KENAKENA SCHOOL Phone: 298 4011
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KENAKENA SCHOOL 12 Donovan Road, P.O. Box 1441, Paraparaumu Beach Phone: 298 4011 Cell: 027 7818315 [email protected] [email protected] Check out our website www.kenakena.school.nz Keep your child safe: If absent please contact the office before 9.30am Thursday, 31st March 2016 Term 1 Week 9 Dear Parents and Caregivers, He mihi tenei kia koutou nga matua, me nga kaitiaki o a tatou tamariki. Tena koutou katoa Years 7&8 Students from Rooms 16 and 19 enjoyed their Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) experience last week at Makahika Outdoor Pursuits Centre near Levin. They experienced a range of challenging and fun activities including a five-hour walk which culminated in an overnight stay in tents at a ‘bush camp’. Many thanks to Sue Gray, Tina Buchanan, Marie Mead and Kim Kelly for being the supervising teachers (24 hours per day) and to the parents who joined them to work with our students during their time at Makahika. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS Next Monday evening I leave for a twelve day visit to China to market Kenakena School as an International Student destination. The visit is largely funded by a ‘Sister Schools’ grant from Education New Zealand. Kenakena has hosted fee-paying international students since 2002. Most of our students have been from South Korea but we have also hosted students from China in the past two years. China is a growing market for international students. Education New Zealand is keen to promote New Zealand as a safe, high-quality education destination. I will be connecting with the International Student Marketing Team from Kapiti College while I am in China and will be engaged in some joint marketing with them. Kapiti College and Kenakena School have had an international student partnership since 2009, where we promote each other’s schools as a joint educational primary-secondary package. Kenakena School provides a great experience for our international students, who are always reluctant to go home when the time comes. The fees they pay help support Kenakena’s special programmes. More on our International Student Programme can be seen on our website: http://kenakena.school.nz/international-students/ Mrs Tina Buchanan is Acting Principal in my absence. FAMILY CONTRIBUTION Thank you to the families who have already paid a total of $9381.80 for the FAMILY CONTRIBUTION! It’s a fantastic start although we still have a way to go to meet our budget. The FAMILY CONTRIBUTION is used to support learning and teaching programmes for your children through the provision of human and material resources in 2016. The Board of Trustees would welcome payment of the Family Contribution from all families by the end of Term 1, which will attract a discount, as detailed below, in addition to being in the draw for a $100 Pak’n’Save voucher. The Family Contribution can be paid by placing it in the RED BOX in Administration Foyer. A receipt will be sent home with your child. The Family Contribution is Tax Deductible. $75 per child per year (18.75 per term), discounted to $65 if paid in full in the first term. OR $145 per family (2 or more children) per year ($36.20 per term) discounted to $130 per family if paid in full in the first term. We have EFTPOS facilities available for your convenience. Our Statements of Financial Performance show that Kenakena School demonstrates good financial management and control. In this context, the Family Contribution is used prudently and wisely. For parents of children in Years 7&8, the Technology Materials Fee is due and should be paid by the end of this term. The Raumati Technology Centre charges Kenakena School for the materials children use to construct the things that they make and we, in turn, need to claim this from you. Bruce McDonald PRINCIPAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES ELECTIONS COMING UP Kenakena School is exciting, motivating, positive! Kenakena has developed this strong, successful vision and culture which has produced a fantastic environment for our children to develop in their lifelong journey of discovery and learning. This development has not taken place by chance. Our Principal and his team have dedicated themselves to building this environment. Many parents have made significant contributions to the development of Kenakena. One of the significant parent roles, often behind the scenes, is serving on the Board of Trustees. In May we will be calling for nominations for our parent representatives on the Board of Trustees for the coming three years. This is an opportunity to take an active governance role in supporting Bruce and his fantastic staff by setting strategy, developing policy and monitoring student achievement that will continue to enhance the success of Kenakena School. You will need a basic understanding of meeting procedures and governance and be aware of the laws and institutions that provide the environment for the school to operate in. All these can be easily researched – what is essential is a willingness to learn and contribute. Most importantly though, you will need a desire to continue to build an environment that is exciting, motivating and positive! Any of the current Board members are more than happy to talk to you about what is involved. Get in touch via the school office and we will arrange a phone call or coffee. The NZ Schools Trustees Association website has some more information about the election and on becoming a trustee, including a helpful video. Lawrence Kirby Board of Trustees Chairperson FOUND NECKLACE This necklace has been found at Te Atiawa Park by a school family. If you recognise it, contact the office. BOOKINGS FOR PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS ARE NOW OPEN ON-LINE Parent Teacher Interviews will be held on Tuesday 12th April (from 2.15pm) and Wednesday 13th April (from 2.15pm) and can be booked on-line. You get to choose the day and time/s that suits you and this can be done in a couple of minutes. Appointments are 15 minutes each. Go to www.schoolinterviews.co.nz , put in the code vkhyb and then just follow the Three Step Instructions. You will find that it is a very user friendly programme. Interview bookings will be closed from Monday 11th April at 10am. To ensure you get the time that you want, please make your bookings as soon as possible. Maria McDonald (Reading Recovery Teacher) - If you would like an appointment with Maria, please phone or email the school office. If you are unable to come in, or go online at home, please phone Viv or Lynda in the office or send a note in with your child so that we can make the appointment for you. DENTAL CLINIC UPDATE Our new Dental Hub is at Raumati Beach School and you can contact it by phoning 0800 825583. The Kenakena School Dental Clinic is now closed and we will be serviced once a year by one of the new buses. We haven’t been told when the bus will be onsite this year. Some information from the Regional Dental Service follows and you can go to www.beehealthy.org.nz for more or phone the 0800 number above. If you have a preschool aged child, then he/she will be seen with you at a local dental clinic or ‘hub’ for an examination each year. If your child needs any further treatment, they will require further visits with you to their local hub to complete their dental treatment. If your child is primary school aged, he/she will be examined in a new dental mobile van (the ‘spokes’) which will visit schools annually. The important change for you as a parent/guardian is that if your child is identified at their examination appointment as needing further treatment, such as a preventive coating or filling, he/she will require this treatment at a dental hub. As a parent/caregiver you will need to ring 0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583) to arrange a suitable time and attend this appointment with your child. Questions and Answers 1. What do I do if my child has an accident involving their teeth or mouth? My usual clinic is closed. If you think you child may have damaged their teeth or oral tissues you need to get a dentist to check your child’s teeth. You should contact your local dentist, tell them they have had an accident involving the teeth or surrounding. We strongly recommend you ask at the time of making the appointment whether there will be a surcharge for your child’s appointment. 2. My child's loose tooth has cracked and is in two pieces, my usual clinic is closed. If it is causing your child pain and you think it needs to be checked out call0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583) and make an appointment. This does happen sometimes as the adult tooth starts to come through and the pieces of baby tooth should come out normally. KAPITI COAST DISTRICT COUNCIL PLAYGROUND UPGRADES Kāpiti Coast District Council are giving some of our playgrounds a new lease of life and want you to have your say on the future design. Kaitawa Reserve, Te Ātiawa Park and Aorangi Road playgrounds are getting an upgrade with most of the existing equipment being replaced. Have your say by visiting www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/playgrounds for an online survey and more information. Other ways that you can have your say include: Completing the attached survey flier Come see us on our playground tour (school children welcome!): o Kaitawa Reserve Wednesday 6 April, 3.30pm and Thursday 7 April, 10am.