, Nic, Jenny and Cloe