Term 2, Week 4/Week 5
The side panel of the Newsletter
You may find the side panel on the left helpful when looking for further information in the Newsletters. You can visit our website from here, view old newsletters and consult the School Calendar.
Student Absences
Thank you to all those families who are remembering to notify us of the reason for their child being away from school. We have had very high levels of absence this week due to sickness (flu-like symptoms and/or covid) and appreciate the parents who are informing us every day of the absence.
Winter Clothing and Uniform
I am sure you know and understand that wet weather brings its own unique challenges. Inside lunches and play day after day are not much fun for anyone. We do endeavour to get the chidlren out into the fresh air as much as possible on these days.
Wrapping up warm to brace the cold weather is neccesary to stave off illness so it is great to see so many children with appropriate layers of clothing including warm jackets.
Our uniform remains simple and affordable with the royal blue top and plain black bottoms (skort/shorts/trousers). Thank you to everyone adhering to this. Please make sure all items are named and keep labelled clothing for the weekend.
Professional Learning and Assessment for Learning
Over the first half of the year, staff have been involved in a range of Professional Learning opportunities - many specifically targeted to further develop skills in literacy and mathematics. Some of our leadership team have also been working with ImpactED to look at how we can improve our skills and understandings around the academic assessment of our tamariki. These opportunities enable us to take a fresh look at the programmes of learning we provide, to endorse the things that are working well and to embrace different approaches where appropriate in our everyday teaching and learning.
New Entrant Information Meeting
All parents of prospective new pupils to our school between July and December 2024 are invited to attend an information morning on the 20th June, 9.30am in our school hall.
If you know of anyone who is thinking of enrolling their tamariki with Tinwald School please get them to inform the office of their intention to attend this meeting.
Museum Visit with Year 3 and Year 4 children
As part of their social sciences topic of ‘Tools Past and Present’, Rooms 6,7,8 and 9 had visitors from the Canterbury Museum come to talk to us about ancient Māori tools. We shared what we had learnt in class and then looked at different tools from the museum. We were able to handle and use each tool, talking about what materiels they were made of and what they might be used for.
The tools included a ‘hue’ (hollowed out calabash/gourd used for storing food and water or as a musical instrument) and a ‘kauahi’ - used for starting fires as well as the tools below. We were also fascinated to learn that mako sharks used to swim up the rivers into the Travis Wetlands in Christchurch!
Thank you Canterbury Museum for a wonderful learning experience.
Visitors from the Canterbury Museum came to talk to the children about ancient Māori tools.
This is a ‘toki’ - used for digging and loosening soil.
This is a ‘waka kereru’ - pigeon trough/snare
These are ‘tuwiri’ - maori drill with a stone or shark tooth point
Jumping for June
What a fantastic start to this fundraising event. So far your efforts have raised over $5000 for the Heart Foundation.
Our school skipping event will be on Tuesday 18th of June (from 1pm until around 2.45pm). We will have an early lunch (11.45 to 12.40pm) then pack up our classes before meeting on the courts to shift into our organised groups (we will try to keep siblings in the same groups). Children can wear House Colours on the day and parents/caregivers/whanau are more than welcome to come along, encourage our tamariki and follow the groups around the eight skipping stations.
PTA fundraiser
Yummy croissants! The order form says back by Monday but that is a holiday so Tuesday will be fine.
Pita Pit Lunches
Music Lessons
