1006 Junior Syndicate - 15 June 2010

8th June 2010

Junior Syndicate Report to Board of Trustees

The Junior classes based their topic of the schools vision of Proud, Prepared Leaders and the  4 C’s for the first term.  This also incorporated a study on My Place and where the children lived, where they came from, their families and whanau. Rooms 13 and 14 held a combined whanau camp..

The Literacy Day was again well received at Northland College and teachers also attended an excellent seminar with Jill Eggleton again in support of Literacy.

There has been on going monitoring of literacy and numeracy which has been discussed at staff meetings and graphed.

ICT has been a strong focus throughout the school with Room 8 having a projector in their class for a trial. The sharing of good practice at syndicate meetings gave teachers an opportunity to see how this tool was implemented.

Kaz Chamberlain also held a disco in term 1 in support of Downs Syndrome.

In term 2 the classes have been studying Recycling with classroom visits by Sue Woods from the Waste Management team. Rooms 1,2, 5, 6,  and  8 all visited Waste Works last week in support of this project. Rooms 13 & 14 are developing hangi gardens that incorporate recycled tyres, plant cuttings, an idea that came from their camp. They also use signing as a daily part of their literacy programme.

We had Jump Rope for Heart as a school wide activity, this involved a complex of rotational games organised very carefully by Sarah Morgan. It was wonderful to see classes buddying up and learning quite complex rope skills in the weeks leading up to the event.

I enjoyed my sabbatical in the first term and look forward to the completion of the building renovations as we all do I’m sure.

This term has also seen the school take part on a speech competition which is including the Junior classes. A brave attempt for our younger students who are keen to give it a go.

Junior singing still continues in Room 3 in a weekly basis and is enjoyed thoroughly.

Kiwi Can has taken Room 4 as their  base and deliver a varied weekly programme also.

There has been no Life Education this term as a new facilitator has not yet been appointed, but possibly this might take place in term 4.

We welcomed Rebecca Croucher back this term after her maternity leave and have been grateful for Cathie Locker who has been teaching in Room 1.

The numbers in the Junior syndicate are growing but we are concerned that the new entrants coming to our school have received very little pre-school education. There is a lack of readiness for school as their numeracy and literacy skills are limited.

Syndicate Organisation.

Staff Development

The Junior and Senior classes are receiving professional development in ICT workshops so that data on lessons can be planned. Some teachers visited a cluster of schools to observe a variety of ICT equipment and how it was implemented.

The junior syndicate wishes to continue to share proven practice techniques as part of ongoing Professional Development.

Budget