Week 7 NEWSLETTER

from the principal

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

Thank you for your support of the Teacher Only Day on Tuesday…much appreciated!

It was a great day of learning for the town…over 400 educators together from the schools, both primary and secondary.

There was a wide variety of workshops on offer…we had staff learn about AI tools, neuroscience, trauma-informed practice, physical movement, music in classrooms, culturally responsive practice, Wairarapatanga, assessment for learning, PAT data unpacking, and structured literacy interventions.

We had keynote speakers to open and close the day for everyone, speaking for around 45 minutes each.

Dr Sarah Aiono opened our day. Sarah has a connection with Douglas Park, we have used her company (Longworth Education) to help develop our play based learning practices in the junior teams, and we feature on their website as a bit of a case study. Sarah spoke about the current changes in education, particularly the focus on ‘the basics’...but contrasted it with high performing countries like Finland (often held up as the gold standard for education) and their focus on more than that (skills like collaboration, mindsets like hope, ideas around citizenship). Her challenge was around if we just focus on the basics, we are lowering our bar for human potential…we should be aiming higher! It was a powerful contrast to start our day with…but for me, it was also quite affirming of the direction that this school is on.

The final speaker for the day was Dr Mark Osborne. Mark also has a history with Douglas Park, first working with us in 2015…but he worked quite intensely with us over 2017-2020…helping developed our Core Beliefs, then taking us through a process to revision the school. Mark spoke about Change, and how our brains operate during change. It was super helpful given the amount of change currently underway inside education, and it left educators with some insights and some tools to try.

Overall it was a great day, so thank you once again for your support.

Thanks FoDPS!

It was certainly Friday, Pie Day here at DPS last week…with bag after bag, box after box of pies being collected from the hall. Thanks very much to our community for your support of this fundraiser…and I hope the pies are delicious!

But, the biggest thanks has to go to the Friends of Douglas Park School (FoDPS). These fundraisers don’t just happen by magic...it takes a bunch of mahi from a small dedicated crew to make it happen. The money is put to good use…most of the FoDPS fundraising goes towards our EOTC programme…helping make sure we can get our children out of school, to experience new things. So…thank you FoDPS for all that you do for our school community!

michelle's art class

Each week at lunchtime, our tamariki show great initiative by choosing to create artwork and develop their artistic skills. Their creativity and effort can be seen in the beautiful displays throughout our hall and corridors. Recently, they completed watercolour paintings of their favourite toys, using colour, detail, and imagination to create unique pieces of art that they are proud to share with our school community.

whats on at dps

lucky book club

A reminder that all Lucky Book Club orders need to be submitted by Friday, 5th June!

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.

Sports Fees - Reminder

If your child is participating in a sports team for Douglas Park School, 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

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

Sports

All school teams and draws will be posted on Hero.

Community notices

The Bubble Spectacular | Sunday 5th July 11:00am - https://www.wairarapaec.co.nz/the-bubble-spectacular-sunday-5th-july-11am/

Enter the bubbly-brilliant world of Dr Hubble, as he presents The Bubble Spectacular – a fun-filled, out of this world, bubble-riffic show! Expect to be amazed as the ultimate master of bubbles, Dr Hubble, creates little bubbles, BIG bubbles, volcano bubbles, tornado bubbles, square bubbles and with a bit of his bubbly-magic, you might even end up inside a bubble!

This poppin’ bubble party, filled with laughter, audience participation and even a little burst of fiery bubbles, kids and their grown-ups will be left awe-struck as bubbles fly around the auditorium and take forms you’ve never seen before!

The Boy With Wings | Wednesday 8 July 11am - https://www.wairarapaec.co.nz/the-boy-with-wings-wednesday-8-july-11am/

A comic, touching, and environmental story using the ageless wonder of puppetry, live music and exquisite hand-crafted sets that magically unfold out of boxes, telling an epic fable of one young man’s life-altering journey. All this is set against the backdrop of a contemporary ornithological lecture on the miracle of the great migration of Kuaka (Bar-tailed Godwits).

As these fragile birds set out on their extraordinary journey from New Zealand to Alaska, watching them take to the sky in awe is Jack-the-Everyman, who is contemplating a journey of his own to seek the ‘treasure’ that will save his dying orchard.

Award-winning theatre company ‘Birdlife Productions’ promise laughter, tears and thrilling adventure, enticing us to ask the question; “how do we trust our inner map – how do we find our own wings?” Suitable for ages 5 to 95!

Tickets only $16 per person.

The Pantolooons: Alice In Wonderland | Tuesday 14 July 1:00pm - https://www.wairarapaec.co.nz/the-pantoloons-present-alice-in-wonderland-tuesday-14-july-100pm/

When curious Alice falls down the rabbit hole, she lands in the topsy-turvy world of Wonderland, where nothing makes sense and everything is wonderfully silly!

She meets the White Rabbit, the cheeky Khandallah Cat, and a host of oddball characters… all whispering about the terrifying Jabberwocky, who everyone is scared of, but no one has ever actually seen.

Meanwhile, the fiery Queen of Hearts is demanding jam tarts, ready to shout “Off with their heads!” at any moment!

With laughs, songs, and plenty of audience fun, Alice must navigate the madness, solve the mystery, and find her way home.