Week 6 NEWSLETTER

from the principal

Our Vision: Together we Nurture, Explore and Create for a Better Future

The school is working with Mark Osborne again this year…an education consultant from Leading Learning. Mark has worked with us a lot in the past, he was the driver behind us developing the Core Beliefs (Learner Agency, Critical Thinking, Collaboration and Creativity), and he also led us through a process in 2020 to re-vision the school, leading to our vision of Together we Nurture, Explore and Create for a Better Future. Mark is back to help us make sense of all the current educational changes, and determine what is important to Douglas Park to keep.

He worked with Shaun and I on Tuesday and asked us a simple but powerful question that I would like to share with you now.

If Douglas Park School was to be shut tomorrow, no longer to be a school, what would you miss the most about it?

I’ll acknowledge that I am totally biased…and could rattle off a heap of things that I would miss, but something that is right up there for me is the daily opportunities for our children to be creative. Like any NZ school we do reading, writing, maths etc daily…and do a great job of that…but something that sets us apart is that alongside that (or even as a part of that) our children, everyday, get the chance to be innovative and creative. This is what I want for my own children…when they leave here I want them to have all that foundational academic knowledge, but…I also want them to be about to DO something with that knowledge. I aspire for all DPS Kids to be the ones in the future who can fix something in their homes, to invent a new product, to implement a new system in their workplace, to be bold enough to try a new experience…I want that Kiwi, number 8 wire mentality to be a part of who they are.

Just today…unplanned…I’ve seen examples of this daily creativity…Mia and Eva designing a habitat for insects, Samerah and Azariah re-designing our school pool, Marlee building a car (with working axles) and Deegan, Tyrese and Keith using KeyNote and iMovie to make a Haunted House animation (not quite completed as you’ll see!). All these children are still engaged in formal academic learning, but also have had these creative opportunities to build, make, create and express themselves.

That’s what I would miss if we were to close the school…feel free to email me and let me know what you would miss! principal@douglaspark.school.nz

Fire Drill

Yesterday we held a fire drill…we do some form of evacuation drill each term to practice, and to check our systems. All of the children and adults did a wonderful job…and from the moment the bell rang, until we all ended up at the assembly area, with all children and adults accounted for…just a mere 6 minutes had passed. Always room to improve, and we love a challenge here at DPS, but that is a decent time to evacuate and account for 320 students, and 40 adults from all the various buildings and parts of our school.

Enrolments

I’m putting a call out now…have you enrolled your child for 2026? You may have a 4 year old in the house, or a friend with a 4 year old…make sure the office has been contacted so we have you in the system. We have an enrollment zone, you can read the details in this link. Make contact at office@douglaspark.school.nz

FODPS annual Easter Raffle

reminders

Stationery - Payment Reminder

We are very fortunate that our Board of Trustees subsidises stationery each year, helping to keep costs as low as possible for families. We kindly ask that all learners pay the $15.00 stationery contribution as soon as possible.

Payment can be made online to ASB 12-3290-0064275-00. Please include your child's name as the reference. Alternatively, payments can be made at the office via EFTPOS, or cash can be sent to the office in a clearly named envelope.

We appreciate your prompt payment, as this helps reduce follow-up. If you are experiencing any difficulties, please contact the office - we are happy to help.

Year 5 & 6 Camp - Payment Reminder

The total cost of the Year 5 & 6 Camp is $120 per child. Our Board of Trustees has generously subsidised the camp to help keep costs as affordable as possible.

Please ensure payment is made in full by Monday 16th March 2026.

If you anticipate any difficulty with payment, please contact Ginny Hawke or Simon Watts as soon as possible to discuss alternative arrangements.

Payments can be made at the DPS office (cash or EFTPOS) or via online banking:

DPS Account: 12-3290-0064275-00

Reference: Child’s first name, last initial and "Camp"

Term 1 Sports Fees - Reminder

If your child is participating in Sport for DPS this term, please ensure the relevant sports fees are paid as soon as possible.

Payments can be made at the DPS office (cash or EFTPOS) or via online banking:

DPS Account: 12-3290-0064275-00

Reference: Child’s first name, last initial, and the sport they are playing

student writing from mr josh's class

This week in Mr Josh’s class we have been learning to write simple sentences to entertain. We read the story My Aunt Mary Went Shopping to help us with our ideas. Here are some of our sentences:

The cat is wearing a mask. By Rishidev

The aliendog is buying a house. By Billy

The deer is wearing glasses and a mask. By Levi

The cat is wearing a cone. By Aisling

The dog is wearing glasses. By Monty

The llama is wearing pyjamas. By Wolfgang

The rat is wearing a hat. By Leo

The giraffe wearing a scarf. By Mackenzie

The giraffe is wearing an ice cream cone. By Te Atarangi

The dog is wearing a hat. By Keerat

The bear is wearing a Christmas hat. By Cleo

The spider is wearing glasses. By Kaylee

The snake is wearing a plate. By Niah

The rat is wearing a hat. By Skye

The giraffe is wearing a scarf. By Maeve

subway lunch available every friday - order online or at the school office

change of details

If you have recently moved house, had a change of phone number, or any other contact details of your child/children have changed, could you please let us know at the school office by calling in to see us, phoning us on (06) 370-0189, or sending an email to office@douglaspark.school.nz