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Annual Report 2018

You will find a copy of the latest Annual Report 2018 here  

Innovative Learning Environments

Questions and Answers

May 2017 Aroha Team

Dear Parents and Whanau,
Early this year we held a parent information evening on future focused and collaborative teaching and learning.  We have been answering the questions, raised at that meeting, in the newsletters.  These have also been added to our website.  To access previous questions on the website please go to ‘Information’ and then ‘ILE’. 

The following questions have been answered by Jacq Price and the Aroha Team teachers as they are pertinent to Aroha students and whanau: 

What if both parents work and there is no time at home to monitor or check and mark homework, does this student fall behind?  What if you don't have a computer or printer?

Home Learning is provided for those who would like some extra work at home.  Your child will not fall behind if Home Learning is not completed, as the teaching the child receives in class is the most important factor.  Practising basic skills can be useful i.e, reading daily, number knowledge.  We recognise that after school activities can dominate family time, so ask that you do what you are able to, within the context of your family situation.  Spending time talking with your child about their learning is very important, especially their learning goals.
Home Learning sheets can be printed at school should you not have access to a printer.  Please ask your child’s Whanau teacher if this is a barrier.

What happens if they don't complete everything on their timetable?  If they get behind can they do some tasks at home or before school?

The timetable activities (Toku Ako) are for independent time when students are not involved in group work (workshops) with a teacher.  Our learners are developing skills to manage their time, and the tasks set each week are to be completed by Friday.  All students are, however, at different stages of being able to manage their timetables, and therefore are either identified as requiring a Learner Pass, Restricted Pass or Full Pass.  A ‘Learner’ still requires very close monitoring and scaffolding by the teachers daily, a ‘Restricted’ learner has guidelines around where and who they work with and a ‘Full’ learner has demonstrated an ability to manage and plan their time with work output that is of a high standard.
Learning does not just happen from 9am-3pm and we absolutely encourage students to get on with their learning from 8.30am when classrooms are open if they wish.  They are also welcome to work on projects, tasks and passions at home also. 

Do kids out at activities still have to complete ALL toku ako tasks e.g. sursum corda, communication ambassadors etc?

Students are expected to complete their activities, however we realise some students have many other commitments outside of regular learning, so we encourage students to speak with their teachers to negotiate what needs to be completed if their time in class has been reduced during a specific week.  Student voice is encouraged and we welcome any student to talk with teachers to problem solve or simply share their thoughts and opinions about anything in our learning spaces.

March 2017

Tracking Success

Will there be data compiled to track the success rates of students within the collaborative learning environment?  

This is a very timely question from our community.  Our latest ERO Report stated that: “The important next step is for the board and senior leaders to continue to evaluate the impact of current initiatives, such as innovative teaching environments, on various groups of children, especially those at risk of underachievement.”

One way that St Mary’s School tracks the success rates of learners is our commitment to internal evaluation.  “Evaluation is the engine that drives improvement and innovation.  Internal evaluation is undertaken to assess what is and is not working, and for whom, and then to determine what changes are needed.” (ERO - Effective Internal Evaluation For Improvement)

Another way that St Mary’s School tracks the success rates of learners is through monitoring cohorts and in particular individual students.  Senior leaders, team leaders and teachers meet regularly to discuss, monitor and track individual students who are causing concern and all students to ensure that sufficient, and in some cases accelerated, progress is being made.  It is important to track not just academic progress, but progress in areas like the Key Competencies.  

As part of our research project for the Teacher Led Innovation Fund, we are also collecting data from teachers, students and parents to track improvements in teacher practice and student agency.  

Research can confirm that collaboration between teachers improves teacher quality, and in turn quality teaching has a significant effect on student learning and achievement.  “Collaborative learning, team teaching, using ICT in learning and peer teaching are all recognized as effective methods with strong research about each of these areas.” Professor David Mitchell

February 2017

How is St Mary’s School preparing our students for secondary school, university and more ‘traditional’ environments?

At St Mary’s we work hard to make the transition to Intermediate and secondary school as smooth as possible.  Our job is prepare students both academically and socially and over the last couple of year’s we have been working closely with Aquinas College so that important information is shared.

We are preparing our students for life in a changed and changing world.  Education must prepare our children “for jobs that don’t yet exist, to use technologies that have not been invented and to solve problems that we don’t even know are problems yet” Kath Murdoch sums it up nicely in this 2 minute clip: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/content/download/83861/651458/version/1/file/Karen+sewell.mp4

Research states that the successful transition to school and the ability to deal with change relies heavily on the students acquiring certain key dispositions or competencies.  These competencies are a valued aspect of the teaching and learning in our classrooms and align closely with our Catholic Character. 

As required by the New Zealand Curriculum, we place an emphasis on the following Key Competencies:   Thinking; Using Language, Symbols and Texts; Managing Self; Relating to Others; Participating and Contributing.  You can find more information about the NZC Key Competencies here: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Key-competencies/Capable-kids-Working-with-the-key-competencies.

ERO, through their research on ‘Transition from Primary to Secondary’, has identified the following aspects that make transition successful:  “How well students respond to the changes is largely dependent on two key aspects – students’ personal resources and coping skills (such as their acquisition of the Key Competencies described in The New Zealand Curriculum framework); [2] and the school culture into which students transition. Schools can support students to make successful transitions by helping them to develop a sense of themselves as competent and capable beings characterised by:

• a ’can-do’ attitude
• a sense of self capability
• resourcefulness
• resilience
• strategies to deal with challenges
• independence
• skills relating to others such as listening actively, being tolerant and cooperation
  a sense of contribution to school and community

At St Mary’s, we are excited to join you in the journey of developing lifelong learners who are able to collaborate, be creative, and solve problems that really matter in all of the environments that they encounter. 

Anna MacKinnon
Deputy Principal

Sports

St. Mary’s School

Extra-Curricular Activities

Term 1 2016                                                                                        

Other events

Senior Swimming Sports        Tues 1st March         All day        Memorial Park

Interschool Triathlon        Sun 28th Feb        10.00am        Omokoroa Domain

Information for the Term 1 activities offered at St. Mary’s School

Welcome to the new school year.  St Mary’s School provides a large range of activities for your child to be involved in each term.  Please read below brief information about the activities being offered and complete the return slip urgently.

Deadline for Cricket and Water Polo returns – THIS Thursday 4th February.

All other returns due no later than Monday 8th February.

Cricket – Boys and girls may register for Saturday cricket teams.  It is likely there will be reshuffling of the cricket teams from last year. Our year 6 players have left. New players have arrived. Players from year 4 last year now become year 5 and may choose Division 1 cricket with the hard ball.  The year 2 players from last year are now year 3 and may move to Division 2 cricket, if they are not there already.  Trials may or may not be necessary depending on numbers registering.  All players who wish to play team cricket should be at St Mary’s this coming Saturday 6th February from 9.00-11.00am.  Gear will be provided.  Please bring hat, morning tea and drink bottle.

Cricket in the park– now called Super Star Academy, and based at either Pemberton Park, Blake Park or Fergusson Park.  There will be skill-based activity stations that the children move through, and games to finish.  Children are not in ‘teams’.  Parent help will be required at some stations.  This 6 week programme is coordinated by the amazing Mr Don Warner.

Flippaball – this is junior water polo, played with the same rules, but with your feet on the bottom of the pool.  Year 3 and 4 play in waist deep water in the learners’ pool.  Year 5 and 6 play in the large pool which has a shallow end and a deep end.  It is recommended for the year 5/6 players that, due to the depth of the water, a competent swimming ability is required.

Gymnastics  - The availability of this is dependent on a parent helper who is able run this programme.  St Mary’s has a proud history of competing well at the Primary Schools’ competitions.  Gymnasts will be available for team selection for the Argos Gymnastics schools festival in June.  Argos teams will be announced at the end of term 1.  If there is a parent who is able to coordinate this programme on a weekly basis, please indicate this on the return form.

Hip Hop - with Mrs Gabby Cardey, an outside provider.  The routines are reasonably simple, but lots of fun, to cater for all levels of ability.  A small performance will be added at the end of the term so parents and grandparents can enjoy a show.

Jump Jam – After bringing back National titles and placings over many years, Kim Artus is again offering Jump Jam.  Mr Artus will be in charge of the teams wishing to qualify for 2016 Nationals, and uses term 1 as the beginning of the audition process.  Formal auditions take place in term 2, where all Jump Jammers and others are invited to trial for the school teams.  It is not necessary to do Jump Jam in term 1 to be audition in term 2.

Rippa Rugby – run by BoP Rugby Union.  Rugby with no tackling – just grabbing Velcro flags to claim a ‘tackle’.  Boys and girls are encouraged to enrol as each team needs a mix of both.

Tennis – Beginner lessons with Luis Luna, club professional from Tauranga Lawn Tennis Club and his team of seniors. This a basic introduction into tennis.  There will approximately 6 children in a group.  Limited numbers so first in – first served.  All equipment supplied, but bring your own racquet if you have one.  Early start 7.45am!!!

Volleyball – a modified game with Kiwisport rules of ‘catch and throw’ so beginners do not need to hit the ball on the volley.  More able players can choose to hit the ball on the volley if they wish.

Water Polo – a progression from Flippaball for very competent swimmers.  Please do not over estimate your child’s swimming ablility.  Swimmers must be able to complete 200m in approximately 5 minutes.  Players cannot touch the bottom of the pool and need to be able to swim and tread water for up to 20 minutes.  Water polo is played against other primary school teams (and possibly the beginner Intermediate teams) on Friday afternoons/evenings  at the Windermere Polytechnic pool.