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Connect Communication
20 March 2024
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I can't believe it is week 8 already and autumn is in the air. Time flies, particularly in education when your days are measured by blocks of time and you watch the weeks slip past. Our thoughts are with the Year 7 students, and Whaea Meeghan and Larissa as they head to camp at Glentui next week. I look forward to joining them on Tuesday and part of Wednesday.
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A few events lately have been a health and safety concern. Of note was the chaos in the carpark on our first very wet day last Friday. Cars were backed back and out onto the road, making operating the pedestrian crossing very difficult. We ask that you consider the following;
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- Never exit your car in the driveway - this stops the flow of cars in and out of the car park.
- If you can't enter the carpark, drive on and find somewhere nearby to park.
- Consider picking up your child at 3:10 pm when the carpark is clear. They can wait outside the office (thank you to the parents who already do this).
Another issue that was flagged by the team was a recent report of a person exhibiting agitated and usual behaviour in the street. The Police were called and the person was known to the Police and needed to be moved on. In addition, there have been reports in the wider Selwyn area of a white van approaching girls on the way home from school. It would be a great time to work with your children on proactive solutions if they feel uncomfortable when out and about;
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- If they are older and have a phone, ensure they can access key numbers quickly.
- Identify the safe houses in the neighbourhood where they can go if needed, and avoid using houses with long driveways.
- Rehearse a script of what to say if approached.
- Think about a 'safe word' to verify the identity of someone unknown.
- Stick together with your friends.
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Last week in hui we talked about being curious and the importance of keeping an open mind. Our visual for curiosity shows the poutama illustrating growth. Asking questions and the thirst for knowledge are important attributes in fostering curiosity.
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In hui we watched and discussed a short animation which illustrated that if you have an open mind you see the world through a different lens. The more you look, notice, and wonder, the more you see.
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Finally, please make sure you read our latest parent information posts about the one hour of reading, writing and maths requirements and a post about our work with the Springboard Trust developing a balanced scorecard for Ararira. Both are linked at the bottom of the newsletter.
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School Board
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Next meeting - 27 March, 6.30pm in Tahuna | Staffrooom
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From the Office
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If you know of families moving into the area or with preschoolers, please encourage them to fill out our online enrolment form soon as possible. This allows us to plan ahead and recruit the teachers we might need!
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Your support makes a world of difference! As we strive to maximise our funding and provide added benefits to our students, we ask you to consider making a donation now! By doing so, you can quickly claim your 33% tax rebate from 1 April 2024.
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When you make your donation through myKindo, keep an eye out for the option to "amplify your donation" where you can choose to gift this tax rebate back to the school. Even if you don't typically claim rebates, consider selecting YES. It's a win-win situation. More funding means more resources for students. See more at support.mykindo.co.nz
NOTE: Kindo cannot change the details on your donation receipt, so please ensure your Account Holder name is correct BEFORE paying any donations. Donation receipts will only be issued for items that the school has nominated as ‘donation receipt required’.
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Black Caps National Anthem
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Recently four of our students along with their other team mates were lucky enough to represent Aotearoa by singing the national anthem with the Black Caps at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
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They did an amazing job and even remembered to smile!
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IMPORTANT DATES 2024
- 21 March - Mana Ake drop in session 8.30-9.15am
- 22 March - Hot Cross Buns delivered to school
- 26-28 March - Year 7 Camp at Glentui
- 27 March - School Board Meeting, 6.30pm in Tahuna | Staffrooom
- 28 March - Mana Ake drop in session 8.30-9.15am
- 28 March - Huarapa 4-6 Hui, 9.15am in the Hall
- 29 March-02 April - Easter Weekend (school closed)
- 03 April - THT Meeting, 7pm in Teretere
- 04 April - Mana Ake drop in session 8.30-9.15am
- 11 April - Mana Ake drop in session 8.30-9.15am
- 12 April - Kaunuku Hui, 9.15am in the Hall
- 12 April - Last day of term 1
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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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Next meeting 03 April, 7pm in Teretere
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All welcome - we'd love to have some new faces join us!
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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. If you have uniform items to donate please contact Charlotte via charlotte.mcmenamin@ararira.school.nz
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The Year 5/6 and Year 7/8 basketball competition is open for registrations. If your child (boys and girls) would like to be on a team please contact Whaea Meeghan. She will be entering the teams later this term.
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PLEASE NOTE: Although Whaea Meeghan enters the teams she does not coach any teams. This is a parent led activity and requires a parent coach. All games are held on a Monday afternoon/eveing between 3:30pm and 7pm. Game draws are different every week and are not always at the same time.
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Click on the links below for more information:
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For more information contact Whaea Meeghan.
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On Tuesday the 12th of March we had 4 mixed Year 5/6 teams playing cricket against other schools at Foster Park. We would like to thank our parents who volunteered their time to manage the teams and Whaea Sam who got our teams there and back safely. Ngā mihi nui!
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Zone swim sports took place at Selwyn Aquatic Centre on Monday the 18th of March. Whaea Charlotte, Henry, Oscar and Amy represented our school, making us proud. Well done to Henry who placed 2nd in the Year 8 Boys Backstroke and will be representing Ararira at the Canterbury’s later this month. Thank you to all who took part. A very big thank you to Whaea Charlotte for her help and support on the day.
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Below is a table of events taking place in Term 1. If you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact us or check out our ASP Sport Page on the school website or click on the link: ASP Sport. Don’t forget to check out the “What's on offer?” page for clubs advertising their sport.
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Upcoming Sports Events for Term 1
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These are Lincoln Zones (LZ) and Primary Schools Canterbury(PSC) tournaments and competitions.
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Dates for Ararira Springs Primary (ASP) sporting events are also included. Reminders will be sent out individually.
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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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As part of the 100-day plan, the new National Government announced the change to mandate an hour of reading, writing and maths every day. In reality, this is not very different from what your child is already experiencing at Ararira. The teaching of reading, writing and maths is an average of one hour a day. It also includes reading, writing …
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Ararira Springs' Balanced Scorecard The Springboard Trust offers a suite of fantastic professional learning for school leaders and late in 2022 we took part in the Balanced Scorecard for Schools in Aotearoa programme. This asks schools to think long-term and develop 10-year objectives that will guide the school through the next phases of strategic planning. These objectives were established by …
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Expectations for Behaviour at Ararira Ararira is a wonderful place to learn and we guide our learners' behaviour with clear expectations that are linked to our values of being caring, curious and capable. These are short, sharp and memorable and might be good to refer to at home as well. Caring is our first value supported by aroha and manaakitanga. …
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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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