Newsletter Term 4 Week 3

Windy Ridge School Newsletter
31 October 2018
Term 4 Week 3
www.windyridge.school.nz
School Bank Account: ASB 12 3072 033 4812 00
PTA Bank Account: ASB 12 3072 038 4799 00
KINDO: online school shop (click on KINDO to register)

Respect, Resilience, Kindness, Integrity
Hello, Kamusta, Hola a todos, Kumusta, Annyeonghaseyo, Ni Hao, Konichiwa, Namaste, Zdravstvuyte, Ciao, Cześć, Hallo, Bonjour, Salut, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Talofa Lava, Kia Orana, Kia Ora Koutou

News from the Principal

Nga mihi nui kia koutou katoa

Upcoming Industrial Action

Recently the NZEI notified us that members had voted to take another strike day as a result of stalled negotiations with the Ministry. This will take the form of rolling strikes; different days for different regions. Auckland will be striking on MONDAY NOVEMBER 12th.

While we absolutely believe that the Government needs to increase incomes for teachers to make it a desirable and competitive career option in order to attract more people to the profession, this is not the only priority we have. We must get some increase in support for children with complex behaviour and learning needs, and our teachers need more time to do the vast array of tasks that prepare them to step in front of a class ready to deliver quality programmes for our learners. Our claim is about smaller class sizes, more time for teachers to plan and assess learning, greater resourcing for special needs in schools AND a competitive pay scale to attract and retain teachers.

The Ministry has announced that they are aware of a shortage of 650 primary teachers nationwide for next year – this is a crisis, and could potentially close classrooms or schools.

The Board of Trustees has voted to close the school on the 12th November (the same as last time) and we all regret the inconvenience faced by our families as a result of this. We are also thankful for the support you continue to give us in this process. We are hopeful that the mediation process that the Ministry and NZEI has now entered into will be successful, and quick.

Brenda’s Reading Recommendations.

Part of being a school leader is ensuring that you stay up to date and abreast of new developments and trends in education locally, nationally and globally. We always want to know that our learners are getting the best opportunities they can to learn the skills and knowledge they will need to be successful as they move through life. Much like all of you, I never seem to have enough time in the day to sit and read, and so I am grateful for the online world that brings the most interesting and challenging viewpoints to my inbox. I have listed below just a few of the sites and blogs that I read to broaden my thinking around what is considered best practice in education. You might find some interesting, others surprising, but I hope that if you find the time to read one or two that you are challenged as I am to think critically about the purpose of education in the 21st century.

Longworth Education – Offering professional development and support to teachers embarking on and engaging in play based learning within the Primary School setting in New Zealand http://www.longwortheducation.co.nz
Brainwave Trust – To raise public awareness about new findings in brain research and to educate everyone who has an impact on the early life of tamariki/children about the important implications of this knowledge on our children’s physical, social, intellectual and emotional development. http://www.brainwave.org.nz
ASCD – a global community dedicated to excellence in learning, teaching, and leading. ASCD’s innovative solutions promote the success of each child. http://www.ascd.org
MindShift – Exploring the future of learning in all its dimensions – covering cultural and technology trends, groundbreaking research, and innovations in education. http://mindshift.kqed.org
Core Education – A not-for-profit educational research and development based organisation with an international reputation for support and promotion of the use of new technologies for learning across all education and training sectors. http://core-ed.org
NZARE – The New Zealand Association for Research in Education aims to foster excellence in educational research in Aotearoa-New Zealand. http://www.nzare.org.nz

Cultural Performance Groups

We are very proud of the groups that we have in our school – Pasifika and Kapa Haka. These two groups have been meeting all year, working on a range of items that they have been perfecting for different opportunities during the year. They are currently working very hard on their items for the Onepoto Festival in November. If your child is involved with either group you will receive a notice in the next few weeks giving you the times of performances and other information about the Festival day.

We have reinforced with the children involved that they need to stay committed to their groups and attend practices as they add the polish to their performance. It can be a challenge when the weather is lovely to skip breaktime to attend a practice, but we need them to be there and support their friends to be their collective best.

News from the Enviro Team – Soft Plastic Assembly:

As you may be aware, the New Zealand soft plastic industry has been undergoing some significant changes over the past couple of months. Previously all soft plastics collected in New Zealand were sent to Australia for processing.

All soft plastics are now being processed in New Zealand with much stricter rules and requirements over the type and volume of soft plastics that can be accepted and the level of contamination that is acceptable.

Unfortunately this means that there is uncertainty over exactly what schools can collect – which meant that we sadly had to postpone the launch assembly of our soft plastics initiative last Tuesday.

We are working closely with the Tread Lightly team to work out a solution for Windy Ridge school so that we can get started on collecting our soft plastics as soon as possible. We will keep you posted about our progress.

In the meantime we encourage you to continue collecting your soft plastics as per normal at home and take them to your nearest supermarket when you do your shopping.

School Happenings

Please check the school calendar for term dates and information. You can find it on the website and on Skool Loop.

Here are a few important dates for you to start with:

Nov 1 PhotoLife class and individual photos

Nov 6-9 Dental Van is onsite

Nov 12 POSSIBLE strike day for teachers confirmed – School will be closed on this day.

Nov 23 School Disco 6pm – 8pm

Nov 23 Onepoto Festival

Nov 27 Junior Athletics Yr 1 & 2 9am – 12.30pm

Nov 29 Helpers Morning Tea – 10.30am

Nov 30 Senior Athletics Yrs 3 – 6 9am – 12.30pm

Dec 10 School Prizegiving assembly 11am

Dec 12 Family Picnic and End of Year Concert 5pm – 7pm

Dec 14 Families in Parks @ WRS

Dec 17 Last day of school – finishing at 12.30pm

Upcoming Events and Trips

**** School Notices are available on the school website. ****

PhotoLife – Tomorrow Thursday 1st November, we will be having class and individual photos taken. PhotoLife Notice – Sibling photographs are also available but the signed booking form must be returned to the office by 9am on Photo day. PhotoLife Sibling Booking Form The forms can be picked up from the office.
Assemblies for this term: Week 4 – 9th November – Team Pukeko, Week 6 – 23rd November – Team Fantail, Week 8 – 7th December – Team Falcon. Week 9, 10th December – Year 6 Graduation & Prizegiving. Assembly starts at 9.45am, prior to this we have a coffee and chat for parents in the staffroom from 9am with our Principal Brenda McPherson and Board Chairperson Caroline Hudson.
Team Falcon Swimming – The Falcon students are participating in swimming lessons this term 4, on a Thursday. Please see the attached notice for payment details. Updated Falcon Swimming Notice
Team Pukeko – Team Pukeko Term 4 2018 Newsletter

Reminders

The Oscar Club – The Oscar Club afterschool care will have their last day for the year on Monday 17th December and will recommence their holiday program on Monday 7th January 2019, please contact them directly for more information. http://www.theoscarclub.co.nz
Sun Safety – All students will need their sunhats at school this term. Please make sure they are named.
Lost Property – Please remember to check our lost property bin on the hall deck for any lost items, please name all items of clothing, lunch boxes and drink bottles.
Ezlunch – We have an online lunch order system available for students, to register and order follow this link www.ezlunch.co.nz/schools, Ezlunch Term 4 Menu Orders must be made before 9am.
Pasifika & Kapa Haka Groups – Year 3 to 6 students is on Friday afternoons from 1.00pm to 2.00pm in the hall. The Pasifika group for all years is on every Wednesday afternoon from 2pm to 3pm in Room 9.
Chess Club – every Monday lunchtime in Room 4 with Miss Ford, all welcome
School Donation – Thank you to all our families who have made their donation, these are not compulsory but help support the school and are tax deductible. School Donation 2018
Donation Receipts – Kindo is now sending out copies of receipts you can use to claim the tax back on your school donation. If you pay your donation now through Kindo, you will receive a PDF attachment to your normal Kindo emailed receipt – please print this and hold on to it for your tax return. Kindo will also be sending out receipts for those of you who have paid a School Donation via myKindo prior to now – please look out for this. Shortly you will also be able to access copies of these from your myKindo online account (on the ‘my orders’ page). To pay your donation now, you can use our Kindo link below…Login https://shop.tgcl.co.nz/shop/user_home.shtml?session=false&shop=Windy%20Ridge%20School or create a new account https://shop.tgcl.co.nz/shop/handshake.shtml?&shop=Windy%20Ridge%20School
Regular Happenings & Groups – Regular Happenings and Groups (1)
Ideas for Home Learning – At our recent Meet the Teacher evening we shared some homework suggestions, copies are also available from the office. Ideas for Home Learning
Parking – We have begun the year with a higher than normal number of parents dropping off and/or picking their children up from school. This has led to heavy demand for parking spaces and some crazier than usual maneuvers. Please respect the rules of the road (including the 40km speed limit) and restrictions on parking (including the 10 min parking zone out the front, no parking between the signs out the back and NO parking in the school car parks).
Of course, in line with our Travelwise policy, we promote our students (especially from Year 3 up) walking to school. We have four Walking School Buses and children who live further from school can be dropped off a distance from the school so that they can complete their journey to school by foot. Our Travelwise Students will be promoting active, safe travel to school over the term.
Head Lice – Unfortunately these are very common in the community, please check your child’s hair regularly. We have attached the link to the Ministry of Education parent information website with more information. https://parents.education.govt.nz/primary-school/wellbeing/head-lice/
Attendance – Please ensure that your children arrive at school on time and that we are aware of their absence by 9.00am each day. You can telephone the office and leave an absence message or go online to the school website and use the Report an absence tab or use the Skool Loop app. We do follow up lateness and absence as we are required to report on both to the Ministry of Education and the Board of Trustees. If you are planning a holiday in term time please advise your child’s teacher and the office.
WINDY RIDGE PARENTS Facebook – We have a closed Facebook page for Windy Ridge parents – you need to request to be part of this page. It is a valuable page for reminders, information, and general WRS ‘stuff. https://www.facebook.com/groups/windyridgeparents/
School Library – The library will be open from 8.30am to 8.55am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings and during lunchtime. The students will also get to visit once a week with their classes.
Music Lessons – John Casson from MusiqHub is now offering music lessons in Guitar & Ukulele at our school, see the attached notice for more information. John Casson Flyer

Term dates

School Terms 2018

Term 4 Monday 15/10 – Monday 17/12 at 12.30pm

LABOUR DAY – Monday 22/10 (School Closed)

School Terms 2019

Term 1 Monday 4/02 – Friday 12/04

Term 2 Monday 29/04 – Friday 05/07

Term 3 Monday 22/07 – Friday 27/09

Term 4 Monday 14/10 – TBC

PTA News

Disco – Friday November 23rd

Community News

The weekend will include demonstrations, activities, workshops, have a go kayaking, SUPs and sailing, fun interactive

games and the promotion of drowning prevention messages.

When: 10th & 11th November
Where: Okahu Bay
Times: 9am – 2pm
https://www.facebook.com/events/657459307961598/

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We have an open day on 17th of November from 9:00am to 10:30am.

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NZ Warbirds Open Day 12th November

Another reminder about our Visitor Centre, an outstanding educational resource located at 824 Harvard Lane, Ardmore.

Enquiries are most welcome from school groups to visit and view the various displays of both WW1 and WW2 aircraft in the NZ Warbirds hangars.

Should you require further information please contact the office on 09 298 9207 or visit our website at www.nzwarbirds.org.nz.

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Glenfield Intermediate are still taking enrolments for next year,

see the attached prospectus for an enrolment form.

Glenfield Intermediate Prospectus

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ADULTS AND KIDS PASTA CLASSES

HANDS ON CLASS WHERE YOU WILL LEARN:

How to make your own fresh pasta following Italian traditional recipe and using pasta machine
How to make different cuts of pasta

For more information and bookings:

Call Cosimo on 021 08587326 or email cosimomazza1978@gmail.com

Facebook Page: “Handmade pasta with love”

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Welcome to the Home of Kids Party Entertainment.

At Party At Yours we love to entertain your children with our super fun, innovative party ideas and

activities to suit birthday boys and girls of all ages. www.partyatyours.co.nz

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Is your child shy? Do they feel intimidated by the idea of public speaking and performance? Do they sometimes find it difficult to make eye contact? Do they just need dedicated time per week to just be CRAZY?! Come and join the revolutionary self-confidence programme – Marrzipan! We run awesome classes at schools, which focus on key life skills and public speaking ability. We play fun engaging games and perform at the end of term once to parents and once to the school. All scripts are original, engaging, educational and HILARIOUS. You can sign your child up for a Trial Lesson via our website www.marrzipandrama.co.nz (we have contact numbers on there too, should you prefer to talk to a human!)

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YOU CAN TAKE YOUR USED SOFT PLASTIC BAGS AND WRAPPERS TO

Coming soon to Windy Ridge School

Last year Kiwis dropped off over 365 Tonnes of soft plastic bags for recycling. That’s a massive 91 million bags. Recycling soft plastic is something you can do. Look out for the green and white soft plastic recycling bin like the one in the image.

The Love NZ Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme website tells you all about plastic bag recycling and plastic wrap recycling, and how to recycle grocery bags and recycle bubble wrap.

https://www.recycling.kiwi.nz/solutions/soft-plastics

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Birkenhead City Cricket Club registration are open for the cricket season 2018-19. If interested you can either register online or can visit BCCC for
in person registration. For online registration please visit http://www.birkenheadcricket.co.nz/registration/ .

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ART CLASS FOR CHILDREN

A fun and focused 6-week program for children aged 7 – 12yrs.

With step-by-step guidance students will explore methods and techniques useful for developing skills in drawing and acrylic painting.

Venue: Highbury House, Birkenhead.

Tuesdays, 3.30pm – 5.00pm. Starts Oct 30, cost $110.

Bookings: eion@eionbryant.com, ph. 483 6703

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http://kaipatiki.org.nz/

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http://www.incredibleyears.com/

For more information about this program follow this link.

The Incredible Years

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Yoga workshop for Mums and children

see the website link or attached brochure for more information

http://www.albanyyoga.co.nz/

Albany Yoga

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https://www.theparentingplace.com/toolbox-parenting-courses/early-years/

Attention workshop
Join Adrienne Wood, a certified course facilitator with the Neufeld Institute to understand and become more equipped to help children with attention difficulties.
Monday, 29 October, 8.30am-4.30pm
Parenting Place 300 Great South Road, Greenlane

For more events coming up, please see our term four calendar.

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Did you know you can now recycle your expired or damaged child car seat? Around 90% of seat materials are recyclable which is great news for the environment, and keeping expired car seats out of circulation is good for child safety. SeatSmart accepts any brand of capsule, booster or reversible car seat (no polystyrene boosters) for a small fee of $10 (RRP). For collection site details visit www.SeatSmart.co.nz. You can also like us on Facebook (SeatSmartNZ).

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Auckland Live Kids 2018

Friday 9th March to Sunday 23rd December aucklandlive.co.nz

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ASB

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Kaipatiki Community Facilities Trust Sustainable Neighbourhood Project.

Boomerang Bags ` `made in Kaipatiki “ is a community driven initiative tackling plastic pollution at the grassroots level through our KCFT Sustainable Neighbourhood Projects which is supported by the Birkenhead Licensing Trust. The many dedicated volunteers get together to make re-usable bags using recycled materials as a means to provide a sustainable alternative to plastic bags in Kaipatiki.

To set the scene, of Plastic Free Kaipatiki, we absolutely need your help! Keen Volunteers needed to help with cutting and sorting the materials, pinning, ironing, stamping and sewing at the planned sewing bees.
All ages welcome! No experience required – sewers non sewers…….churches, community sites………every one volunteer is exceptional……..if you’re keen please let us know, or if you can donate material for this programme…….or other ideas, we welcome contact Jill@kaipatikicommunityfacilitiestrust.org.nz Let’s see how many sewing bees we can add to the existing at Bayview Community Centre, Chartwell Hub and Beach Haven Community House. Our two lovely project leads Tracey and Alana……would be keen to hear from you.

The Facebook Page Boomerang Bags North Shore Auckland https://www.facebook.com/groups/184754688701669/ Thank you.