Tēnā koutou Parents / Caregivers / Sunnynook Whānau,

We have an exciting few weeks ahead and I am looking forward to seeing some of you tomorrow, 17th May at our open morning from 9.00-10.00am.  If possible, please come along and join your child in their classroom to see what they are learning. Following on from the class session, you will then be invited to join myself and our Deputy Principals for a Kawhe and Korero (coffee and chat) session in the school hall where you will have the chance to have a chat and ask any questions you may have.  You do not need to sign in at the office tomorrow - just head to your child’s classroom.

 

We welcome our New Entrant Teacher, Carolyn Holmes to our Room 8 class.  Carolyn has a wealth of experience with new learners, and a warm, friendly smile which puts them all at ease.  

Next week is Road Safety Week and your child will be learning about how to keep safe when coming to and from school.  There will be some activities for them in class to create awareness. Some of our younger students will also be involved in ‘Sneaky Driveways’ where Constable Louise comes into school to teach our tamariki to look out for the dangers when crossing driveways.  

I had the opportunity to watch our swimmers compete at the North Shore Primary Schools competition last Tuesday and it was so exciting! Our students did very well and it was great to see their enthusiasm and sportsmanship on the day.  We have our Basketball Super Cluster and Rippa Rugby Festival day for Year 3-6 coming up soon. It is really good to see so many of our tamariki joining up for the sports on offer at school.   

Friday, 17th May is also Pink Shirt Day, so we encourage all students to wear something pink with or without their school uniform - this could be a t-shirt, shorts, hair ties - anything pink! 

A reminder too that Friday, 31st May is Teacher Only Day (Ministry ACCORD Day) so school will NOT be open for instruction.

We have Samoan language week beginning on the 27th May.  We invite our Samoan children to come in their traditional clothing on Wednesday, 29th May.

Ngā mihi 

Virginia

Carolyn Holmes 

At Assembly
Banner:
In Week 2 the banner went to R11 for their unique 'All About Me' self-portaits accompanied by writing that describes their likes. They are a very sporty class and created 3D art using geometry!
In Week 3 the banner went to R4.  The class have a word of the day whereby they are sounding it out, working on syllables, similes and synonyms.  R4's  word of the day was 'sumptious' - chosen by Jake.  I am very intrigued by their sketches of their lunchbox - apparently all will be revealed later in the term!

Yummy Apple:
R22 - thanks to Cam for handing in 2 complete forms
R5 -   Isaac
R14 - Winter
R21 - Jonathan

We now have 41 complete forms.  Well done everyone!

Caught Being Good:
Dakota, Rm 11, for including others.
Sophia, Rm 14, for being a kaitiaki and picking up rubbish.
Hudson, Rm 7, for being a kaitiaki and keeping our kura tidy. 

Welcome:
Welcome to our new 5 year olds!

Our teams had a fantastic start to the year in term 1 establishing learning routines & expectations and working through student inquiries under our year long umbrella topic of ‘Change’.

This term the teams are heading in different directions exploring the context of change further.

In Ngā Kōwhai the ākonga are going to be looking at how vehicles have changed over the years.  We will also be inquiring into how travel has changed and looking at how our whānau journeyed to Aotearoa.  We will finish our inquiry unit with a STEM challenge building vehicles.

Ngā Tōtara are conducting their inquiry through a Science lens. The Big Question that the students will inquire into in term 2 is ‘How do we see the power of nature change the world we live in?’ The aim of this unit is to investigate the changes that occur during natural phenomena or weather events (earthquakes, storms, volcanic eruptions etc). Each teacher will create a science box which will contain an experiment based on a natural event such as a volcano or a storm. As part of this, we will inquire into the impacts these events have on us. 

Ngā Kauri are also conducting a scientific inquiry where they will continue to explore our overarching theme of ‘CHANGE’ through Inquiry Learning with our focus being Science-The Material World with our big question: How can the state of materials be changed and manipulated? This Inquiry offers our students opportunities to dive deep into scientific exploration and discovery. As the term progresses, students will be working diligently towards a science fair. The unit will focus on the properties of a range of materials and the way in which they are combined and separated. Students investigate the different properties of solids, liquids and gases and consider combining and separating mixtures. This unit introduces students to fundamental concepts of chemistry and is an introduction to materials technologies.

Have a look at the photos of the exciting Ngā Tōtara provocation later in the newsletter to get the children engaged in the inquiry and to prompt questions - it was certainly a fun experience for all!

Gardening Club News
A different group of Year 3 and 4 students have started Gardening Club this term with Mr Colin and Mrs Bassett-Smith. Today’s tasks were preparing a vegetable bed ready for planting new seedlings and weeding a garden plot. Unexpected finds of seed potatoes were excitedly pocketed and discussed where they would plant them at home. Discovering butter beans were still growing at this time of year was highlight, as was the tasting of them.

Last week we took a team of 22 athletes to the North Shore Primary School Swimming Champs. It was a fantastic day and we were very proud to watch our students compete and represent our school proudly! On top of that we had some awesome individual results.  Ka Pai Swim Team!! 

Olivia Xiao - 8th in 25m Backstroke (8 Year Old Girls) 

Oliver McCracken - 5th in 25m Backstroke (8 Year Old Boys)

Oliver McCracken - 7th in 25m Freestyle (8 Year Old Boys) 

On Tuesday 7th May the swim squad went to AUT Millennium for a swim squad competition. I competed in backstroke, freestyle and breaststroke. In backstroke I came 8th but I still tried my best. Then after the year four group we all went back to our seats (to get upstairs we walked outside in the freezing cold!) We cheered for all the relay teams. In freestyle I came 2nd but I was close to coming first! It was a very tiring day but I had lots of fun! I think I might join next year because it was so fun! 

First our teachers gave us a group number from 1-4. Then the Ngā Totara teachers gave us instructions that we were to make a box city. Lots of kids got their creative engines running when they heard they had to build a cardboard city. I saw some of my friends in the same group as me such as Zane and Cam. 

After we built the cardboard city, we lined up in our groups. All of a sudden the Ngā Totara teachers began pouring buckets of water on a groups city to simulate a lot of heavy rain. Then came the big flood! Lots of kids screamed “Nooooooo our city!”

Then the Ngā Totara teachers began shaking another groups mat to simulate an earthquake! This time lots of people thought it was cool. 

Something else happened! They got ice and just began throwing it at the city. It got obliterated by hail. 

Next they got a leaf blower and blew at another city and destroyed it. It simulated a hurricane and everyone looked pretty surprised!

Then Mr Miller said “Well I’m sorry about your cities. You put so much hard work and effort into building your cities but this is what could happen with weather.” Afterwards we helped pack up and recycle the cardboard boxes. 

When will other volcanoes erupt? 

How high can tsunamis get? 

Is hail made out of ice? 

Why is it called the ring of fire? Is it actually a ring?

Why are they called natural disasters?

How do meteors get down to Earth?

How big can hailstones get?

How big can Earthquakes get? 

What is the most common natural disaster?

Written by Hoonam in Room 21   

  

Wellbeing corner
Join us at the Mindfulness Club! Our mindfulness leaders have been working hard to prepare something special for all our young members. 

On Monday, we had an incredible turnout with many enthusiastic children joining us for a lunchtime filled with relaxation and fun activities. From blowing bubbles to moulding Play-Doh creations, building masterpieces with LEGO, expressing creativity through drawing, to strategic chess matches, there was something for everyone to enjoy.

SPORTS RESULTS
Congratulations to all our Sunnynook Teams!!

More information about sports available can be found on the Sports page on Sunnynook School Website.

Any questions can be emailed to: sports@sunnynookschool.nz

On Friday the 17th May we will be hosting another of our popular open mornings where parents, grandparents, caregivers and whānau can spend the morning with their children in their classroom from 9.00-10.00am,  followed by our kawhe & korero (coffee catch-up) 10.00 - 10.30am with the Principal and Deputy Principals.

We  look forward to seeing you here at school.

RAFFLE
Our PTA have gathered some amazing prizes to help fundraise for our school. We will be holding a raffle this Friday morning.

For $2 a ticket, you can be in to win one of 2 voucher prize packs: one includes a  grocery voucher and some swimming lessons, the other includes a grocery voucher and a gym trial voucher.

We will be selling tickets outside the tech room from 8.30 - 9.00am  and at the conclusion of the open day in the hall.

Winners will be notified by the end of the day.

If you are unable to attend you are able to send $2 with your child to purchase a ticket.

See you on Friday!

Sunnynook Primary is joining the movement on Pink Shirt Day (Friday 17 May 2024), and encouraging our staff and students to Kōrero Mai, Kōrero Atu, Mauri Tū, Mauri Ora – Speak up, Stand Together, Stop Bullying! 

Pink Shirt Day works to reduce bullying by celebrating diversity in all its forms and supporting schools, workplaces and communities to be safe, supportive, welcoming and inclusive for everyone. 

To celebrate this important kaupapa we’ll be coming to school wearing something PINK! It could be a pink shirt, pink shorts or even pink socks; anything pink will show your support! 

You can learn more about Pink Shirt Day here: www.pinkshirtday.org.nz.

Oscar Wu, Room 6 was awarded the “ Little Artist of The 5th UWEE Louvre International Art Exhibition" title in the “ONE WORLD·ONE FUTURE" International Art Exhibtion. He was one of the young artists whose artwork "The Dream Wonderlands" was specially invited to be displayed in the Carrousel of the LOUVRE Museum in Paris, France.
Well done Oscar!

Attendance is the first step in accessing learning and is essential for educational success. There is a well-established relationship between attendance and achievement. Research indicates each day of absence from school predicts a similar drop in attainment however, it also tells us that it is never too late to turn attendance around. Missing one week of school each term means missing a whole year of learning by the time your child turns 16. 

This year the Ministry of Education's target is for 70% of students to attend regularly. Attending regularly means they attend at least 90% of the time. Regular attendance is more than just a requirement, it is fundamental for academic achievement and personal growth.

Students aged 6-16 years old are legally required to attend school every day and it’s everyone’s responsibility to make sure our children attend and engage in learning from when they first start school.  Each term schools are sent attendance data based on data submitted by their attendance records.

It's important to note that going away for holidays during term time can disrupt this continuity of learning and affect your child's progress. We encourage families to plan holidays during school breaks to ensure minimal disruption to their child's education.

Here at Sunnynook Primary School, we're committed to supporting our students in their educational journey and committed to supporting their regular attendance. All staff care about your child’s learning. 

Process for checking attendance:

-Parents/caregivers to notify the school if their child is away via Hero/school website/phone the school office 09 410-6534.

-School office to contact parents/caregivers if no absence has been submitted. The office will try the primary contacts phone numbers - text and/or leave voice messages and may send emails. They will also try the emergency contacts if no contact has been made as it then becomes a safety issue.  

-School office, classroom teachers and DP’s monitor students who have repeated absences and DP will get in contact if the attendance rate becomes a concern.

For more information about how you can support your child/tamariki to achieve regular attendance can be found here. 

The Tāmaki Makaurau Recovery Office warmly invites you to attend a public meeting for flood-affected homeowners in Totaravale and Sunnynook.  

At the meeting you will hear about:  

      
- what Auckland Council is doing to help reduce flooding in Totaravale and Sunnynook 

   
- how you can reduce flooding in your home 

   
- support available to protect people from future floods. 

When: 5.30pm to 6.30pm, Tuesday 21 May 2024   

Where: Glenfield War Memorial Hall (Hall Road, Glenfield) 

This is Sunnynook Primary School’s second year following the Mitey approach to mental health education.

Mitey promotes the development of a shared understanding of mental health as an integral

component of our whole school approach. 

In consultation with staff and tamariki, we have developed the following statement on mental health. We have also developed a visual representation of how mental health education will be delivered at Sunnynook Primary School

We want to ensure that the approach fits our community’s needs, aspirations and cultures. Feedback on this statement and model can be given via email to Deputy Principal Rebeccah Bassett-Smith or on Thursday 23 May 9-9:30 am for a pop-in session in the staffroom.

While we prefer to have children attending school, we are also conscious of the fact that some colds, bugs and flu's can quickly go around around a classroom.
We would therefore ask you to keep your child at home if they are displaying any of the following symptoms:

SCHOOL POLICIES – we have an online portal that has all the school’s policies and procedures for parents to view and keep updated at all times. It is a brilliant way to ensure that you are aware of how the school is run and to ensure that when we have reviews of our policies you have your say with regards to those being reviewed.
 

In Term two we are reviewing topics in the Employer Responsibility Policy section.
Go to the Current Review tab on your SchoolDocs site for full review instructions. 
Please follow the steps below to read the review instructions, and also to comment if you choose. 

We are currently seeking the support of parent volunteers to help supervise the crossing on Tonkin Drive on Monday and Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons.  Morning supervision is from 8:15 – 8:50am. Afternoon supervision is from 2.50pm-3.15pm.
 

Without parent volunteers we will be unable to supervise this crossing on a daily basis.

If you are available to volunteer, please email Mrs Bassett-Smith at rebeccahb@sunnynookschool.nz

Thank you! 

PhotoLife advised that they have emailed parents/caregivers with your child’s unique Key Code and instructions on how to view and purchase their photo.   

If you have not received their email, please check your trash / spam folder as well.  If you still have not received an email from PhotoLife, please contact:  secretary@sunnynookschool.nz

Hero School App
In 2024 our main form of communication with you - our school community, is via Hero. On the Hero app, the little bell icon at the top right of your screen shows whether you have any new notifications.  At times if the post is a longer one you may need to click ‘read more’ to view the whole message. We would appreciate it if you could also use Hero to report absences.

Any parents/caregivers who haven't yet signed up for the Hero App can do so by clicking on this link.

School Hours
Our school day is structured as follows:

Late - Students who arrive after 8:50 am need to report to the office via the student entrance for their late pass before going to class. It is important that your child arrives on time.

Absences - If your child is going to be absent from school, please inform the school office every day that your child is going to be absent by either phoning 410 6534 option 1, via the Hero app or via our website. If possible, please inform the school office before 9:00 am.