Newsletter 1, Term 2 2021

Principal’s Message

Talofa lava,
The weather is cooling down with Winter in our midst and its good to see the children warm and well. Our devotion theme this term focusses on Galatians 5:22 the fruit of the spirit -Love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The staff and students have enjoyed the reminders about how we demonstrate these at school and at home, please encourage your children and help them to talk about the fruit of the spirit in action.
We had an action packed week 3 at school with our first ever Netball team entered in the interschool zone tournament.
We also had our annual Pink T-shirt day organised by our gifted and talented Neveah Letiu. This year Nevaeh and her team went another level and co-ordinated a Bake Sale with the support of Rm 1 Food Tech class and our volunteers Whaea Nina, Mrs Faith York, Mrs Cecelia MacGregor and Mrs Catherine Letiu. The final amount raised was $395-50
Principals Awards
Congratulations to the following students:
Neveah LETIU- for outstanding Leadership and organising the Pink T-Shirt day
Rettamae MARTIN- for excellent teamwork in organising the Pink T-Shirt day
Mereana POPATA- for outstanding sportsmanship and performance in the Netball tournament
Jacob PIUTAU- for demonstrating empathy and looking out for others all the time.
The Board of Trustees and staff have been working on our Strategic plan goals and we’d like to share these with you.
Goal 1: Complete the transition from Partnership school to a Designated Character school.
Goal 2: Achieve sustained roll growth and plan for a new school location by 2024.
Goal 3: Enhance Leadership and Teaching practice.
Goal 4: Implement sustainability plans for whanau engagement Strategy.

If you would like more information on the direction of our school, you are most welcome to pick up a copy of our Charter from the office and attend a board meeting or Komiti Tupu Mai meetings.
Thank you to all our parents who responded to the Survey to review our Local Curriculum – GOAL 3. As we review the feedback you have given, we will share the next steps with you all.

Fa’amanuia le Atua
Sita Selupe

The Calendar

Recent Events

CAREER EXPO

Last week the Year 7/8 students were given the opportunity to explore future career pathways. The students were prepared with their questions and most importantly taking advantage of speaking face to face with the widest range of employers, industries, government departments and also training providers. We even had some students so passionate about their career choice they didn’t want to move and explore other areas, they were very strong minded about their career choice. Please view the pictures of our future Rise UP employers.

TECH21 – Y8’s Experience

Whaia te pae tawhiti ki a tata, whakamaua te pae tata kia tina!

Explore beyond the distant horizon a draw near, take hold of your potential so it becomes your reality.

Our Year 8 students experienced their first time at Tech21 summit. Tech21 was held last week Monday at the Manukau Vodafone Events Centre showcasing a variety of digital technology career choices and hearing from keynote speakers who grew up and lived in South Auckland who are now hugely successful and were part of the creative digital team in the Lord of the Rings, Planet of the Apes, Fast and the Furious, Tintin and many others. The Year 8s enjoyed their visit and are looking forward to exploring more of the digital world so it becomes their reality.

RISE UP SPORTS: NETBALL

Week 3 of Term 2 Rise UP Academy entered their very first Netball team into the Southern zone interschool netball tournament. Our future ferns consisted of three Year 4 students, three Year 5 students and four Year six students. As a result of the rules and regulations; our netballers had to be placed into the Year Six pool. The pool consisted of 18 teams. Rise Up won 4 out the 5 pool games. We progressed through to the first semi-final against Waterlea Primary loosing t by only two points. They were placed 8th of the 16 teams entered. Our Rise Up girls played with pride and determination. A huge thank you to all the parents, teachers and students who supported our young netballers. A special thank you to our manager Josephine Mareko for organising and taking the stats on the side line. As well as our co-coach Ms Leaupepe (Room 4 student teacher) who invested time into training and helping our girls on the day.

RUA 2021 Netball Team: Isabelle MacGregor, Jasmine Kaur, Sinai Mareko, Aaliyah Martin, Mereana Popata, Rettamae Martin, Nevaeh Letiu, Eden Pasene, Hemowai Popata, Bentley Peauafi. Assistant manager: Prayer Suamasi (Y8)

KIWI TAG

Week 11 of Term 1 Rise UP Academy registered our first Kiwi Tag Team into ARL Sport and were entered into the Champs of Champs Tournament which meant we played against the top school teams in Auckland. Our team was made up of players who have played for a few years to beginners e.g. learning to pass and catch a rugby ball. We had lunchtime and after school trainings and would like to thank Coach Mike Fe’ao for helping train these students and for our boys for taking up the challenge of facing the top schools at the Champ of Champs Tournament. We were very proud of our boys as we had many positive comments from referees, the ARL committee who hosted the event and the boys were given ARL Boot bags as a token of their appreciation of our teams positive vibe on the field. We placed 8 out of the 9 top schools in Auckland which is a great achievement for our boys. Prior to the Tournament the boys had a fun game against the staff and any parents that were available this was a fun game full of laughter and boy are our staff just as competitive as our students!

Congratulations to Ekamjeet Singh (Captain), Gideon Fe’ao (Vice Captain), Caleb Alo, Caleb Foley, Cairo Tapu, Harjas Singh, Tre Levi, Mark-Angelo Mareko, Zephiniah Toleafoa, Jacob Lilo Tua-Akatea, Tee Popata, Neil Yeng Tung, Petuliki Malelei & Tyrell Talisa-Sosene.

Player of the Day: Ekamjeet Singh & Zephiniah Toleafoa, Best Defence: Gideon Fe’ao and Most Improved: Petuliki Malelei

Project Wy

14 RUA Families took part in the 10km Marathon in Rotorua on Saturday 8th May. To prepare for this families had to take part in a 6 wk training session on Thursdays 6.00am and Saturdays 7.00am. This was part of a leadership mentoring programme in collaboration with Project Wy to enhance whanau engagement as well as including our ‘strong bodies’ initiative. Congratulations to all our whanau who took part – what an achievement! Here are some of the pictures from training and the event.

PINK SHIRT/DRESS UP DAY

As mentioned above by Mrs Selupe we held a fundraiser for this special event to promote kindness, inclusion and acceptance for EVERYONE. PINK Shirt Day was and is about Celebrating Diversity, Spreading Aroha and putting and end to bullying in Aotearoa. Check out the pictures from our fun day as well as the mini bake/candy sale.

Whanau Notices

2022 ENROLMENTS

We are now taking Enrolments for 2022 so if you haven’t yet enrolled your 4 year old with us please do so as soon as possible. Our first priority is to our existing students who have younger siblings however if you have any family or friends whose children are turning 5 or would like to attend Rise UP Academy please let them know to make contact with us 092768727 and come into the office and pick up an enrolment form. We do require them to do the Hearts & Minds workshop so the earlier they enquire the better for their whanau.

HEARTS & MINDS WORKSHOP: Term 2

Just a reminder as part of our special character we have a declaration of commitment in which any new whanau who would like to enrol their child to Rise UP Academy will need to complete the Hearts & Minds programme. We believe this programme equips parents with the tools that will help set up their child for learning and it also helps parents understand our mission statement ‘when you enrol your child you enrol your whanau’. Parents if you know of friends and family who would like to enrol their child in 2022 then they will need to register for the Hearts & Minds this year. Our Hearts & Minds programme is delivered only in Term 1 & 2 this year.

FAMILY CONNECT PROGRAMME

Kevin Pasene will be delivering the Family Connect programme in which you will learn ICT skills as well as purchasing a Chromebook for $60.
CRITERIA FOR THE FAMILY CONNECT PROGRAMME:
– If the students are aged from 16 years – 60 years old. All students must pass NZQA criteria
– All CHROMEBOOKS must be paid first by the 1st class-$60
– Classes will be zoomed with the exception of the 1st class which will be face to face
– Students must have a GMail account
– Students must have access to a mobile phone on the 1st class – incase we need to create a GMail account for them
– Classes are 10am – 12pm during the day, 10 minute break at 11am
– Students are expected to complete homework
Identification Requirements
Sight an original or certified copy of one or more of the following documents:
(i) a New Zealand birth certificate; or
(ii) a New Zealand passport; or
(iii) a New Zealand certificate of citizenship; or
(d) if a learner is unable to obtain a birth certificate for the purposes of (c)(i) above, you may contact us to confirm whether a whakapapa statement signed by both the learner and a kaumātua is acceptable evidence of citizenship.

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMME

Greetings parents – The After School Programme is back in full swing now with programmes on Mondays & Tuesdays for children 6yrs and up and on Wednesdays for Rooms 1, 2 & 3.
Please see the outline below for Term 2. Thank you

RUA HEALTH & SAFETY

Road Safety

Please LOOK OUT for our children when you are driving especially if you are reversing. We are having near misses being reported and even one driver backing into a bollard (the post that blocks cars from driving up our RUA walkway).
We have put cones out now preventing cars from driving up the small RUA and church driveway so PLEASE DO NOT move them and then drive up and then put them back. There is plenty of roadside parking and even though it may be an extra 2/3 min walk up to the gate or you may get wet in the rain we believe the safety of our children is more important.
We cannot stress how important road safety is for our children and for them to be visible. If they are junior students it is important for parents to hold their hands as our playful ones have a tendency to race to their cars hence why we ask parents to pick up from the school gate.
Thank you whanau for your support and cooperation.

Stranger Danger

As you may be aware there was a near abduction outside a Mangere school just over a week ago. So please be vigilant regarding our children and keeping them safe and also have a chat to them about stranger danger especially if they are walking or bussing to and from school. Be Safe RUA Whanau!

Headlice

Head lice is common in children at any school. We have had a couple of students present themselves with headlice and have had the treatment. If your child has headlice please be sure to treat them at home before they return to school – this Queens birthday may be the best time to do so as we also have Teachers Only Day this Friday which means a 4 day weekend for your children. If you need head lice treatment please  contact Mrs Laura 092768727 in the office and she will pop some head lice treatment in your child’s bag.

Sick Children

We graciously ask that if your child has flu like symptoms such as:

• sneezing
• coughing
• runny nose
• sore throat
• respiratory issues

that they please seek medical treatment or visit your GP and if they can get a COVID test. Our nation is doing well with keeping the pandemic at bay however we all have a small part to play by keeping our whanau well and if they do get sick, seek treatment immediately.  Please note that if your child is away from school for 3 consecutive days they will be required to provide a medical certificate.

Winter Uniform

Our RUA Winter uniform is the same as the summer one except your children have the option to wear long PLAIN BLACK pants or tracks. We have noticed that there are quite a few students starting to wear non-school uniform jerseys of all sorts of colours. We ask that if your child does not have a school jersey (size 6 – 14 = $48 and Sml – Large =$52) then please dress them in a PLAIN BLACK jersey – no hoodie. We have orange beanies that have been donated to our school by the Lolohea Whanau who once attended Rise UP. These will be given out at the end of the week.

Jewellery: the only jewellery students should be wearing to school are simple studs. If they wear hoops or dangly earrings to school and it gets caught on another child’s school jersey or school bag while playing then they may tear their ear. Please advise your children to wear the correct jewellery.

Devotions

Whanau devotions:

Scripture for the term:
Galatians 5: 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Scripture for the week:
Nehemiah 8:10
….for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Specific Learning Intention:
I am learning to choose JOY.

•Success Criteria:
Pray daily for the fruits of the spirit
Read Galatians 5 vs 22, Nehemiah 8 vs 10

Prayer requests:
– Continued partnership with whanau
– BLC sustainability plans
– Property plans for Rise UP Academy
– For God to meet the needs of all our whanau and children.
– Beautification Inquiry learning projects.

Praise be to God for answered prayer