Together we learn, together we grow

Please find attached the certificate winners which were presented at assembly on Wednesday 1st July. Congratulations.

img260702115904-0001.tif

img260702115904-0002.tif

In your child’s school report, you will see specific areas that make up their reading and writing progress. These strands come directly from the curriculum, and the learning expectations change at each year level. To help you understand your child's strengths and next steps, here is a quick guide to what these terms mean.

Reading

Word Recognition & Reading Enrichment

This strand focuses on the mechanics of reading and expanding a student's literary horizons.

Word Recognition: This is how accurately and smoothly a child can read words on a page. It includes sounding out unfamiliar words, recognizing common "sight words" instantly, and reading with good flow and expression (fluency).

Reading Enrichment: This is about taking those reading skills further. It means expanding their vocabulary, exploring a wider variety of book genres, and engaging with more challenging texts to build a deeper love and appreciation for reading.
 

Comprehension

This is all about understanding what is being read.

It measures how well a child grasps the actual storyline, facts, and details of a text.
A student who is strong in comprehension can easily summarize what they just read, recall key events or information, and explain the direct meaning of the text without getting lost.
 

Critical Analysis

This is the next level of reading, where students learn to read between the lines.

Instead of just knowing what happened, critical analysis looks at why and how.
It involves making inferences (figuring out things that aren't explicitly stated), understanding the author's purpose or hidden messages, and forming their own opinions about the text.
A key part of this skill is being able to point back to clues or direct evidence in the book to support their ideas.

Writing

Transcription Skills

The Basics: The physical and mechanical tools needed to get words onto paper.
What it looks like: This includes handwriting (forming letters cleanly), spelling, using correct punctuation, and typing skills. It’s all about the mechanics of writing.
 

Composition

The Content: The actual ideas, creativity, and structure of the writing.
What it looks like: This is how well a student builds an exciting story or argues a point. It involves using a rich vocabulary, organising thoughts into logical paragraphs, and choosing the right words to make their writing engaging for the reader.
 

 Writing Processes

The Steps: How a student manages the journey of writing from start to finish.
What it looks like: This focuses on the habits of a good writer: planning out ideas before writing, drafting the piece, and—most importantly—going back to proofread and edit their own work to fix mistakes and improve their sentences.

Tēnā koutou whānau,

At Wednesday's staff meeting we had a discussion around student drop offs, and we have decided to strengthen that procedure to ensure the safety and supervision of all our tamariki. We would like to share a quick procedure that will start on Tuesday (no school Monday as ANZAC Day is Mondayised) regarding our morning drop-off routines:

School Opening: Our school day officially begins at 8:30 am, which is when the bell rings and classrooms open for the day.

Early Arrivals: We understand that some families may need to drop children off slightly earlier. Students are allowed on school site from 8:15 am.

Waiting Area: If your child arrives between 8:15 am and 8:30 am, they are required to sit quietly outside their classroom and wait for the 8:30 am bell before entering. This is not a time for them to play and roam around the school. 

Please note that there is no formal supervision available before 8:30 am.

Thank you for your support. 

Staff of Rongotea School