Tuesday marked the start of our 2024 outdoor education experiences for Years 4-6.  
Year 6 headed to Camp Tautuku for the rest of the week, sent off with a haka from the Y5 students.  
Across the week Year 4 and 5 engage in a range of activities -  challenge tasks, creating portraits using natural materials, a trip to He Waka Tuia, the library and Queens Park, foraging in the reserve, bivouac building, mountain biking, orienteering to name a few!

All the best to those students who are representing our Kiwi Zone on Sunday at Surrey Park for the Southland Athletics.  Let's hope that our Zone relay practices see Kiwi Zone bring home a few relay wins!
Special thanks to Mrs Donnelly, Mrs Murphy and Mrs Seager who will be assisting the students on the day.

When we act as kaitiaki, we show guardianship over the land, looking after and protecting it.  This week three of our students - Elijah Simpson-McColl, Oliver Whelan and Harry Harper - have shown kaitiakitanga - doing a rubbish cleanup in their lunch breaks, taking the rubbish home each day, and then bringing the rubbish bag back empty to start again.    

Last week we had Keri Tuna from Fire and Emergency NZ working with the TPSR group on suitable locations and the regulations for a Fire Pit that we can use here at Otatara School.  We have identified two spaces free from wind and overhang from trees and hope to have it ready for the rising of Puaka the first star we see down here in the Murihiku signalling the start of our Matariki celebrations.  If this is something that you would be interested in assisting us with we welcome you to get in touch - particularly the creation of it.

We could not do what we do without our many, many volunteers - particularly this week with Outdoor Ed, Camp, and our Parent Group Easter Bun Fundraiser.  Thanks to everyone that helps out in classes, supports excursions, coaches or manages sports teams, organises and cooks the sausage sizzles, are on the Parent Group, do road patrol and support at our school events.  We are so grateful for the myriad of ways that you support us!

On Thursday 21 March between 6pm and 7pm Lloyd Esler, local historian is conducting a City Heritage Walk, meeting at the Cenotaph in Dee Street.  In the next couple of weeks Lloyd will also be advertising a Fungal Foray in Queens Park and extending an invitation to anyone interested in flaxes to inspect his collection.

Wai Ako- Te Reo Māori Kupu

Across our kura we are at different stages of our wai ako journey.  Here is some of the kupu we have learned so far.
Have a go with your tamariki at home.
Lesson Toru
Mā te wā- See you later
Hei kona rā- Goodbye (to someone staying)
Haere rā- Goodbye (to someone leaving)
E noho rā- Goodbye (to someone staying)
Kia pai tō haere- Good travels
Ka kite anō au ia koe- I'll see you (one person) again

Congratulations to the following students who were awarded values certificates at assembly on Friday 15 March.

 
Ako - “Te manu e kai ana i te miro, nōna te ngahere; te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga nōna te ao.”
The person who takes on learning can do anything they choose

Whanaungatanga - “E hara taku toa i te takatahi engari he toa takitini”
Our biggest strength is not as individuals but as a group

Manaakitanga - “He aroha whakatō, he aroha ka puta mai”
If kindness is shown, then kindness you shall receive

Our Year 5/6 leadership system is made up of 3 levels based on our school’s graduate profile.

Students write a letter outlining the service they are providing, the responsibilities they have and how they are managing themselves in relation to our school values of ako, manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and kaitiakitanga.  

Congratulations to our first Level 2 leader for 2024 Scarlett Robson and our latest Year 6 Level 1 leaders who where awarded their badges at assembly last Friday - Lizzie Walker, Pippa Whelan, Mia Harvey, Milan Rahul, Lilah Thurlow and Autumn McAulay-Bowen.
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Friday 22 March – 2:10pm Junior School Assembly

Friday 29 March – Easter Friday - No Assembly

                            Morning                     Afternoon

Monday         Sonja Cowan                Sharon Livingstone
Tuesday                     Teacher Only Day
Wednesday   Shelly Blackler            Carla Werder
Thursday       Lea Melrose                 Lea Melrose
Friday                            Good Friday

 

Parent helpers please be at school by 8.20am for the morning patrol and 2.40pm for the afternoon patrol. If for some reason you are unavailable on your rostered day please swap with another parent.