PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Why Be Part of a Team?
This year my daughter has taken a leadership role in her sports team. Recently we have been having a few conversations about what it means to lead and how decisions can be made. We’ve also been talking about how she can go about building a positive team culture where everyone feels valued and contributes to the team's overall success. As I’ve been having these discussions I was reminded of a piece I saw recently about the benefits of team sports. Whilst this specifically relates to physical sports I would argue that most of these benefits apply to any team pursuit, cultural academic or otherwise.
- Regular Exercise: Training with a team makes it easy to achieve the recommended 150 minutes of physical activity a week! Regular exercise is also a great habit to form while you’re young and it’ll help you stay healthy for the rest of your life.
- Teamwork: Playing in a team requires coordination, communication and collaboration. These are important life skills that will help you work well with others and achieve success in and out of the playing arena. The office and the classroom are arenas where teamwork makes the dream work!
- Communication Skills: Team sports require a lot of verbal and non-verbal communication. From words of encouragement during training to planning for a match, communication is a two-way street, and learning skills to deliver the message and listening are critical skills forged in the fun of playing.
- Critical Thinking: Every match is different, and every opponent has their own strengths and weaknesses. Formulating tactics to tackle the various challenges you encounter will hone your critical thinking skills and make you a better problem solver. Problem Solving is a great skill to develop in children and doing it in a fun and active way through team sports is ideal.
- Friendship: Joining a team is a great way to meet new people. As you train, overcome challenges, and win or lose together, you will forge strong bonds with your teammates that could last for years to come! Friendships will become social networks you can depend on, from the schoolyard to the board room.
- Community: Strong relationships are formed beyond the team too. For example, schoolmates rallying together to support their teams fosters a more united school spirit and a sense of belonging.
- Self-Esteem and Confidence: In team sports, every person plays a part in the overall success of the team. This is a great way to see how you can make a difference, and in turn, build up your self-confidence.
- Discipline and Perseverance: With every training session, we see our strength, stamina and gameplay improve. This motivates us to keep putting in effort if we want to see progress and results!
- Sportsmanship: Team sports also teach us to be gracious whether we win or lose. It’s important to be respectful of others, take defeat in stride and learn to overcome our setbacks. After all, nobody likes an obnoxious winner or a sore loser – and this is true outside of sports too!
- Stress Management: Exercise releases happy hormones such as dopamines and endorphins, which help us relax, reduce stress and improve our moods. So if you ever feel overwhelmed by school or work, take a mental break and enjoy your training sessions with your teammates!
Kyle Brewerton
Principal/APPA President
IMPORTANT DATES
| MARCH 2024 | |
| March 18 | Year 8 Camp - Rooms 3,4,5 |
| March 19 | Central Zones Orienteering |
| March 20 | Water Wise Room 29 Year 8 Camp Rooms 2,7,30 |
| March 25 | Year 8 Camp - Rooms 23,24,25 |
| March 29 | Good Friday - School Closed |
| APRIL 2024 | |
| April 1 | Easter Monday - School Closed |
| April 2 | Easter Tuesday - School Closed |
| April 3 | Year 8 Water Wise - Room 22 |
| April 4 | Year 8 Water Wise - Room 2 |
| April 5 | Year 8 Water Wise - Room 20 |
| April 8 | Year 7 Camp #1 - Rooms 11,12,13,14,26,27&28 |
| April 10 | Year 7 Camp #2 - Rooms 1,8,9,10,15,16,17 &18 |
| April 12 | Term 1 Ends |
| April 29 | Term 2 Starts |
YEAR 7 CAMP UPDATE
GREEN CAMP
Monday 8th April - Wednesday 10th April : Room’s 11, 12, 13, 14, 26, 27, 28
BLUE CAMP
Wednesday 10th April - Friday 12th April: Room’s 1, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17,18
There are approximately 20 sleeps before the year 7 camp at Camp Adair in the Hunua Ranges!! Excitement is building, and our students are looking forward to taking on some exciting challenges and having the opportunity to meet students from other syndicates.
The Year 7 Camp is a highlight of the year level calendar, and we all enjoy seeing our students in a different environment and encouraging them to make the most of the experiences on offer. The highly skilled and qualified instructors ensure that all students feel that they can step up to the challenge, but at the same time, they support students in deciding what they feel they can achieve.
After camp, we notice that our teams have bonded, our students can work more collaboratively with each other, have gained confidence and made friends who have shared an amazing experience.
If you have not filled out your form yet, please follow this link to the Year 7 Camp Form. And don’t forget, we are hosting a Year 7 Camp Parent Meeting on Wednesday 20th March at 6.00pm in our school hall. Please join us to learn more about how our camp will run.
Our campers will be bringing home the Gear List soon, so lots of time to get the necessary items needed—don't forget new batteries in the torches!!
IT’S GOING TO BE AN AMAZIBLE TIME - WE HOPE ALL OF OUR YEAR 7’S CAN TAKE PART IN THIS EXPERIENCE!
GIRLS CZ SOFTBALL
The Girls CZ Softball Team embarked on an unforgettable journey in the recent tournament, showcasing resilience, determination, and unwavering team spirit. Despite a challenging start with a 2-2 record in the round-robin stage, the team demonstrated remarkable perseverance, ultimately advancing to the B playoffs.
In a display of sheer grit and skill, the girls triumphed in the B Final, securing a well-deserved victory after a series of hard-fought battles on the diamond. Their perseverance and tenacity were truly commendable, reflecting their commitment to excellence and their unwavering dedication to the game.
Throughout the tournament, the girls exemplified the true essence of teamwork, supporting and uplifting each other through every challenge and triumph. Their camaraderie and unity were evident both on and off the field, serving as a testament to the strength of their bond and the power of collective effort.
While the day was filled with moments of triumph and celebration, there was a lighthearted incident that added a touch of humor to the proceedings. It seems that the choice of playlists for the event may not have been everyone's cup of tea, eliciting a few playful groans and laughs from the team.
Nevertheless, it was a minor hiccup in an otherwise fantastic day of softball action! Ms Sturgiss and Mr Caron are very proud of our wonderful girls! Way to go team!
BOYS CZ SOFTBALL
The RI boys showcased their talent and spirit at the recent 2024 Central Zone Softball Tournament. The day kicked off with a resounding victory, highlighting their prowess on the field. However, facing formidable opponents with strong pitching and big hitters, the team encountered challenges, resulting in three consecutive losses.
Despite the setbacks, our boys displayed remarkable sportsmanship, unwavering leadership, and a strong sense of camaraderie throughout the tournament. Their resilience and positive attitude were truly commendable. RI should be very proud of these athletes.
The day did end with some team-building activities which was a great way to kill time while awaiting our return transportation back to school. Many laughs were had and friendships were made.
Thank you very much for such an amazing day at the office - Mr. Roch Caron
YEAR 8 CAMPS - HUNUA FALLS
In Week 5, six Year 8 classes went to Hunua Falls Camp. Rooms 20, 21 and 22 went for the first half of the week, then Rooms 6, 19 and 29 went for the second half.
When we first got there, we got ready to go on a tramp. It was almost 8 km, which took us over 4 hours to do. There were lots of challenges and hard moments, but afterward we all felt amazing and I think it brought us closer together.
The rest of the camp was all go, go, go having barely any spare time, but filled with excitement and fun. Sometimes it was very hard to do the activities as a team, but it was all really rewarding when we worked together and completed each challenge. While all the activities were fun in their own way, my favorite challenges were stand-up paddleboarding, raft building and the cupcake decorating competition.
On behalf of all the students and teachers who attended, I would like to thank all the parents who came and helped - we couldn’t have done it without you!
Camp Hunua is a camp I’m sure none of us are going to forget any time soon because of how much fun we had there and all the memories that were made - Katie Parrant Room 20
DIGITECH
Greetings from DigiTech Lab. Our senior students have embarked on an exciting robotics journey, utilising Mindstorms sets to create a range of robots with various functionalities such as obstacle avoiders, line followers, transporters, and more.
Currently, they are focusing on instructing their robots to operate autonomously within an artificial intelligence environment. This process empowers the robots to function independently, like having a mind of their own.
These students have made remarkable progress in the world of robotics and coding - Mr. Ravi Sharma
STUDENTS VS STAFF SOFTBALL GAME
The RI staff took on the girl's and boy's softball teams in a fun game. This game took place on Wednesday, 13th March, during lunchtime. Well, let's just say it was a wonderful teachable moment for the students as they learned that the staff still has their skills. The staff did take it easy on the students in their victory and let the kids get a few runs.
Overall great fun and looking forward to the next Staff vs students - Mr. Roch Caron
SEEKING CHILD NARRATORS FOR CHILDREN OF THE RUSH AUDIOBOOKS
James Russell, a local author who the school has a connection with, is looking to recruit two young narrators to play the parts of Atarangi - the young Māori girl forced to travel with her mother to the goldfields in Central Otago; and Siu, the young Chinese girl who arrives in Gabriel's Gully with her gold mining father. Both are strong and independent, brave and clever!
Narrators will ideally be:
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Between 10 and 13 years old.
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Confident and competent at reading aloud
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Able to travel to Mangere Bridge, Auckland (with a parent also in attendance) to record their part, possibly in more than one session (depending on speed and energy levels!).
The recording work is paid of course!
Estimated at about 3 hours (or less) per book.
If you're interested, or know someone who might be (in which case, please forward them this email), please get in touch by emailing james@dragonbrothersbooks.com.
SOCIAL CHANGENCY
The Social Changency meets every Friday at lunchtime with Mr Zemke in the Media room.
Look out for The Social Changency on Youtube and check out our Blog.
https://thesocialchangency.blogspot.com/
thesocialchangency@gmail.com
ABSENCES
All absences need to be reported by 8:45 a.m. at the latest. To report an absence please:
Use the 'Report an Absence' link in the top right corner of the school website homepage http://www.remint.school.nz
Use the school app or phone the office on 09 522 9890 Option 1
Please do not email absence notifications to classroom teachers.
ABSENCE TEXT NOTIFICATION
Your children’s safety is of paramount importance to us. In order to ensure the safety of all our students, at 9:45 am if your child has not been marked as Present we will send out a text notification to alert you of his/her absence.
We are aware many parents are simply very busy people and forget to notify the school so please respond with a Y and a reason for the absence/lateness.
Respond with an N if you have dropped your child at school or know that he/she was coming to school and we can investigate this promptly.
Should your mobile number change, please notify the school immediately so that we can update our records accordingly.
REMUERA INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLAPPS
You can download the free SchoolAppsNZ from the App Store or Google Play. It works on both Android and Apple phones. It sends important school messages and forms a big part of our school communications
Features of the App:
- You can subscribe to alert groups of interest to you and your child
- You can complete the absentee form directly from the App
- You can access the school calendar, news and events directly through the App
- We can send out targeted alerts to everyone with the App or to specific groups