Our Tumuaki Principal
Kia ora koutou.
From the Principal's desk:
- MP's Visit: We enjoyed having Penny Simmonds, our local MP visit with us on Friday. Penny spent time with me as I shared with her thoughts and ideas from the teaching staff and School Board in regards to future initiatives around education. We then toured through the school and Penny got to present the Celebration Time certificates to each room. It was great having her with us and as part of a thank you to her we have sent her our 2021 Winter Poetry Anthology Book.
- Thomas Brydone Learning Centre 2022: We are working on a six teacher scenario for 2022. This means Team Weka (Room 7) reverts back to be a shared space that we all can use. We anticipate that the After School Care Programme will get the whole space, Peter Power Music will use it and it will be a great room for our Celebration Times.
- Class Lists 2022: We are drafting up class lists for 2022. With six teachers there are composite classes (rooms with multiple age groups). As we build these lists we try to keep the class sizes manageable for the age and stage of the children. This means the juniors classes have slightly smaller numbers than the seniors. When we divide year levels we think about factors for each child such as productive combinations, ability, friendships, stability, gender mix. If there is anything that you think I need to know specifically in relation to your child, please get in touch with me well before November 12th, when we will confirm our lists for 2022 planning. I know that this feels a long way off, but it soon rolls around.
- Weetbix Stat Attack Cards: The Swap Meet is going well with children starting to get cards that help them complete their sets. If you have spare cards at home, drop them into the office so that this can help us, help the children.
- Sunflowers: A lot of sunflower seeds have been given out. As the seed is so small, it is hard to believe it will grow up to 2metres in height. This may require some repotting of the plant as it grows. It will certainly involve staking it for support as it gets taller. I look forward to seeing the progress shots.
- Kapahaka Uniforms: On Wednesday as part of their kapahaka practice some of the children got to try on their new uniforms. They look very good. Thank you Sharne Parkinson and Kim Nicol for their leadership work with this.
Thank Yous - Team Edendale
- Abby Duffy: Abby is our SENCO. This stands for Special Education Needs Coordination Officer. As part of this role, she searches our support funds for our children and implements teacher assistant timetables to roll out support for these children. Getting there requires a considerable amount of communication, meetings and paperwork. We appreciate what she does, on behalf of the school and its families, for the benefit of the children. Thank you, Abby.
Ka kite
David McKenzie
Principal's Term Four Challenge: Sun Flower Competition
The Challenge
Term Four's Principal's Challenge needs to start now as it is a sunflower growing competition and it can take around 70 days for maturity.I have the seeds here at school for two sunflower types - Golden Crown and Moulin Rouge.
Children can come to me over the next few weeks to get their seeds (one of each) and take them home to plant and nurture them.
Due Date
Judging will occur at school on Friday 3rd December. We will line them up along the front fence for all to see as they drive past.
Prize Categories
There are five categories for prizes.
- Tallest Golden Crown sunflower
- Tallest Moulin Rouge sunflower
- The tallest combined pair (heights added together)
- The widest flower.
- Best decorated pot/container.
Things to Think About
There are some real challenges to work through with this final challenge for 2021.
- What soil will you use?
- How big do you need your pot?
- Where will you grow it so that the weather (wind, frost, cold) won't damage it?
- How will you keep it safe from pests?
- How will you support the height of your sunflower?
- Can you make your plant grow faster?
- How will you transport it to school for judging?
Points to Note
- Height: Measured from the base of the stem to the highest point of the plant.
- Diameter: Measured across the widest portion of the flower, through the centre.
- Named: Plants will need to be appropriately named so we know whose is whose.
Progress Photos
You are welcome to send progress photos to principal@edendaleps.school.nz to inspire us with your skills.
Our Kaitiaki School Board
General School Board Meeting - Meeting Seven
The next meeting for the School Board is on Tuesday 2nd November, starting at 7.00pm in the school staffroom. The agenda, with all attached meeting material, isfinalised and distributed the week before.
School Board Elections - 2022
2022 is School Board elections for the whole of New Zealand.
Should you wish to take a strategic governance role in our school, thinking into the future and prioritising, now is a good time to be considering it as you can come and sit in on a School Board meeting prior to the elections to get a feel for how it works.
Contact Jacob Smyth, our Presiding Member (Chairperson) if you are interested in coming along to a School Board meeting.
Permanent Teaching Vacancy - 2022
The BOT is advertising a teaching position for 2022. It closes next Friday being 1st of October. We hope to have an appointment confirmed by early Term Four. See the link for this position below.
Out of Zone Enrolments - Term Four 2021
Enrolment at Edendale Primary School is governed by an enrolment scheme.
The School Board has 20 places available for out of zone students for the 2021 school year. The exact number of places is subject to the number of eligible in-zone enrolments received.
Term Four enrolment period - Monday 18th October to Monday 13th December
Out of zone students seeking enrolment within this enrolment period, the deadline for receipt of applications is Monday 18th October.
Information and application forms can be picked up at the school office and are also available on our website www.edendaleps.school.nz.
If the number of out of zone applications exceeds the number of places available, students will be selected by ballot. If a ballot for out of zone places is required, it will be held on the following Monday from the deadline dates.
Parents will be informed of the outcome of the ballot as early as possible (and within three school days of the ballot being held).
Our Home and School
End of Year Christmas Hamper - Coordinator
The Home and School is looking for a parent volunteer to coordinate the End of Year Concert Christmas hamper fundraiser for this year.
Should you be able to offer your services please contact Louise Duffy (Home and School President) on louisecduffy@hotmail.com.
Next Meeting - Term Four
The Term Four meeting of the Home and School is scheduled for Monday 8th November starting at 7.30pm in the school staffroom.
Junior Readers - Thank You.
The staff and students would like to express our thanks to the Edendale Home and School Association for granting the funds to purchase these replacement and replenishment titles for our junior reading book collection.
We have been able to purchase 263 books, to restock 76 titles from the Magenta to Orange levels, thanks to the $2400 that the Home and School provided.
The Home and School is supported by our community, who give generously to their fundraisers, so thank you all for your contributions - these books will be well-used by hundreds of children over the next few years.
Our Kura News and Information
Bus - Change of Arrangements
School between 2.30 and 3.30pm is a very busy place as we get messages in from parents, distribute those messages to the seven classroom, get a whole school packed up, get children off to After School Care, get four buses connected with children and get a walking bus across the pedestrian crossing to the township. It is fair to say that with just under 150 children it is all go!!
This is why we rely very heavily upon our bus lists to be accurate for the after school arrangements. We will carry forward items week on week, term on term, until told not to.
If you know that we have something marked down for your child, that has now changed, please contact the office. It really helps us do our best to get everyone to the right place at the right time, each and every day of school.
Area Speech Finals - Charlie Frantz
Well done to Charlie Frantz for making it through to the Area Speech Finals that were held at Winton on Monday night. A great experience for him.
Daffodil Day - Top Placing
Well done to our Edendale Primary School community!
We've been recognised in the latest Cancer Society Otago-Southland newsletter as one of the top three fundraising efforts for Daffodil Day in August.
This was all through the amazing support and donations that so many of you made online for our virtual Yellow dress-up day. Thank you again to all who participated.
With the Otago-Southland Supportive Care Team currently assisting 231 clients in Southland, we are so pleased to be able to contribute in this way.
Memorable Gift - Henry McRae
A big thank you to Tim, Justine, Angus and their wider family for this very kind and memorable gift to the children of Edendale Primary School.
The sandpit toys will be loved by the children, who play in it on a daily basis.
Character Values (Positive Behaviour for Learning - PB4L): Term Three Excellence Tohungatanga
When we come from so many different families our values draw us together as one big school whanau.
Excellence means we aim for a high standard and continuous improvement and is shown through reliability, consistency, flexibility, reflection, change, innovation, accuracy, completion, dedication, practise, effort and attitude.
We show excellence tohungatanga when we...
- Work hard, have a go and do our best.
- Leave everything how we would want to find it.
- Wear our uniform with pride.
Every time our values are shown they make our school a great place to be for children and adults.
Principal's Values Award
This week the Principal Tumuaki would like to acknowledge Charlotte Omadle for being a strong contributor, living out our school values every day.
Our Contact Information
Email: admin@edendaleps.school.nz
Website: https://sites.google.com/edendaleps.school.nz/edendale-primary-school
Location: Edendale Primary School, 24 Salford Street, Edendale 9825, New Zealand
Phone: 03 206 6959
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EdendalePrimarySchool
Twitter: @EdendaleSchool
