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Explanation of Student Assessment System |
Education Review Office Report |
School Social |
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Advice re: Respiratory Illnesses |
School
Attendance |
Inter-Class
Rugby |
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Visitors to
the School |
The Lion, the Witch, and
the Wardrobe |
Tokoroa BlueLight Ventures |
Dear Parents / Caregivers
PARENT INTERVIEWS AND REPORT AFTERNOON / EVENINGS – Tuesday 5th and
Wednesday 6th July
Mid year Parent Interview and Report evenings are next Tuesday and Wednesday
in the school hall.
All students have been given Parent Interview newsletters to take home to
enable parents to arrange interview times. If your child has not
brought one home, please ask for it or arrange to get another one from
school.
Interview times are arranged on a first in, first time basis. Students
will bring home slips which indicate the date and time of interview. A
reminder that parents cannot turn up without an interview time and expect to
be slotted in.
If you are unable to attend interviews on Tuesday or Wednesday, contact your
child’s class teacher if you wish to have an interview at an alternative
time.
Reports will be mailed out later next week to parents who do not attend
interviews. Interviews start at 3:00p.m. so school will finish on
Tuesday and Wednesday at 2:30p.m. to enable teachers to get organised for
interviews.
If you would like the
report assessment system we are using further explained or clarified you can
either make an appointment with me prior to the parent interview evening or
see me, if I am free, on 5 or 6 July when you come up for your interview.
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Explanation of the System we use to Assess Students
Students Reports
Last year for the first time on student reports, we indicated what the
assessments (Outstanding, Above Average, Average, Below Average and Low)
mean. This will give parents an indication on how their child is
progressing, in comparison with other students around the country, in each
curriculum area. All schools are now required to report to parents
against the National Achievement Levels.
Assessments (marks or ticks) on student reports can be matched to the
achievement levels in the New Zealand Curriculum Documents. These are
the documents all New Zealand schools are required to use to teach from and
assess against. To assist us to gain accuracy with our assessments or
marks, we have used a range of New Zealand standardised tests, assessment
material the Ministry of Education has made available and our own guidelines
and data. This is to help provide a level of consistency across the
school.
The New Zealand Curriculum Documents indicate the level students should be
on in each year level. A “Level” covers approximately two years, e.g.
“Level” 3, an average Year 6 and 7 student will be on this level while an
average Year 8 and 9 student will be on “Level” 4.
Because a “Level” covers approximately two years work, we have included +
and – to give us a 3 point scale to better indicate to parents where their
child stands, e.g. 3-, 3 and 3+. It also allows us to better show progress,
as an average child will remain in the same level for approximately two
years
Our report assessments are:
| Outstanding |
Year 7 |
Level 4- and above |
| |
Year 8 |
Level 4+ and above |
| |
|
|
| Above Average |
Year 7 |
Levels 3+ to 4- |
| |
Year 8 |
Levels 4- to 4+ |
| |
|
|
| Average |
Year 7 |
Levels 3 to 3+ |
| |
Year 8 |
Levels 3+ to 4- |
| |
|
|
| Below Average |
Year 7 |
Levels 3- to 3 |
| |
Year 8 |
Levels 3- to 3+ |
| |
|
|
| Low |
Year 7 |
Level 2+ and below |
| |
Year 8 |
Level 2+ and below |
There are no levels for “effort” marks in each curriculum area and for
“Personal and Social Development” assessments. This comes from the teacher’s
professional judgement.
A Student may be assessed as low in maths for attainment, but because he /
she is working extremely well, will get an “Outstanding” or “Above Average”
mark for effort.
Attached is a sample school report. It will give parents an idea of what our
report will look like.
If you would like the above report assessment system explained further to
you, please make an appointment to see me prior to the Interview & Report
evening or on the evening when you come up to school for the parent
interview (if I’m not busy with another parent).
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Education Review Office ReportIn the last two newsletters I provided
information on our school reading programme. In today’s newsletter is
information from the Report on areas of “good performance” on Maori and
Pacific Island Education and Technology. These are areas of schooling
the Government has instructed ERO to report on.
Maori Education
Expectations and relationships: Learning and behavioural expectations of
Maori students encourage the setting of high personal goals. Teachers
are committed to bringing about change in Maori students’ educational
achievement. The internal Maori review process is indicative of the
school’s commitment to raising student achievement levels. Teachers
have the knowledge and skills to link learning to Maori student experiences
and to form collaborative relationships with whanau and the wider Maori
community. This positive environment contributes to Maori student
confidence and self esteem.
Pacific Island Education
Student engagement in learning: Classroom observations show high levels of
student participation in teaching and learning programmes. Students
express a positive feeling about their relationships between and with
teachers. A range of support services are operating to assist student
learning. Pacific students enjoy and value their school experiences.
Technology
Programme organisation: An emphasis is placed on providing programmes at a
level appropriate to students’ life experiences and understandings.
Many activities are directly relevant to living in Tokoroa with specific
references made to the timber industry. Involvement in a variety of
experiences, particularly through cooperative group work, enables students
to transfer the theory to a practical application. Students are
interested in the way technological ideas are relevant to their town and
able to speak confidently and clearly about their learning in technology.
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School SocialA reminder that our first school social of
the year is tonight. Students must have an invitation which is signed
by a parent before they are allowed in.
Several Important Reminders
- Invitation permission slips must be presented at the door, signed by a
parent / guardian.
- Pupils will need to be brought to and collected from the hall. This is a
condition of attending the Social. Students are not to arrange to meet
parents in Elizabeth Drive, Billah Street or the Matarawa Bus Bay. This is
for safety reasons.
- The Elizabeth Drive gate will be open before the Social and again at the
end of the Social.
- A tidy standard of dress is required.
- No hats, bandanas or beanies.
- Bags are discouraged.
- The Tuck Shop is open but large amounts of money are not to be brought.
- Security will be in attendance to support the staff.
- No pupils may leave the hall until dismissed by the teacher-in-charge.
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Advice for
Parents/Guardians Looking after Children with Respiratory IllnessAs most parents / guardians are aware, there has
been a bout of influenza which has in some cases lead to other more serious
illnesses. The following information is from a report provided by the
Ministry of Health.
Limiting the spread of the illness
- Keep sick children at home. They should not return to school until they have
been better for at least 24 hours.
- Make sure hands are washed and dried well after sneezing, wiping or blowing
the nose; going to the toilet; and before eating and preparing food.
- Keep coughs and sneezes covered with a tissue. Dispose of the tissue in a
rubbish bin.
Looking after sick children at home
- Keep your child warm and give them frequent small drinks of clear fluid,
for example, water or watered-down juice.
- Give your child paracetamol, not aspirin,
if they are irritable, miserable or appear to be in pain. Check the correct
dose is given.
- Check your child frequently, including overnight.
What to watch out for
Most school-aged children recover in 5 to 7 days. It is important, however,
that parents and caregivers also watch out for signs that their child may
have developed a bacterial infection or another serious illness.
The following signs indicate you need to seek immediate medical attention
for your child.
- If your child was getting well and then a high
temperature (more than 38.5°C) returns. This may indicate a
secondary bacterial infection.
- If the child is persistently breathing faster than usual or has
difficulty breathing for example,
breathing is noisy or it is taking a lot of effort for the child to breath.
- Persistent pain that doesn’t go away and isn’t relieved by
paracetamol, or requires more than 4 doses of paracetamol in 24 hours, or
requires regular paracetamol for more than a day.
- A rash that looks like small
bruises under the skin and doesn’t go away when pressed on with a finger.
- A child that is drowsy or not responsive.
If your child’s illness gets worse or you are concerned
ring your GP immediately or in an emergency dial 111.top
School Attendance
The Ministry of Education is working with all Tokoroa schools and the
Tokoroa police because of the low attendance figures in Tokoroa when
compared with many other areas around the country. They are concerned
because there is a close correlation between attendance and academic success
and that many criminal activities are carried out by truant students.
As we have pointed out in our newsletters, the only legitimate reason for
students not to attend school are because of sickness and bereavement.
Unfortunately some parents condone students non attendance at school for
various unacceptable reasons (wet weather, shopping, looking after siblings,
friends and relations visiting, etc).
From the beginning of Term 3 the Tokoroa Police will be involved in helping
schools reduce truancy. This will involve patrolling the township and
visiting homes. The Truancy initiative which will involve Tokoroa
schools, the Ministry of Education and the Tokoroa Police will be publicised
in the media during the holidays.
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Inter-Class Rugby
It is pleasing to see the interest being shown by the students with the
interclass rugby competition, which takes place during lunchtime.
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Visitors to School - Must check in at the office
It is important that visitors check in at the office. This includes parents
/ guardians. Although it may be an inconvenience it is to ensure student
safety and welfare.
There are three main reasons for this:
- There are a number of students attending our school who have protection and
court orders against family members laving any contact with them.
- To help us prevent older youths coming onto our grounds and hassling and
intimidating our students.
- To help us prevent people who have no right or authority to be in our
grounds mixing with our students.
When you call at the office you will be given a red permission slip. Thank
you to parents / guardians who are already calling into the office.
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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Children’s Holiday Programme
Monday 18 July to Friday 22 July
9:30a.m. to Midday
Run by St. Francis Church Team Ministry
Registration forms available at school office
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Tokoroa Bluelight VenturesTerm Two School Holiday’s
Camp
Where: Lake Karapiro Camping & Pursuits Centre
Date: 10 – 14 July 2005
Age Group: 10 – 13 Years
Cost: $45.00 per person
Contact Kylie Tahere (07) 8850108 or 021 066 5728
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Warren Long
PRINCIPAL
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