From the Principal`s Desk

From the Principal’s Desk
Now that our major building project is
over we have started improving the
environment around the rest of the
school. This will involve putting in
paths, garden and fences, improving
areas of the playground and
modifying some of the older
buildings.
Whanau Nikau
Concourse Trip:
Friday 20March D1
Friday 27 March C3
Tuesday 31 March D4
Softball and T ball
Tournament
Tuesday 24 March
Whanau Totara
Camp Merc
Next time you are in the school, pop
down to the field and check out our
new adventure play area under
construction. What is being built is a
playground structure, a free-form
sand play area, and a pile of dirt!
Normally a pile of dirt isn’t regarded
as a play structure, but this is
Swanson School! The kids have
already started playing on the pile.
We put some photos up on the
school’s Facebook page last week –
Thursday 2 April
Term 2 starts
Monday 20 April
Kia kaha
Kapa Haka
E tu ana ahau i runga i te maunga o
Whangatauatia, e titiro ana ahau ki
te moana o Karirikura, ka rukuhia ake
au ki te whenua o Ahipara, tera e tu
ana te marae o Te Khaki, Tihe wa
mauri ora.
I te taha o toku papa, Ko Te Rarawa
te iwi.
I te taha o toku mama, Ko Te
Rarawa, Ngati Whatua nga iwi.
End of Term 1
Thursday 2 April
Roy Waite, one of our parent
trustees on the Board, is managing
the project with the help of
ITM,ALS,The Bethell’s Quarry, the
Rotary Club and Kerry McMillan.
The playground structures have
been stored for some time after
being dismantled before the
building project began. Once
they have been put back together
they will be rust proofed and
painted. The sand play area has
been enhanced by the addition of
some large boulders, which weigh
over a tonne each.
Bruce McLachlan
Tuesday 24th to Friday 27 March
Board of Trustees Meeting:
check them out. With the help of
the kids we are hoping that the dirt
pile will eventually form a BMX
track.
Ko Destine Rudolph tonu ingoa.
He mihi tenei kia koutou nga
matua o nga tamariki i roto i Te
Roopu Kapahaka O Puketotara.
No reira, kaua e whakama koutou,
haere mai ki te kura ki te awhi o
tamariki. Nau mai, haere mai.
A huge welcome to Destine
Rudolph who has been working
with our Years 5-8 students
every week for Kapa Haka.
Whanau Pohutukawa
Pohutukawa children used paint to
express their ideas and imaginations
about flowers. Their inspiration came
from a painting by Kandinsky, a famous
artist from the 1930s. The resulting
display looks wonderful in our Art
Studio.
Next week Pohutukawa children will be
taking part in the Stepping Out
Programme, run by Constable Dean
Furminger. This will cover scooter safety,
sneaky driveways, crossing the road and
car safety. You could ask your child what
they have learnt each day.
Whanau Kowhai
The Kowhai students are loving our
team library sessions on Fridays. Our
sessions involve us spending time
reading quietly, being read to by Miss
Marks and Mrs Logan and learning how
to borrow books. We also have some
computer time where we can play math
and reading games and Mrs Ellis’s dog
Jack is also there and enjoys us reading
to him. Our sessions are from 9:30 –
10:15 and we would love our Kowhai
whanau to come and listen to us read.
Whanau Nikau
Nikau Habits of Mind Learning
D1 have been working on Persistence as
part of our Habits of Mind Learning
Programme. One of our tasks was to
move a Pascal milkbottle from our
forehead to our mouth so we could eat
it. Some of the class were not able to
persist with the activity as the drawcard
of a milk bottle was too great for them.
However as you can see some of us
made it and were able to wriggle,
wriggle, crease our cheeks and make it,
and the concept of persistence was
realised and enjoyable. Great fun when
there is a milk bottle reward.
Whanau Koromiko
Hundertwasser Art.
As part of the Koromiko’s art rotation D7 produced art work in the
style of Hundertwasser. Here they made a dye background and
included collage lollipop trees decorated in swirling patterns.
To celebrate St Patricks Day, D6 made some wee Leprechauns.
We found out that you can catch a Leprechaun and put him in a
bottle.
Here you can extract promises of gold and are less likely to be
tricked. The problem of course is getting him in the bottle!
Whanau Totara
The whanau is buzzing with
excitement in the lead up to Camp
MERC, to be held at Long Bay next
Tuesday through to Friday.
Please ensure that camp fees are
being paid and that you have seen
the camp gear check list.
Please note that all students are
expected to be at school next
Tuesday 24th by 6:30am. They will
need their morning tea and lunch
provided for them on this day. We will
endeavour to be back on Friday by
3:00-3:30pm.
The staff is excited and ready to roll!
Sports News
Next Tuesday 24th is our Nikau
and Koromiko Boys Softball
and Girls T-Ball Tournament. This
will be played at Starling Park,
Ranui.
Please feel free to come and
watch and support our teams.
A number of Swanson students
are currently involved in interschool orienteering. They are
getting better at reading maps
and posting faster times. Well
done guys!
We are super proud of our
cricket blitz super-stars who
have been battling it out every
Tuesday afternoon at Parrs
Park. This week was our last
game where the team put in
their best performance
beating Sunnyvale Primary by
seven runs. Tatiana was a star
taking a hat-trick. We hugely
appreciate the effort and time
given this term from our kids,
Mr. Fraser, and parent
supporters.
This week brings our last week
of Born to Move sessions for this
term. Nikau, Totara and
Koromiko students have been
dancing, moving, and
stretching their way to
improved fitness and wellbeing.
We look forward to
commencing the programme
in Term 2
In Totara
Whanau, as part
of Camp build up
we have been
learning about
Rights and
Responsibilities
with making
good choices.
Our Totara
students have
recently been
given the
challenging
responsibility of
caring for an
egg, which they
need to ensure
doesn’t crack or
break for the
duration of the
week.
Trolley Derby 2015
On Sunday 15 March 2015, Swanson School took part in the Waitakere Rotary Trolley Derby. It
was a really fun day and the students worked so hard. The Swanson team worked like a welloiled machine. Thank you to the families and parents that took part in making this a successful
day for all.
A huge
congratulations to
Abby, Teagan, Cody
and Anahera who
took part in the
weekend’s Trolley
Derby.
Mufti Day – Help Support
Vanuatu!!
This Friday 20th March 2015
A state of emergency has been
declared in Vanuatu after Severe
Tropical Cyclone Pam, one of the
most devastating cyclones to ever
hit the Pacific, reached category
five early last Friday morning.
The people are in desperate need
of shelter, water, food and
clothing.
Please help support this cause by
bringing along a gold coin
donation.
All money raised will go to the
New Zealand Red Cross.