School Newsletter - 1st May 2024

A Message from the Principal

Dear Parents and Caregivers

I hope that you have had a wonderful time with family and friends over the Autumn school break. Our weather has been fantastic over the last few days as we begin this term filled with excitement for learning ahead. 

We have some exciting updates and new initiatives to share with you.

School Structure for 2025:

We are able to confirm the school's structure for 2025, which will continue the range of approaches to teaching and learning aimed at providing the best possible educational experience for our students across a full range of learning environments. 

In-line with our commitment to personalised learning, all of our learning environments and all learning areas  provide students with dedicated spaces for focused instruction and individualised support. They are designed to accommodate various learning styles and preferences, allowing teachers to tailor their approach to meet the diverse needs of every student.

1. Year 1 (Rooms 1&2), Year 3, Years 6,7&8 will continue to operate as Learning Hubs: These hubs will serve as dynamic learning environments where students come together to learn individually and also be able to collaborate, explore, and engage in learning experiences. Learning hubs foster a sense of community and encourage students to develop essential skills such as critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. 
2. Year 0/1 (Rooms 3,4&5), Year 2 will continue to operate as Single Cell Classrooms: In our single-cell classrooms, each classroom has students of the same age or year level. Students experience consistent learning with one teacher throughout the school year, which promotes a sense of stability and routine. Students interact mainly with peers of their own age, which can foster social development and a sense of belonging.
3. Years 4&5 will continue to operate as Composite Classes: These classes will bring together students from two year levels within the same classroom environment. This approach promotes peer-to-peer learning, fosters a sense of inclusivity and belonging, and allows for greater flexibility in curriculum delivery. Composite classes enable students to learn from one another, develop empathy and understanding, and build strong relationships across age groups.

No learning environment is better than another. Rather our Kohimarama students can experience the full range of environments which will hold them in good stead throughout their schooling and into tertiary and work environments.  

Many schools including some private schools use some of these combinations of learning environments. To be able to learn the skills and strategies to manage yourself in a number of settings will set you up for success early and give you an advantage over peers who have only experienced one way of being.

We Welcome New Staff Members:

We are delighted to welcome the following new additions to our Kohimarama School family:

• Maruchi Botha: Maruchi joins us as the teacher of Room 25, Year 3. With her passion for education and dedication to nurturing young minds, we are confident that Maruchi will make a positive impact on our students' learning journey.
• Roz Kennedy and Debbie Ellery: Roz Kennedy will be working alongside Debbie Ellery in Room 21, Year 7 & 8. Their combined expertise and commitment to excellence will undoubtedly enrich the educational experience of our intermediate students.
• Darcey Pead-Kingdon: We are excited to introduce Darcey as our new Learning Assistant. Darcey brings compassion and dedication to supporting students with diverse learning needs and will be invaluable in ensuring that her students receive the individualised support they deserve.
• Amrutha Manchineela will be starting as the second counsellor at Kohimarama School. Amrutha will begin work next Monday 6th May.
• Lucy Broadhead will be teaching in Room 4 Year 0/1 for the remainder of this year. Welcome back to the classroom Lucy where we know that your skill and ability to support new learners will be invaluable. 

Focus on Kaitiakitanga:

At Kohimarama School, we are committed to fostering a sense of kaitiakitanga among our students, staff, and wider community. Kaitiakitanga, which means guardianship and protection, is rooted in Māori perspectives and gives effect to the Treaty of Waitangi. It emphasises our interconnectedness with the land and our responsibility to care for and protect our natural environment.

As part of our focus on kaitiakitanga, we will be integrating Māori perspectives into our curriculum, engaging students in activities that promote environmental stewardship, and collaborating with local iwi to ensure that our practices align with tikanga Māori.

We believe that by instilling a sense of kaitiakitanga in our students, we are not only preparing them to be responsible stewards of the environment but also empowering them to contribute positively to their communities and the world around them.

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership as we embark on this exciting journey together. If you have any questions or would like further information about any of the topics mentioned above, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Reminder that the access to the counsellor is via an email counsellor@kohimarama.school.nz

The process below outlines the ways in which referrals are made.

Pre-Loved Sale

We would love donations of QUALITY pre-loved items you no longer need, have grown out of or no longer suit, like; 

• kids clothing
• men’s and women’s work and casual wear
• sporting equipment
• books, toys and games
• homewares (but not furniture sorry)

Collection dates to be announced soon.

Pink Shirt Day - Friday 17th May

On Friday the 17th of May it's Pink Shirt Day!  On this day all of our learners are invited to wear as much pink as they can. In wearing something pink, we are showing that we all are making a commitment to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all, and it also reminds us to be accepting and compassionate. In all classes, teachers will be discussing the issues concerning and the importance of being an 'upstander' rather than being a 'bystander' and the importance of being kind and accepting of one another. Let's stand up against bullying and make a wonderful pink statement on Pink Shirt Day!

Thank you all for your generosity toward Nurnobi Hossain

Together we raised $923.60 for our World Vision child Nurnobi Hossain.  This is an incredible effort and much appreciated by the World Vision organisation in supporting children in other countries who need extra assistance to ensure they have clothes, food, education and good health.  This is a real achievement for our school community, thank you for your support.

Students Leaving

As we begin our classroom planning for 2025, we ask those families who have made plans and have a student who will be leaving Kohimarama School at the end of 2024 school year to complete this form.  The last day of school is 17 December 2024.
Note: The form does not need to be completed for Year 8 students.
Many thanks for your support in assisting us with our advance planning.

Enrolments

If your child was born in 2019 or 2020, you live in our school 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.

Certificates & Awards

Congratulations to these outstanding students:

• Room 1 – Harry O
• Room 2 – Luca S
• Room 3 – Frankie W, Stella K
• Room 6 – James C, Xia P
• Room 8 – Arlo H, Charlie T
• Room 16 – Julia C, Tessa F
• Room 17 – Scarlett E
• Room 25 – Conrad B, Stella O
• Room 26 – Eloise O, Matilda B
• Room 11 – Estée V, Kylo H
• Room 12 – Declan F, Emilia A
• Room 13 – Sophie G, Thomas G
• Room 14 – James Y, Nayan J
• Room 15 – Jack B, David P
• Room 18 – Kira U
• Room 19 – Ted T
• Room 20 – Thomas O, Oscar R
• Room 21 – Alexa J, Jamie C
• Room 22 – Jazlyn L, Blake J
• Room 23 – Emily C, John G

The Kohimarama Way Value - Honesty (Term 1)

Thank you to all our students who get 'caught' regularly doing the 'right thing' in our playgrounds, you are awesome.  Our last fortunate students from Term 1 are:

• Luca            Rm 2            for Reliability            Patteson
• Dima           Rm 3            for Reliability            Colenso
• Logan         Rm 26         for Respect                 Patteson
• Spencer      Rm 18         for Commitment      Selwyn
• Ethan          Rm 18         for Friendliness        Selwyn
• Felix            Rm 23         for Reliability             Colenso

Road Patrollers for the fortnight

Thank you to our Road Patrollers for their work on the pedestrian crossings ensuring that we all cross safely.  Our Road Patrollers who received special recognition on the last week of the term dealt with ferocious winds, you were awesome, thank you:  Claire, Joshua, Jian and Agnes. 

Seeing adults cross roads with their children without using pedestrian crossings is a real safety concern.  It would be good if we could work together and teach our students/children how to cross roads safely.  

Policies and Procedures

To see the Parent Involvement Policy, follow the link below;