PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Mid-Year Speed Bumps
This time of year can often be a time of change for our young people. Having been back at school for nearly 6 months it is common for a variety of things to happen including changing friendships, new interests to develop, emotional and physical changes and sometimes completely bewildering behaviour. This is all very normal for this age and stage however some of these changes can leave our young ones feeling overwhelmed and confused at times. Peer pressure and heightened emotions often play a significant part in these changes.
Pre-teens often find themselves caught in the web of peer pressure as they seek acceptance and a sense of belonging among their friends. They may face dilemmas that challenge their values, such as engaging in risky behaviours or conforming to social norms that go against their better judgment.
How we can help:
- Foster open communication: Encourage your child to share their experiences and concerns with you without fear of judgment. Create a safe space where they feel comfortable discussing peer-related challenges.
- Teach assertiveness: Help your pre-teen develop assertiveness skills to resist peer pressure. Teach them to say no respectfully and stand up for their values.
- Expand social circles: Encourage your child to explore new interests and join clubs or activities where they can meet like-minded peers who share their interests and values.
Pre-teens often experience intense emotions due to hormonal changes and the challenges of navigating new social and academic landscapes. They may become more sensitive, moody, and prone to outbursts or withdrawal.
How can we help:
- Validate their emotions: Let your child know that their feelings are normal and valid. Provide a safe space for them to express themselves without judgment.
- Teach emotional regulation: Help your child develop healthy coping strategies for managing their emotions, such as deep breathing, journaling, or engaging in physical activities they enjoy.
- Establish routines and boundaries: Consistent routines and clear boundaries can provide a sense of stability and security during this emotionally turbulent phase.
The pre-teen years can be emotionally challenging for children as they navigate new experiences and transitions. By recognizing and addressing the emotional speed bumps they encounter, we can support our young people to develop resilience, self-confidence, and emotional well-being. By fostering open communication, promoting self-acceptance, and teaching emotional regulation skills, we can help their pre-teens navigate these challenges with greater ease and confidence. Patience, empathy, and understanding are key as we guide our young ones through this incredible period of their lives.
Kyle Brewerton
Principal/APPA President
RI PTA EVENING WITH ROB COPE - KIDS ONLINE
What are they really doing? What can you do about it?
Our young people are growing up in increasingly challenging times and the mounting challenges and harms they are facing online are growing daily. We need to start talking about and tackling this as a community.
To help with this we have organised Author, Filmmaker and Speaker Rob Cope, producer of the documentary "Our Kids Online" to come and give what promises to be a humorous and hard-hitting talk specifically for our parent community. Here is a link to a brief introductory video from Rob. Rob's presentation will be held in our school hall on Wednesday 21st June from 7:00 -9:00 pm. We highly recommend that at least one adult from each family attend, this topic is too big for us to not get involved.
Click here to book your place. Tickets are limited so get in quick!
The PTA is sponsoring Gift Cards for a number of lucky participants and the class with the most families represented on the night will win a free Pizza lunch for the class.
Issues Rob will be Discussing:
- Cyberbullying - How cyberbullies can reach our kids 24/7
- Social media - The pressure for kids to build an online brand that is often far removed from their authentic selves. FOMO, Highlight Reels
- Gaming and the developing brain – An oversupply of dopamine leading to dopamine deficiency, synaptic pruning, and the underdevelopment of social skills and empathy
- Naked Selfies - The pressure to send nudes from intermediate up through high school
- Online predators - The methods they use, how to spot them, and how to get out from under their control if your child has been trapped
- Online porn vs healthy sexuality - How consuming online pornography as a child or teen can create a sexual template where violence, aggression, and dominance are seen as normal and consent can become very blurry
Solutions Rob will be Sharing:
- Filters - Which filters are best and how to install them
- Smartphones - How to lock down a smartphone to make it a safe phone
- Boundaries - How to put good boundaries in place around device use
- 3 golden rules - The 3 golden rules that will keep your kids safe
- Talking to your kids - How to have difficult conversations with your kids
- Challenging our own phone and device usage - Reconnecting as a family.
HOCKEY NEWS
Hockey Games vs. Kings Prep
On Wednesday, our RI boys' and girls' hockey teams ventured to Kings Prep to play 2 of their hockey teams. The girls played first, followed by the boys. The girls' team lost 3-2, and the boys team won 4-2. Both games felt very close, and the competitive spirit was alive and well. It was a spectacular afternoon and lovely to see how well-behaved all of the children were, and how supportive they were for each other.
IZ FOOTBALL GIRLS
Year 7 Girls Interzone Football Champions!
On Wednesday 7th June, our Year 7 Girls' team attended the Interzone Football tournament. All teams had won their respective zone competition, just as we had, so we were very nervous to face such a high level of competition.
There was a setback from the get-go; the tournament was going to be 11-a-side, which is bigger than we normally play. That gave us only one sub for the whole day, and on full-sized fields, too!
With a 4-0 win against Glendowie, a 2-1 win over Northcross, and a 1-1 draw with Blockhouse Bay, we won our pool over Northcross by one point. This put us into the semi-final, where we faced Glenbrook. Despite being tired, the girls worked incredibly well together and came away with a 4-0 win and a place in the final.
Northcross made it to the final as well. From playing them in the pool, we knew it would be a tough game. At half-time, we were 1-0 down, but thanks to a great goal from Anneliese in the second half, we clawed back a 1-1 draw. That put us straight into penalties.
Emilia made some excellent saves despite the huge goal, and our shooters all took their time to score carefully. With 4 penalties scored out of 4 taken, we were unbeatable, and the girls took out the match. Being Champion of Champions in the entire Auckland area is a pretty nice feeling!
A huge thanks must go to Miss Gulick for all of her training with the after-school team, and for coming along to support us for the final.
Congratulations to the following students:
Olivia Gargiulo, Amelia Clayton, Leura Harris, Lucy Walker, Emilia Hoglinger, Pippi Lees, Lara Lambert, Chloe Dale, Anneliese Winborn, Imogen Pitchers, Laura Allan, Sienna Groves
DIGITECH NEWS
The Digital Technology Lab provides students with opportunities to express their creativity and enhance their engineering skills. Through designing, building, and improving their projects, they develop valuable problem-solving abilities while also gaining an understanding of the significance of perseverance, teamwork, and communication. The accompanying pictures feature students utilizing K'NEX and LEGO sets, demonstrating their impressive creations and innovative inventions.
NEWS FROM THE FRENCH ROOM
The Year 8 Cycle 1 students recently completed their French Arbres Généalogiques or Family trees. Here are some examples of excellence from Joshua Whitworth (Rm 7), Elisha Dove (Rm 29), Chloe Shin (Rm 4) and Jovina Zhu (Rm 29)
RACE UNITY POSTER CONTEST
CROSS COUNTRY
It is that time of year again when RI ventures out from school to complete their cross-country training in the local community. Teams will start their training in the remaining weeks of this term and early next term. Cross Country will be held in school on Tuesday 8th August. The top students will be selected to attend central zone cross country on Thursday 24th August.
ICAS EXAMINATION
We are delighted to inform you that our school will be participating in the world-renowned ICAS competition this year.
What is ICAS?
ICAS is an online academic competition that is designed to assess students’ higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics, Science, Writing, Spelling Bee and Digital Technologies. Each assessment celebrates students’ accomplishments by providing opportunities for recognition and development. Every student who participates will receive a printed certificate and an online results report. Top performers will be eligible for medals.
This year, RI will be participating in English, Science, Mathematics and Digital Technologies. The ICAS dates are listed here.
How to participate in ICAS
If you wish for your child to participate in ICAS this year, please:
- read about ICAS subjects and prices here
- read the terms and conditions here
- go to Parent Portal to purchase tests here
- enter our school’s access code – RRG122
- enter your child’s details, select the tests you would like to purchase, then proceed to payment.
After payment is made via the Parent Payment System, you will receive an order confirmation email, please keep this for your records. The last day to order is Monday 31 July 2023.
PTA SECOND-HAND UNIFORMS SALE/SWAP
The PTA is having a second-hand uniform sale/swap on Wednesday 21 June 2023, from 6:15 to 6:45 pm, at the Ascot Ave Foyer by the school office. If you are swapping uniforms, please bring $2 gold coins. For more information, please read this flyer.
2024 ENROLMENTS
Our 2024 Enrolment is now open. If you have a Year 6 student who will be coming to RI in 2024, we encourage you to start the enrolment process early to ensure we are well prepared for the coming year. You can now apply online by clicking this link. If you have a query regarding the enrolment process, please contact Ms. Amy McGowan at enrolments@remint.school.nz
IMPORTANT DATES
| JUNE | |
| June 19-23 | Art Week |
| June 21 | PTA Evening - Our Kids Online PTA 2nd-Hand Uniform Sale/Swap |
| June 22 | CZ Table Tennis |
| June 27 | Year 7 Water Safety - Room 26 BOT Meeting |
| June 28 | Art Evening with Trash to Fashion Show |
| June 29 | Year 7 Water Safety - Room 15 |
| June 30 | Awards Assemblies Term 2 Ends - Normal Finishing Times |
| JULY | |
| July 17 | Term 3 Starts |
| July 18 | Year 7 Water Safety - Room 27 PTA Meeting |
| July 20 | Year 7 Water Safety - Room 12 |
| July 25 | Year 7 Water Safety - Room 28 CZ Netball Boys Year 7 Immunisation - Bootrix |
| July 27 | Year 7 Water Safety - Room 11 |
| AUGUST | |
| August 1 | Year 7 Water Safety - Room 1 |
| August 3 | Year 7 Water Safety - Room 14 |
| August 8 | Year 7 Water Safety - Room 16 PTA Meeting |
| August 10 | Year 7 Water Safety - Room 18 |
| August 15 | Year 7 Water Safety - Room 17 |
ABSENCES
All absences need to be reported by 8:45 am at the latest. To report an absence please:
Use the 'Report an Absence' link in the top right corner on 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 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.
PARENT PORTAL
Parents are able to use our portal to pay for their child’s donations and fees. We encourage anyone who has not already signed up to do so. The address is https://parent.edgelearning.co.nz/
REMUERA INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL APP
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