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Connect Communication
28 June 2023
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The end of the term is nigh and it is time for term break and the opportunity to recharge batteries. These are well timed as there seems to be a lot of sickness around at the moment. I am heading to Fiji for a week for some rest and relaxation with my whānau. We can't wait!
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Recently, I read a wonderful book called, ‘When the Adults Change, Everything Changes’. This validated our behaviour approach at Ararira as it is based on clear and consistent expectations that are linked to our values. We value strong relationships and strive to develop a positive culture in our learning environments. I did ponder what the children might say if we asked them about rules at Ararira, what would parents say? Over the next while we will be working with children to establish some rules to anchor behaviour at Ararira. These will be simple and values-driven, for example, caring means being kind. We look forward to hearing your thoughts as well.
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As we head to the term break is important to remember digital safety guidelines. Children may be spending more time online over the break and some simple reminders are as follows;
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- Devices are ALWAYS used in a shared space at home
- The screen should be seen
- Periodically check your young person's chats and photo streams
- Periodically check your child's browser history
- Consider using apps or controls to limit your child's time online.
Experts in the field of digital safety recommend that children younger than 13 do not use social media apps. This is due to the pitfalls of social media and our young people not always having the appropriate level of skill to navigate and understand the implicit pressure and messaging conveyed through social media channels.
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Many gaming apps, like Roadblocks, or Playstation games have messaging features. It is important to provide scaffolds for your children when they are using these games. Check their chat threads and ensure that they are being their kind and wonderful self online as well. For more information take time to read this parent blog post, written by Blair.
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Have a wonderful break and we look forward to connecting again in Term 3.
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Te Kupu o te Wiki - This Week's Kupu:
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This week's kupu is mauri tau - relax / chill / calm / without panic
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Important Carpark Safety Reminders
Please slow down in and around the school carpark.
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We have recently noticed many cars far exceeding the 10km per hour speed limit in our school carpark, particularly in the entry driveway along the east side of the carpark. This is not only dangerous for our school-aged tamariki, but also for younger siblings who often accompany caregivers at drop-off/pick-up times.
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If you have older children to collect from the Kiss and Go and would like to avoid significant congestion, we suggest you arrive at 3.10pm as the carpark is virtually empty by that time.
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Hero Email Notifications
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We have recently been made aware that due to a recent upgrade, some families are no longer receiving email notifications of new Hero posts. To rectify this, go into Hero, click on your profile (top right corner), scroll down to My Devices, and select Email. You should then start receiving email notifications again.
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Selwyn District Council School Travel Plan Survey Results
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Thank you to the 62 families from ASP who responded to the SDC School Travel Plan survey. Of these, 33 (53%) of the families said their children travel to and from school by car. The majority of those chose this mode because of traffic concerns (e.g., dangerous roads, too many cars, etc.), and 14 (21%) said it was convenient as they could drop off and pick up their children on the way to/from work or somewhere else.
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If there was a safe meeting spot (a point where learners could walk independently) near the school, 38 families said they would use it.
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The SDC would like to encourage active modes for travelling to and from school. To help with this they asked what would make the route safer. The top suggestion was to have more safe places to cross the road.
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Other suggestions were;
• Slower speeds
• More cycle paths
• Less traffic on the road
• Pedestrian crossing on Springs Road from Verdeco Park to Te Whariki
• Pedestrian crossing/Kea Crossing on Southfield Drive to Russ Drive
• Painted cycle lanes on Southfield Drive
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The information gained from the survey is helping to identify what should be included in Ararira Springs Primary's travel plan to address the needs and concerns of the school community.
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This winter, Te Whatu Ora is funding advice, and if needed, FREE medicine for eligible people with certain minor health conditions at participating community pharmacies across Canterbury.
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Tamariki/children under 14 years (and whānau members with similar symptoms) are eligible for this service so if one of your kids is experiencing any of the following health issues, you can seek advice from a healthcare professional at your nearest participating pharmacy:
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Acute diarrhoea
Dehydration
Eye inflammation or infection
Scabies
Headlice
Pain and fever
Eczema/dermatitis
Minor skin infections
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Click here for more information about the Minor Health Conditions Service, to understand who is eligible and to find a participating pharmacy near you, or request a FREE pharmacy consultation, medicine and delivery. A list of participating pharmacies is located here.
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Reporting & Learning Conversations
Over recent weeks you may have received a flurry of notifications announcing learning posts for your children. For others, a number of posts may be published today. In addition, we will turn on the progress graphs for you today.
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For all children, we aim to see steady progress in their learning trajectory in reading, writing and maths. Sometimes, the learner is ready and this is easily achievable. Sometimes, there are other factors at play which mean the path is a little bumpy.
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We have noticed that structured literacy is changing the trajectory of the reading progress for many learners. A structured literacy approach is providing a slower, steadier start for ākonga. Their graphs demonstrate slower progress and children may be working towards the expectations of the current curriculum. However, we also see that by Year 4 this remedy and most children are working at and beyond what they expect them to be.
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On Tuesday and Wednesday of Week 2 in term 3 we will be inviting you all into school to have conversations with teachers about the learning of your children. We are exploring which platform to use for this as Hero now offers a booking system. Details will be provided in the second week of the term break. You will book a time with your child’s ako teacher, with the exception of Teretere (Y7/8), where you will book with the child’s literacy teacher. Teretere will let you know about this.
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Toy Swap
In line with our school's inquiry focus on sustainability this year, we have an exciting plan to ignite curiosity - a toy swap!
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On the first day of Term 3, we kindly request the tamariki to bring a well-looked-after toy or book to school. During the day, they will have the opportunity to trade their treasures for something new. Let's nurture a sense of wonder and promote eco-consciousness together, taking small steps towards a more sustainable future.
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IMPORTANT DATES - 2023
- 30 June - Hui (Matua Blair, HK4), 2.30pm in the hall
- 30 June - Term 2 ends
- 17 July - Term 3 begins
- 17 July - Toy Swap (see above)
- 21 July - Matariki celebrations at school, 5.30-7pm (see below)
- 02 August - Board of Trustees meeting, 6.30pm in the staffroom
- 09 August - THT meeting, 7pm in the staffroom
- 08 September - Quiz Night (see below)
- 11-12 September - School photos
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Board of Trustees
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NEXT MEETING - 02 August, 6.30 pm in the Staffroom
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Strategic Planning Process
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The Board has just started the process of reviewing our current strategic plan and setting the direction for the school for the next two years. The process is complex and takes into consideration the guidance from the Ministry and work completed through the Balanced Scorecard for Schools in Aotearoa with the Springboard Trust.
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Early next term we will send you a survey asking for your input into how we are working as a school. This will be followed with the opportunity to give feedback on the Boards thinking about future direction. This will involve either answering questions via a survey or offering feedback when visiting the school for learning conversations in Week 2.
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Last week we had our first meeting with Cook Brothers about the Stage 2 expansion. It was exciting to get some movement on this and we hope that building will start later in the year. We will be building a block for an additional 300 children and two spaces for children from Waitaha to be based at Ararira.
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Once the building commences the side field will be partitioned off and will become the building site, accessed from the driveway adjacent to the hall.
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Te Hapori Tautoko (THT)
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THT - Te Hapori Tautoko - providing opportunities to tautoko (support) and connect our school community and fundraising for school initiatives and resources.
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Matariki
Matariki planning is well underway for 21 July and it’s set to be a wonderful evening.
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Please BOOK FREE TICKETS for your whānau via KINDO now, ensuring you book tickets for every whānau member that will be attending. These tickets will help us gauge numbers and include complimentary sausage sizzle, warm drinks and activities to help celebrate the Māori New Year. A “hāngī taster" is not incorporated in this ticket, however will be available for purchase soon.
What: Ararira Matariki Celebration
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When: 21 July 5:30-7:00pm
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Where: Ararira Springs Primary
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What to bring: Warm clothing, mug
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NEXT MEETING - 09 August, 7.00pm in the Staffroom. All welcome.
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Second-Hand Uniforms - THT has a small selection of second-hand uniform items available for purchase. Click here to view a list of the items we currently have available. We are always looking to increase our selection and would welcome donations of good-quality uniform items. All profits are used by THT to improve our school and provide resources for our tamariki. If you have uniform items to donate please contact Charlotte via charlotte.mcmenamin@ararira.school.nz
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That’s a wrap! And so we come to the end of our second term of sports. I would like to say a HUGE thank you to all our parents who coached, managed, lifted, fetched, carried and supported our tamariki this term. We could not have done it without you. A busy term with Canterbury Cross Country, Zones Basketball and Gymnastics! Click the link to go to our sports website.
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Cross Country Canterbury Competition
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Congratulations to Oscar in year 5 who came in the top ten for his age group at the Canterbury Cross Country on the 21st of June. He will be going to regionals later this year. Well done to Janie, Ryan and Liam in Year 8 who also participated. We are so proud of you!
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Lincoln Zone Basketball Competition
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We entered 3 teams into the Basketball Competition this year. One Year 5/6 mixed team, one Year 8 boys team and one Year 7 girls team. All teams played well and represented our school with pride. Thank you to the coaches who took the time to spend the day with our teams. A big thank you to Nick, Anne Maree and Hilary. Another big thank you to the parents who came down to support us too.
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Canterbury Primary Sports Gymnastics Competition
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This term Zoe in Year 7/8 participated in the Primary Sports Gymnastics competition. She won the competition in the Elite group. We would like to congratulate her on her success and wish her all the best for her upcoming competitions.
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Upcoming dates for next term
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Below are the upcoming sporting events for Term 3.
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Don't forget to check out the what’s on offer page on our website for sporting activities held during the holidays by various clubs.
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Thank you to all for your support this term. We could not have done it without you.
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If you have any questions or queries please head to the site and if you cannot find what you are looking for please contact Whaea Meeghan at meeghan.coetzee@ararira.school.nz .
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Have a restful break and we look forward to seeing you in Term 3!
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What's Been Happening?
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We say farewell to Linda one of our amazing learning assistants who is moving to live in France. We had a wonderful French theme morning tea and dress up and an incredible cake made by Whaea Debbie. We wish you all the best Linda, we will miss you and your incredible skill with tamariki.
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We had exciting start to science week last week with a visit from Nanogirl! This included lots of fun science experiments and new learning for our tamariki.
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Last week Gus and Louie were very proud to have their uncle, All Blacks Sevens player Sam Dickson visit school with the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series Winners Cup.
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Are you wondering about your child's speech and language development?
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Drop in at The Pantry, Lincoln and talk with Fleur free of charge
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Tuesday 04 July, 9.30-11.30am
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Speech-Language Therapist
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Write On School for Young Writers
Write On School for Young Writers have expanded their Winter School programme for the July holidays with options for young writers from age 9-17. In addition to their great workshop offerings they have included four targeted and fully funded classes. Check out the options below.
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Bookings are now open and some classes are filling fast. Please book direct via their website.
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Do you have a young writer who would love to spend two hours every Saturday exercising their imagination and honing their craft? Write On School for Young Writers already have 90 students on their roll but there are spaces still available. Please book direct via Write On Saturdays.
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Nourish Therapy Food Explorer Group
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Nourish Feeding Therapy are running another one of their very popular Friday Food Explorer Groups which will be held fortnightly on Fridays in Term 3 at ASP. Please see below for further details.
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Kindo & ezlunch are excited to share the arrival of a fresh new look in Term 3!
With it's improved layout and enhanced features, the interface is now easier than ever to navigate, further simplifying school life and saving you time.
So what can you expect from the new and improved versions of Kindo & ezlunch?
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- A fresh, new look with better navigation and clear student selection
- Clearer cart layout showing what has been purchased for each person
- Faster and easier checkout flow for a better shopping experience
- Better visibility of which items are available and which aren't
- New item search & sort function e.g. sort lunch by dietary requirement
- Easier process for ordering lunches for 'multiple days'
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Mana Ake currently has a range of courses available. Please see below for further information or to register:
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Follow us on Facebook! The Mana Ake Facebook page has information about events and wellbeing tips for whānau.
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All orders will be delivered to school in batches and distributed to the classrooms as they arrive. Any orders marked as gifts, we will put to one side and contact you when they are ready to be collected.
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Next Week we will be celebrating all of our Super Services so head on over to our website and book the kids in for an awesome week!
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We take the stress out of school holidays by giving you the confidence that your kids are having a blast and being well-cared for at the same time. Your kids will love the huge variety of activities and trips that are designed to inspire and entertain.
Join us these holidays by booking through our website.
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Music Tuition
Ararira Springs Primary is excited to offer music tuition. We provide our wonderful facilities to make your choice of music tuition easier for the family.
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Please make arrangements and payments directly via our tutors.
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The Singing Diva - Providing singing, guitar and ukulele lessons for budding musicians in Christchurch. Music lessons don't have to be boring. In fact they can be fun!!
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Learn with me in a friendly, encouraging and supportive environment. It doesn't matter if you are a beginner or just needing some tips my focus is the give you the skills you need to excel in your area of choice.
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Click here to get in touch.
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School Carpark Expectations Behaviours we want to see: Park in designated car parks including on the road. Carparks have been designed and placed by qualified traffic engineers to optimize visibility for drivers. Always stick to the 10km/hr speed limit. Children come and go from school for a variety of reasons at all times of the day. Merge like a zip …
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Digital Complications and Applications What is digital addiction? Digital addiction among students in New Zealand is a growing concern in the modern era, as technology and digital devices have become an integral part of daily life. While technology offers numerous benefits, excessive and uncontrolled use can lead to addiction and negatively impact students' academic performance, mental health, and overall well-being. …
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Coaching is an important part of Ararira learning for our teachers and our older ākonga. We see coaching as an opportunity to sit with a colleague or support person and in the first instance, check in. Secondly, it provides the coachee with the chance to be listened to and supported. The coachee might share an issue, concern or goal. The …
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The Importance of Attendance We all recognise that education is the pathway to the future. The key to educational success relies on being present at school. Consistent routines and mileage is a big component of learning. Neurological pathways in our brains require repetitive exposure to strengthen and cement learning and develop mastery. We also develop these neural pathways for resilience, …
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Neurodiverse Learners Neurodiversity is a term used to describe the range of neurological differences among individuals, including conditions such as autism, dyslexia, ADHD, and others. From a school's perspective, it is essential to acknowledge the diversity in the learning abilities within students and provide support which is reflective of their needs. Children who are neurodivergent can face a number of …
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Peer Mediation Ararira Springs has adopted the peer mediation programme as it fits so strongly with our values of being caring, curious and capable. Peer mediators, selected from Year 7/8 classes, undergo a period of training based on the 'Cool Schools Peer Mediation Programme' prior to being on duty in the playground. Peer mediation is an approach to conflict resolution …
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