Learning in School

Tātou Moemoea – Our Vision: 

      

FAITH IN ACTION  :     TE WHAKAPONO ME ANA MAHI                              

We do what Jesus wants us to do

We see a need and do something about it

We live out our faith with actions not just words

We love others

We show empathy, acceptance, forgiveness, kindness and caring

 

Tātou Whakapono – Our Values:

Kindness – Atawhai  Integrity – Tapatahi      Determination – Hiringa Unity – Kotahitanga  

 

                     

  Tātou Mahi – Our Goals:     

Faith / Whakapono: To enable each child to grow in their faith Learning / Ako: To provide quality, child-centred education Wellbeing / Hauora: To contribute to the well being of our students and wider school community Community /  Hapori Whānui To be visible contributors to our parish, school, local community and environment

 

 

Seesaw

Seesaw gives students a place to document their learning, be creative and learn how to use technology. Each student has their own journal and will add things to it such as photos, videos, drawings, and notes. Regular reporting posts will aalso be added to Seesaw showing student’s progress against the curriculum. When there are new posts, families can be notified via app notification, email, or text message. Parents are only notified about their own child’s work, and all data is safe and secure. Check out this link to find out more about Seesaw. Get Seesaw for your device.  Seesaw requires an invitation from your teacher. Please contact your child’s teacher here.

                                                                                                                                   

 

 

Pause, Breathe, Smile

aligns with the New Zealand education curriculum (NZC) in the following ways:

 

 

Teaching Teams (Hubs)

St Patrick’s school is set up in three teams or hubs. Our teaching teams are set up around the age groups of children.

                                  

 

 

Kapa Haka

All our students have the opportunity to participate in Kapa Haka.  We have two Roopu that practice regularly and attend the Tuwharetoa Kapa Haka festival annually.

 

                    

 

 

Learning Through Play

The Koru Hub (Timata, Rooms 1, 2 and 3) teachers are focusing on children’s engagement in their learning. To do this we are investigating learning through play, and this learning is child focused and uses their interests to promote engagement. Literacy and numeracy skills are still taught in small groups as well as through play based activities.

 

 

STEAM

STEAM is an approach to teaching and learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics. It has four guiding principles; it is challenge based, has subject integration, teaches 21st Century skills and involves real world connections. Within STEAM we use a range of tools that help to reinforce the knowledge and skills that we teach, such as Sphero, micro:bit, Osmo and building materials.

 

 

 

 

Enviro Group

Enviro students meet every Friday lunchtime. Parents and a grandparent take turns working with the students. The children weed, plant and harvest in the vegetable gardens. They mulch around the fruit trees and in the bush walk. We have a worm farm that needs to be fed and the worm wee is used as fertiliser. Food scraps are collected to feed pigs and they are responsible for ensuring classes have a recycling system. We have flower and pumpkin growing competitions and have even been on an overnight camp.

Kids Greening Taupo

We have 10 students who represent our school in Kid’s Greening Taupo. These students meet every Friday with Rachel (the education coordinator) as we begin our restoration project. The students are leading our school in developing our bush walk so it becomes a green corridor that will attract birds.

            

 

Whānau Houses

Our school houses begin from New Entrants through to Year 8.  To help with the hype and excitement around school houses all families are in the same house. All staff are also part of a school house. Throughout each term students will have many opportunities to participate in house events and earn points for their house. At the end of each school year, the school house shield will be presented to the winning house.  Through their involvement in these groups, children will have fun and learn about how to further develop the school competencies in a variety of different contexts across the New Zealand curriculum.

   

   

 

 

Year 7 and 8 – Intermediate at St Patrick’s School

St Patrick’s School seeks to provide a range of opportunities for children to develop leadership skills.  It’s our goal to give them the best preparation for college and to see them complete primary school on a high note. Over the years, we’ve found 11 and 12-year-olds achieve amazing things with focus and direction. They welcome the opportunity to lead. They have an enormous appetite for guiding and supporting children younger than themselves – and they’re at a stage in life where they really want to give back. Student leadership is also seen as a vital key in the development of choice and student voice. Our students’ extra-curricular activities add to the strength and sense of community that is fostered here.  So, we’ve developed a whole-school programme for senior students, featuring a range of initiatives, including: leadership (planning and hosting events such as liturgies, sports days, and assemblies) buddying (with younger students) peer mentoring (one another) service (doing things for others in the community). LEADERSHIP ROLES Special Character Leaders – must be baptised and hold a ministry in the Church House Leaders Kapa Haka Leaders Sport Leaders Peer Mediators Guardian Angels Bus Wardens Librarians Office Duty Young Vinnies team