From the Acting Principal
Minasan konnichiwa,
Tālofa lava,
Kia ora Pigeon Mountain Primary whānau,
It is lovely to have been back at school for one week now. I went straight from hearing arigato gozaimasu at 7Eleven every day for two weeks to fa’afetai for Samoan Language week back at school! I hope that you have had a restful and safe long King’s Birthday weekend.
In this newsletter I share my personal reflections from the Japan Cultural Exchange Trip, introduce you to the Learner Profile Capabilities, provide a heads up about the upcoming Open Classroom Hour, share a rant about road safety, and finally, make a request regarding term time holiday travel.
There is plenty going on in and around school. So that you don’t miss out on what has been happening, make sure that you stay tuned to the school Facebook and WeChat.
Japan Cultural Exchange Trip
I would like to share a few of my reflections from our trip to Japan:
- Learning a new language is difficult but is well worth the effort when travelling to a foreign country. Consistently studying on Duolingo for more than 2 months gave me just enough confidence to try phrases with locals that helped me collect a map, catch the right train and tell someone that they were a nice person. Likewise, our six students learned to introduce themselves in Japanese and were arguably the most prepared at the welcome ceremonies at Yasumuro Elementary School and Yasumuro Higashi Elementary School.
- Travelling as a group can be a little more challenging and tiring, however, with a bit of resilience and willingness to compromise it is ultimately more rewarding. Our students loved sharing their homestay experiences with each other when we reunited each day, we had our best meal experiences together and who would shop when there were perfectly good playgrounds to enjoy!
- There is a lot to appreciate about a country that has such a rich and extensive history. Experiences like our visits to Himeji Castle and Osaka Castle, hiking Mt Shosha (the setting of The Last Samurai movie) and hanging our origami cranes at Peace Park in Hiroshima really balanced our trip and gave us plenty to reflect upon.
- We were accepted with open arms. Teachers and students had prepared lovely posters and designs to welcome their New Zealand friends by name in their classes. They sang their national anthem for us with gusto. They taught our students some Japanese calligraphy and our students became sensei and taught them some English. They smiled and laughed with us. Along with the other male staff members, I was able to play their teachers in a game of soccer (which we won!). In late July, we will also be hosting six students from Kodomo Library and I hope that we can give them as warm a welcome as they gave us.
This is the first time that Pigeon Mountain has joined BBI and FCI on this long-standing cultural exchange trip to Himeji. It would be great to give more of our students this same opportunity in years to come.
PMPS Learner Profile Capabilities
Our Learner Profile is unique to Pigeon Mountain Primary and developed through consultation with staff, students and whānau from as early as 2022. The Learner Profile consists of seven capabilities that prepare our ākonga for success academically, socially and culturally. These capabilities help ākonga to take control of their learning and contribute to their communities.
You will be hearing and seeing more and more about these as we have now developed graphics to complement each one. Your child will be bringing home a Bingo Board of ways in which they can practice the Learner Profile at home.
These Room 15 students showed the capabilities of Contributor and Collaborator by performing and helping out at the local preschool on their day off.
Way to go girls!
Open Classroom Hour
Parents are invited to experience and engage with their child’s learning environment. Activities will focus on either maths or literacy, designed to be engaging and interactive for both parents and students.
Add it to your calendars:
Date: Monday, 17th June
Time: 9:15am – 10:15am
You are more than welcome to attend our PB4L Assembly on the TigerTurf beforehand.
Importance of Parental Involvement
Research shows that parental involvement in a child’s education positively impacts their academic performance and overall development. By participating in the Open Classroom Hour, parents can:
- Understand the curriculum and learning methods
- Support their child’s learning at home
- Build stronger relationships with teachers and school staff
- Encourage a positive attitude towards school and learning
Road Safety on Wells Road
It is unbelievable how many incidents we have had of parents dropping their children off in dangerous places on our Wells Road entrance. We are now monitoring this area and will be strictly telling you to move on if you are parked or stopping dangerously in the turning bay or on yellow lines.
Please do better for the safety of our tamariki.
Overseas holidays during term time (message from the School Board)
In the past few terms we have seen an increase in the number of students who are missing school in the final week of Term. We do not support holiday making during term time. Regular school attendance makes a big difference. Every day counts and we recognise the importance of regular attendance to support student welfare and help students achieve their educational potential. Learners who miss a week of school each term will have missed out on a year of schooling by the time they are 16.
Here is our School policy as on SchoolDocs:
Parent/Guardian and student responsibilities
Parents and guardians have legal obligations to ensure their children attend school (Education and Training Act, s 244). We expect parents/guardians to:
- notify the school as soon as possible if their child is going to be late or absent
- arrange appointments and trips outside school hours or during school holidays where possible
- work with the school to manage attendance concerns.
Absences from school
Please report your child’s absence from school via @school app or our website. Please include the length of time your child will be away and the reason for their absence. If you do not have the app please contact the office to receive a link.
Early Pick up from school
If you need to collect your child for an appointment during the school day please contact the office 09 534 9765 or email general@pmps.school.nz to arrange. If possible please arrange to collect your child before or after the morning tea and lunch breaks, as it is difficult to find children during these times. Morning tea is 10.50am until 11.15am, lunch from 12.45pm until 1.45pm.
@school parent app
The @school parent app is our preferred method of reporting absences, requesting donation receipts, accessing student reports and receiving newsletters and school notices. Please contact the office if you are unable to access the @school app.
Winter Uniform
The winter weather is upon us. In Term 2 and 3 children can wear long pants for the colder days. We also have an optional beanie which you can purchase through John Russell Schoolwear in Howick.
Dates for your Diary
Thursday 6 June – School Tour
Friday 14 June – Salvation Army Cans Day
Monday 17 June – Open Classroom Hour
Friday 21 June – Kiwi Competition English
