Year 7 Update

With our focus on Health and Wellbeing this term, students have been busy in a wide range of learning activities this term. We have been lucky to have Amy from St John's onboard also with a weekly Wellbeing session with each of our classes. A huge thank you to Amanda also, a parent from Room 10, who came in and presented to our Year 7 Assembly all about blood and analysis - what you can learn from looking at your blood. Thank you to Mr Scott for donating his blood for this presentation!

Students are engaged in Project-Based Learning (PBL) focus tailored to each class. Some are creating models to understand the human body better, while others are involved in community projects like "Helping in the Hood." Some classes are also building partnerships with community groups such as Summerset and Dunedin Hospital, to enrich our learning experiences and give back as part of our PBL focus. Students are also reading about the body - Room 13 is exploring the human body and how blood works — having fun creating fake scabs and wounds along the way! Check out their photos.

This week we kicked off 'Jump into June,' focusing on fitness and fundraising for the Heart Foundation. If your child hasn't signed up yet, we encourage you to support this meaningful cause. Each class will be building skipping skills into our fitness programme with a planned Year 7 jump off event for later in the term.

Our classes are showcasing great writing skills with a current focus on poetic writing. Check out some impressive pieces in this newsletter.

Thank you to all students who supported our Pink Shirt Day. It has been a focus in all classes as part of our Balmac Way to look at our school values of kindness and respect and to be upstanders both in and out of the classroom.

I hope you all keep warm as we head into some chillier winter weather! Thank you for your ongoing support for your students and our school programmes.

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini" which translates to "My strength is not that of a single warrior but that of many." When we all work together we can achieve great things!

Lisa Dixon

Year 7 Dean