Kia ora Kōwhai whānau, 

We have had a great Week 3 in the Kōwhai Hub - our first full five day week! The students have been enjoying continuing with the water play (when the weather has allowed!) and the students who chose not to participate in water play have had a fun time enjoying various art activities. 

Today was the last day of water play as we start our new inquiry unit topic next week. Our inquiry focus this year is Change and we are starting explore this by looking at historical changes around Canterbury - from the first waka to our shores, to today. 

To start off our inquiry learning journey about historical Canterbury… Next Thursday, Kōwhai children will be boarding the Kōwhai Hub Ship, recreating the 1800’s immigration from Europe to Aotearoa New Zealand. Please bring any blankets, pillows, pegs, and ropes that you have to help build the ship’s cabins. Please make sure everything is named. 

We have started our Kapa Haka lessons for the year with Whaea Cath. We have also been learning about rakau (stick) games in the hub. The students will be creating their own rakau over the coming weeks. We are still looking for newspapers and magazines to help create these - so if you have any spare at home, please send them in with your child. 

We have added a doll house into our learning through play activity. If you have any spare toys at home that you no longer use and that would suit imagination play in a doll house, please send them in with your child. 

Here are some pictures of our learning though play activities this week. 

Have a lovely weekend. 

Ngā mihi, 

The Kōwhai Team - Laura, Quynh, Nick, Meagan and Rowe

Kia ora whānau, 

Please fill in the survey below if your child is interested in playing Miniball this term. If you put your name down at learning conferences you will still need to fill this form in. 

https://forms.gle/z9HK4LEjV7GSzhw18

As the games start soon please fill this in by end of Thursday the 11th of January. 

Nga mihi, 

Jenny and Laura 

 Kia ora whānau, 

This term during kapa haka we will be making rākau (sticks) in preparation for playing rākau (stick) games. To make these we are going to need magazines and newspapers. 

If you have any spare magazines or newspapers at home can you please send them in with your child - we will be using them throughout the year, so the more the merrier. 

Thank you in advance, 

Kōwhai Team 

Kia ora Kōwhai whānau, 

Welcome to the 2021 school year. It was so lovely to touch base with most of you at our learning conferences on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

We have had a great first two days settling into our routines and getting to know each other. 

We are making sure we sanitise and wash our hands throughout the day, so if your child has sensitive skin, please give them their own sanitiser to use. 

We will definitely be continuing water play next week, so please remember to bring your togs on Tuesday - it's looking like it will be a hot day! 

We can't wait to continue to get to know the tamariki next week and start an exciting year ahead. 

Here are a few pictures of some of the fun we have had over the past few days. 

Have a lovely long Waitangi weekend. 

Nga mihi, 

The Kōwhai team - Laura, Meagan, Rowe, Nick and Quynh 

 Kia ora whanau, 

We are all very excited about the upcoming events in the last week and a half of school. 

Important dates: 

Friday 4th - Noho Kura - overnight stay at school

Wednesday 9th - Junior Athletics - Kōwhai rotation 1:40-2:40, Whole School House Relay - 2:45-3:00

Friday 11th - Final Celebration Assembly of the year

Wednesday 16th - Last day of school - school ends at 12:30

Hats

It is getting hotter and sunnier every day. Hats are requirement for the students to be able to play outside. Please help remind your child to bring their named hat to school every day. This will be especially important next Monday and Tuesday when Canterbury Softball are coming in to do workshops with our students throughout the day. If they do not have a hat, they will not be able to take part in this great opportunity. 

Noho Kura - School Sleepover

We are all very excited for our Noho Kura tomorrow night. We have shared this social story with the students. You may want to also read this at home with them. 

Thanks again to all the parents who have volunteered to help. If you have not yet signed up for a job, please do so here. This link should be working now after a few false starts! We may also be assigning jobs as people arrive. 

If you do need to pick your child up early please let their homeroom teacher know, if you have not already done so. See you at 5:30pm! 

Athletics Afternoon

We have our Junior Athletics afternoon on Wednesday the 9th of December. We will be doing an Athletics Rotation of Shotput, Discus, High Jump and Relays from 1:40-2:40 and then the whole school house relays will be from 2:45-3:00. 

Rapaki Marae Visit

Nick and Tracey's homegroups had a great time at Rapaki Marae on Tuesday. Laura and Rowe's homegroups were very sad to miss out due to weather. Have a look at some pictures from the day below. 

Nga mihi, 

The Kōwhai Team - Laura, Nick, Rowe and Tracey