1 August 2017

Newsletter Articles

Principals supporting Principals… Principals supporting Principles!

Kia Ora

Please find this week’s Monday Mailing below.

Thanks colleagues for your feedback and the interesting articles you are sending in to be included in the MM. The more we can be informed the better we can be.

You can access all previous Monday Mailings by clicking here or going to:

Kind regards

Tony

A message from one of your sponsors

Kia ora – welcome to term three!

Halfway through 2017, we are up and at ’em and ready for another term. As New Zealand’s largest out of school care provider, we are dedicated to growing awesome Kiwi kids. We have been sponsoring WPA for over 5 years, as we believe that our partnership with schools is critical in working together to grow awesome Kiwi Kids.

As well as supporting your families, sKids can also support your school in a number of dynamic ways. Whether it be teacher shortages, increasing work loads, diminishing school numbers or just keeping up with the dramatic changes in technology we are very aware of the daily challenges you face and we believe we can help you.

1. Firstly, sKids provides schools with an additional revenue stream. If you haven’t already, consider offering a sKids programme at your school and receive extra revenue through the rent.
2. Secondly, if you are experiencing teacher shortages, why not let us help deliver some practical learning experiences for your students through our innovative music and cooking programmes that can be delivered as part of the school curriculum. We bring everything – you just need to supply the space!

In school specialty programmes

Cooking with FoodStorm

As well as running our exclusive cooking programme, FoodStorm , across New Zealand after school, we offer it during school time as part of the curriculum.

• FoodStorm has been designed by LittleCooks with support from the NZ Heart Foundation, so kids learn how to cook as well as the basics of nutrition. Heart Foundation BLOG
• Cooking is also a practical way to apply STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) principles.
• Last term the Minister of Education, Hon Nikki Kaye, launched FoodStorm at Manurewa South Primary School! Story here

Jellybeans Music

Jellybeans music is a classroom music programme written specifically for New Zealand primary and intermediate schools by qualified music teachers. It offers an easy, affordable way to bring music into your schools.

Currently Jellybeans is being offered throughout Auckland and the Waikato with term 4 bookings filling up fast - many of these schools rebooking for subsequent terms.

And for 2018, schools in Wellington will also be participating in this fantastic programme!

sKids opens doors to NEW opportunities

Through our partnership with NZChefs Association we have been able to run our own semi-finals in the National Cooking Finals, with four sKids kids making it through to the National Cooking Finals on 30 July 2017. The kids from as young as five years old had 30 minutes to deliver a culinary masterpiece, and the results were magical, with dishes ranging from scrambled eggs, to tortilla extraordinaire and popcorn brownie.

Looking for fundraising ideas – try a healthy one?

A Juicies fundraiser is a well-known, popular product that kids love and healthier than many other fundraising food options. For ideas on how Juicies can help your school reach its fundraising goals, check out this story on Five ways to Fundraise with Juicies.

Competition time – lets celebrate Money Week

To recognise Money Week, from 14–20 August, we are giving away 100 money box tins. To enter the draw to win the tins, email marketing@skids.co.nz by 7 August with your name, the name of your school and a reason why we should pick your school to win. The winning school will receive the tins just in time for Money Week and we think they’ll be a great motivator to learning discussions around how to save money.

Ngā manaakitanga
The sKids Family ;)
Office Tel No: 09 576 6602
Fax No: 09 576 9902

WPA Dates

Rant – Do our decision makers really value the skill of our teaching profession?

Is it not interesting the Government has had a change of heart in relation to its immigration policy. (Let’s keep wages low!). The point however I find most interesting is the defined level of skill against the monetary value that our Minister of immigration has stated for his reason to change. What do these monetary values look like when you compare them to the teaching profession pay scale? A Q1 teacher starting out is considered low skilled and their maximum salary stays within the mid skilled range. A Q2 even starts in the low skilled and still max’s out in the mid skill range. The Q3 does start in the mid-range but still max’s out at the top of the mid-range. Does this mean our policy makers see the teaching profession generally as a profession where you only need a mid-level of skill? If this is the case, they can’t expect the teaching profession to work miracles and solve many of the issues facing society today.

This is a personal opinion of one of our members and is not necessarily the opinion of the WPA. Remember this is election year! New policies will be coming out from the many political parties, what are you thinking?

Hmmm…

Hauora… Health & Happiness

A Reading… questions to ask teachers when hiring!

A Thought… Leadership

A Laugh

Reminder: Pay Your WPA Subs…

Please pay your WPA subscription as soon as possible by clicking here. This is even more important if you wish to take advantage of the subsidies provided on the WPA Road Trip, NZPF Conference, etc.

Please support our WPA Business Partners

Schoolzine

Schoolzine is proud to be a digital partner and supporter of Waikato Principals' Association.

Schoolzine has been an industry leader in digital school communications for 10 years. They are dedicated to customer service, product development and understanding the school landscape that keeps them at the top of the industry. Schoolzine’s Parent Engagement Platform consists of 3 packages, an eNewsletter, Mobile App and Website offering. Purchased separately or together, they guarantee each package will make engaging with parents easy and even enjoyable for a school of any size. Schoolzine addresses the need for media-rich, interactive content that engages parents.