News letter No2      28th February 2008

 

Kia ora and warm greetings.  It has been wonderful to have such a settled spell of weather.  (I know that the farmers and our gardens could do with some rain!)  There is a real feeling of industry and enthusiasm in learning throughout the school and it has been really good to see many children making significant progress with their swimming skills.  

 

This news letter contains:

  • Welcomes
  • Parent/teacher/student Conferences
  • Our current study        
  • Virtues,
  • Sports teams    
  • Stationery   
  • School camps year 5-6
  • The Charter     
  • Education Review
  • HPP Tutors
  • Community Notices

 

We have been pleased to welcome

Te Hinemoa, Ihaia, Tempestt, Molly, Lisale, Kaiya and Hannah.

 

FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE, INFORMATION AND SOME REMINDERS

 

Parent Conferences:

It has been good to see many families sharing with their child’s teacher their hopes and setting some goals for learning this year.  More of you will be at school this evening.  Learning is very much a partnership between the family, the school and the community.  It is our aim to with you, see the best progress possible for your child.

 

If per chance you have missed out on having a meeting arranged, please contact your child’s teacher and a time to suit the family and the school will be found.

 

School sports teams:

We are ever grateful to parents who support us with managing, coaching or supporting the children and their teams.  The children will bring home a Central Normal Sports Code; this is a reminder for them about sportsmanship and with that a note to parents to positively encourage the children in the development of their skills and sportsmanship in the various codes.  Note: Our basket ball and touch teams are off to a great start to the season.  Thank you to coaches and families supporting.

 

Our current area of study across the school has the title Tangata Tiriti 

(A Treaty for the People)

Under the Social Studies umbrella of Social Organisation, and Culture and Heritage the children will learn about the Treaty of Waitangi, about time, continuity and change and about rights and responsibilities.   The major Key Competency focus will be on Thinking.  The children will further develop their thinking skills and these will be observed in the quality of their questioning, the ability to organise their thinking and make useful generalisations.   As this work progresses we hope that you will take time to discuss their investigations, research and developing knowledge.   We expect that inquiry skills will be further developed with aspects of this unit of work.  There will be ways the family can become part of this.

 

The Virtues Project at our school:

The virtue of Respect remains our focus for the next few weeks.  A key focus is to remember and carry out the rules of our family and our school, so that life is more orderly and peaceful for all. 

An example: we would know that a child was showing respect at school if he/she took turns to get to their school bag, waited at a doorway for an adult,  said  please and thank you, or by used a quiet voice as appropriate.

 

School stationery:

There are some families still to pay for their children’s stationery.  Please call in and get this sorted urgently. Your children need their books to progress their work!   If you purchased your child’s books elsewhere please come in and pay the compulsory costs.  These  items have been issued to your child.

 

Senior Camps Year 5-6 to Camp David in the Hawkes Bay. 

Rooms 2,10,13  April 1st – 4th :  and Rooms 1,2,11,14   April 8th – 11th

Camp fees are due to paid in full by March 10th .  Please attend to this so that the final arrangements for the camp programme can be finalized.  The camp money must be paid, or arrangements made with the school office for support, for all children attending.

 

 

 

 

The Charter questionnaire

If you still have the brief questionnaire at home relating to the school charter we would love you to comment on it and drop the slip in to the school office.  Your thoughts are important to us.

 

Education Review Office,  (ERO) Triennial review

The week commencing March 10th .  If you would like to speak with a member of the team with feedback on any aspect of the school and its programmes, please let the office know and a time to suit will be arranged.

 

Coming Events:

  • March         6    Information meeting – school camps 7.00p.m. staff        room
  • March 10 – 13th ERO review
  • 19th             March Board of Trustees meeting – all welcome
  • 21st – 25th Easter, Good Friday Easter Monday, Tuesday
  • April  1st -   4th Senior camp 1
  •  8th -  11th             Senior camp 2
  • April         18th Final day term 1
  • May           5th   School commences for term 2

 

HPP Tutors Required

Mums, dads, grandparents, friends, neighbours!  Do you enjoy reading to children?  Can you volunteer some of your valuable time to work with a

child on a picture book reading programme designed to develop confidence and skill in speaking and sharing ideas with others.

 

Full training will be given and you will work with a child for approximately 1-1 ½ hours a day 3 days per week. (1/2  hour per child)

If you are interested in helping some of our children, please phone school on 359 3337.  More information available from Karen Forsyth HPP liaison teacher.

 

Yummy Stickers

They are out there in the Supermarket on the various varieties of apples.  PLEASE keep on collecting them. Each sticker is worth one point and the label on the 2kg bags

10 points.  These add up to valuable sports equipment we can get for the playground.  Now for a short time you can also collect Flatto stickers found on sweet tasting flat peaches.  A great way to keep up your healthy eating and help the school.

Head Lice

We are very concerned about the spread of this troublesome pest.  PLEASE check your child/ren daily and brush heads thoroughly when children come home after school to try to spot infestations.  If your child is infected PLEASE treat immediately.  We have organic treatment and gel (preventative) available at the office $22 per pack. 

 

Some Wonderful Writing from the children

 

Planting Pingao from Room 7

When we were doing pingao planting the tarpaulin was moving in the wind like the sea.  It was a messy job for me.  My whole class was there, it felt like fun.  I loved it.  We all had to mix the ingredients which were sand and potting mix to put the pingao in.  Pingao is a grass and if it grows we will plant it at the beach.  By Salome Year 2

 

My Special Treasure

My special treasure is my blanket.  I chose this because it is cuddly and cute.  I love it because Auntie Irene and Nana made it.  Sometimes Jessie has it at night time but I don’t care.  Sometimes my mum takes it off me when I am asleep.  Sometimes I take it in the car while mum drives the car.  I took it to hospital to get my tonsils and my add nose out but my dad has something else that was special to me, a little baby Shrek. I had my blanket for 7 years and it still smells nice.  I love my blanket so much.

by Serena Matson Year 3.

 

Respect from Room 5

Respect is saying nice things and not saying rude things.  Respect us caring for the rights of others.  Respect is honouring yourself and others.  Respect is treating people as you would like to be treated.  Respect is saying please, thank you, excuse me, sorry, pardon me – manners.  Respect is laughing with others not at them.  Respect is listening to others when they are talking.  Respect is smiling at other people because your smile will come back to you.  By Grace Hunt Year 4.

 

Dental Clinic Closed please note!

The Dental Clinic will be closed from Monday 3rd March until the end of Term 1.  It will reopen on Monday 5th May.  For Dental emergencies phone Teeth R Us at Somerset Crescent School until 14 March, then Cloverlea School Dental Clinic until the end of term.

 

Community Notices

Freyberg Old Boys Rugby Club

Registrations will be held at Colquhoun Park Fairs Road on 29th March and 2nd April from 3.00 – 6.00 p.m. or fill in form from www.freybergrugby.co.nz & post to Box 706 Palmerston North.

 

Marist Junior Soccer Registrations at the Marist Clubrooms 17 Pascal Street on Thursday 28 February from 5.30 to 7.30 p.m. Subs payable on the night. $40 per player or $70 per family.  New players welcome phone 3576282 for further information.

 

Marist Junior Rugby

Registration for 2008 at Marist Club Rooms Pascal Street Saturday 15th March 1 – 3p.m., Sunday 16th  March 1 – 3p.m., Wednesday 19th March 5 – 7 p.m.  $30 per child or $50 per family. Subs payable on the day.  Phone Karlyn 35743773 for more information.

 

Off Limits Vision Community Trust

Friday nights 7.30 to 9.00 p.m. at 114 Cuba Street.  Loads of Fun for 8 – 13 year olds.

 

Gifted Education Centre offers a free information evening on 12 March from 7.30 to 8.30 p.m. at Central Normal School hall.  What does “Giftedness really mean?  What is a gifted child?  What can we do to help? This evening is free to teachers and parents.  Booking essential phone Lyn 3574862

 

Manawatu Gymnastics Inc. is holding an open day for boys competitive gymnastics.  If you are aged 6 – 9 years, come along to the gym at 10 Downing Street on March 9th from 2 – 4 p.m...  Join in a training session with our current squad, and see the Level 4 boys in action.  For further information phone Tura on 3577065.

 

Free information evening about the treatment of learning difficulties - Whether your child has been diagnosed with a learning, attention and behaviour difficulty or not, the Dore Program treats the cause of the problem. Attend a free public talk at the The Chancellor Motor Lodge (Conference Room), 131 Fitzherbert Ave, Palmerston North on Wed 12th March from 7.30 – 9pm. To reserve your seat call 0508 367 369. www.dore.co.nz

 

Indiana Bones & the Raider’s of the Empty Tomb free Easter Holiday Childrens’ Programme for ages 5 – 13 years 21 – 24th March 10.00 – 12 noon.  Friday, Saturday Sunday, Monday at Central Normal School Hall. For more details phone 3544110. Sponsored by Christian Family Church, Matipo Street, Palmerston North

Rudolf Steiner Kindergarten Harvest Fair

Saturday 8th arch 10a.m. – 2 p.m.  at 187 Ruahine Street.

 

Are you working on Tuesday 25th March?

Lollipop’s Playland and Café has an exciting one-day holiday programme.  An excursion to Owlcatraz from 8.30 to 6.00 p.m.  Cost $40 per child (WINZ subsidies available) Contact 3566200 to book (limited numbers).

 

Womens Aerobic Classes Wednesday & Friday mornings 9.30 – 10.30 a.m. at 37 Botanical Road, (back of Ass. Churches of  Christ).  Come join in the fun and even a cuppa and chat after.  $4.00 per person, $1.00 per child under 5.  Phone Karen 3565708 for more information or we’ll see you there!

 

 

ACROSS is a child and family support service providing foster care for children needing time out of the care of their families.  If you are interested in becoming a caregiver or feel you may benefit from this support yourself, please phone Shu-Fei Lin on 356 7486 for more information.

 

Girls Brigade is a Christian based, uniformed organisation for girls aged 5 – 16 years of age which offers a great badge work programme, new friendships, in a friendly environment.  Come, join in the fun and see if it’s for you.  Phone Suzanne Best 3561974 for details.

 

 

A Maori Proverb.   Na te moa i takahi te rata

 

The rata that has been trampled on by a moa

when young will never grow straight.

(early influences on children cannot be altered)

 

A further thought to start the year:

We are what we repeatedly do. 

Excellence then is not an act but a habit.

    

     (may we all develop such a habit this year!)