Principal’s Report – Term 1, Week 10
Teachers Leading their Learning
One major goal for improving student achievement in 2011 is to raise the percentage of students in Y 4 – 8 who are ‘At’ or ‘Above’ the National Standards in reading comprehension. Our students already do well in this area with 74% of all students and 72% of Maori students achieving to these levels in 2010, but we are aiming for 80% this year.
At the same time deliberate acts of teaching are helping to raise student competency in Thinking. This leads me to acknowledge the extra efforts being made by teaching staff to achieve such wonderful outcomes for our students. On Wednesday evening a large contingent of teachers attended workshops taken by a leading reading comprehension ‘guru’ in Stratford. On Tuesday Mrs Madden and Mrs Ralph ran a staff meeting looking at what makes an effective teacher of literacy.
Mr Hislop is working with teachers wanting to get the most for students from the new interactive whiteboards, and earlier in the term there was a workshop in the effective use of the Comprehension Strategies Instruction reading kits we purchased last year using the TSB Community Trust Literacy Grant.
As I have said before, raised teacher effectiveness, students leading their own learning and parents engaging with their children’s learning are a combination that make the educational opportunities and achievements for Coastal students potentially limitless.
Principal’s Report – Term 1, Week 8
Kia ora Parents, Caregivers and Students of Coastal Taranaki School,
I hope you are all still enjoying quality family time as the weather continues to encourage us to get out and about.
Swimming at Coastal Taranaki School
We have had a really good spell for swimming instruction and some of the benefits of Fiona Lacey’s knowledge and skills were displayed at the recent swimming sports. We once again thank our Friends of Coastal Taranaki School for their generous grant for such important tuition. We would encourage parents to build on this foundation – nationally we have far too many of our children unable to swim.
Congratulations
To all students chosen to represent us at the recent Mountain to Surf Swimming Sports held in Opunake. A special thanks to the many parents who provided transport and support on Monday. Our students’ achievements are mentioned in Mr Hayward’s report.
Special congratulations to Jordan Hart for his 2nd placing in the Under 16 division of the Surfing competition of the Taranaki Secondary Schools Sports Association.
Fonterra Science Roadshow
We were very fortunate to be asked to host the Fonterra Science Roadshow on Monday, March 21. Nearly 80 students Years 5–9 enjoyed an amazing array of interactive scientific problem solving. We were honoured by the presence of His Worship the Mayor Harry Duynhoven and MP for Taranaki Jonathon Young. Both were engrossed for over an hour!
Principal’s Report – Term 1, Week 2
A very warm welcome back to the 289 students who have started or resumed their studies at Coastal Taranaki School in 2011. We make a special mention of the students and families who have just joined us in this very special semi-rural school for the first time. I have absolutely no doubt that your children will affirm that you have made the right choice in Coastal Taranaki School.
We do our very best to live our values of co-operation, openness, aroha, sustainable living, tolerance, accountability, and leading our Learning.
Comment Read MorePrincipal’s Report – Term 4, Week 3
Kia ora Parents, Caregivers and Students of Coastal Taranaki School,
Firstly, we welcome the following students to our community:
- Karem Brand, Year 10
- Cassidy Carr, Year 3
- Neika Thomson, Year 2
- Jamie Carr, Year 1
- Seth Goble, New Entrant
- Ashlee Price, New Entrant
Despite a few senior students moving on to the workforce recently our roll has continued to grow and now stands at 325.
2011 will probably not see the phenomenal enrolments of this year (46 New Entrant enrolments!), and we are looking carefully at setting up the junior rooms so that the need to promote students from one class to another is kept to a minimum. We can almost obviate the need to do so, but we can be caught out by the unexpected such as a surge in interest of Okato as a place to live, and impending enrolments that have not been forecast. If you know of potential movements involving lower junior school children especially, we would really like to know.
Comment Read MorePrincipal’s Report – Term 3, Week 6
Kia ora Parents, Caregivers and Students of Coastal Taranaki School,
Firstly we welcome the following students to our community:
- Samara Rouse, Year 9
- Milly Dennison, Year 6
- Xanthe Hawksley, New Entrant
eLearning Update
As our e-learning strategy 2006 – 2010 is essentially achieved, e-learning Lead Team members Hamish Hislop and Joel Dodd, and I visited (with Omata and Oakura School Principals and lead teachers) a number of Christchurch Schools with a view to gaining some insights into how others are integrating IT into learning programmes. I believe the consensus is that we compare very well, but that we do need to accelerate a more general acceptance of the critical role IT can play in personalising learning. One key area that we need to develop, and the main reason I include this ‘taster’ in the newsletter, is that of increasing the electronic connectivity between home and school.
Principal’s Report – Term 3, Week 3
A very warm welcome to our new students and their families, and what a pleasure to see so many students intent on achieving well as we commence the ‘business end’ of the year.
We welcome:
- Juanita Vete, Year 11
- Lucy Butler, Year 6
- Taylor Koboski, Year 2
- Sebastian Steiner
- Jaxin Barron
- Ocean Baylis, New Entrant
Term 3 leads us into the season of new beginnings. For many students the resolve to deliver on what can and needs to be done, and on promises made (to themselves or to others), will set them up for a good news final report.
BoT Spot
The Board of Trustees has clearly set a priority to focus on student learning and achievement. Most have attended recent training sessions provided by the Ministry of Education or the School Trustees Association and are now having the ‘how to get there’ discussions at the committee or Board meetings.
WHANAU LEADERBOARD
