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Welcome back to Term 1. I hope you have had an amazing summer holiday!
This year I join the Year 7/8 Syndicate for the first time, a challenge for me as well as looking forward to taking on the Head of PE, Health and Sport role. I look forward to seeing you all over the coming year and I can't wait to enjoy 2021 with you and your child in Room 21. 
Outlined below are important reminders, major learning focuses for the term and key dates for syndicate events.
Important Reminders
Please ensure your child has their swimming togs or a note each day.
Year 8 students need to be at school by 8:30 each Thursday, ready to leave on the bus for technicraft. Year 7 students depart school at 11:45 for their afternoon session at Hamilton Junior High.
Focuses for Term 1
Reading - Guided Reading skills: Making connections, asking questions, identifying the main idea.
Writing - Revise writing skills and personal recounts.
Oral Language - This will be incorporated into the Year 8 rotation on a Thursday. Mr Trafford will be sharing his Toastmasters experience and expertise through ‘Speech Craft’.
Māori - Incorporating daily te reo Māori into the classroom. Teaching of te reo, tikanga and history throughout the term.
Mathematics - Number will be the main focus for Term 1. More specific information will be available from your child's mathematics teacher from Week 2.
ICT and Digital Technologies - Developing Google skills and discovering our rights and responsibilities as Digital Citizens.
Inquiry - This term the focus is on ‘How we learn’. This focus will be weaved through all learning areas where the students will use the learning assets to develop their skills of becoming lifelong learners with the ability to transfer these assets to any learning situation. The five assets require the students to know when and what they do when: They are researchers. They are thinkers. They are self managers. They are collaborators. They are communicators.
Health and P.E. - Kiwi Swimsafe swimming programme and team building games.
Science This will be incorporated as part of the Year 7 students rotation on a Thursday.
Languages - Spanish Mrs Hoskin will continue to build on her teaching of the Year 8 students' knowledge from last year and introduce the Year 7 students to the Spanish language.
Visual Arts - with a focus on I see, I think, I wonder. Developing ‘The Assets’ through art.
Music - Express and shape musical ideas using instruments by preparing and performing a brief musical performance. This will be incorporated as part of the Year 8 rotation on a Thursday.
Dance/Drama - This will be incorporated as part of the Year 7 rotation on a Thursday.
Te Rapa HEART Revising the values that underpin these concepts while continuing to develop the students’ understanding and how these concepts are key to their success not only at school but out in the wider community.
Key Dates for Term 1
Y7/8 Immunisation Education Talk from Public Health Nurse - Wednesday 17th February
Orientation Evening - Thursday 18h February @ 5 – 6.30pm
Year 7&8 Girls Self Defence Sessions - Monday 22nd- Tuesday 2nd March
House Leaders - Y-L.E.A.D Conference: Friday 5th March
Class and Portrait Photos – Wednesday 10th March
Full School Assembly - Friday 12th March
Yr 7&8 Syndicate Swimming Sports – Tuesday 16th March
WFPS Swimming Sports (St Peters Cambridge) - Friday 26th March
Immunisations - Tuesday 30th March
GOOD FRIDAY - April 2nd
Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences - Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th April
End of Term and Full School Assembly - Friday 16th April
If you have any queries or concerns please contact me through email, dropping into school or for longer discussions through appointments.
tcurtis@terapa.school.nz