12.11.2018

Āpiti School and District Newsletter 12.11.2018
Welcome to Week 5 of Term 4. 
Dates for your calendar

13th Nov : Teachers strike day - school closed for this day.
14th Nov : School photos at 10.30 (see more info below).
16th Nov : Oroua Schools Athletics at Timona Park. pp date 23rd (see more info below).
23rd, 30th Nov : Swimming lessons.
23rd Nov : Visit to Feilding High School Dairy Unit before swimming lessons (see more info below).
27th Nov : Bush Walk (everyone welcome).
28th Nov : Targa Car Rally - Makoura road closed from 2.00 - 6.30pm.
6-7th Dec : Oroua Year 7/8 Survival Camp at Bartlett's Ford.
12th Dec : BOT final meeting of the year.
18th Dec : Final assembly for 2018 at 2.00pm in the senior room.
19th Dec : Term 4 ends at 2.45.
7th Feb 2019 : Term 1 for Apiti School starts at 9.00am.
11th Feb Technicraft for Year 7 and 8 starts.

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

Sharing our successes 
Education Review Office:

Our confirmed ERO report has been received and it will be online in a couple of weeks! Congratulations to staff and BOT. I have added it to this newsletter for you. 
Apiti School is a small rural primary school in northern Manawatu for Year 1 to 8 students. There are 27 students enrolled. The school vision is to create life-long learning – 'learn for life'. It aims to provide quality learning programmes through a challenging curriculum that enhances student engagement and achievement, prioritises literacy and numeracy and develops skills required for success as confident learners.
2 Review and Development 


How effectively is the school addressing its priorities for review and development? 

Priorities identified for review and development.  The July 2016 ERO report recommended that the board, principal and staff should focus on developing sustainable school systems and processes to support school improvement. This includes strengthening: 

 moderation and overall teacher judgements for assessment in literacy and numeracy

 processes for reporting progress in achieving equitable and excellent student outcomes, including the impact of interventions, to the board 

 schoolwide curriculum documentation
 culturally responsive school practices through planned teacher professional learning and development 

 teacher appraisal, including teaching as inquiry 
 governance policy and procedure framework 
 internal evaluation through establishing and implementing a framework to guide practice.
Progress Assessment practice is more robust. Appropriate assessment tools are used to enable leaders and teachers to better identify students requiring their achievement to be accelerated. Tracking and monitoring processes have been strengthened to ensure trustees receive useful information about schoolwide initiatives, student achievement and progress so they can make informed decisions for resourcing. Students experience a curriculum that provides them with many opportunities to learn in authentic contexts such as environmental sustainability projects. Literacy and numeracy is promoted through purposeful programmes. An appropriate focus is placed on developing students’ oral language. A well-considered culturally responsive framework has been developed and implemented to determine how effectively the school is supporting Māori students and their whānau. The board of trustees, principal and teachers have recently defined what Māori educational success is for their students and identified strengths and areas requiring further improvement within the curriculum. The school should now consider how best they can consult with parents and whānau Māori to determine what educational success looks for them and their children. A sound appraisal system is in place to support and develop teacher practice. Teachers continue to build their capabilities to effectively inquire into improvements to their practice that better support those students whose learning and achievement requires acceleration. Leaders should determine how they can provide teachers with specific feedback from observations of practice, to help inform the next steps for development.
Key next steps 
ERO, the board of trustees and principal agree that the school should continue to build their effectiveness by: 
 consulting with parents and whānau Māori to determine what educational success looks like for them and their children 
 strengthening the implementation of the appraisal system to better provide specific feedback that informs teachers’ next steps for development. 
3 Sustainable performance and self review 
How well placed is the school to sustain and continue to improve and review its performance? The school is well placed to sustain and continue to improve and review its performance. Trustees have engaged with external support and PLD so they can effectively fulfill their stewardship role. Well-considered systems and processes have been developed to promote ongoing improvement across the school. Trustees demonstrate a commitment to achieving success for all students. Strategic and annual planning reflects relevant priorities for the board and guide ongoing improvement. Clear policies and procedures are in place that reflect legislative requirements. Trustees should consider ways they can set and relentlessly pursue a small number of targets that relate to accelerating the learning of those students who are at risk of underachievement. Leaders and teachers are improvement focused. Systematic self review is used to help progress the learning and wellbeing for all students. A key next step is for leaders to build their evaluative capabilities to enable them to effectively measure the impact of the curriculum and teacher practice on children’s learning outcomes.  
Key next steps 
ERO, the board of trustees and principal agree that the school should continue to build their effectiveness by: 
 developing a small number of targets that relate to accelerating the learning of those students who are at risk of underachievement 
 building trustees' and the principal’s evaluative knowledge and capabilities. 
Conclusion
Leaders, teachers and trustees have made well-considered changes to support an improved response to meeting the needs of learners and their community. The school is well placed to sustain these improvements and further strengthen internal capability towards achieving equity and excellence for students. 
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years. 
Also congratulations!!!
Congratulations Sarah! who recently represented the Manawatu area in the speech competition in Hawera - a great experience.
Steps Web: Claire: 14 gold, 11 silver. Emily: 11 gold, 8 silver, 2 bronze. Kealee: 10 gold, 10 silver, 1 bronze. Bentley: 9 gold, 7 silver. Rydah: 3 gold, 11 silver 6 bronze.
Reading eggs/express: Books read: Savannah 5, Luke 4, Danielle 3, Josiah 2.  Lessons completed: Savannah 4, Danielle 3, Lucas 2, Luke 2, Josiah 2.
Sumdog: Questions answered: Seniors: Josiah 1610 at 69%. Danielle 861 @ 71%, Renee 627 @ 78%, Luke 595 @ 58%, Katie 592 @ 85%, Abbey 546 @ 81%, Aimee 528 @ 85%, Sarah 524 @ 80%, Phinece 430 @ 70%, Ava 363 @ 47% and Summer 357 @ 83%. Juniors: Kadin 345 @ 90% and Claire 119 @ 92%. 
Spelling : Week 3 - Junior room : Kadin, Owen, Kealee, Autumn, Emily, Claire.  
Week 4 :  Saxon, Owen, Kealee, Autumn, Emily, Claire.
Week 3 - Senior room : Phinece, Josie, Aimee, Lucas, Ava, Savannah, Bently, Katie.
Week 4 : Phinece, Summer, Sarah, Josie, Ava, Savannah, Abbey, Renee, Katie.

Teachers Strike Day - Tuesday 13th November - School closed!                                         Unfortunately we have once again decided to strike for better conditions for students, schools and teachers. The bus will not be running and the school will not be open for instruction on the 13th of November. School will re-open on Wednesday the 14th of November at 9.00am.

Bon Apiti
This Wednesday, the Bon Apiti group will be making chicken hamburgers and smoothies at $2.00 each. The following week will be wraps and smoothies for $2.00.  


School Photos - Wednesday 14th November

School photos will be taken this Wednesday at 10.30 by Svendsen Photography. Photos can be ordered directly from Svendsens in Feilding but proofs will be available to view at school and at Svendsens. If you would like a family, individual or group photo, please contact the school.


Students at their swimming lessons








Oroua Schools Athletic Sports - Friday 16th November (postponement date: 23rd November).                        
We are practising athletics (weather permitting) everyday so students need to wear appropriate clothes please eg shorts.  Adult help is always appreciated - practice starts at 2pm.  
The Oroua Schools Athletic sports are happening this Friday the 16th of November at Timona Park in Feilding.  All Apiti School students participate in this event.  Students need to be at Timona Park in time to assemble at 9.45 for the 10.00a.m start (Timona Park is off Simon St, which is the second street on the left past the North St BP station on Kimbolton Road).  Students need to wear their school uniform for this day (please check your child's uniform still fits).  All students need to take a good packed lunch, plenty to drink, a hat, sunscreen and clothes that suit all conditions.  The playground and river are out of bounds to all children at all times!!  Parents, please make sure this is emphasised to your children as they must stay away from these areas until the completion of the days events and until the children are back in your care.
Parents will need to make their own transport arrangements for their children on this day, the bus will not run at all on this day.  If you have difficulty with transport, please ring the school.
The juniors (5, 6 and 7 year olds) will be dismissed at lunchtime (from 12.05 onwards) at which point, then become the responsibility of their parents or caregivers.  
For the seniors, the day is expected to conclude after the relays and prize giving at about 2.00pm.  However, this is a guide only and parents should return to the park early in-case the programme finishes early, however, we encourage parents to stay and support their children for the day.  
Senior students lunch break will be from 12.05 - 12.40.  There will be plenty of food and drink for sale at the Park.
If this event is postponed due to weather conditions, an announcement will come over the radio from 7am onwards and a text message will be sent around to all parents, it will then be school as normal and the athletics will then be held on the following Friday, the 23rd of November.  Parents are asked to help with the events our school is responsible for (junior ball throw, senior discus), so please make yourself available at some stage during the day.  
Trip to Feilding High School Robotic Dairy Unit  
We are being hosted by Feilding High School through the young Farmers to visit the robotic dairy unit at Feilding High School farm. You are welcome to come with us but we will need numbers by Monday the 19th so we can organise transport. We will be leaving Apiti School at 9 and meeting at the farm at 10 where Marty Orange will show us around. This is a great opportunity to see the unit and is part of our Farm Safety and Careers Unit. The bus will be available to take students, but only if needed. 

Yummy Stickers

Thank you to everyone who collected and sent in their "Yummy" stickers from apples.  We raised $232.00 to spend on sports equipment for our school - a great effort.  
We have bought ripper rugby belts and number discs.  

Junior Room stories

I got a dinosaur and it scared me and then I scared it.  It wasn't a real one.  -  By Rydah.
In the weekend, I went to see the fireworks and I looked at one of them and they were awesome. - By Autumn.
We went to the glow worms.  -  By Summer.