Term 3 is under way. Welcome back.

I spent three days of the holidays at ULearn 05. Very beneficial.
Two links to good stuff.
Free software
TV

Wednesday the 27th of July we played ED in the McLeod and Hurlestone Shield. It was a very wet day folks! The boys got a great win. A day for remembering I'd say. Water water everywhere...The girls were beaten in a close game 17-13. So well done all. Special thanks to the coaches that make it happen... Next game is against Ngaere at Ngaere. Next Wednesday.
This morning I was with the principals of Ngaere, Pembroke, Midhirst and Rawhitiroa Schools discussing assessment and best practice with Alan Axton. A very good mornings discussion pertinent to all our schools work. It has been great working more closely with these colleagues. I am sure we are all finding it beneficial.
More PD... Today Heather went to a neat course in NP run by Dr Bill Edwards. A valuable insight into the development of a learning community.

Friday the 29th
What a great rock n roll disco we had. The School Hall was full!
It was a neat idea to have a juke box, great songs and loads of fun! We took loads of photos but I haven't put them here yet. All photos available on the schools intrAnet. of course. Might just put up a small selection on the web site though. Big thank you to the PTA. A really well organsised night. Kids loved it.

Monday the 1st of August
Today the entire school went up to NP for the day. We started at NPGHS and were treated to a performance by Saxcess. Four musicians turned it on for us... each was playing a different saxophone. It really was great. The kids were treated to a variety of short songs from popular movies and Simpson's to more classical music as well. It was very worthwhile and makes me think more about developing music further in the school environment. Remember we have Christian coming in and taking children's guitars lessons and these are going well! I recommend him as a music teacher, having the odd lesson myself! We found out rather late that the ice skating rink was not available for today so with some quick thinking by Kelly we were able to get to the roller skating rink. Which was loads of fun really, except the 100 pairs of skates that had to be put on, then off... then on... Sadly Danielle took a fall late and ended up at the doctor and has a fractured arm! Ooops that's no good.
All the kids were back at school by about 2.30pm

Wednesday the 3rd
The second game of the McLeod Shield and Hurlstone Shield was played today. We went to Ngaere. The kids played well, but lost both games in close matches. The kids did themselves proud and both teams had improved performances according to the coaches. Well done.
Board Meeting. Some key points that come to mind include using the TET grant this year for the IT infrastructure and musical resources. The IT infrastructure needs some capital, probably the server. But a few other classroom resources as well. As far as the musical instruments, well I'd like to see another guitar or two, maybe a clarinet? I'd like to see us recording and making some music digitally. New musical programs mean that we can make and then record music!! I would really like to explore this area. I'm sure our staff will have a few great ideas for development. A musical school is a happy school and we have the teacher resources to become very musical!

Friday the 5th
Congratulations to the Toko School basketball team for getting into the finals next Friday. They beat two teams on Friday night and played really well. Thanks to the coach, Cathy, too.
Plus.....Check out a new way of looking at school organsiation

Thursday the 11th
Apples i-school is a two day PD opportunity which occurs but once a year. It is really the only apple opportunity that exists in this area.. I planned early to go. Today I learned more about how to use i-movie and interestingly i-dvd! Great software. Great that Claire was back at school today after a lengthy absence. Welcome back Claire.

Friday the 12th WOW
Guess what? We have won the Central Taranki Primary Schools Basketball competition. We've literally been in this competition since the beginning. And now 8 years later it was our turn to get the win! We have been in the finals before in 2001 I think. This is a big win as we compete against large schools and traditionally schools have put in a best team. So a big congratulations to the team. They won the final well. Well done to the coach, Cathy who has been out there with the kids over the last 13 weeks. This will be a fine photo for the Hall of fame!

17th of August
Today the boys rugby and girls netball teams' were both narrowly defeated by St Joseph Oponake. Both teams performed credibly.
Children at school should be right into their speech board preparation!

24th August
A big day at school today!! Children played their netball and rugby! An awesome win by the Toko girls today, winning by one point against a bigger stronger team. But good skills and composure came through!! Boys were beaten by a strong Mania School team. But again the boys were very competitive. In addition ED schools played Avon and Matapu and St Pats at school at the same time. This made for a busy Hall for the after match function. A special thank you to the hard working folk in the kitchen!! Additionally we had Mrs rachel Jeffares at school today. Her day consisted with working pretty much one on one with two children making a movie today. An intensive day for all three! Thanks. Read Rachel's Blog here.
Mrs Hunger
The news that Claire is leaving us is out and about. We will really miss Claire and her fine work she has done at Toko School. For the last 4 years she has assisi ted and developed special education programs for ORRS funded children. But clearly she has done much more than this. She has relieved in classrooms and this year has been an important part in the organisation of room 3. In addition she has been the staff representative on the BOT as well. Soooo a big thank you to claire for her contributions. I am sure that Claire will continue to be in and around Toko School in the future!

Welcome to Mrs Judy Monk. Judy is taking on the role of 0.2 working with Samantha and Nicola in particular. But in addition Judy will be working along side teachers in the classrooms during the rest of term 3 and term 4.

I like to read Bruce Hammonds work.. Here is a recent extract discussing 'Teaching in the Knowledge Society; Education in the Age of Insecurity' by Andy Heargraves book.. There is so much truth here!

'Those distant from the classroom tend to neglect the emotional dimensions - performance standards, targets, checklists - these are their priorities. No time for is given to creativity, imagination, and relationships - for all those things that fuel the passion to teach'.

When teachers work alone teachers 'mask their emotions to align with the ways and feelings that are expected'. This is at best, Hargreaves writes, a draining process. 'It is hard to remain authentically optimistic and enthusiastic when you are overloaded, have no time to care…and are constantly criticized…get little opportunity to work with colleagues, and must grapple with change alone.' 'In such an energy draining climate teachers work in fear of the next capricious soulless reform initiative, and suffer from unending performance anxiety'. Casualties rather than catalysts; teachers are being 'robbed of their flexibility and creativity' exhausted and demoralized, and resignation results.

29th of August
As part of the ICTPD contract I went to the Te Aroha ICTPD cluster regional meeting. Well it was a worthwhile wander around Stanley Avenue School. Pretty amazing ICT suite! and the classrooms were well organised and looked good. It was also very beneficial to hear directly from the Ministry's Douglas Harre. The Ministry really has done a lot in the area of ICT over the last years. And maybe just maybe there will be an announcement of Monday that will have a positive impact on Toko School.

2nd of September
We held the junior school cross country at Toko School this afternoon. It was great. Perfect weather and a really good turn out of parents as well. Today is also the end of my three weeks in the classroom. I welcome back Heather on Monday. Actually I must say that I have thoroughly enjoyed my teaching over the last three weeks. There is no doubt about it. This keeps my hand in the classroom practice well and truly. Principals outside the classroom can forget the day to day reality of teaching. I have read the 1999 about principals and the issues balancing leadership and management and classroom teaching. Our organisation has a number of benefits minimizing the conflicting demands on principals! Anyway. Yep it was great in Room5, thoroughly enjoyed it. Did loads of Speech exam preparations and a bigger focus on writing. Had a re visionary aspect to the spelling program and of course the Sports was big too. Two McLeod Shield games, two manuals. Another little highlight was the movie making!!! We have now developed some rudimentary skills which will allow for future success in the telling of stories with moving pictures!

Cross Country
We sent all the children in Year 4 5 6 7 8 to the Cross Country hosted in Stratford by Stratford Primary School. Here are the placing's in the top 15.
9 Yr boys Julian 5th and Jack 8th
10 Year Boys Nicholas 1st
11 Year Boys David 3rd BJ 10th
12 Yr Boys Caleb 2nd Brandon 3rd Sam 7th
13 Yr Boys Joseph 4th Regan 10th
Girls
10 Yr Girls Georgia 12th and Olivia 13th
11 Yr Girls Joanne 12th and Crystal 13th
12 Yr Girls Reagan 10th Kelly 12th
13 Yr Girls Tracy 4th Laura 6th

Congratulations to these top qualifying children. we were very happy with the training throughout.
Children that have finished in the top 10 are encouraged to attend the Hawera Cross Country.

6th of September
NZSB exams are well under way. Today the Year 3 and 4 children were involved. Tomorrow basically Year 5 and 6 and Thursday basically Year 7 and 8!

7th September
Attended a meeting today where the focus was the development of a SMS (School Management System). This is just software that can or not!! improve the planning and assessment of the delivery of the curriculum. The Ministry are giving us funding to get on board. Basically I am not convinced that there is any improvement in the delivery of the curriculum, however, if there are data handling issues that can be improved using a particular system I am all for it! We looked at School Master. I believe and I believe the Toko School staff believe that the benefit must be the formative feedback that can be given to children and their learning.! It is likely that we will go ahead with our cluster schools and purchase this software. That we we can combine our 10 hours free training each, and end up with 50!
BOT meeting at school 7.30 pm today.

WOW FACTOR
Toko School has received a special mention in the NZ Herald Newspaper competition! I guess that placed us 6th over all. I guess that not winning $5000 is OK!! An awesome result for the children involved in Room 5 and an acknowledgement of the fine work and effort put in by Heather helping the children get to such a high standard!!
One hundred and thirty three entries were received!Find out more. Link

Friday the 9th The speech Board exams are over and we the assessor's reports have been given to children and parents as well as the children being awarded their bar or badge. It seems that the children have done very well across the school, with perhaps older children that have been through the process two times already achieving the most distinction levels. We will give an overview of children's achievement in the next newsletter. But for those of you who want a sneak preview we had 28 distinctions and 26 highly commended!!! The assessor, talking to Staff was glowing in her talk of the ability of our communicate to communicate effectively. This does not mean learn a speech of by heart!
A NEMP progress report arrived in the school. NEMP studies identify strengths, weaknesses and progress by testing student in varous areas of the curriculum in schools around the country then looking at the evidence and making suggestions...The information is that children at Year 4 and again at Year 8 in general are poor speakers..... Now I have noticed this and made mention of this many times. Clearly there are areas of excellence in schools. But the ability to clearly communicate with adults and structure a talk has been shown to be a weakness in NZ schools. I say, the NZSB has helped our children really succeed in this key area of literacy... And that a study undertaken at Toko School woulod show that oral communication was an area of strength!

Graham from Merrilands link!

Thursday the 15th
Today the management team of the ICTPD cluster met and developed outlines for the year ahead. Next year there will be the next tier of leadership developed out in our school. "Units" worth $5000 will be devolved to schools. Toko, ED cluster, Stratford, Eltham, St Joseph's. The schools use the unit for teacher release and training. Teachers should reap benefit from this similar to 2004 when this plan was also used. The idea is that the current level of 'expertise' will be less involved in training and release so that others can get more PD and training and thinking time.

Monday the 19th
Chess club expanded today with children from Rahitiroa and Midhirst Schools playing chess with our children this afternoon. It was all organsied by Megan and all went very well I believe. I think it was good to see us celebrating something other than 'sport'. The kids involved all seemed to have a good time and the skills were obvious!

Tuesday the 20th
Today we had an end of term talent competition. This has been interesting really. Completely organised by a group of year 8 girls. We had about three weeks preparation, all out of 'school time' and quite frankly some of today's entrants were excellent! The kids did very well. A very professional finish and a supportive group of parents there to cheer on their favorites!

Thursday 22nd
This afternoon we were treated to a concert from the schools 8 guitar player!! Kristin has been coming to school all term and working with the children and giving formal lesson individually and in small groups. Today we saw what they have been up to! I was impressed. A musical school is a happy school. It has been beat to see the school hall used in so many ways this week!

Friday 23rd Last day of term 3 2005!~