Kia ora koutou
This is just a brief newsletter with a couple of important bits that can't wait until next week!Staffing Update - Farewell and Best wishes to Dorinda
We are sad to have to let you know that we will be saying farewell to Dorinda Hampton from our teaching staff at the end of Week 8. Her last day will be Thursday 12th September. Dorinda has been on our staff in various fixed-term capacities since April 2016. Whilst we are very sad to see Dorinda go, we are thrilled that she has secured a permanent, full-time position at the newly opened Knights Stream School in Halswell.We are very grateful to Dorinda for the care, expertise and commitment that she has contributed to our school and our tamariki, and we wish her all the very best for the next exciting chapter in her teaching career.
Staff Only Day - Monday 12 August - SCHOOL CLOSED
We have an important day of professional development planned for our staff on Monday 12th August and the school will be closed for instruction that day.We have had this date published on our calendar and website since March when we were able to get confirmation of the date from the external consultants coming in to work with us.
If you need child care, BOSCO may still have places available - please contact Yvette Cleall at manager@bosco.org.nz or call her on 027 645 6632
During the morning we will be working with staff from the University of Waikato from the Developing Mathematical Inquiries team as part of the second year of our development in this area. Just this week, we have various observers/coaches in from this team, observing and coaching teachers whilst they are teaching maths. The team then deliver another module of the professional development through our teacher session on August 12th.
In the afternoon, we will be working on developing our understanding and competency with the new Digital Technologies part of the Technology Curriculum, which all schools need to be ready to be working with in 2020.
From the Ministry of Education Website:
Digital Technologies in the national curriculum (from the Ministry of Education website)
All schools and kura are expected to be teaching the new digital technologies content from 2020.The Technology learning area has been revised to strengthen the positioning of digital technologies in the New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. This is for all students from year 1–13. Students have the opportunity to specialise from year 11–13.
The goal of this change is to ensure that all learners have the opportunity to become digitally capable individuals.
The change provides a greater focus on students building their skills so they can be innovative creators of digital solutions, moving beyond solely being users and consumers of digital technologies.
In 2020, the Ministry of Education expects that schools will be using the revised learning area to provide students with even broader opportunities to learn in and about technology, informed by the new content around computational thinking and designing and developing digital outcomes.
“The digital curriculum is about teaching children how to design their own digital solutions and become creators of, not just users of, digital technologies, to prepare them for the modern workforce." Chris Hipkins, 2018
Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings
Principal - Tumuaki