Year 9 Fundraisers

Lead the way for Fundraising in Room 7 for the Year 9's.

Got an ASB adviser in to talk to the students about budgeting and also ways to raise money.
-Helped the students organise car washes, the mini musical "All About Fame" and Term 4 Friday BBQ's.

Wellington Trip

Organising the Year 9 Wellington Trip:

Berkley Normal Middle School

Berkley Avenue

Hamilton

26th October,  2016

Dear Parents/Caregivers

Wellington Trip (November 21-25)

As you already have been informed, Berkley is offering a week long trip for our Year 9 students to our Capital City: Wellington. This trip is being organised as an additional ‘Education Outside The Classroom’ experience, specifically for our Year 9 students - at minimal cost to parents/caregivers. This 5 day city experience is specifically designed to develop: organisational skills, team-bonding, leadership experience and education through a variety of activities.  As you are aware, a large focus leading up to this trip has been the development of entrepreneurial skills, where students have been planning fundraising schemes to help contribute to the overall cost of the trip. Currently, students are preparing for their mini production ‘All About Fame’. (I look forward to seeing you all there)

Scheduled Activities:

Day 1: Flight to Wellington

Te Papa Museum

Settle into accommodation at Petone Holiday Park

H20 Extreme

Day 2: Botanical Gardens and Cable Car

Drive up Mount Vic

Wellington Movie tour and Weta cave workshop

Day 3: Ship and Chip (Matiu Somes Island)

Scavenger Hunt around wharf

Capital E - Movie Lab

Day 4: Capital E - On TV

Parliament with David Bennett

Cable Car (bottom of Lambton quay)

Dinner at Mandarin Restaurant

Day 5: Flight home

Miramar

Home Baking

We would also appreciate everyone's cooperation with snack/supper requirements.  Baking/biscuits for morning/afternoon teas and supper are to be brought to school on the morning of departure in an ice-cream container (inside their luggage bag)

Personal Requirements for your checked bag

sleeping bag, pillow and pillowslip                                      

2 towels

1 minimum poly-prop or thermal garments (next-to-skin layer)

2 minimum woollen/polar-fleece jumper          

beanie (woollen or fleece)

underwear      

shorts

socks

waterproof raincoat

long pants (e.g. jeans/tracksuit )

sweatshirts,T shirts

pyjamas

footwear for walking/outdoor activities e.g comfortable sports type shoe

toilet gear                          

plastic bags (x 2 for dirty clothes)          

(ice-cream container with snacks/ supper etc)

Day pack (ASB bag provided as carry on luggage)

Packed morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea for the first day)

Water bottle

Optional

pack of cards/indoor games

a book to read

Camera / Phone (own risk)

Transportation to and from the airport:

On the 21st of November we require 2 to 3 Vehicles to transport students and gear to Auckland Airport. We will meet at Berkley at 6:45am and leave at 7:00am promptly.

We also need 2 to 3 Vehicles to transport students and gear back to Hamilton from Auckland Airport on the 24th November at 1:50pm. If you can help, please contact myself on:

Phone: 0272422177               email: raspden@berkley.school.nz

Below are our flight numbers and flying times for your information:

Spending Money

The only request is approximately $50 spending money, $20 of which will be used for their mandarin restaurant experience, as part of putting into practice their mandarin language skills learned throughout the school year, as well as H20 Extreme and the Cable Car.

Kind regards

Regan Aspden

Lighthouse Meetings

Using PAT's

Team Meeting - NZCER Assessment Information Reading/Video

You can find the NZCER document here

NZCER: New ways to use assessment information

Diagnostic and evaluative categories for assessment data. PAT (Progression Achievement Test), shows how student's progress in any given subject. Understanding intention provides relevant reasons for collecting data. PAT data is part of a range of ways data is collected to identify learning needs. Purposeful assessment: What is working well, what is not, and needs to change?
Diagnostic and development focused: Finding out about students strengths and learning needs.
Evaluative: To assess the overall effectiveness of programmes and interventions.
Understanding the scale is crucial to getting good diagnostics...

Measurement Scale: The difficulty range of questions in any test is important because it will allow students to accurately demonstrate their knowledge capabilities e.g. If its to easy it will have a 'ceiling' effect, and if it's too hard will have a 'flooring' effect.
Scale score matches to the NZC level, so teachers can accurately identify gaps and next steps.
Multiple choice questions are deliberately used to reveal students 'ways of approaching' a problem or task, therefore revealing misconceptions, allowing teachers to fill in 'the gaps'.

Allows you to track a student's progress over time and across year levels.The scale score is a standard that shows where students should be working. You would expect students to be working at a higher level at the end of the year.
Assessment should be used to inform future teaching.

2016 Review

Staff Meeting - Staff Personal Review BNMS 2016 - Thursday 13th October 2016

This afternoon we had the opportunity to share information about our experience and our preferences regarding working at Berkley. Our responses will inform the school review and decision making around our school structures in 2017. As we work towards 'one experience for all', we are seeking to function in a way that avoids the pitfalls of a 'personality-driven curriculum'.

The schools key goals for 2017 will be to strengthen the alignment between school wide practices and the documented school curriculum (Point of Balance).

I found this survey quite challenging due to peoples jobs being at risk and a focus.