Kia ora e te whānau,

We have had another great week at Palmerston School, and I am loving the sunshine!

On Monday the teachers had a productive day discussing the refreshed NZ curriculum’s Common Practice Model, our localised curriculum and planning for 2024. We will be starting PR1ME Mathematics next year in our year 2-6 classrooms to support the consistency of teaching and learning across the school. The year 0-1 teachers will be working together to ensure the mathematics programme at this level is preparing children to start PR1ME Mathematics at year 2.

On Monday evening we were invited to Puketeraki Marae to sign the Memorandum of Partnership with Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki. Later in the term I will meet with the kaitoko to plan how this partnership will work in 2024. We are so lucky to have this partnership and I am looking forward to the great opportunities this will provide for our kura and whānau. In term 1 2024 we will be visiting Puketeraki Marae and hope that lots of you will be able to join us.
On Wednesday we had North Otago Cricket at school working with all the classes and next week most classes will be attending the Science Roadshow.

This week Sarah-Jane, Zara and I have been learning about how to get the pool running efficiently and how to test to ensure that the water is safe for swimming. All going well we will have the pool up and running for swimming by the end of the year and ready to go as soon
as term 1 starts 2024.

How quickly the time flies in term 4 with only 4 weeks left in the school year, our senior children are looking forward to activity week and camp. This is the time of the year where our school value of aumakea / perseverance & resilience is super important to keep us all turning up and focused right until the last day!

Ngā mihi nui

Kerry Forse

Principal/Tumuaki

Last Tuesday we had 9 students compete at North Zone Athletics - Kane Kelly, Bill Kelly, Forbes Mackenzie, Luke Heckler, Aria Church, Hope Helm, Oliver Colhoun, Junior Wells and Abraham Marie. 
Congratulations to you all for qualifying, you should all be very proud. It was an awesome day out and all the kids did so well. 

Special mention to the place getters, who will have also qualified for the Otago championship athletics on Tuesday 21st November. 

Kane Kelly - 1st Under 12 boys sprints, 1st year 5/6 800m 
Hope Helm - 1st under 11 girls hurdles, 2nd under 11 girls Discus, 8th under 11 girls sprints 
Oliver Colhoun - 3rd under 11 boys Shot put 
Abraham Marie - 2nd under 10 boys sprints 
Luke heckler - 3rd under 11 boys hurdles 
Junior Wells - 5th under 11 boys shot put 
Forbes Mackenzie - 7th under 11 boys hurdles 

Kia Ora,

Our next meeting is on Wednesday 29th November @ 3.15pm in the school staffroom.

Nga Mihi

Sarah Jane Kelly

Ikura - Free Period Products