Phone 04 528 3094 Email admin@maidstone.school.nz Website www.maidstone.school.nz

11 May 2017 - Term 2, Issue 1

Teacher Only Day – Friday 2 June; Spell-athon is coming! see details on page 3 John Parsons evening see details on page 2

Dear parents, caregivers, students and friends of the school Nga mihi nui ki a koutou katoa Welcome back to Term 2. It’s great to see students and teachers refreshed and ready for another busy term of learning. Our new rooms were opened last Friday and students are excited to be using them. Chris Hipkins (MP for Rimutaka) attended to make the opening official and Matua Patrick and the Kapahaka students performed waiata and a blessing. We are delighted with the new spaces! The style of these spaces indicate a shift in our way of learning with various aspects of the curriculum are being integrated under a common theme (this year it’s Citizenship) providing continuity and context. Learning being done in Materials Technology is highly likely to relate to what’s happening in the Foods Room which is highly likely to relate to the programme in the Visual Arts room. These new spaces are designed to facilitate this change. While each room can be used as a separate classroom, by opening up the doors it creates spaces that can be shared. The decking and the large doors into Lab 14 creates the ability to move between these spaces as well. All of this is designed to enrich the learning experiences, and therefore the outcomes, for our students and staff. Staffing News Kim Watson has resigned as Teacher Aide to take up other opportunities. We welcome Dane Fowler to a teacher aide role for Term 2. A very warm welcome also to Jennifer Emslie, Gold Syndicate, Room 20.

During the holidays a Call Back Day was held for all staff and Board of Trustees members. This was an opportunity to begin reviewing the Vision, Mission and Values of Maidstone Intermediate. We looked at the characteristics and needs of our early adolescent students before identifying our collective Purpose. The final statement of Purpose is: 'To inspire positive self-belief in learners to think critically and contribute meaningfully in an increasingly changing world.’ Our next step is to review our Vision, Mission and Values in line with this Purpose. Thank you all the staff and board for commitment to a highly successful day.

Nga mihi Mary O’Regan Principal

MAIDSTONE CROSS COUNTRY – DATE CHANGE Please note there has been a change to our School Cross Country date; it is now on Friday 26 May 9:10 am - 11:30. The postponement date will be Tuesday 30 May if required.

PTA - COME JOIN US! The PTA is a small, fun group of Maidstone supporters (you don't have to be a parent to come along!) who

organise events to raise money for 'extras' for our kids. This includes things that benefit all the kids, including

subsidising buses for school trips, classroom ipads and chrome books, games and resources for wet lunch

breaks etc.

We would love you to join us. Meetings last only an hour and we'd love some fresh ideas.

Our next meeting is on Monday, 12 June at 3.15 pm so mark it in your diary now and we'll see you there.

Maidstone Intermediate Newsletter

UPCOMING EVENTS 17 May Rugby 7s

18 May Rugby 7s pp day

22 May BOT meeting in staff room

26 May MIS Cross Country

PP day for Cross Country 30 May

22 May Board Meeting in staff room

29 May Year 7 Immunisations

2 June Teacher Only Day

9 June Garage sale 3.30-7.00pm

13 June John Parsons talk

John parsons evening - Please mark in your diaries! Tuesday 13th June 7- 8pm in the Library or School Hall (depending

on numbers). John Parsons is an Internet Safety and Risk Assessment Consultant who delivers cyber security training workshops to New Zealand Police, the Health Sector and the Education sector.

There is a growing need to have a clear understanding of the protocols, issues and dangers for our children using the online environment. John can explain about, and prepare you, for security risks and emerging threats that might affect you and your children. He is an accomplished public speaker who travels extensively in New Zealand and is regularly invited to speak via TV and radio. Visit his website for further information. http://www.johnparsons.nz/ Any inquiries please contact Kerry Baines at school.

NETBALL 2017 Saturday 6th May marked the beginning of the 2017 Netball Season, where we were graced with beautiful weather. It was great to see our teams in action; looking fabulous in their Maidstone dresses. We had mixed results, but our players represented our school well by living the school values and showing good sportsmanship. Some fee payments are still outstanding, and these need to be paid by the end of grading rounds please. Thank you to our awesome coaches, managers, umpires and supporters. Here’s hoping we have another prosperous year!

Mangahigh MATHS Hi, my name is Eddie Jillett and I am from Room 3. During last week’s Assembly, I was given the 1st place medal for the highest achieving student during April. Anisha P from Room 18 followed behind in 2nd place and Alex F from Room 18 came in 3rd.

I would like to say congratulations to all the fantastic syndicates that used teamwork and tried their best. In the end, it was Green Syndicate who came in 3rd place, Blue Syndicate who came in 2nd, and Gold Syndicate who came in 1st. The highest achieving classes were, Room 18 who came 1st, Room 3 who came 2nd, and Room 20 who came in 3rd.

Mangahigh is full of many fun and amazing games. My favourite activity would have to be Jet Stream Riders. You can get points easily and it is a fun way to improve your multiplication skills. Another great game is Beavers Builder. This game helps to improve your fractions and is full of fun animations to keep you addicted to the game for longer.

GARAGE SALE The Rarotonga and AIMS Games teams are holding a monster garage sale! Do you have clothing, homewares, knick knacks or craft items we could sell? Do you have items we could raffle? We are looking for good quality items to be donated. We may be able to pick up larger items by arrangement. If you would like to donate items, please bring them along to school over the next four weeks. Our Garage Sale will be held at school on: Friday 9 June. 3.30 – 7.00pm. All welcome!

Please email rachael.kneepkens@maidstone.school.nz with queries.

College Visits for Year 8 students All Year 8 students have been welcomed to attend both local colleges for guided visits on Tuesday 6 June. Students will be accompanied by teachers to Upper Hutt College in the morning, followed by Heretaunga College in the afternoon. Students are encouraged to visit both schools and experience what learning might be like for them in 2018. In the past all Year 8's have attended and enjoyed the information received, guided tours of the schools, and opportunities to have a taste of the college curriculum. Keep an eye on Open Evenings for all colleges in the local area this term. Some dates and times are included in this newsletter.

UPPER HUTT COLLEGE, OPEN EVENING, Wednesday 14 June 2017, Starting at 6 pm. All prospective students interested in attending Upper Hutt College in 2018 and their parents/caregivers are invited to attend the Upper Hutt College Open Evening on Wednesday 14 June 2017. The evening will commence in the hall at 6pm with a brief welcome. Students and their parents/caregivers will then be given a tour of the school, escorted by our senior students. Various subject areas highlighting courses, student achievement and information will be on display. Although the Open Evening is primarily for prospective Year 9 students, prospective students of any level are welcome. For more information please contact the College, Phone 527 8749; email office@upperhutt.school.nz; website www.upperhutt.school.nz FUNDRAISING FOR RAROTONGA TRIP – A student who has been selected to go on the trip to

Raratonga has come up with a novel fundraising idea. Fabric Magnet Boards. Attached with this email is a brochure he has prepared to help with his fundraising effort. Photos and choices are available. Look at the brochure – one of these boards would enhance any homes décor. Brochures available at the office.

Gold syndicate eotc trip : OLDen TIMES On Thursday the 4th of May, Gold Syndicate went on their EOTC trip to Featherston. The trip had already been postponed once from its original date in Term One, and risked being moved all the way to Term 4 if the weather was mean to us. But we were brave, and still went ahead and did it. The weather was quite nice actually. At Upper Hutt station all the teachers moved along their classroom lines and marked the roll. By the time that was done, the train appeared. We all got on. I shoved my bag under the table, grabbed my book and started to read. Soon I was inside a very long tunnel that someone said we were in for eight minutes. Shortly after that the train arrived in Featherston. We walked to the Fell Locomotive Museum. Mr Reid then put us into four groups. My group firstly went to the Fell train, then the signalling and train control area. We got to try out the equipment. We had to see what the different signal tablets looked like and swap them over. Next we had to pull and push down the

button on the top of the machine to know if the other train was coming or not. We had to see what the different signal tablets looked like and swap them over. Next we had to pull and push down the button on the top of the machine to know if the other train was coming or not. The third rotation was watching a video of Cross Creek. What we learned from the video was that hardly anyone lived in Cross Creek, only the people that worked the trains, the teachers, and the children of the train people. We also learned that they had to change the train’s brakes every trip. The final rotation for my group was morning tea break. The other groups had their morning tea earlier. Our morning tea time ended up being joined to our lunch break! After lunch we crossed the road and headed to the park that’s very close to the museum. There was a playground, and everyone showed their true colours and played like little children, swinging on swings, going down slides, and just screaming. Then we were called over to line up, as our buses had arrived. Once we had got out of the buses and had yet another roll call we walked for 30 minutes to the remains of Cross Creek village. People used to live there, but they had created a tunnel so they did not need to go there anymore. We got into groups. I was with Lisa, my dad and Lisa’s mum. We got an activity card and started doing it, and once we had finished the card, we then traded it with someone and carried on with the next one. Before long it was time to go. We walked out to the buses which dropped us off at Featherston station. After a while the train came and we were on our way home. When we reached Upper Hutt station we were signed off by our teachers. I went over to my brother and walked to the car ready for the next big adventure… by Jasmine E & Lisa V. Year 7, Room 20

The Great Maidstone Spell-athon is coming! Week 2 (8-12 May) Details, Sponsorship Forms, Spelling lists to go out Weeks 3-7 (May 13- 15 May) Collect sponsors and learn spelling lists! Week 7 (Friday, 16 May) SPELLATHON! Weeks 8-9 (19-30 June) Collect money from sponsors Students will bring home all the details this Friday. This is our major fundraiser for the year to raise much needed funds for digital technologies in the classrooms. We thank you in advance for your support with this.

SRC Leaders' speech for the building opening - Heidi Waterman, Harry Hocking Good morning Mr Hipkins, Mrs Clegg, Ms O’Regan, architects, builders, parents, teachers and students. My name is Heidi and this is Harry and we are the Maidstone Intermediate SRC chair people. We are so excited to see these rooms being opened for all of us as citizens of Maidstone, to enjoy, work hard and achieve great things in. We think that the great thing about this space is that it's based on the Maori legend about the separation of Ranginui and Papatuanuku. As you walk through the new visual arts room you will see blue walls. These represent Ranginui the sky father. In the new Materials room the green on the walls represents Papatuanuku; mother earth. Between Ranginui and Papatuanuku you see the colour orange in the breakout space representing the sand between the sky and the earth. As Harry has said, the colours in the Visual arts and Materials rooms have been based on the legend of Ranginui and Papatuanuku. Ranginui and Papatuanuku once lay tight together. Between them their children also lay. But the children were desperate to get out and see the light for themselves. They started trying and trying to get out until finally they were freed. These new rooms represent the light and new learning and possibilities for the students and staff who will pass through them. We are looking forward to the achievements of the students and teachers who will work in this space not only this year, but for many years to come. Thank you again to all the architects, builders, painters and teachers who put so much time into these new Visual Arts and Materials rooms.

Entertainment Books We are again selling Enterainment Books this year from the school but will not be sending them home with your child. Should you wish to buy one you can get a book from the office – or you can order your book or your digital copy online at http:// www.entbook.co.nz/105a364. 20% from each membership contributes to our fundraising. Please tell your family and friends. Thank you for your support.

COMMUNITY NOTICES Marsden School Whitby - Open Day and Scholarships

If your son or daughter is in Year 8 now is a good time to consider their education for Year 9 and beyond. Marsden School Whitby is holding an Open Day on Sunday 7 May at 11am to 1pm, 2 Starboard Lane, Whitby. Marsden School Whitby Year 9 Scholarships, for entry in 2018, are now open too. You can find more details and apply online. Applications close 18 May 2017

Wesley College 2018 Enrolments OPEN DAY Wednesday, 14 June 2017 11.00: Formal Welcome to Wesley College 11.30:

School Curriculum Prospectus, Fees and Wesley Grant 12.00: Lunch Provided 12.30: School Tour and Class Visits 1pm: Hostels open for viewing. To register your interest contact Wesley College. Email: admin@wesley.school.nz Phone: (09) 2370224 SOLWAY COLLEGE OPEN DAY - SATURDAY 13 MAY 2017 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Our Open Day gives prospective students and their families and our community the opportunity to see what Solway College has to offer. For your information we are an integrated Year 7 to Year 13 day and boarding school for girls. We are a small school with Christian and family values. Most of our students enrol in Years 7, 8 or 9. We accept students from all walks of life and are academically very successful. For more information go to: www.solwaycollege.school.nz WHEEL OF FORTUNE PRIZE DRAW WINNERS

The lucky winners of the latest spins of the wheel are: Shylah from Room 7 who won a Popcorn maker Nick G from Room 1 won an MP3 player.

Thank you to the following firms for sponsoring this Newsletter and

the Maidstone Gold Ticket “Wheel of Fortune

0274 416931

526 2274

526 2275

Ph. 0800 634 572 Fax 236 0174 nzcoach@xtra.co.nz

David Haswell 027 440 6534 04 526 6602 Ask about our party bus

Ryan Thomas Custom Construction For a quote please call Ryan Smith 0273467235 Or Email: ryanthomascc@gmail.com

Ground Floor, The Mall,

Upper Hutt

Phone/Fax (04) 529 7342

Get your sKETCHERS School Shoes here – 2 Geange Street Upper Hutt