In today’s newsletter we have the following:
- News from the Principal and DP’s
- Getting Ready for the First Day
- What Do Students Need to Bring on Their First Day (2 February)?
- Where Do We Meet on the First Day?
- Upcoming Events for February
- Who is Who on the Staff
- Class Placement
- Communication – School Apps
- Library – Late Fees
- Student Safety
- Team Newsletters
- Super Bowl – Friday 5th February
- Meet the Teacher Evening and Picnic on the Field – Thursday 11th February, 5-6.30pm
- 2021 Term Dates
- Finance
- School Website Shop
- Student Congratulations
- Psychologist and Counsellor’s Spot
- PTA News
- School Lunches
- ANI Sports-Pro Programme
- School Pool
- Community News
NEWS from the PRINCIPAL and DPs
Dear Parents and Caregivers
Tēnā koutou i ngā whānau o te kura.
Nau mai ki te ngāhurutanga rua mano tekau! Ngā mihi nunui o te tau hou.
A very warm welcome to a new school year – with last year’s traumatic ride behind us 2021 brings plenty of opportunity and a spotlight on rebuilding. We are very fortunate to have had the summer we did with so many parts of the world experiencing a re-emergence of the virus and further lockdowns. The impact of these events and disruption to stability for these global communities has been challenging to say the least. Our thoughts to all of you who have families overseas in areas that continue to be impacted by the pandemic.
Looking ahead to this year we have a strong focus on restoring normality and getting ourselves back on track to a solid foundation. We look forward to a very full and varied calendar with plenty of opportunities ahead of us. We want our young people to experience a balance between academic success, positive social interactions and full involvement in sports, cultural activities and the arts. We also want them to have a bit of fun along the way. As far as growth in learning goes we can assure you that every student will be fully involved in decision making about their progress including areas that require development or support from the class teacher. We are proud of the active role and responsibility our students take for their progress. You’ll be amazed at what they are capable of as they journey through these intermediate years with us.
The old saying “you only get out of something what you put into it” certainly epitomises the intermediate schooling years and the vital role school plays in all our lives. At ANI our teachers are well equipped to get the best out of your young person – they are highly trained with deep pedagogical content knowledge, skilled in motivating and engaging this age group and very talented in dealing with boredom, distractions and, dare we say it, mood swings that may surface on the odd occasion!
What can you expect from this year?
For some young people they might be in a completely new school environment with a lot of new people – classmates and teachers. What will your young person need to know?
They will go to different classes in different rooms with different teachers at various times throughout the week;
They will be responsible for knowing their timetable, being in the right place at the right time and having the correct books and equipment with them;
They will be learning new subjects such as a language, specialisation and science subjects;
They will have different options for sports, arts and other school activities;
The school day may be longer for them – 8.45 am to 3.00pm;
They will have more homework;
There could be practical changes like different transport to and from school;
They may be doing different activities before or after school, for example, we have a distance squad that runs twice a week starting at 7.30am;
They will need to listen carefully to the daily notices, so they know when and where to turn up for an activity or event;
They will be encouraged to get involved in the many extra curricular activities that the school offers such as sporting teams, dance/drama, music and the school production;
They will be expected to attend regularly and not be late for school;
They can expect to work hard, make progress and have fun!
Who is who and who can we talk to?
The Class Teacher
Class teachers are with the class for the whole school year and should be your first point of contact. They take the roll twice a day and read the daily notices every morning. The teacher will be the person you talk to if your child has any problems or issues they need help with. The class teacher also teaches core subjects such as reading writing and maths (there is no cross grouping – every teacher has their own class for these very important learning areas).
Specialist teachers
The specialist teachers offer a programme that students will attend one day a week. The programme includes:
Science, Hard materials, Foods and Soft materials, Sports, Visual Arts, Dance and Drama, and Digital Technologies (coding etc).
The specialist teachers are there to help and support your young person learn new skills in these areas and develop knowledge as some of these subjects may be new to them.
Team Leaders
Each team (Matai, Rimu, Totara, Kauri, Kowhai, Nikau and Rata) has a team leader who leads the team in planning, assessment, behaviour management of students, parent interactions and learning. While they are still a classroom teacher, their job is to lead and manage the team – whether it be team meetings or team events such as EOTC or class trips. They deal with any matters that the classroom teacher requires support with.
The Year Deans (we have one for Year 7 and one for Year 8) provide support and academic
guidance to both teachers and students. The dean is a good person to talk to if you have
questions or concerns about your teenager that can’t be addressed by the team leader or class teacher.
School Counsellor
Our counsellor is here to help students and parents and/or carers with personal matters like stress and bullying. This is a free and confidential service and students or parents can drop into the counsellors office in the main administration building, email or drop a note in the library box to make an appointment.
English Speakers of Other Languages Teacher (ESOL)
Our ESOL teacher is here to support students for whom English is not their first language.
This teacher provides the necessary support and guidance to ensure each student is making progress in their learning in an English speaking environment. The teacher develops appropriate learning approaches to meet a group or individual students learning needs.
Learning Support Teachers
Our Learning Support Teachers support students with learning difficulties or special abilities.
They may be attached to each team to support a variety of students in different classes, to a group of students or sometimes they work beside specific individuals.
Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO)
Our SENCO connects students with the necessary support and guidance to ensure they are making progress in their learning. This support may include a tailored learning programme, internal or external support, or a teacher aide. Our SENCO will develop the best learning approach to meet each student’s individual learning needs.
How do we make sure transition is successful?
Transitioning can be difficult whether it be from one year group to the next (e.g. Year 7 to Year 8) or to a new and different school. This is what successful transition looks like at ANI:
- Students quickly feel they belong in their new school or class, they are regularly included in school activities and programmes;
- Students are positively connected to their peers, to other students in their buddy class and also to teachers;
- The class teacher knows them well even in the first few weeks, including their strengths, interests and learning needs, and show they are interested in them;
- All teachers in the school understand the importance of their language, culture and identity;
- Students have a sense of purpose in being at school;
- Students have an understanding and commitment to their learning pathway – they are making progress;
- Students can see their learning is connected and continuous, this means it follows on from the previous year;
- Learning is appropriately challenging interesting, relevant and fun;
- Students are physically and emotionally safe with plenty of opportunities to try new, exciting things and extend their particular skill interests.
Children learn best when home and school work together and we encourage you to discuss learning activities with your young person on a regular basis. What matters most is parents showing they are interested, allowing for errors and mistakes as an opportunity to learn (try not to become learning police) and having quality family time. With busy schedules, remember it’s what you do in the time you have with them that really matters.
This year, more so than any other year, is the time to support, encourage and work alongside your child as a learning partner and keep their spirits high.
We welcome parent contact and we look forward to meeting as many of you as possible, especially at the first parent evening which is Meet the Teacher on 11th February – details enclosed in today’s newsletter.
We are all very excited about the year ahead – bring it on!
Kia ngatahi ai te tu
E pakari ai te tuara
Together we are Strong
Jill Farquharson – Principal
Bryce Mills and Shane Devery – Deputy Principals
GETTING READY FOR THE FIRST DAY
A couple of useful tips from the Ministry of Education to help get into the swing of back to school routines.
- If your child is new to the school, visit the school grounds over the next few days to help them get familiar with their new surroundings.
- Walking, scooting or cycling to school is a great start to the day. Practice the safest route to school over the weekend – don’t forget a helmet if they’re on wheels.
- It’s easy to let bedtimes slip during the school holidays. Get your child back into their regular bedtime routine a few days before school starts so they’re rested and ready.
- If your child is anxious about their first day, make time to talk to them about their worries. Ask them how they feel and really listen to what they say, rather than telling them not to worry.
- Help your child get their clothes, sun hat, shoes, lunch and backpack ready the night before school starts to reduce stress in the morning.
- Make sure you’ve labelled ALL your child’s belongings including lunchbox, drink bottle and sun hat.
WHAT DO STUDENTS NEED TO BRING ON THEIR FIRST DAY (Tuesday 2 February)?
There are a number of things to remember to bring on the first day:
– your morning tea, lunch and a drink
– sunscreen and hat or cap
– your P.E. gear as you might be taken out for a game
– swimming togs for a lunchtime dip
– your signed ICT agreement form
– your stationery (it can be covered if you like), pens, pencils and your device
– a lock for your bike or scooter if you travelled to school using this form of transport
– a smile and great attitude as that’s exactly what your teacher will be bringing!
WHERE DO WE MEET ON THE FIRST DAY?
On Tuesday 2 February, students will meet in the University Gym (or Barn as we call it) for a year group assembly – Year 7s meet at 9am and Year 8s meet at 11am Parents you are also welcome – see map below.
Teachers and other staff will be stationed around the school in fluro vests so look out for them. They will help direct you if you’re lost or not sure how to locate the ‘Barn’ in the University grounds. You will be welcomed once in the barn and find out what class you are in at that time. Following the assembly you will then go back to class with your teacher.
A formal welcome for the whole school (Whakatau) will be held at a later date with details to come on School Apps.
All students stay at school until 3pm on Tuesday 2 February.
On Wednesday 3 February all students will start at 9am and they go directly to class. School finishes at 3pm that day also.
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR FEBRUARY
Put these February dates in your diary so you don’t miss a beat:
Monday 1 – Auckland Anniversary Day observed (school closed)
Tuesday 2 – Uniform Shop open 8.00am – 10.00am; YEAR 7 STUDENTS START SCHOOL AT 9.00AM; YEAR 8 STUDENTS START SCHOOL AT 11.00AM; SCHOOL FINISHES AT 3.00PM FOR ALL STUDENTS
Thursday 4 – Immunisation Talks
Friday 5 – Super Bowl (a whole school sports event – details to come)
Monday 8 – Waitangi Day observed (school closed)
Tuesday 9 – Friday 12 – EOTC for Year 7 Totara Team
Thursday 11 – Meet the Teacher Evening and picnic 5.00pm – 6.30pm (details below)
Monday 15 – PTA Meeting at 7.00pm
Monday 15 – Thursday 18 – EOTC for Year 7 Kauri Team
Tuesday 23 – Central Zone Girls Tennis
Wednesday 24 – School Photographs; Board of Trustees Meeting at 6.00pm
Thursday 25 – Central Zone Boys Tennis; Parent Information Evening (details to come)
WHO IS WHO ON THE STAFF
We are pleased to advise that the school is fully staffed with some very excited teachers. Staff have spent a large amount of time preparing for the term ahead and we are all ready for action. During the week we had two days of International Baccalaureate professional development (or training) a number of planning meetings and a day of fun with team building taking place at Rainbow’s End – oh heck are those rides scary!
If you’re keen to know who is who on the staff please go to our website and click on the image. You can also click HERE for a full staff list and the staff members role.
CLASS PLACEMENT
While we do our best to get class placements right, on occasions the teacher we have selected for your child may not suit. Placements are made taking a variety of factors into the mix such as school reports, previous test results, placement test, interviews and teacher feedback. If you feel that despite our best efforts a change may be required then please wait until they have had a full week of school before calling us to make sure it’s not just settling in at the start of a new year or a new school. We would be happy to meet with you to discuss your concerns after Tuesday 9th February. For an appointment please email:
– Year 7: Bryce Mills (Deputy Principal) bmills@ani.school.nz or Colin Dale (Year 7 Dean) cdale@ani.school.nz
– Year 8: Shane Devery (Deputy Principal) sdevery@ani.school.nz or Megan Hughes (Year 8 Dean) mhughes@ani.school.nz.
COMMUNICATION – SCHOOL APPS
All day to day information, events and updates will be communicated to you through School Apps. The school newsletter (published monthly), the Friday Flyer (published weekly on a Friday) and any other notices will all be sent to you via a School Apps notification. This app can also be used to report an absence and can be downloaded by the whole family and on multiple devices.
It is important that you update which subscriptions you have on the app also – such as Year 7 or Year 8 messages, various sports, classroom-specific messages, etc. You can do this by clicking on the 3 horizontal lines in the top left-hand corner, and selecting ‘Alert Subscriptions’.
Should there be a school emergency this is how we will notify you so it is essential you have the App installed. For clear instructions on how to download please visit here.
Any problems our IT expert Mr Tinashe Biri can be contacted on tbiri@ani.school.nz
LIBRARY – LATE FEES
Books for students can be issued two at a time, for up to two weeks. They can also be renewed for another two weeks but only once – a total of four weeks maximum loan time. After this period overdue fees are incurred and the fee is automatically calculated by the computer issuing system at the rate of 0.10c per day past the due date. Our Librarian, Sakima Cornwall, will go over this with all students during class library visits so they are all aware of the need to keep track of our book stock.
STUDENT SAFETY
As part of keeping children safe at ANI, office staff will follow up and contact parents about any unexplained absences. This happens via a text to your mobile. Please remember to use the School Apps to notify us if your son/daughter is away and also remind them it is a requirement they sign in and out at the office if they are leaving the school during the day. We take student safety very seriously and will ensure you are advised of any concerns we have around absences as quickly as possible.
TEAM NEWSLETTERS
On the first day of each term the team leader prepares a team newsletter telling you what they are planning for the term ahead (Year 8 Matai/Rimu, Year 7 Totara/Kauri). In addition the Specialist Team (Kowhai) will also send home a newsletter outlining events and activities in these specialist areas. These are uploaded to our website at the beginning of each term.
SUPER BOWL – FRIDAY 5th FEBRUARY
This is a whole school event where Year 7 classes are buddied with a Year 8 class and mixed teams participate in a number of fun activities and games during the entire day. This is a great way to get to know each other, get engaged with sports activities, and at the same time have lots of fun. Students are allowed to come to school in their PE uniform on this date. Also, bring your hat or cap, sporty footwear, a drink and sunscreen. Details will be provided to students by the classroom teacher on Thursday 4th February.
MEET THE TEACHER EVENING AND PICNIC ON THE FIELD – THURSDAY 11th FEBRUARY, 5.00 – 6.30pm
On Thursday 11th February, come along to school and meet your child’s teacher in their classroom from 5.00-5.30pm, have a sneak peek at the MakerSpaces and then enjoy a picnic and games on the field until 6.30pm. There will be sausages, drinks and pizza for sale – all $2, or you can bring along your own picnic food. We will have lots of sports equipment out for families to use and all the class teachers will be circulating. A fun night for all.
2021 TERM DATES
Term 1: 2 February – 16 April
Term 2: 3 May – 9 July
Term 3: 26 July – 1 October
Term 4: 18 October – 14 December
FINANCE
School Payments and Donations for 2021
To those families who have already paid their school donation in addition to other payments a great big thanks. Your support of our school makes such a difference to the education we can provide for your children in addition to all the extras we have on offer that make ANI such a great place to learn.
Ministry Donations Scheme:
You may be aware that some schools were given the opportunity to opt into a Ministry of Education Donations scheme where schools would qualify to receive $150 donation per student per year and parents would not be asked for a donation. Unfortunately as a decile 9 school we did not qualify for this scheme ( it was for deciles 1-7 ONLY).
What do I need to pay?
School donation – a voluntary payment of $375. We encourage you to make this payment to maintain the high standard of education we provide and help us provide additional specialist teachers to benefit your children.
Activity fee – a payment of $85 to pay for all class trips and activities at once rather than per trip. This is a good option to save you time during the year. If you would prefer to pay per trip we will send notices home advising you of the cost.
Take home materials cost – a payment of $200 to cover the materials a student uses at school to make an item, whether it be in class time or the specialist subjects such as hard or soft materials.
Education Perfect – a payment of $50 is to pay for the computer programme we use for your child’s homework. To access the homework you will need to subscribe to this programme.
How can I make these payments?
Payments can be made by electronic bank transfer, cash or eftpos at the school office and uniform shop ( during opening hours) or by using the online parent/caregiver portal.
-Electronic bank transfer
Account Name: Auckland Normal Intermediate
Account No.: 12-3048-0291429-00
Reference: Student name and purpose of the payment
-Cash or eftpos payments
These can be made office or uniform shop during opening hours (see website)
-Online Parent/Caregiver Portal: On this portal you can log in and check your personal details, make payments via credit card or internet banking and see what costs are outstanding (see login instructions below).
Online Parent/Caregiver Portal – login and payment instructions
Click on the link: https://parent.edgelearning.co.nz/Loginpage_caregiver.aspx?returnurl=%2fcg%2fdashboard%2fmydashboard
Enter the email address you supplied the school
Click on ‘I don’t know my Edge password’ to create one
Payment instructions
Click on your child’s name
Select ‘School Payments’ tab to see a list of items due
If you wish to pay all outstanding amounts, click ‘Pay All Items’. To pay an individual item, enter the amount you wish to pay against the relevant item
When you are happy with your selection, click ‘Make Payment’. You can choose to pay with POLi or credit card. This will direct you to the POLi™ site or credit card payment site, where there will be instructions to guide you through the payment process
After you have clicked OK, success and print options are given before logging out on the left. Enter your email address and click ‘Send’ if you require the receipt (recommended) to be emailed. There are also print options for a hard copy. On completion of payment, click ‘Return to Edge Caregiver Portal’ where a success or failure screen is provided
Please email us if you are having any problems accessing your parent portal.
Why do we ask for a voluntary donation?
If you have already paid your voluntary school donation and other associated costs we thank you once again as these payments allow us to provide the quality education your son/daughter needs to be successful in their future. At this time of the year there is always media hype around how schooling in New Zealand is free. In an ideal world this would be wonderful, however the reality is we receive significantly less funding in our Ministry of Education operations grant than a lower decile school. It is expected that because we are a high decile school we have the capacity through fundraising and donations to meet the shortfall. In today’s newsletter we have provided information explaining how the costs associated with your child’s learning are spent to ensure we maintain our high level programmes and great facilities. Our Board of Trustees prioritise the budget to make sure areas such as learning resources, ICT, and quality staffing levels are maintained as they have a direct influence on student progress and achievement.
Like most schools there are costs associated with schooling that can not be met by the money we receive from government grants and this is why we ask our parents for a school donation.
As a high decile school we are funded at a very different level than schools that are lower decile. For example, when we look at two areas of the Ministry of Education income, “Targeted Funding” and “Special Education Grant” and combine these revenue streams we receive $78.86 per student which is $976.83 less per student than if we were a decile 1 school.
Decile Nine School
Targeted Funding $31.10 per student
Special Education Grant $47.76 per student
TOTAL $78.76 per student
Decile One School
Targeted Funding $973.88 per student
Special Education Grant $ 81.81 per student
TOTAL $1,055.69 per student
For a school of 660 pupils like ours, this equates to a difference of $644,707.80.
The government believes we have the capacity in our community to raise these funds through donations.
You might wonder what the school donation income pays for. With the additional funds we are able to employ extra teachers over our entitlement such as:
– two language specialists
– science specialist
– PE specialist
– teacher aide per team
– full time counsellor
– full time librarian and research ambassador
– full time lab technician to support science programmes
– full time tech/ICT specialist
The funds also allow us to provide quality IT equipment, qualified teachers to take extension and learning support classes and a rich and varied sports programme where teachers accompany every sporting code to events.
SCHOOL WEBSITE SHOP
In addition to payments being made through the parent portal, we also have an online shop on the website front page. Here you can pay for uniform items and stationery. You can also book and pay for after school classes via the website. (Go to this link and scroll down until you see the image below):
STUDENT CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to Vivian (Peixi) Chang (violin) and Nicole Xie (viola) who were selected to attend the Orchestral Summer School at Diocesan School for Girls from Monday 18 January – Thursday 21 January 2021 and performed at the Auckland Town Hall on Friday 22 January 2021.
PSYCHOLOGIST & COUNSELLOR SPOT
Kia ora and welcome to 2021 with ANI!
We would like to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves, inform you of our roles and explain how we can support your child this year. Year 8 parents will be familiar with our newsletter contributions, however, this year we have a new development which we will share with you next month.
Robyn Stead (Educational Psychologist)
Tēnā koutou katoa, As an educational psychologist my focus is on supporting young people with their education. I have special interests in behaviour and in literacy learning. My background is in teaching and I have a long standing relationship with ANI as my children were students here. I’m looking forward to another wonderful year working with Gina and the team.
Gina Speedy (School Counsellor) & Robyn Stead (Educational Psychologist)
Kia ora koutou.
The School Counsellor role is to support students with individual and small group counselling in addition to engaging with classrooms on social/emotional learning. To do this, I liaise with students, teachers, staff, parents, whanau, as well as outside agencies and community resources centres.
I work closely with Robyn Stead, an Educational Psychologist and the ANI senior leadership team. Our collaborative work includes school-wide practices and initiatives such as positive behaviour, resilience and student and teacher well-being.
My background is primary teaching in NZ and overseas therefore I am also a fully registered primary teacher. My postgraduate qualifications in counselling with Massey University and University of Auckland have allowed me to transition to school counselling . Currently I am working toward membership with The New Zealand Association of Counsellors and therefore adhere to their Code of Ethics as well as the ethical code for NZ teachers.
Students are able to access this support without cost. Parents can contact me via email counsellor@ani.school.nz or by phoning the school office. If you would like to know more, please get in touch. I look forward to meeting you soon!
Gina Speedy & Robyn Stead
School Counsellor and Educational Psychologist
PTA NEWS
PTA Meeting – The ANI PTA is holding its first meeting for 2021 on Monday February 15th at 7.00pm in the Information Centre (Library) at school. All welcome.
We would love you to join us – come along and find out more about what we do and how you can support ANI and its students. The PTA organises fundraisers throughout the year, last year we raised almost $50,000 which is spent on extra resources for the school and students. We are a friendly and relaxed bunch, who meet twice a term and like to keep our meetings to the point so it’s not a big time commitment! The PTA is a great way to meet other parents and help your school in a really hands-on way. More info about the PTA can be found via this link or email us at pta@ani.school.nz.
Chocolate Fundraiser – our biggest fundraiser of the year is kicking off on … when students will be issued with boxes of chocolate bars to sell. We have lots of fantastic prizes up for grabs for students. A notice with all the details will be sent out soon.
A very successful event, last year it raised almost $27,000, but we can’t do it without LOTS OF HELP please. We need assistance allocating the boxes of chocolates and counting the money the students return, on the following days:
- Monday 8 – Friday 12 March
- Monday 15 – Friday 19 March
Please email us with the day(s) you can help at pta@ani.school.nz. It’s easy and enjoyable and an opportunity to get to know other parents/caregivers. Even one day would be great and really help!
Diana Winstanley – PTA Chairperson
SCHOOL LUNCHES
We offer a school lunch service through EZ Lunch (Kindo) where you can order a range of food and drinks for your child – these get delivered to their classroom daily (please ensure you have your order in before 8am on the day you require the lunch). EZ Lunches begin on Tuesday 2 February.
ANI SPORTS-PRO PROGRAMME
We are immensely proud of the ANI Sports-Pro Programme. This sports academy is multi-faceted and meets the needs of a wide range of students. Topics and lessons range from high-performance sport and nutrition, to working with learners who find learning challenging. This programme digs beneath the surface and looks at the various components of sport. Have a look at the website dedicated to this programme HERE.
For more information, contact Mr Carlos on ckucera@ani.school.nz.
SCHOOL POOL
Over the Christmas break, our school pool has been resurfaced, repainted and refilled – students are able to use this at lunchtimes to swim in (when there is a staff member available to supervise), as well as being used for PE lessons.
Like us on Facebook for all our recent events and photos.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Click here to view what is going on in our community.
Northern Mystics Update – 2021 Draw
We are pleased to confirm we will be hosting seven (7) home games next season – six (6) to take place at The Trusts Arena and one (1) at Eventfinda Stadium. Whilst the full and complete draw has not been released by Netball New Zealand yet, our home game draw is available for circulation so you can make a note of these dates in your calendar. Game times will be confirmed at a later date.
