Welcome Back After a winter’s break, rested mind and body, teachers and students alike, went right back into learning mode on Day 1.

Reports were sent home on the last day of Term 2 and this week we are having our Parent/Teacher Interviews. If you were unable to schedule a time to meet your child’s whanau teacher, please feel free to email them and arrange a time.

You will shortly be given your parent login details for Linc-Ed to view your child’s digital portfolio. Please take the time to read through and discuss with your child their work and comment accordingly.

1

P.E. & SPORT Its part of the student PE education they will get to take part in NZ Touch Rugby sessions during weeks 2- 4.

Interschool Sport In Term 3, there is MPSSA boys netball, cross country, girls soccer and basketball. See Mrs Cosford for try outs.

P.E. Uniform Students are expected to bring their full named P.E. uniform to school everyday. If their uniform is dirty or lost, they may bring spare sports clothes with a note.

Owairaka Newslet ter

TUI WHANAU Miss Julia Delany

juliade@thegardens.school.nz

Mrs Karen Vincent karenv@thegardens.school.nz

Mrs Elizabeth Barrowman elizabethb@thegardens.school.nz

PUKEKO WHANAU Miss Karin Kitshoff

karink@thegardens.school.nz

Mrs Anna Howe annah@thegardens.school.nz

Term 3 2017

LITERACY Our Literacy programme consists of Reading, Writing and Spelling. Students are continuing to learn how to use their assessments to identify their next steps and set goals for their learning. From here they are able to sign up and attend workshops specific to these learning needs. Students are still learning how to do this and require teacher guidance.

When students are not attending a workshop they are expected to work on a range of independent tasks, practising what they have previously learned.

MATHS This term, we have Maths Week to look forward to. This was a hit last year with a range of varying Maths activities for students to participate in. We also have the World of Maths Roadshow visiting for hands-on Maths.

We have begun the term with a focus on ratios and proportions. Our strand later on in the term is Measurement: Time, Money and Temperature. Any help at home to reinforce these concepts in students’ every day lives would be recommended, from baking to shopping, sharing food equally to watching the weather and noting the temperature difference day to day.

INQUIRY Our Inquiry has the umbrella theme of “New Beginnings”. Students were able to opt in to what direction of this they may like to inquire. These are: Migration, Plants, Animal Life Cycles, New Years’ Celebrations and Upcycling. We had a whole immersion day in Week 1, which was well received by students. Two groups went on a trip to the Botanic Gardens to participate in workshops at the Education Centre. The other groups had art intensives, and looked into how different cultures may celebrate a new year. Students will follow the inquiry process, forming their own question and using research skills to find the necessary information to not only find the answer, but create something to share with the school and community.

SPECIALIST The students at The Gardens School are very lucky to have so many diverse specialist subjects and teachers available to them. As well as weekly PE lessons, they also regularly attend Music lessons with Mrs Vincent where they are learning to play ukulele. Many of the students also are members of the school choir and orchestra.

The Owairaka Hapori have selected their second semester choices for their Specialists subjects. For many they may be attending the same subject as Term 1 & 2, however the learning is different. These subjects are: Chinese, Library Skills, Writing Skills, Art, and Music.

2

Our Learning Programme

3

School Uniform At The Gardens School, we take pride in our uniform and students should wear it proudly.

Students are expected to enter and leave school in full school uniform. This includes wearing their shoes. If students are participating in an interschool sporting event, they are expected to come to school in full uniform and to change into their school uniform at the end of the day. Detailed information about school uniform, including shoes, can be found on our school website.

Please ensure all items are clearly named. If found, they are returned by the office. If a student loses a piece of uniform, they need to bring in a note for a Uniform Pass, which will be issued by Ms Gifford.

Homework ExpectationsThe homework activity sheet which is available on Google Classroom, is new this term with brand new activities for students to choose from.

All students can sign into this from a home computer or their iPad, to access it and are also required to turn in their homework via Google Classroom, too. If you would prefer your child to have a Homework book they can do so, however, we still encourage them to turn in their work online, by taking a photo.

All students are expected to complete their regular Spelling, Mathletics and Reading homework and to choose an activity to complete.

MATHS

Students must earn 1000 points or more each week. Teachers will check their points online every Friday morning. Students are encouraged to complete activities s e t b y their teacher first, before participating in Live Mathletics.

READING

Read for 15-20 minutes each week night. Students may choose from a variety of reading material e.g. comic book, magazine, website etc. They may keep a Reading Log in whichever way suits them, e.g., digital or hard copy.

SPEL LING

Each week, students will have a new spelling list of a minimum of 10 words. These need to be practised each weeknight, Monday to Thursday. These will be in their Google Slides.

Teachers expect students to do the same quality of work at home, as is expected at school.

Homework is expected to be handed in every second Friday. All students are to submit their work via Google Classroom, even if they have made their Homework, e.g., art. If they hand in a Homework book, it needs to be handed in on the correct date, as well as a photo uploaded to Google Classroom, so it can be shared with other students.