Kia ora e te whānau.

Welcome back to Term 4 and to what is shaping up to be a very busy term indeed! Here is an update on what has been happening so far and what is still to come.

Athletics Day 

What a fantastic day! It was great to see everyone giving the different events a go, challenging themselves, and showing our kete value 'We Love Challenge' throughout the day. From running and jumping to throwing, we were proud of the way the tamariki showed determination, encouraged others, and celebrated each other's achievements. Ka pai, everyone, for a great day of athletics!

Science

Swimming

We are looking forward to our upcoming swimming sessions between 9–20 November! Swimming is a great opportunity for everyone to develop their water confidence, practice important water safety skills, and build swimming abilities.

A big thank you to all the parents and whānau who are coming along to help us during our swimming sessions. We really appreciate you giving up your time to support our learners and help make these trips possible. We couldn't do it without you!

What to bring:

• Swimming togs

• A towel

• Goggles (if needed)

• A bag for wet swimming gear

Please make sure all belongings are clearly named. 

To help prepare for the lessons ahead, you can click on this link for a social story which outlines what is happening and includes photos of Parakiore Pool.

Staying Safe Online: Online Grooming 

As young people become more independent online, they can connect and communicate with people they

don’t know. Often this is a positive experience, but sometimes your tamariki could be being groomed or

talking to someone who isn’t who they say they are. Netsafe’s advice explains how unwanted contact

works, including grooming and what whānau can do to educate kids.

Check out the link here.

Kia ora e te whānau,

Welcome to our latest update on what’s happening in the Kōwhai hub.

Exploring Felting

This term, we have been getting creative and learning all about felting! We have explored a range of different felting techniques and developed our skills by experimenting with wool felt, colours, shapes and textures.

We have enjoyed learning how to turn loose wool fibres into felt and discovering how different techniques can create different effects. We then put our new skills into practice by using felting to create a variety of different items.

We have been focusing on making felt discs, which will be used to help decorate our Shaun the Sheep sculpture. It has been fantastic to see everyone experimenting, learning new techniques, and watching it all come together. 

Learning NZ Sign Language

This term, we have been learning the basics of sign language and developing our understanding of how we can communicate using our hands, facial expressions and body movements.

We have been learning signs for different words and phrases and practising putting them together to communicate with one another. It has been a fun and engaging way to learn a new form of communication while developing our awareness of how people communicate in different ways.

It has been great to see everyone challenging themselves to remember new signs and using them in the classroom. We are showing that We Get There Together with everyone getting involved, supporting one another, and building confidence in using sign language! 

Disco Time

Next Friday on the 21st of August we will be having our Kōwhai disco from 3:15pm - 4:00pm. Make sure to bring your dancing shoes and your best dance moves!

Staying Safe Online: Snapchat and Privacy

Snapchat is a popular messaging app that lets users exchange pictures and videos (snaps) that are meant to disappear after they’re viewed. Many young people love Snapchat but it’s important that they understand how to protect their privacy on the app.

Check out Netsafe’s Privacy on Snapchat page for some helpful information on Snapchat’s features. You can also find out more information about privacy, security and safety on Snapchat’s help centre.

Have a great weekend!

From the Kōwhai team

Kia ora e te whānau,

Here is an update on what has been happening in the Kōwhai hub over the last 2 weeks.

Cyber Safety Learning This Week

This week in Cyber Safety, we explored the difference between personal information and private information. Students learned what information is safe to share and what information should be kept private, such as passwords, home addresses, and phone numbers. We also discussed who we can trust with our private information and why it is important to think carefully before sharing details online or in person.

Your child may come home with some sheets to do at home. These sheets correspond with discussions and activities we have done in class. We have looked at making safe choices and have learned how to protect ourselves and others when using digital technologies. These skills are an important part of being safe, responsible, and confident digital citizens. Thank you for supporting this at home.

Descriptive Writing 

Over the past few weeks, students have been developing their narrative writing skills by learning how to plan, structure, and write engaging stories. It has been wonderful to see their creativity shine as they have crafted characters, settings, problems, and solutions.

As we finish our narrative writing unit, we are excited to begin exploring descriptive writing with a focus on the art of writing. Students will learn how authors use carefully chosen words, vivid descriptions, and figurative language to create pictures in the reader's mind. They will experiment with using their senses, interesting vocabulary, and descriptive techniques to bring their ideas to life.

We are looking forward to seeing our students' imaginations at work and watching their amazing ideas come alive through their writing. 

PE Update

Recently in PE, we have been focusing on developing our small ball skills. Through a variety of fun drills, activities, and games, students have been exploring and improving their hand-eye coordination, as well as their throwing and catching abilities.

Students have been challenged to practice accuracy, control, and teamwork while participating in activities designed to build confidence and skill. These experiences help develop fundamental movement skills that can be applied across many different sports and physical activities.

It has been fantastic to see students showing perseverance, encouraging one another, and celebrating their progress as they continue to refine their skills. We look forward to seeing their confidence and coordination continue to grow throughout the rest of this unit!

We hope you have a wonderful weekend!

From the Kōwhai team

Kia ora e te whānau,

We are now approaching the end of Term 1 and what a busy term it has been! We spent the first three weeks in our homegroups building relationships and getting to know one another, before moving into our maths and literacy groups, which are now well established. The tamariki have settled confidently into their routines and are thriving in their learning, which is great to see.

Scooter Skills 

In Week 7, we had a fantastic time taking part in our Scooter Skills sessions. During the sessions, we learnt a range of important skills to help us stay safe while riding our scooters. We practiced how to balance properly, control our speed and stop safely. 

Another key part of our learning was developing an awareness of our surroundings. We talked about watching where we are going and making smart choices while riding, especially when crossing roads. These are all valuable skills that will help keep us safe not only at school, but also when we are out and about in our community.

We would like to say a big thank you to all the parents and whānau who allowed us to borrow scooters for these sessions. Your support made it possible for us to take part in this awesome learning experience.

Living Our Values During Discovery

Throughout Term 1, we have been placing a special focus on noticing and celebrating students who are “living our values” during Discovery time, particularly through their social skills.

Discovery is a wonderful opportunity for students to explore, create, and collaborate. During this time, we have been looking closely at how students interact with one another showing kindness, including others, sharing resources, using positive communication, and working together as a team.

It has been fantastic to see so many students demonstrating these values in action. Whether it’s inviting someone new to join a game, taking turns, helping a friend, or solving problems respectfully, these moments all contribute to building a caring and supportive classroom environment.

At the end of each Discovery session, we take time to acknowledge the students we have noticed displaying our values. These students are celebrated and receive a certificate, which they proudly add to our “Living Our Values” wall. This wall is quickly filling up with examples of the positive choices and behaviours.

We are incredibly proud of the way students are supporting one another and showing what it means to live our values. Keep up the amazing work!

Pepeha 

Term 1 Overview 

As Term 1 comes to an end, we can all look back and feel proud of what has been a fantastic start to the year.

It has been wonderful seeing positive relationships build throughout the hub. Throughout the term, we have worked hard across all areas. From developing new skills to challenging ourselves with new ideas, it has been great to see everyone showing enthusiasm and a willingness to give things a go. We have also focused on working together, showing respect, and supporting one another, which has helped make the Kōwhai hub a positive place to be.

Thank you to everyone for your effort and positive attitudes, and to our whānau for their ongoing support. It truly makes a difference.

We are looking forward to another exciting term ahead. We wish everyone a safe and happy break!

Kia ora e te whanau, 

We hope you have all had a fantastic week. We have had a busy week leaping into a busy and exciting Term 4.

Dance and Ukelele Lessons

Through weeks one and two we have started both our dance and ukulele lessons. It has been amazing to see 'We Get There Together' and 'We Love Learning' in these sessions as everyone starts to learn these new skills. Everyone has been trying new things and having a go! We will be doing both dance and ukulele until the end of the term and we look forward to see the progress. 

Scooter-athlon

On Wednesday, we had our Scooter-athlon. It was an action-packed afternoon with a lot of speed, cheers, and enjoyment. It was great to see everyone participating and enjoying some friendly competition between peers. Well done everyone on such an amazing event! Thank you too for the parent support. It made the event really special for our tamariki.

Hats

We are now well into term four and as we get closer to summer, it is important that we stay sun smart. Could you please support your tamariki to make sure they are wearing their hat when they are outside. If they have forgotten their hat, they need to go under the hall verandah at break times. Duty teachers will be supporting with reminders. 

Athletics

In weeks one and two, we started our athletics training. We have been working hard on training for shot put, discus, high jump, long jump, and sprints. It has been wonderful to see all the mahi that has been put in so far. We will be continuing our training in weeks three and four in preparation for the big day on Thursday in week four. We look forward to seeing everyone out there giving it a go and displaying 'We Love Challenge'.