School Newsletter - 27th March 2024

A Message from the Principal

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Assessment and Reporting

Throughout the year Kohimarama School has a mixture of formal and informal opportunities for parents to deepen their understanding of student learning. 

Parents are always very welcome to contact their child's teacher to check in on where their child is currently working, have a look at the work they are doing or to discuss any concerns they may have. Parents can make an appointment to meet face to face. 

SchoolTalk is always open to view and is a tool that allows you to see where your child is currently working. If you need more assistance in using this tool, come and have a chat with your child’s teacher.

SCHOOLTALK the tool - The intention is that parents will regularly check in on their child’s learning. It supports students in being prepared for their learning for the day and it provides a means for regularly discussing the learning taking place. 

Throughout the year the teachers may send an invite to you to come in and view some current work that the students are working on.  We hope you will access these opportunities where possible. 

Formal Reporting -

Learning Snapshots

This is an opportunity to share with families an up-to-date picture of where their child is ‘at’ currently.  This is also an opportunity to discuss the next learning goals in order that we are on the same page and that the students are aware of this as well. The teacher and student may be leading these discussions. 

Dates: Wednesday 10th April 1.30pm - 6.00pm and Thursday 11th April 3.30pm - 7.45pm.  If your child is unable to be picked up at 1.00pm on Wednesday 10th April please complete this form by Friday 5th April.

Reminder: The Learner Snapshots are being held in Week 11 of this term. The booking sheet will be open at the end of school today - here is the link to book your appointment - Snapshots

SchoolTalk Reports - This is a summary of where your child is working within reading, writing, mathematics and learner dispositions midyear.

Dates - Friday 5th July and Friday 13th December. 

Learning Conversations - This is a time when students, teachers and parents can talk about the students learning together and provides an opportunity to set goals and further unpack the SchoolTalk report if required. This year we see this being an optional opportunity. Dates to be confirmed.

New Entrant Parent Meetings - these are introduction meetings held once a term and inform parents and caregivers of what education looks like for 5 year olds at our school.

Kohimarama School has four formal opportunities to engage with parents and students about the learning.

Feedback on the Before/After School Care and Holiday Programme Survey

Thank you for registering your interest in the Before/After School Care and Holiday Programme.

You said:

In discussion with parents across the school I have heard a number of requests to offer additional opportunities for our students, in particular, after school.

The board agreed to survey parents in order to gauge your response to this opportunity if offered at Kohimarama School.

We heard:

The survey results are below;

We are responding: 

At our last meeting the board agreed to set up a sub-committee to explore this service at Kohimarama School. Information will be shared once this committee has undertaken due diligence on providers and programmes.

2025 organisation for Teaching and Learning

During the Board Community Consultation last year some questions were raised about the school's consistency of approach to teaching and learning, specifically the mix of single-cell classrooms, learning hubs, and composite classes. I want to take the opportunity to explain the school's approach. 

At Kohimarama School a major focus is keeping class sizes as small as we can. Smaller class sizes and our high calibre teaching staff help us maintain the quality of the education we provide. With class sizes in mind, each year we then look at the cohort size of the year group, the overall school role and number of teaching staff we have funded, and the physical spaces we have available. Then we can design the mix of class environments for the following year. As the school role changes from year to year, firm planning happens on an annual cycle in the latter part of the year and as a result it is difficult to provide the community with certainty that a particular year will be in a particular class type.

What we can provide certainty on is our focus on keeping classes as small as we can, and our co-teaching collaborative approach. Having done some further investigation we can also confirm that having experienced the different modes of class learning our students adapt extremely well to the secondary school context. 

Across New Zealand primary schools, co-teaching in the context of single-cell classrooms, learning hubs, and composite classes involves collaborative teaching approaches where two or more teachers work together to plan, deliver, and assess instruction for students with diverse needs and abilities. Here's how each element contributes to our educational landscape:

• Single-cell classrooms: These are classrooms where students are taught together in a single space. Unlike traditional grade-based classrooms, single-cell classrooms allow for more flexible grouping and personalised learning experiences.
• Learning hubs: Learning hubs are spaces within the school where students come together for collaborative learning activities, workshops, or learning groups. They provide opportunities for cross-age interaction, peer teaching, and interdisciplinary learning.
• Composite classes: Composite classes are classrooms where students from two consecutive years are combined into a single class group. For example, a composite class might include students from both Year 4 and Year 5. This setup allows for a broader range of abilities and experiences within the classroom, fostering peer learning and collaboration.

In this context of co-teaching, these elements combine to create dynamic learning environments where teachers collaborate to meet the diverse needs of students. Teachers may share responsibilities such as lesson planning, teaching, assessment, and classroom management. By pooling their expertise and resources, teachers provide more individualised support, differentiate instruction, and create inclusive learning experiences for all students, regardless of their age or ability level.

In being transparent, having multiple opportunities for single-cell, learning hub, and composite classes across a school may have both pros and cons for students. Here are some of these:

Pros:

• Personalised Learning: Different students have different learning styles and preferences. Providing multiple opportunities for various learning environments allows students to identify what works best for them, leading to a more personalised learning experience. This supports them very well into Secondary School as reported by numbers of schools that I have followed up on our Kohimarama School students in year 9.
• Flexibility: It offers flexibility in accommodating students' number in a year group, diverse interests and needs. The NZ Curriculum is designed to be individualised, focused on each learner. Our students, as reported by three Secondary School Principals this year, demonstrate a high degree of learner agency and this supports them to achieve highly in their educational setting.
• Enhanced Engagement: By providing options for different learning environments, students are more likely to stay engaged and motivated in their learning. They can explore topics in ways that resonate with them, leading to deeper understanding and interest. Our Kohimarama students maintain this disposition to learn into Secondary School and achieve highly in academic results.
• Holistic Development: Exposure to different learning environments contributes to students' holistic development. For example, participating in composite classes can enhance teamwork and communication within learning. Participation in a learning hub promotes collaboration and reliability as stated in our Kohimarama Way. The dispositions and values are reported by our secondary school principals as being evident in their way of being.
• Preparation for the Future: In today's dynamic world, adaptability and versatility are essential skills. Experiencing various learning environments prepares students for diverse academic and professional settings they will encounter in the future. Learning these skills at an early age sets these students up well for their continued learning.

Cons:

• Resource Allocation: Offering multiple learning environments requires significant resources, including staffing, facilities (furniture), and instructional materials. We operate a program of upgrading resources regularly for different years and environments
• Logistical Complexity: Managing multiple learning environments can be logistically complex. At Kohimarama School we ensure that all students cover the New Zealand Curriculum, and that resources are distributed across multiple environments to support and enhance this. 
• Equity Concerns: There is a risk of inequity if certain learning environments are perceived as more desirable or advantageous than others. At Kohimarama School we ensure that all students have equal access to high-quality education regardless of the learning environment they are in that year.
• Teacher Preparedness: Teachers pedagogy (Science of teaching) is designed to allow them to teach in the range of learning environments that we have at Kohimarama School. Ensuring teacher preparedness and consistency in teaching quality across all options is our core business to enable student success.

Overall, Kohimarama School offers our students what other schools cannot. That is, offering multiple opportunities for different learning environments which benefits students by promoting personalised learning and engagement in different settings. Work in the future, both schooling, university, and business will often have different learning environments, so being able to work in these at a young age supports building strategies to manage themselves in different settings and maintain success.

Reminder All schools across New Zealand have a school holiday on Tuesday 2nd April. See Ministry of Education statement below;

Easter Tuesday        

The Tuesday following Easter Monday is a school holiday (but not a statutory holiday), meaning schools must not be open.

School Counsellor

Our school is fortunate to have the service of a counsellor to support our students. The counsellor works at school on a Tuesday and have their sessions privately. If you feel that you would like to explore this service please email them on counsellor@kohimarama.school.nz 

Enrolments - is your child nearly 4 and half years old?

If this is you, you live in our Zone and you would like your child to attend Kohimarama School would you please get in touch with Helen O'Brien hobrien@kohimarama.school.nz  to let her know and fill in an enrolment form.  We must know of students who will be starting at our school in plenty of time to employ a new teacher for them.  

Messages from the Second-Hand Uniform Coordinator

WELCOME to new volunteer, Jessica B! She has made uniform ordering run smoothly this term even while meeting increased demand. It's great to have you on the team, Jessica!

STARTING TERM 2 orders will be filled weekly. We will confirm orders by Thursday each week and fill them on Friday mornings. You will still be able to view the inventory anytime and place your order at your convenience by emailing item, size, quality, and quantity to uniforms@kohimarama.school.nz. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

CONGRATULATIONS to the Kohimarama School community! With your donations and sales, we have come together to raise over $3500 for the PTA in Term One. Bravo!

NOW IS A GREAT TIME to check the sizes of your winter uniform items ahead of an in-person sale next term. Any uniform items  you'd like to donate can be dropped off to the school office during office hours (8:30am to 3:30pm, M-F). Thank you! 

Tread Lightly Caravan

We are excited to host the Tread Lightly Caravan from 3-12 April. Our students will be learning about how their everyday choices have an impact on the environment, and what they can do to make a positive difference. The Tread Lightly Caravan uses hands-on, interactive exhibits and activities so we know our students will have an amazing experience. For more information have a look on our website - https://www.tread-lightly.org.

Certificates & Awards

Congratulations to these outstanding students:

• Room 1 – Riva M, George S
• Room 2 – Zoe S, Victoria H
• Room 3 – Lucia T, Aryan D
• Room 6 – Oliver H, Alexia R
• Room 8 – Chiara M, Noah D
• Room 16 – Charlie L, Naomi H
• Room 17 – Florence D, Amani P
• Room 25 – Mila S, Maxim M
• Room 26 – Melody W, Beatrice L
• Room 11 – Bao L, Elliott S
• Room 12 – Lilian T, Ben B
• Room 13 – Aira S, James L
• Room 14 – Phoebe V, David Z
• Room 15 – Felix S, Nathaniel J
• Room 18 – Amy D, Charlie P
• Room 19 – Frankie H, Bella C
• Room 20 – Dario L, Brayden W
• Room 21 – Rosemary L, Rick G, Yilong B
• Room 22 – Madison A, Oneth F
• Room 23 – Helen T

Caught Being Good  -  "Greenies"

Congratulations to the following for doing the right thing and upholding our Kohimarama Way, thank you:

• Sawyer             Rm 1                  for Respect                      Colenso
• Harry                Rm 1                  for Respect                      Atkin
• Anna T             Rm 16                for Reliability                Colenso
• Max                   Rm 11                 for Commitment         Selwyn
• David                Rm 15                 for Respect                    Patteson
• Alexa                Rm 21                 for Compassion           Selwyn

Road Patrollers for the fortnight

Thank you to all our Road Patrollers for ensuring our roads are safe before our students and parents cross the roads each morning and giving up your own time to make this happen - you are a real example of service to our school:

• Aurelia T
• Louis P

Policies and Procedures

To see the Inclusive Education Policy, follow the link below;

Community Notices