Vision & Strategic Plan

Bluestone School Strategic Vision

        ‘Growing a passion to excel in a challenging, ever changing world’

We want Bluestone students to

• Be confident, connected, actively involved, lifelong learners
• Know and demonstrate that excellence and success are a shared responsibility, and are expected, valued and celebrated
• Express values in everyday actions and interactions
• Be creative, energetic and enterprising

We want our learners to know

• How to read, write and numerate
• How to find, interpret and use information
• What, why, and how they are learning and to know where and what the target is
• How to develop strategies for learning
• How to treat and respect others and the world around them
• Their place in the world by putting New Zealand, Timaru, Bluestone into context
• When to lead and when to follow, how to make decisions and when to take risks
• To take ideas and develop them and apply them to other contexts
• To be able to communicate effectively in the modern world with a wide range of people, and in a range of situations.

We will expect in the next 3-5 years:

Teaching & Learning

Citizenship

To strive to reach or exceed National Standards in numeracy and literacy. National Standards to be used effectively to support improved progress and achievement in student outcomes. Physical and well being activities and cultural activities will involve all students, and aim for excellence. Professional development for all staff and action research by staff that encourages creativity and, approaches and practices that best meet student needs.

Programmes that make a positive shift in the whole school culture, emphasising good citizenship, manaakitanga (Caring and hospitality), and whakawhanaungatanga (Relationships in Bluestone Family/Community). These will reflect in actions and interactions both in school, and in the community. Experiences and resources that allow all students to be creative and effective communicators and users of information on a personal, local and global scale. Responsibility for learning being shared by students, parents, the school and community.

To reach these expectations we set annual targets and action plans. Considering all the time What difference will this make to kids and learning?

Some annual initiatives may include:
Student Electives.  Parent evening classes, school library being open on some nights allowing computer access to student eportfolios if parents do not have access at home. Safe houses identified for students walking to and from school. Discovery Learning. A Special Needs Co Ordinator employed to support current staff with responsibility in this area. An Activities Co Ordinator employed (lunch times and after school). A writing for boys only group aimed at lifting achievement and based on a recent successful initiative. Establishment of a Performing Arts Centre. Development of our Sister School relationship. Quality national or international speakers to challenge our thinking about the way we do things at Bluestone.