Term 1 Week 1 2014

the time to read it, and please also take
note of any important notices, dates, and
actions required.
Taihape Area School
Monday 27th January 2014
Term 1 – Newsletter Number 1
Phone - 06 3880130
Email – rmcmillan@tas.school.nz
office@tas.school.nz
Website - http://tas.spikeatschool.co.nz
“Leading me to lead my learning”
Tena koutou katoa
Welcome back after the holidays.
Hopefully you had a great few weeks, and
the opportunity to spend some quality
family time. 2014 promises much, and we
look forward to working with families and
whanau to develop the undoubted potential
of our wonderful students.
The weather was a highlight of the
holidays much better weather than last
year. The period around Christmas in
particular was extremely warm.
The beginning of the year is a very
important time for everyone involved at
school. It is essential that all students,
parents, and teachers get things right, and
start the year in a positive manner – i.e. set
the ground rules and lay the foundations
for a successful year. To this end the
Teaching Staff spent last week back at
school preparing for the year ahead. They
were involved in a range of meetings,
curriculum planning, and general
classroom preparation to ensure things
were ready for what promises to be another
very busy year. However good habits and
attitudes at school need to be reinforced by
a positive support system at home.
The School Newsletter is a very important
link between home and school. Please take
Our goal this year is to sustain our
progress, and enhance the programmes and
culture that is evolving in our School.
Some wonderfully positive and committed
people are associated with Taihape Area
School – your children are in very safe
hands.
As with all beginnings the year 2014
promises much. It will hopefully be a
period of considerable success, as well as a
time of further growth and development
for our school, and for the people we work
so hard for, our students.
All in all there is much to look forward to
this year with a number of major events
and activities scheduled. As one example,
at the end of this term the Year 13 Cohort
are off to Rarotonga for 10 Days. Although
we are a comparatively small school, the
passion, drive, and enthusiasm of our staff
enables us to provide “big School”
opportunities. The concept of “Classrooms
without walls” is truly alive here, with a
variety of programmes developed to utilise
the environment outside the classroom.
The start of any school year can be a real
shock as we struggle to make the
adjustment from a prolonged period of
freedom, and life without routine, not to
mention the sound of the school bell!! The
article below provides some tips for
assisting with the transition back to
“mainstream living”.
Once again welcome back – we are all
looking forward to another very exciting
year, and as it unfolds, observing first-hand
the development and growth of your
children, our students.
Regards
Richard McMillan
Principal
Staff Changes
We will have a number of staff changes to
start the new School Year: Former HOD Science, Janet
Greenhough, has joined her husband
(Richard Baker) and family in
Golden Bay, Nelson;
 Ben Douglas has headed back to the
Hawkes Bay for family reasons;
 Stacey Buchannan has a new job at
Waiouru Primary School;
 Kim Gardener has left to move back
to her home in Nelson.
We are delighted to welcome the following
teachers to TAS:
 Alan Carson – new Head of Science;
 Amy Coker - Room 4 (Year 5/6/7);
 Miho Davis – Science and Math‟s.
There have been changes to the Year 9-13
Dean‟s Structure as well.
Year Dean
Group
9
10
11
12
13
Karen Clark
Andrew Yates
Sharyn Adams
Jane Allott
Jason Fellingham
Assistant
Dean
Hura Duffin
Claire Kelly
Warrick Greaves
Alan Carson
Cathy Yates
Meet the Teacher
This Thursday, January 30th, we are having
a Meet the Teacher Evening.
This will be very informal, and is an
opportunity for you to come and to
meet/catch up with your child(rens)
Teacher‟s.
The Junior School (Year 1-8) will be open
to whanau from 5.00-7.00pm.
For the Senior School (Year 9-13) this will
run from 6.00-8.00pm.
A sausage sizzle will be provided
throughout the entire evening. We would
love to see as many of you as possible.
You will receive a written invitation this
afternoon.
2014 Term Dates
Term
1
2
3
4
Start
27th January
5th
May
21th July
13th October
Finish
17th April
4th July
26th September
5th December
Bell Times
Block 1
Morning Tea
Block 2
Lunch
Block 3
8.45am- 10.30am
10.30am- 11.am
11.am- 12.30pm
12.30pm- 1.10pm
1.15pm- 2.45pm
It is important that students go straight
home after school, and do not detour
without parents‟ knowledge.
It would be wise to warn your children of
the dangers of loitering or accepting rides
from strangers on the way to and from
school.
Open Door Policy
Taihape Area School operates a genuine
Open Door Policy. We are committed to
fostering the relationship between home
and school, and are available to talk to you
about any issues or concerns you may
have. Please take this as an invitation to
contact us when concerns arise – don‟t let
them fester. Prompt action can often
prevent small issues from escalating.
Change of
Address/Phone Number
Please let us know of any changes to your
personal circumstances including change
of address and/or
phone number.
It is essential that we are able
to make easy contact with
parents and caregivers in the
advent of an emergency – and as we all
know “things” do happen to the
children/people in our lives.
Attendance
Absences
Please advise us of your child‟s intended
absence either by phone, text, email or
message through another child.
The attendance officer will follow up on
unexplained absences, but this is a time
consuming exercise. No follow up note is
required if we have been advised on the
day of absence.
 PHONE: 3880130 before 8.50am
The answer phone is operational out of
school hours. (Push 2)
 email – cgregory@tas.school.nz
No child is permitted to leave the grounds
during the day without permission.
Quotes of the Week
“Life is like playing a violin in public and
learning the instrument as one goes along”
– Samuel Butler.
“Ten geographers who think the world is
flat will tend to reinforce each other’s
errors. Only a sailor can set them straight”
– John Ralston Saul (Voltaire’s Bastards).
Uniform
Correct school uniform is a compulsory
requirement at TAS. When you enrol your
child at TAS you and your child agree to
abide by the uniform regulations of the
school and these can be enforced by Board
of Trustees as a requirement for
attendance.
Uniform Shoes
Canvas shoes are not acceptable
It is the policy of the school that students
wear polishable black shoes. This
deliberately allows a wide range of styles.
Should your child not have the correct
footwear the parent should contact the
office to establish when the child will be
provided with the correct shoes.
Students who do not have the correct shoes
are provided and expected to wear shoes
provided for them by the school until
parents have contacted the school office.
With regard to the hygiene aspect of this,
the students should have their own pair of
socks or tights to provide a barrier inside
the shoe.
PE Uniform
Track pants and PE Shirts
It is the policy of the school that all
students wear the correct school uniform
every day.
Navy blue track pants or shorts are deemed
as sportswear along with our logoed sport
shirt.
Students who arrive at school in track
pants and/or PE shirts will be provided and
expected to wear the correct day to day
uniform
School Donation
School Fees
A school donation is paid annually and
helps to fund resources and activities not
provided by the Ministry of Education
(MOE). We usually expect this donation to
be paid at the start of the school year.
However, if you have any difficulty paying
these, please contact the Principal or the
Office Manager to make alternative
arrangements. While these are set on a
$50.00 per student basis, the maximum any
family will be asked to pay is $120.00 per
family (of 3 or more students).
As you are probably well aware, all
schools have difficulty stretching their
budgets to ensure that all needs can be met,
and that children are given the best
possible resources and opportunities.
Unfortunately Government Funding is
never sufficient.
This donation helps to pay for the
resources and activities not fully funded by
the Ministry, such as Computers/musical
instruments/ Student Council/school van/
sports travel/ sports gear/House activities/
school exchanges/ Prize Giving/ Cultural
Exchanges/ activities contributions to
travel/contributions to visiting
performers/contributions to junior school
activities.
In reality the concept of a “Free
Education” is a misconception, with
various extra-curricular activities and
programmes incurring associated costs,
which over time can mount up.
Encouragingly a large number of families
operate trust accounts into which they
make regular automatic payments. From
personal experience this is a relatively easy
way of spreading the financial burden over
the year. To the surprise of many, they
often end the year in credit.
If you are interested in this set up, please
contact our Executive Officer, Jenny
Pearce, or the School Office.
Taihape Area School has a nominal fee of
$50.00 per child, or a maximum of
$120.00 per family, for the year. As many
of you will be aware some schools charge
families considerably more than this.
The proceeds will help provide for the
classroom programmes we believe the
children should be receiving, and will be
spent on photocopying for pupils,
classroom stationery and equipment, sports
gear, and extra reading materials. Your
contributions are appreciated and receipts
will be issued.
TAS Achievement
Awards
When Taihape College closed it had a
grant from the Duddings Trust for
providing financial academic awards.
These funds were passed on to Taihape
Area School which has continued to use
these funds frugally to recognize
achievement. However in recognition of
the more difficult financial times we find
ourselves in as a community, and the
relative rising cost of educational
opportunities, TAS last year instituted a
new Academic Award at Year 9, and
awards are now presented at Year 10, 11
and 12.
The TAS Achievement Awards will be
awarded to the top four overall academic
achievers in each of Years 9, 10, 11 and
12. Each of the students will receive a
$400 credit against their school account.
This money will be used to pay for school
expenses such as course fees, field-trips,
extra-curricular activities and student
work-books.
TAS is keen to recognize and encourage
the rising standard of academic
performance and commitment from its
student body, and to support those students
who make a commitment to their education
here in Taihape.
Board of Trustees News
Meeting - the first meeting of the BOT‟s
for the New Year is Wednesday 8th
February, at 9.00am.
Online Resources
The PYE Foundation has offered all
Schools free access for Sunshine
Online Resources. This is a
wonderful opportunity for schools, school
libraries and communities. Sunshine
Online is a website based on the popular
Sunshine Reading Series, and is one of the
largest online resources for schools. It
includes over 360 books, and more than
1,000 learning to read and math‟s skills, all
animated and available online for daily use
by teachers in the classroom, as a library
resource, or for home use by parents and
children.
All you have to do is log on to
www.sunshineonline.com.au with a
username of sunshine2013, and password
newzealand.
Back to School Tips
from TVNZ “Breakfast”
By Janice Davies (Attitude Specialist at
www.attitudespecialist.co.nz)
Coping with transition from holiday
to school
1. Younger children get tired. Allow them
time to rest. You could give them a small
reward/surprise at the end of the day/week.
Give them something to look forward to.
2. Together start a new time schedule.
3. Don‟t have lots of activities for first few
days…let their bodies re-establish a new
Schedule.
4. Let them pick a treat for their lunch box.
Getting them to have a positive
attitude
1. Enthuse to create enthusiasm. Talk
about their new uniform, clothes, books,
friends, teacher, classroom,
responsibilities,
2. Remind children they will probably have
to share your holiday stories. Ask the
children what they enjoyed the most and
discuss about sharing their adventure.
3. Remind them about learning new and
exciting things. Remind children about
something they tried over the holidays and
achieved and how good they felt when they
could do it. Talk about the challenges they
may have had before achieving it, i.e. learn
how to swim…they could not do it the first
time.
4. Get children to reflect back to what they
loved last year and how they can do more
of it or improve this year.
Ideas to help them towards getting
the most out of the year
1. Create enthusiasm by asking: What do
they want to try that is new?
2. Parents learn to ask open questions.
What, Where When, Why How. Turn the
TV off and ask at the dinner table, e.g.
What did you learn/enjoy/try at school
today?
3. Discuss their favourite sports person and
remind them they still have a job/career
and had to learn how to study and set goals
and try new things.
Teach them to use a “Success
Journal”
1. I am great because _____
2. Today I did/achieved __
3. If felt good because___
4. Next week I will try____
5. I wish that_____
Tips to help them get the best
socially out of school.
1. Remind them they meet with old friends
and meet some neat new friends.
2. Discuss that they have friends that they
like and have fun with. It is okay to like
some people and not others.
3. Discuss that if other children make you
feel not okay, it‟s important to tell your
children to talk to you about it (Bullying
tips attached).
Tips to help them get the best
academically out of school.
1. Parents, you should know what your
child LOVES doing or what their passions
are and include these into the
conversations about their school topics;
2. Include these same skills they will need
in the future lessons. .i.e.…. a future prime
Minister like John Key….business, history
and geography skills are important OR if
you want to become a football star like
Dan Carter…you will still need to learn to
these language and business skills;
3. Learn about your children‟s
personalities and weave their other topics
at school into their future choices of topics;
4. Encourage them to try new things
because, not doing so, they might miss
something they love doing;
5. Remember your children are not replicas
of you, but their own unique person;
6. Encourage their interests, hobbies,
sports and other activities as well.
10 SELF ESTEEM TIPS FOR YOUR
CHILDREN
1. Appreciate your child;
2. Tell your child that you love them;
3. Spend time with your child;
4. Encourage your child to make choices;
5. Foster independence in your children;
6. Giving genuine importance to your
child‟s opinion and listening;
7. Take the time to explain your reasons;
8. Take time to listen to their reasons;
9. Feeding your child with positive
encouragement;
10. Encouraging your child to try new and
challenging activities.
Tips on How to Deal
with Bullying School
Statistics now confirm that bullying is a
challenge for many children:1. Listen to your children and ask
questions to prompt some discussion;
2. Discuss bullying with your children;
3. Ask your children or any of their friends
to tell their parent, friends, and teachers
or someone about any bullying;
4. Tell the children - not to take it
personally. It‟s not just about them…it
could be anyone;
5. Tell the children that if it wasn‟t „them‟
who was being bullied, it would be
someone else;
6. Bullies are cowards who don‟t feel good
about themselves so try to put others
Down;
7. Bullies have low self-esteem and only
pick on others who also have low self
Esteem;
8. If you are being bullied - list
things/tasks/skills/passions/sports anything
that you enjoy and you like about yourself;
9. Seek help from any of the services Lifeline or any other organization;
10. Learn about self-esteem and how to
boost it in your children.
For more ideas visit: www.attitudespecialist.co.nz
Everyday Counts
It would appear that there is a
misconception that it doesn‟t matter if
children in the first years of their time at
school miss a few days of school. However
this is completely wrong. The first years of
schooling are absolutely crucial for all
children, and Everyday
Counts!!
This is the stage when children are coming
to terms with life at school – routines,
expectations, how to interact with teachers
and children, developing independence –
as well as learning the core skills that are
the foundation for all learning, in particular
in the essential areas of literacy and
numeracy. Without this core set of tools
life becomes progressively more
challenging as the students‟ progress
through the schooling system.
As well absenteeism has a negative impact
on a child‟s attitude towards school –
missed days (illness excepted) give
children the impression that school doesn‟t
matter. School does matter, and is an
absolutely critical stage in life‟s journey.
Missing school can set in place a vicious
cycle of lost learning opportunities,
development of negative attitudes, and
disengagement from school.
Statistics prove conclusively that students
with high levels of absenteeism in their
early years at school, are at real risk, and
often drop out as early as year 11. Over
time they develop an attitude that school
isn‟t important, and also struggle because
they have gaps in their learning - this
learning delay enhances their negative
view of life at school. But as we all know,
a rounded education is essential for a
successful transition into the adult world,
and beyond.
We are extremely concerned about any
unexplained absenteeism, but in particular
children at the early stages of their
schooling. Every day missed represents
lost opportunity, as well as increasing the
risk of issues later in the schooling system.
Everyday does count!!
Support Your Child’s
Learning and
Inquiring Mind
Below is a list of wonderful websites
that you can use on a regular basis to
support your child's learning.
LITERACY
http://www.spellingcity.com/
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/intera
ctives/construct/
http://wetellstories.co.uk/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/words/spelling/sou
ndspell/silentletters/game.shtml
http://www.netrover.com/~kingskid/108.html
http://freerice.com/
http://www.starfall.com/
MATHS
http://freerice.com/
http://www.netrover.com/~kingskid/108.html
http://www.tutpup.com/
http://www.multiplication.com/
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/thatsafact/e
nglish_K_3.html
http://www.counton.org/games/mathonaire/
THINKING GAMES
http://www.coolmathgames.com/0bloxorz/index.html
http://neutralx0.net/home/mini04.html
HAVE FUN!
Homework
The School Policy on Homework is
outlined below.
“Homework needs to have a clear purpose
and relevance to the student‟s development
and should enhance the whanau/student/
home/school partnership rather than strain
it.
Purpose
The purpose is to engage whanau, teachers
and students in a negotiated partnership to
achieve the following:
• To reinforce/ enhance/ revise in
class learning;
• To develop independent lifelong
learning;
• Access to different learning
opportunities.
Nature
Homework should be set in a variety of
ways that could involve individual student
work or whanau cooperation, for example:
• Written – question and answer,
notes;
• Oral – interview, spelling;
• Physical gathering – magazine
clippings, pictures;
• Reading - short stories, internet
sites. N.B. Reading for our Junior
children is an absolute daily must!!
• Spelling – learning basic list words;
• Basic facts – learning basic facts
(tables).
Homework should be set mindful of the
time required to achieve a satisfactory
result.
Expectation
That teachers, whanau and students will
fulfill their part of the partnership.
• Teachers should set appropriate
homework and incorporate it into
the student‟s learning and liaise with
parents;
• Students complete homework to the
best of their ability;
• Whanau support student‟s efforts
and liaise with teachers.
Individual teachers at TAS will inform
students and whanau of the nature and
structure of „leading me to lead my
learning‟ homework.
Homework is viewed as an extension of
school activities and a means of
reinforcing learning and developing and
practicing independent study skills. It
should be a positive experience between
parent and student, and is not compulsory”.
Primary School
Technology
Technology Programmes (PTP) for our
Year 7 and 8 students begins next Tuesday.
It is essential that all students are dressed
appropriately, and wearing correct
footwear. As well girls with long hair need
their hair tied up. Safety is paramount and
cannot be compromised.
Preserving Jars
Bev Symes in the Cooking Room requires
a supply of preserving jars – it you can
help please bring these along to room 12
(Cooking Room).
Sun Safe
It is our responsibility as a school to
promote sun-safety. As we are all
very aware the sun in this part of the world
is lethal, and the cumulative effects of
exposure to the
sun can cause
serious harm, and
even death.
Unfortunately
other than the
visible and painful
effect of sun burn,
children are not aware of the damage that
can occur over time. It is important that we
engender in our children/students, a
healthy respect for the sun.
Athletics
To ensure their safety children in the
Primary School are required to wear a hat
(blue or black) when outside. If they are
without a hat, they will be expected to stay
inside, or under shade. Blue or black hats
are easily accessible, and can be picked up
relatively cheaply.
Overall school placing’s1st
St Joseph‟s School (105 points)
2nd
Taihape Area School (83 points)
3rd
Waiouru School (70 points)
We encourage you as parents to support
this safety programme, and hope that you
will promote sun safety outside school.
End of 2013
We had a very smooth and enjoyable end
of 2013 School Year. Highlights included
Top Town, Prize Giving, and the
Taihape Primary Schools Athletics.
Top Town was extremely well organised
by our (now) Year 13 Students, and a
wonderful opportunity for them to
demonstrate their leadership and
organisational skills. This was a fantastic
day enjoyed by students and staff alike.
The organizers even got the weather right.
Despite a terrible forecast, the weather was
beautiful, right up until after the clean-up,
when the rain arrived.
Christmas Parade - great news with
TAS winning the Prize for the best float in
the Annual Christmas Parade. The theme
of our entry was Wearable Arts, an
opportunity to show-case the wonderful
work of our Art Students.
Thank you to the Law Family for the use
of their truck.
Results of the Taihape Primary Schools
Athletics 2013:
Junior Girls Champion2nd Kataraina Beverage
Senior Boys ChampionReserve Champion - Murray McFarlane
Calculators
Students in level 1, 2 and 3 require a
calculator. The brand TAS uses is CASIO
scientific calculator fx-9750GII.
1. TAS has a number of these available for
purchase from our office at a great price of
$80.00 compared to $94.90 at warehouse
stationary or $148.81 at other retailers.
2. If you do not wish to purchase a calculator
students may borrow one for the year, there
will be a bond of $50.00 and at the end of the
school year $40.00 will be refunded – the
$10.00 difference will be used to purchased
batteries.
Payment for both options is at the front
office, once paid bring your receipt to
Library for collecting your calculator.
European Art Trip
Are you interested in a European Art trip
2015 or 2016?
We will be having a meeting in the near
future.
Please leave your name and contact details
at the office for Andrew Yates if you are
interested.
Volunteer Coaches for 2014
Taihape Area School is looking for volunteer coaches in the below sports for
2014,
Athletics
Basketball
Volleyball
Netball
Girls Rugby 7‟s
Boys Rugby 7‟s
Touch
Football
Badminton
Ki o Rahi
Futsal
Knowledge and skill for the sport you would choose to coach would be
good, but is not a requirement. We would endeavour to put all our coaches
through some type of training if possible and where funding allows.
If you would like to help out by volunteering in either our Senior School or
Junior School, please contact Loni Martin on 3880130 ext 761 or
lmartin@tas.school.nz we would love to hear from you.
Taihape Area School
An Invitation
We invite our school community and whanau to meet the
teachers that students will be with this year.
Thursday 30th January
Sausage Sizzle provided
Year 0-8 staff available 5-7pm
Year 9 -13 staff available 6-8 pm
Please RSVP on the invitation sheet sent home today.
Important Events This Term
January
Wednesday 30th
February
Wednesday 5th
Thursday 6th
Monday 10th
Monday 10th – Friday 14th
Wednesday 12th Friday 14th
Thursday 20th
Wednesday 26th & Thursday 27th
March
Wednesday 5th
Wednesday 12th
Friday 14th
April
Friday 4th
Meet the Teachers Evening
Year 9 – 13 Swimming Sport
Waitangi Day
Senior A Netball Trials
Year 1 – 8 Noho Marae
Year 10 Camp
Year 9 – 13 Athletics
Year 9 Noho
Year 1 – 8 Swimming Sports
Wanganui Secondary Schools
Athletics
Year 4 – 8 Interschool Swimming
Sports
Thursday 17th
Year 4 – 8 Interschool Athletics
Sports
Year 9 – 13 Young Leaders
Conference
Wanganui Secondary Schools 7‟s
Central North Islands Coaching
Clinic
Term 1 Ends
May
Monday 5th
Term 2 Begins
Monday 7th
Friday 11th
Tuesday 15th –Thursday 17th