Term Two - Number 8 Friday 12th June 2015 · Term Two - Number 8 Friday 12th June 2015 ... We recycle paper and feed our four worm farms with lunch scraps. ... our Ako Iti and Ako

Friday 12th June 2015 Term Two - Number 8

Tena koutou Parents and Caregivers!

Silverstream School

Here is our 2014 National Standards Mathematics data. Our Board’s Charter targets for 2015 reflect our

goal to improve in Maths.

Although we have more children achieving at and above, our percentages have not really moved. This

data was collated and analysed at the end of 2014 and school wide achievement targets for 2015 were

identified.

Target groups that we are focusing on school wide this year are:

o All girls achieving the standard

o All Pasifika students achieving the standard

The Ministry of Education requires the school to report the National Standards data to them, and we fill

in a grid with the same information that you see above. As a school we ‘dig’ down a lot deeper into the

data to explore aspects and trends such as: which groups of children are achieving higher or lower in

maths. This helps formulate specific targets. Last year, for example, we noted a trend that while most of

our girls are doing well at maths, they are not doing as well as our boys.

Maths is assessed in two ways; student’s use of strategies to solve problems and student’s mathematical

knowledge with a strong emphasis on the application of both. This is how we are currently working to

improve achievement:

As with reading and writing, teachers work with target groups at maths time. These are children who

have been identified as requiring more support to achieve or, more challenge to extend themselves.

A focus for our teachers is to ensure that each child in their class knows what their next learning

steps are. When you attend the Learning Conferences, your child will be able to tell you what they

are good at and what they need to learn next.

Numeracy knowledge is vital because this is the basis of all mathematics. Research has also shown

that it is important that the other strands of maths such as measurement, geometry, algebra and

statistics are not neglected either. Our children work at the other maths strands and this

broadening of knowledge has a positive impact on student achievement.

Solid number knowledge of place value and basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

facts is still an absolute necessity for children to make progress in maths. As we know the ability to

quickly recall these enables a child to tackle more complex problems. Teachers give children the

opportunity to practise their basic facts in a variety of ways every day.

Pam Crone, our learning support teacher and Maths Whizz, is also working intensively with some

of our target children.

Our Mathematics Data

Well Below Below At Above

2013 5 (1.2%) 63 (14.9%) 268 (63.5%) 86 (20.4%)

2014 4 (0.9%) 69 (15.4%) 302 (67.6%) 72 (16.1%)

In the News: The Teaching of Maths

Last week the papers reported worrying stories about how New

Zealand children were slipping behind in Maths performance.

Research conducted by Rose Patterson of the business group ‘NZ

Initiative’ concluded that the Ministry of Education’s Numeracy

Project had failed, that some teachers were not competent to teach

maths and we all needed to go back to teaching the basics.

Ms Patterson, qualified in marketing and psychology, had based her findings on two international tests but

had not sought any input from qualified education professionals or academics in maths.

I would welcome a robust, research based study and, along with that, the reinstatement of expert Maths

Advisers to support our hard working teachers!

It’s great to have you all at Silverstream School!

Our Newest Students:

Room 4 - Lamis Fakir, Yousra Fakir

Room 10 - Chevy Marshall,

Room 11 - Max Adams, Eliana Andrews-Cookson, Annie Treadwell

Room 13 - Aya Fakir

Room 18 - Rose Ratahi

TO:

Signmee Invitations!

We have now emailed out Signmee invitations to all our parents/caregivers in

preparation for us to begin sending out our school communications via this new

system. We would like to be communicating via Signmee by the end of the term.

So far we have had a great response with over half our families having already created your

account/s. Thank you for your support and prompt attention to this.

We are needing to complete this part of the process by, next Friday 19th June.

If you haven’t yet received your email invite please contact the office so we can ensure we have

your correct email loaded in our database.

For those who have received your invite but haven’t yet clicked on the link to create your account,

your urgent attention to this would be appreciated.

Anyone who may have any issues with setting up your Signmee account please contact the office

where we will be happy to help you with this process.

Your child’s learning – how you can support

Many things change in this life but learning basic maths facts

doesn’t! When I was little I used to wish that my tables would

magically jump into my head. We know they don’t, and the way I

learned them was practising with my father as we dried the dishes

each night. You may be lucky enough to have a dishwasher (!) but I

am sure there are some other tasks you do together. It’s important

to make the learning fun and include lots of praise!

( At the end of this newsletter we have scanned ‘What research says

about parent involvement in children’s education in relation to

academic achievement’. This report comes from the US, but is

relevant to New Zealand. Many of you will read this and think - I

do that! Thank you - you are making a huge difference to your

child’s achievement!)

Best Wishes Miss Melanie Smith!

Miss Melanie Smith is leaving us today as she is looking forward to the birth of

her baby. We would like to send Mel and her partner, PJ, our very best wishes,

and we look forward to meeting their new bundle of joy in the near future.

Welcome Mrs Stacey Marshall

It’s great to have Stacey back with us in Room 10, covering Mel’s maternity leave,

until the end of the year. Stacey is a very experienced teacher and has expert

skills in supporting children with special needs.

Go Green Gard!!

Friday the 4th last week, was World Environment Day - we wore green to

show that we care for our environment and to support Gard House and while

we are considering our environment, we are becoming very aware of the

amount of unnecessary waste we generate here at school.

We recycle paper and feed our four worm farms with lunch scraps. Now we

are turning our attention to lunches - or rather the wrappings lunches come

in. Thank you to many of you who do not use cling film to wrap lunches in

and don’t send snacks in little plastic packets!

Let’s all take up the challenge to model our Silverstream School value of

caring for the environment.

Red Carpet Disco

Last Friday evening superheroes, princesses and some

very classy dancers hopped and bopped to the beat at

our Ako Iti and Ako Nui Discos.

Thank you to the Fundraising Committee who organised

the event, sold Glo Sticks on the night and even

provided a haven for adults in the Learning Hub where

coffee and cake was made available.

A special thank you to Mark, from Silverstream Retreat, for the coffee and beautiful baking, which was

provided by Limelight Cafe.

Trentham Ecological Restoration Project

Last Friday our student councillors, parents and Helen Leath worked with

student leaders from Pinehaven School to plant native plants and shrubs at

the Trentham Ecological Restoration Project. This was a great opportunity

for our student leaders to work with their peers from our neighbouring

school on a very worthwhile project.

Thank you to Harley O’Hagan who included us in the project and once again

to parents who helped with transport and planting!

(Please see the flyer about how you can help this project on Sunday 14

June in our gallery section of this newsletter - real positive family fun!)

Winter is well and truly here so children are wearing more

layers to school to stay warm. Unfortunately as the sun

comes out later in the day (if we are lucky!) those layers

are often ending up in our Lost Property.

Please encourage your children to look for any items they

are missing or come and have a look yourself. It always helps if clothing is named. All lost property left

over this week will be donated to charity.

Parking Safety

Parking outside the school can be challenging,

especially before 9 and after 3, but please:

Don’t drive into the grounds and park in

front of the Admin area, this is our

pedestrian walkway and cars parked here

are blocking this access.

Don’t use our disabled car parks inside the school grounds, these

are only for the disabled and those needing wheelchair access and

or special access at all times.

Principal

Ka kite

Learning Hub News

We have introduced some new and exciting things into the Learning Hub over the

last couple of weeks. We recently purchased a book called I-dinosaur and

downloaded an Augmented Reality App onto some I-pads. The children have had

heaps of fun making T-Rex's, pterodactyls and other dinosaurs walk and fly around

the Learning Hub. Ask your child if they have had a go!

Mrs Cope discovered that it is also possible to use this app with some of our

Guinness Book of Records books.

After liaising with some of our parents and teachers Mrs Cope has also managed to get a fantastic collection of

photos of students participating in a range of whole school and extra curricular events. These play on the

screen in the Learning Hub during class and lunchtimes. All of the children love seeing pictures

of themselves, siblings and friends.

The cabinet display this week has been put together by Holly McKay and the artwork was made by the

children in Room 21.

Friday 19th Chatsworth House Day

Week 11

Weds 1st July

Bring and Buy

School Dates to Remember

The Bring n Buy is nearly here and it's now time to bring in all those

pre-loved goodies you've been collecting at home.

Collection boxes will be by the lost property cupboard from Monday morn-

ing. Please put everything into your house box as there are valuable

points up for grabs for the house that donates the most!

If you donate lots of second hand items you can even get the Service in School and Community homework

challenge signed off!

As well as toys and books etc, we're looking for old pillows that we can use for stuffing fun new craft

items. If you don't have any old toys to donate, you might like to donate a bag of lollies that we will also

be selling.

Please if we could only have your toys and treasures that are in working order and unbroken.

Thanks again from the Fundraising Team