ACTING PRINCIPAL'S TALANOA
Moana Iese
Kia ora koutou, talofa lava and warm greetings to our Weymouth Community, Parents, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, Cousins and our beautiful Tamariki.
CELEBRATING CULTURES AT WPS
On Thursday 21 March we celebrated all the different cultures within our school community. Our school was full of colour and the cultural attire that was on show that day was phenomenal. Thank you to our whānau, students and staff for making this a very special day where we celebrated our cultural identities and where we were able to share a little about what makes us unique.
We have 471 students enrolled at WPS. Based on the Ministry of Education Ethnicity group counts we have the following students identify their first ethnicity as: Māori (184), Fijian (26), Samoan (57), Indian (30), Cook Island Māori (25), Other Asian (8), Middle Eastern (17), Southeast Asian (17), Tongan (71), Niuean (13), NZ (11), Chinese (3), Other European (2), Other Pacific (3), Other (5). We look forward to the Language Weeks throughout the year which also celebrates culture and language.
WATER SPORTS FUN DAY
Thank you to Mrs Johnson for the organisation of our Water Sports Fun Day! It was a fabulous day for getting wet, and having a whole lot of fun doing lots of cool water activities.
AUTHOR VISIT
This month has been BOOK MONTH at Weymouth Primary School. Our students have taken part in several book challenges and activities to broaden their reading skills and experiences. Congratulations to the following classes who won the ‘Decorate your Door’ challenge: Room 3, Room 6, Room 12, Room 14 and Room 20.
A fun challenge our students had was ‘Guess who is reading this book?’. Can you guess?
LEARNING CONVERSATIONS
Thank you to all our whānau that came in to discuss your child/ren’s learning with the classroom teachers on Tuesday 26th March. You would have discussed the Learning Goals in Reading, Writing, Maths and Te Reo Māori. Term 2 will be the hard mahi of working towards these goals, and teachers will report back on these with our Mid Year Reports - at the end of Term 2.
We had 223 whānau conversations which is fantastic! If you didn’t get a chance to talk to the classroom teacher, please contact them to arrange another day and time. Our teachers are more than happy to discuss your child’s learning at any time that suits you both.
STEAM ACADEMY
This term we had 43 students enrolled to attend the STEAM Academy which was held after school on Wednesdays. Thank you to William & Stanley for providing a fun and engaging environment that exposes our students to new learning opportunities.
Exciting Learning Highlights
Here's a snapshot of what was covered this term:
Electronics: We embarked on an exploration of electronics, diving into Circuits, Components, Electronics and Electrochemistry. Our students gained practical insights into how electronic systems work and interact. Our senior students further explored this learning using an online interactive platform, which enhanced their understanding through hands-on simulations and virtual experiments.
3D Design and Modelling: Our senior students explored the world of three-dimensional design, learning to create digital models and develop spatial awareness.
Computer Essentials: In addition to STEAM subjects, we also allowed our students to dive into computer essentials such as logging in, navigating digital platforms, and basic troubleshooting. We intentionally crafted these tasks to be challenging (especially for our junior students), aiming to foster the development of students' troubleshooting and problem-solving abilities within a digital context. These fundamental skills are not only essential for contemporary learning but also for navigating everyday life with confidence and proficiency.
EASTER WEEKEND
We wish you all a wonderful 5-day weekend (Fri-Tues). If you are travelling, travel safely. If you are chilling at home, enjoy your time with your whānau and friends. School starts again on Wednesday 3 April. We look forward to seeing you again soon.