Student Led Conferences the Years 5 and 6 Way

Angie and I had a chat about how children and parents could maximize the time they need to talk about and share the learning. 15 minutes is not a lot of time for a conversation about the successes and challenges of the past 6 months.
This time Angie prepared several support/guide sheets and the parents and child were given an hour to share via Google docs and Google slides.
Rochelle, Jude and Angie roam between the four groups and talk about specific learning goals.

The preparation by the children and teachers is a credit to them.
All three teachers had made provision to keep siblings quietly occupied while the child at the centre of the conference had an uninterrupted time to share.
I was delighted to be able to see the sharing in action and I know that I would have loved this opportunity as a parent instead of rushing in and being hustled out after 15 minutes. Well done Harakeke Team.

the siblings kept busy

More busy siblings leaving mum and dad to chat with the learner and teacher

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In our school whanau, nana is welcome too.

Board and Senior Leaders Retreat June 2015

Q:What do you get when you put 8 people together to spend a weekend discussing the progress of our school, values and beliefs and student achievement?
A: talk, laughter, plans, google docs, slide shows, video clips and lots more questions.

We had 19-21 June in Hanmer to revise our school values, vision, mission and beliefs. 
The team leaders presented the story of modern learning practice and what it looks like in our school. We discussed New Pedagogies For Deeper Learning and the rubrics around Collaboration and Character and what that looks like in our school at present.
We are part of a 7 school Kahukura Cluster who are working with 1000 schools across the world to improve teaching and learning.
We are fortunate to have the chance to understand the pedagogy before we get the buildings so we can do it right. Modern beautiful purpose built buildings do not magic up good teaching. That has to be in place well beforehand and I am very proud of the high expectations that our staff has for themselves and for the children.


The entertainment ...

The talking, thinking and learning.......
 

Not everyone found it easy to stay awake through hours of talking and thinking!!!!!

Then there was the food, and the food, and the food.....

School Disco

Yup it's that time again. Thanks to all of the staff and parent volunteers, under the watchful eye of the PTA who gave up their Friday and Friday night to make it a special night for the children.
I do appreciate the respect that was paid to our school as parents did not bring pre-schoolers and ex pupils to the disco. This is one event that we keep just for our current students.
Maata and I looked like the "two Aunties" as we counted money all night. Someone suggested it was our bingo money. How rude.
The children had a great time. Thank you everyone.
Jared and Angie have offered to be the DJ's next time as we now have a first class surround sound school sound system. I look forward to the beats and sounds. Wicka wicka.

First Aid Training With Meditrain

On one of the coldest Saturday mornings we met at school to complete our first aid training together. Ged led the charge with lots of action stories of his time as a medic. We were keen to make sure that we could revive the mannequins even though they were freezing too.
Things have changed a little in the immediate response to an accident and injury. I had no idea that we didn't have to stop a head injury person from sleeping but that it was more important to take a baseline of responsiveness and then to rouse them every 15 minutes and note any changes.
Now CPR is 30 to 2 no matter who and it has to be faster than to the tune of "Staying Alive."
Once again we are up to speed with first response to an accident at school.

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