Monday the 2nd of May
Welcome back! A couple of date changes to get us going.
Jones Cup is one week later the 30th of May.
The annual meeting is 2 days later, Thursday the 19th.
PREP is all go and actually progressing really well. A very settled and easy start. The children just seem to know what to do. Probably the result of the previous years work and everyone being well prepared. More on prep?
We had a good assembly this Friday. Children in Room 1 showed their great art and writing! Tyla did a very good presentation about his book Tui Bay. Well done Tyla, you did a great job. Tracy and Laura showed and explained their clay tile work. Very artistic.... Room 3 was all ready with their recorders but it was time for Jones Cup practices!
Another aspect of the term so far is the Advanced Numeracy Project... Staff in senior school will be implementing this program and receiving some good training too I hope. Heather and Richard went to a day workshop run by Michael Pohl, based on developing children's thinking! Later in the term all teachers will be involved in some further training in this area.
|All in all a busy start to the term.

Friday the 20th of May
The children had their injections today, and it seemed to go pretty well.
The BOT, Fundraising, PTA all held their annual meetings this week. It went pretty well as anticipated. There was talk of improving communication with a very constructive idea to put up a notice board out by the Hall. Great idea and easy to do. Other discussion focused around:
the format of our end of year reports
the organisation of teachers in Room 3 due to reading recovery
reading recovery
At the annual meeting we have had a brick bats and bouquets session with parents in groups discussing anything they like.
The feedback is self review for the Board and staff and I look forward to exploring further ideas raised.
All the teaching staff were at the annual meeting and thanks very much for coming. Megan and Kelly in fact were at school between 8am and 10.30 on this day. Personally I would like to thank the staff for their commitment to the education of the children at school. You are a particularly dedicated and the children are the winners!

ERO REPORT
Another feature of the week was the ERO report from our review late term 1. It is still unconfirmed but what an excellent read. It clearly shows that we are doing a good job. There is a little saying that goes a bit like this:
teachers have NZEI to look after their issues!
BOT have STA to look after their issues!
And the children have ERO!
Well although that might be taking it a bit far, the report is very positive. ERO are in the business of making recommendations and areas of improvement, this is their work... I am very pleased with the report and the way it reflects on the school staff and the school BOT.

Jones Cup
This was held on Tuesday the 31st of May on a cool winters day! No rain though!! The weather has been unsettled and today was the best opportunity we had! Many thanks particularly to the teams coaches. Plus of course the PTA work hard all day.....Kids had a great time. Jones Cup is really enjoyed by the kids.. Thanks Cathy who did a great job behind the scenes with the draw and the referees and umpires! We are looking at opening Jones Cup to all the schools in our new cluster. What do you think about this significant change to the current situation. New schools are:Ngaere, Pembroke Rawhitiroa and Pembroke. Anyway, you can see a video of the day by clicking here........

Market Day
We held our Market day Friday the 3rd. This is the end of a 7 week unit and again I believe Prep has been a real success. If possible, it is enjoyed more by the kids now as they are really ready for it...The children's feedback to me and the teachers says it is a successful program. One which they children want to continue!
Anyway we are doing a survey and it will be in the children's hands. After 4 years of Prep maybe it is time to look at a change.. Lets see what the children say.

8th of June
The Prep survey clearly showed overwhelming support by the children of the Prep program! Great... Most children seem to love the program or like the program. The survey results went on the last newsletter. As a staff we enjoyed the shortened period... which is still really 7 weeks. I have a pretty good video of the PREP process which children made in a business enterprise (Documentaries Unlimited) made for us out of the tax dollars which is available to be shown at school. It is too large for the web site.

9th of June
Well the photocopier went bung today! So it was the second time in 8 years that the newsletter didn't go out on time!!! Small thing but important to us..

17th of June
My three weeks in Room 5 are up as of today. I have again really enjoyed it... Thanks kids , you were great. Three weeks just isn't long enough to do all the things... but we finished up Prep for a week, then tackled the mathematics investigations...... Pretty good progress and one more week to get them done!!! Lions collaborative 'game' went pretty well and the newspaper trudged along!! A little sport on those fine afternoons!
Mrs Savage will be back on deck Monday and I'll be heading back into Room 3.. Mrs Hunger will be away for the next week with a family commitment and I will be in Room 3.

Met with Peter MCBreen re the schools audited accounts after school with treasurer. All is well in this area! The school is in a healthy position for ongoing asset replacement.

After school Toko School, Ngaere, Rawhitiroa, Pembroke and Midhirst Schools met for a "Gifted and Talented" meeting at the TET. Well worth it and thanks to Ngaere for organising it.

Lastly a survey on reading went out from school today and I hope we can get a full response from families. It is just a part of our preparation for the mid year interviews and is data to be added to out information gathering on children's learning.

Monday the 20th
Great to have Heather back today in Room 5. Welcome back.
We had a visitor from the Ministry of Education today conducting a work load survey for the Ministry identifying key work load issues!
The art panels were dropped off at the Percy Thompson Art Gallery about 4.30! Phew!
Lots of work in the senior room with the upcoming Methanex Mathematics Spectacular!

Tuesday 21st
Three staff, Heather, Cathy and Richard attended a morning workshop as part of the Advanced Numeracy contract. Some great activities and an eye opener as to what is expected with this contract.

A special visitor at school today, Brendan Harmy (Sorry, will check spelling). He spoke to the children for a good half hour, signed autographs and from all accounts the kids loved it. Well done Joseph with your introduction and thank you!

Principal and Board chair attended a useful Principal Appraisal meeting at Stratford High in the evening between 7 and 9 run by Garry Good.

Friday 24th
Great little assembly today. Work from Room 1, some Maori stick games, and singing and some flash animations and a little movie!! Well done teachers and kids!

Monday the 27th
Took the Year 7 and 8 mathematical investigations to NP after school. Check them out!

Thursday the 30th
Found out yesterday afternoon that three groups have received either first, second or third, for their mathematics investigations. Seeing we only entered into two categories, ( Year 7 and year 8 group investigations) this isn't too bad is it. Three prizes out of a potential six. I really hope that other groups received merits for their work too. A merit is still really good too! But the kids that have been recognised in this Taranaki wide competition are: Martin and William, Caleb and BJ, Scott and Sam. Congratulations children, and teachers involved! Clearly the teachers had a significant impact here. We ensured specific guidance, a very high standard of presentation, and enough time to be successful.... as well as some great starting ideas.

Monday the 4th of July
A really positive morning of debating between Toko, Midhirst, Rawhitiroa, Pembroke and Ngaere Schools. Well done all involved. We had two teams and they were well prepared considering the absences involved! Hope to do the same thing late in term 3!! Big thanks to the schools adjudicators that helped make it happen!

Dance
Thanks to Daryll coming in and helping all the kids with some rock n roll dancing. This is gearing up for the Disco on the first Friday of term 2. Should be loads of fun with a real live duke box this time!

Room 1 Hits the movies and visits the old folks home too!
Room 1 has had a big week with two visits! They were superb according to Megan. All the children performed well and their behaviour was immaculate. You know what that means Huh, another trip away!

Kahikatea House champions this term! Congratulations Kahikatea!!! Well done. Yummy ice block and half an hour extra lunch time!

Parent Interviews 5th ,6th and 7th
Well Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings 2.30 to about 6.30, we had parent child and teacher interviews! A 100% turnout. I think that might be a first. Really positive to be involved. My line is that this is the peak of what we do as teachers: Reporting back to parents children's learning over the first half of the year. The children were pretty well prepared and were very much involved. In my interviews we had the kids showing mum and dad a maths game or two. Another notable point is the number of mums and dads that arrived!
A great event organised by the Fundraising Committee on Thursday night. Girls Night Out. Big thank you to the Fundraising Committee for their great ideas and enthusiasm that can only benefit the children at our school!
Well that's about that as far as term 2 2005 goes!
Next term we have these things ready to go>>>
Maori Myths and legends
Science fair
Speech Board examinations
Debating again
McLeod and Hurlestone Shield Competitions