30.04.2018 Newsletter

Welcome to Week 1 of Term 2 2018. Hope you all had an enjoyable holiday.
2018 Matatau -  to know, know well, be proficient, expert at, competent, fluent. Our Apiti School Charter states
we will provide quality learning programmes that meet individual needs and abilities giving emphasis to achievement
in the core areas of literacy and numeracy.  The Term 1 focus in literacy was writing and in Term 2 the focus is
reading. We look forward to many engaging reading activities like buddy reading, book week where we will ask
adults to volunteer to come and read students their favourite books, updating our library with new books and
displays, dress up as a book character,  book reviews and character studies.
At the end of Term 2 we will have our concert. This year it is 'Apiti has Talent' We look forward
to all students presenting an item individually or together in small groups. We look forward to your support.
More about this later.


2018 Term Dates : 30th April - 6th July.  23rd July - 28th Sept. 15th Oct - 18th Dec
Calendar of Events
30th April : Term 2 begins at 9.00am.  Technicraft continues each Monday during Term 2.
2nd May : Staff first aid course. Mary B and Jenni teaching.
4th May : Kahurangi Concert and Workshops at Kimbolton (we will need transport on this day please).
7th May : Staff MUSAC.
9th May : Feilding Principals meet.
10th May : Year 7/8 Oroua Students Leadership First Aid Course at Apiti.
15th May : Rowena Brown from Horizons to work with students and Staff - All welcome to join us.
21st May : Mary ankle replacement surgery, Linda in junior room.
21st May : NYLD//18 (National Young Leaders Day) for Year 7 students.
22nd June : Cross Country at Waituna West and Science Fair.
6th July : Term 2 ends.
Please note: The above dates are updated as required. The school also keeps you updated with all community
news. Check this link http://bit.ly/2pvsJzf or the tab on the right hand side of the blogspot.  
Please email anything you would like to add to community notices to christinedigby@apiti.school.nz
CELEBRATING OUR SUCCESSES :
CONGRATULATIONS
Stepsweb: Top Student Achievements: Skaife and Aimee 100% in Reading Comprehension in the last 30 days.
Abbey: 10 Gold, 13 Silver, 2 Bronze and 90% overall. Katie: 8 Gold, 3 Silver, 0 Bronze and 91% overall, results
were from the last two weeks.  
Sumdog Maths : Top four students: Renee 464, Katie 412, Summer 279 and Abbey 278. Well done!
Reading Express Results for the last 4 weeks Great to see students on this learning site.
Congratulations to the following students:-  
Comprehension highest lessons completed Summer Level 41. Josie Level 39, Savannah 33, Katie completed
10 lessons and is on level 25, Boston, Lucas and Renee have also spent time on comprehension lessons.  
Quizzes Savannah has completed 2 with 90% accuracy, Summer 1 with 80% accuracy, Emily 1 with 93% accuracy,
Autumn 2 quizzes at 87% accuracy, Johnny 1 quiz at 87% accuracy, Katie 10 quizzes at 67% accuracy, Renee 8
quizzes 71% accuracy, Boston 2 quizzes at 85%, Abbey 3 quizzes, Josie 1 quiz.
Trophies Katie earned 1 bronze Reading express Trophy.  Emily Gold, Autumn silver, Johnny silver.
Highest reading lesson completed Renee 101, Emily completed 9 lessons and is now on lesson 23.  
Lexile level and growth Savannah currently on 418 growth of 7, Katie 366 growth of 71, Summer lexile level 470.
Spelling Sarah 1 lesson completed.
Books read Savannah 6, Katie 2, Claire 2, Ava 1, Josie 1 but her book was 500-800 lexile level.
Stadium level completed Abbey 5, Katie 5. Renee 4, Lucas 1.
Driving tests Aimee completed 2 driving tests on content words.
Reading Eggs
Emily 8 lessons completed now on level 23, Kealee 1 lesson completed now on level 65, Claire 1 lesson on level 42,
Owen 1 lesson now on level 41.
We encourage students to use Stepsweb, Reading Eggs, Mathletics and Sumdog for homework. Students are
able to learn online which is very motivating and engaging especially for some students. These are our good learning
sites, we pay for your student to belong to these and work is set at their level. These sites can be trusted but it is
always good to view your child’s screen and check the history if you are concerned. We encourage education
rather than blocking sites although the school has security against unsuitable sites. If you have any queries let us know.
EOTC
Congratulations on the quality of writing in the magazine, this included report writing, expressive and recount writing.
Term 1 focus was written language and students worked hard to develop their writing skills over the term, as can
be seen in the EOTC magazine. If you would like a EOTC magazine please contact the school. Thanks to those
who attended our end of  Term 1 assembly.


ANZAC DAY
Thank you to those who supported ANZAC day and especially Phinece who read an ANZAC poem and Johnny
who read Flanders Field at the service, we were very proud of them. Also Sarah who made the wreath which
Sarah and Claire lay for Apiti School. Thanks to those students who marched with the school, and the parents
for your support on this important day in Apiti. We all enjoyed listening to the address by a very successful businessman
and sports person, ex-Apiti student Ross George who entertained us with his early life in Apiti, as well as presenting
some interesting facts about the ANZACs. Ivan George, his father was the principal at Apiti School for 10 ½ years
and wrote “Apiti Where’s That”


Board of Trustees
The next Board meeting will be Wednesday the 16th of May at 7.00pm.  All welcome.


Kimbolton Arts Festival
Our students created a sculpture for the Apiti Show which were then displayed in the Youth Section at the
Kimbolton Sculpture Festival. Thanks to everyone from Paula the organiser for your creative exhibits. Also thanks
to Tom Cuming, Fiona and Katie (nee Goodlall) and Hamish Williams for transporting them out and back.  
Congratulations to Ava Thomas from Kiwitea School who won the Youth Award. We hope this will be a yearly
event. Well done to the committee, as over 2000 people attended and enjoyed the day. Congratulations to Terry
for winning the sculpture competition with his fantastic Eagle. Also congratulations to the Apiti Team on their
“Best Dressed Award” in the Top Town Competition.


Junior Room Holiday Stories
Grahams truck was at the ANZAC Day service.  I had a ride on a different truck. - Emily.
I had a birthday in the holidays. I am 7. I got a phone.   - Saxon.
In the holidays I went to Bentley P’s birthday and I was sick and I played on the PS4.  Me and Bentley took turns
on the PS4. We played on the drift trike. - Kadin.
In the holidays, I went to Hastings and I went to Napier.  I saw fish at the Aquarium. - Owen.
Kadin, Bently F and Saxon came to my birthday.  Me and Kadin stayed up all night and into the day time.  It was
1 o’clock, thats how long we stayed up for. Then James found out that we stayed up all night, it was superfun.  
We went out for dinner. I got lots of clothes and toys. - Bentley P.
In the holidays, I went to see ‘Peter Rabbit.’  My cat walked on my fence. - Jake.
I am on the horse with Sandie.   - Willow.
In the weekend, we saw a trailer, it had 4 wheels.  It can drive with something on the front. - Autumn.
I am going to dads duck capture with Katie.  I went to Nana’s place. - Claire.
In the holidays, I got to see Sandie and I got to play mini golf with Mum, Dad, Nana and Grand-dad. It was fun.
- Kealee.


Kahurangi Concert and Workshops - Friday 4th May
This event will happen this Friday the 4th of May at Kimbolton School.  This event is for the whole school and
will run all day. We will travel directly out to Kimbolton School as the workshops begin at 9.30.
Transport will be needed for the trip to and from Kimbolton School, so please let Mary or Darren know if you are
able to help.  Parents are welcome to stay for the day or leave and return in time for pick-up, or alternatively if
enough parents volunteer to transport students, arrangements could be made so only one trip per family would
be necessary.
Students will need to take their lunch, a drink and wear their school uniform please.
Programme for the day :
9.30 - 10.30 : Year 7 - 8 : Te Reo Kori Workshop (at the Kimbolton Hall).
Year 1 - 6 : Karakia 2 x half hour workshops at Kimbolton School.
10.30 - 10.45 : Morning tea : Year 7 - 8 at Kimbolton Hall, Year 1 - 6 at school.
Year 1 - 6 then travel to Kimbolton Hall.
11.00 - 12.00 : Kahurangi Performance.
12.30 - 1.00 : Kimbolton School for Lunch (no food to be heated).
1.00 - 2.00 : Workshop rotations at school for Years 1 - 8.
2.00 - 2.20 : Everyone together.  Weather permitting, a Jump Jam session - learning the routine for e Poi.


Bon Apti
As part of our focus on life-long, authentic, meaningful learning opportunities, we have a Bon Apiti group who
plan, cook, clean up and provide popular, healthy, quick to prepare lunch options for students, staff and visitors.
This year it is run by the year 7’s. Money raised will be spent by the students on items for the school. Each year 7
student will be a leader for 2 weeks and plan the menu. The lunch menu will be advertised in the newsletter and
for this fortnight, it is toasted sandwiches with the following choice or combination of fillings :- cheese, ham or
spaghetti. $2 each. Smoothies:-  berry or banana can be purchased for $2 every Wednesday. Please place the
money in a sealed envelope with the order written on the front. Orders will be taken by 9am. We hope to use
our garden for some supplies but also appreciate the donation of ingredients. Anyone donating will receive a
free lunch. This week the lunch option is toasted sandwiches and smoothies with Johnny as the leader. Thank you
Johnny for organising this.


Whanau Group planning day with Rowena Brown from Enviro Schools
On the 15th of May, we welcome Rowena Brown back to our school to help the whanau groups plan the next
stage in their development. We look forward to your help on this day and in the future to make our school and
community more sustainable. This is an important part of our vision of life-long learning through authentic, meaningful
learning opportunities. Each whanau group has a vege tyre and always appreciate extra plants, seeds or herb
cuttings. We have an orchard and are always keen to grow and nurture more fruit trees. Each group has a native
area where they design, landscape and grow natives, we are always looking for help with this area. We would
like to grow more natives and maybe sell some at the Markets. We use this area for cuttings which are grown in
our propagating unit by the Expert plantagators led by Summer. The hydro rangers care for the hot house with
leader Phinece, this group have got some exciting ideas for this.  The Community Creators with leader Boston
are developing the library and other areas around our school. The Super Small Blacks with leader Johnny keep
our PE shed tidy and secure as well as helping to prepare for events, this term getting fit for the Cross Country.
Sarah and the recyclers are waiting for the Apiti re-cycling centre but have some work to do in their shed and
plans especially with the worm farm and bins. We are going to look at ideas for the Oroua science fair from this
area of the curriculum too.
Rowena is going to be working with the students during the day, and with the staff and anyone else who is interested
after school. Dave Stewart our new caretaker also has lots of great ideas for us and we look forward to making
a plan and setting goals. You are most welcome to join us or let us know if you are interested in supporting us in
any way.  


E- Poftfolios - Wiki spaces
We at Apiti School have always been known for our comprehensive digital e-portfolios which we have shared
with many other educators. These include wiki-spaces. Each student has had a wiki space linked from the School
Weebly, where their success and progress has been celebrated and open for all to see. A true learning journey
recorded in curriculum areas that cannot be shown on paper based documents alone. These have included writing,
photos, artworks, videos, poetry, camp, concert, Lamb and calf day and PE reflections, Photo peach, documents
and in the past, record keeping. Unfortunately wiki-spaces informed us they will cease to exist after June this year.
It would be an impossible task to convert these to another site and so we have decided to inform everyone. Please
feel free to look at your students wiki asap and copy anything you would like to keep. There are some great photos
there, videos and project work. Past students work can also be accessed. Although the students have paper portfolios,
we always believed digital e-portfolios showed a more comprehensive learning journey through the years.
Students have been able to reflect on their learning here and looked at the next step especially for parts of the
school curriculum that are yearly eg Speech Competition, concert. The record keeping google docs which are
shared with parents and include record keeping, successes, goals and reports have proven a successful way to
share progress. Since hearing about wikis demise, I have looked at other options and discussed them with
colleagues including of course Darren and Nicki. At this stage I have decided to further develop an individual
students google site which is shared with you and maybe look at See Saw. I am reluctant to start something that
may also close or become costly in time and financially restrictive overtime. Some schools are using Facebook
to share aspects of learning and major school events, like Kiwitea School.  Any comments would be appreciated.
Our School Charter and Strategic plan include Life long and future focussed learning which is based on the NZ
curriculum. Feedback is important to us as we plan for our students future, especially with the introduction of the
new digital technology curriculum. Please view it here https://bit.ly/2q0vXv9


Vegies
Anyone is welcome to help with the vege tyres. Each whanau group has a tyre. These veges and herbs are used
by Bon Apiti but you are welcome to help yourselves to any excess vegetables from the tyre gardens.  


Thanks
To Hilton for mowing the school field, it looks great, Chrissy for cleaning the school and to Dave for having the
grounds looking good for the beginning of term.

Thanks also to Nicole for helping to pick up all the plastic drink bottles after ANZAC Day.