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Newsletter for 16 February 2015
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16 February 2015

Thank you for attending our Meet the Teacher Evening, we hope you found it informative. Please see your child's teacher or the team Dean of Learning if you have any follow up questions or queries. You can find our staff contact list on the website. 

Go By Bike Day last week was just fantastic! Our bike stands were busting over! The children thoroughly enjoyed being able to ride or scooter to school with their parents, or as a Year 6, independently. 
This also helped to lower the volume of traffic around the school - always a good thing! 
Very soon the Year 6 children will bring information home about being able to ride to school - keep an eye out for this. 
 

Wheels Day - Wednesday 25 February. 

Children can bring their 'wheels' to school on the 25th. Each team will have a specific time during the day in which the children will be able to ride around the school courts. It's a lot of fun! 
Children must have a helmet and shoes if riding a bike, scooter or skateboard or on rollerblades. 


Curriculum Overview

This year our theme (or concept) is PATTERNS - this will be explored throughout each of the curriculum areas - Literacy, Mathematics, Science, Social Sciences, Technology, The Arts and Health and PE. Each team are selecting a context (or contexts) such as culture and migration (that is relevant to their students) to explore the concept of patterns. Each team will share their learning overviews with you each term.

Term 1: We like to start every year with some learning about learning - it's very important that children understand what learning looks like, that they know what and who helps them learn. This helps them understand that learning isn't just something you do at school. The New Zealand Curriculum promotes life long learning. Starting in the next week we will be starting our Keeping Ourself Safe (KoS) unit. For further and important information for parents about this learning unit please visit:  http://www.police.govt.nz/sites/default/files/publications/kos-keeping-kids-safer.pdf.  
We ask for your support for this programme and in any learning tasks that may come home for you to complete with your child. If you have any questions about the programme please make an appointment to discuss them with your child’s teacher.  
In the second half of this term we focus on the centenary of the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli in Turkey and look further in to the history of New Zealand. The purpose of this unit of study is to develop our students KNOWLEDGE of New Zealand.
Remember to look on your child's class wiki and talk to your children about what they are learning (wiki addresses are available on our website). 


Parent Community Evenings 

This year we continue our focus on developing and sustaining our school learning community with the clear intention of promoting and enhancing student learning opportunities. A school learning community includes school staff, students, parents and community organisations who work together to improve student schooling success.

Our term 1 learning community events are as follows:

Week 5 Wednesday 5 March - Pre Entry (New Entrant) parents evening. Kiwi Awhina 6- 7.30pm 
Our Community 
PTA

Our absolute thanks to our outgoing 2014 PTA committee for their passion and funding raising work for the school. A number of the executive committee have stepped back from these duties and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them on behalf of the Willowbank staff and community. 
Chair and Gala organiser: Mrs Natalie Sutton 
Treasurer: Mrs Megan Twentyman 
Secretary:  Deb Bennett
A special mention too for Mrs Sandra Paul for her organisation of the secondhand uniform sales.  

We look forward to welcoming new families to our PTA events. 

School Donation & Essential Information Update.
Please keep a look out for the donation request letter and essential information update forms which will be coming home later this week.  

Safety at the School Gate   
We are working hard to keep our children safe at the school gate. Unfortunately as is sadly the way I often have to remind parents of the road safety laws that apply not just around our school but are recognised road user laws.
Over the past two weeks I have needed to remind drivers not to stop on the yellow lines to drop off or pick up passengers and for people to use the patrolled crossings. This not only puts the safety of the child at risk, it is illegal!  
Parking in the Clearway along Middlefield Drive and up Willowbank Close is also illegal and inconsiderate.
Please do not overtake traffic queuing at the pedestrian crossing or create havoc by U-turning along Gracechurch Road! EEEK!!! Parking officers and the police often patrol outside the school and issue tickets to drivers breaking the law.  

Please help us to keep our children safe. 
 


Upcoming Events


Monday 16 February 
Board of Trustees meeting - 6pm in the staffroom. All welcome.

Tuesday 17 February 
Year 6 EOTC 
Cricket Field Day at Lloyd Elsmore 9.30am - 2.30pm 

Wednesday 18 February 
Parent Through Separation - Staffroom 7pm. For further information please phone Triple P on 579 1794

Friday 20 February 
Awhina Meetings 1.35pm 


Wednesday 25 February
Wheels Day - Children can bring 'wheels' to school to ride during the day (not the 18 February as stated in the last newsletter) 


Community Notices

Our lunch scheme is now online: 
EZlunch - text combo code on 022 or go to www.ezlunch.co.nz
to view the menu and to place an order. 
Lunches are delivered to school just prior to the lunch bell. 
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