What have the teachers been up to/or what's in store?

Our teachers are always busy planning and preparing learning programmes for our students. Here are a few other things they have been up to.....or will be up to.

Lisa....Lisa is in her last week of school. On Friday she will take maternity leave for up to a year. Her baby is due 11 September and we will let you know when the great day arrives. Yesterday after school, teachers had a baby shower for Lisa where she was "showered" with gifts. Teachers tasted baby food and had to guess the ingredients. No-one was very good at it (although Lesley's experiences with 8 children did give her a bit of an advantage), but we were all agreed - "Thank goodness we don't have to eat that stuff!" Putting diapers on a balloon did not go very well for Mike (and Urs did not even give it a go!), but Demelza showed her years of experience of  folding great mountains of nappies ready for use on her twin brothers. However, it was Matt and Andrea who created the cutest balloon baby resplendent with a bow. All the best Lisa. We will all miss you! And we look forward to seeing the new addition to the Amesbury whanau. It's gonna be another boy! Three boys now. When will we have a girl....and who????

Crisanna...Crisanna came to the Baby Shower bringing her handsome son, Acton, with her. He is now 11 weeks old. Crisanna is eager to start back next term for one day a week. We are excited at the prospect of having her back to teach Te Reo Maori and Kapahaka etc.

Lesley....The week before last Lesley attended the first Australian Asia Education Foundation National Conference which was held in Melbourne. Over 600 people from around Australia and a contingent of 10 New Zealand principals attended. It was Lesley's first time visiting Melbourne and the experience was particularly sweet because the trip was paid for from a grant Lesley received from the Asia Aware New Zealand Foundation. Lesley is very grateful for the opportunity to attend this significant event and will write in more depth about it shortly. A BIG thanks to Asia Aware New Zealand. We really appreciate their support of New Zealand schools.

Urs, Angela, Demelza and Lesley....These four intrepid educators were keynote presenters at the recent Massey University Education Symposium entitled "Innovation and Inquiry: Making a Difference in your Community." A range of university staff, and primary and secondary teachers attended. Urs, Angela et al, were given a two hour slot. Lesley gave the big picture thinking behind the personalisation of learning at Amesbury School and Urs, Angela and Demelza provided examples of the ways this is implemented in the different parts of the school and in different curriculum areas. One principal went home to Taupo from the symposium and by the Monday had made some significant changes to his teaching and learning programmes. He has since let us know that the change towards more personalised learning programmes is making a big difference for the students in his school. It is such a privilege to be able to influence education around New Zealand

Lesley....On Friday Lesley will be returning to the Manawatu to present at a conference for assistant and deputy principals.

All staff at Amesbury....are involved in writing a chapter for a book which is being edited by a couple of academics at University of Waikato. Their chapter, entitled 'Causing Learning at Amesbury School' is being written collaboratively as part of their writing professional development. Lesley has almost completed another chapter for the book and will shortly start one more which outlines Amesbury School's big picture thinking.. Principals and staff of three other new schools are contributing further chapters to the book.

Matt and Angela....are off this week on Amesbury School's first ever ski camp. Woohooo! A big thanks to Angela for organising this and to Matt who was willing to leave his precious Charlie and help out. Thanks also to all the parents who are transporting children and helping with the supervision of them. We look forward to seeing photos of the action at the snow.

Karyn....the student teacher who has been on practicum at our school for the last few weeks will be finishing this Friday. Karen has fitted in really well and it has been a great pleasure to have here here. We wish her all the best as she continues with her teacher training.