Wednesday 27 February 2013

Ski Camp Fundraising & Parent Consultation Meeting

A reminder that these meetings will take place on Thursday evening.

7pm: Fundraising Meeting - a joint meeting with the parents of Room 3.
Purpose:
  • to decide on fundraising ventures
  • appoint one or two people to liaise with Mrs Bennie regarding fundraising monies and allocation of this against childrens' accounts
  • discuss how funds raised could be allocated on an equitable basis
  • explain that everyone can either opt in or out of fundraising totally or just take part in some fundraising activities as they come up
  • advise people that small amounts of money can be deposited regularly at any time against childrens' camp accounts (like a Christmas Club)
An opportunity for all parents to decide as a group what they want to do.  Staff will organise the events - any fundraising needs to be parent lead.

7:30pm Room 4 Camp Consultation Meeting

Purpose:
  • to present dates (week of 26th August), and costings for parents, to allow further booking and planning of the camp to continue.  Date was dependent on when a booking could be secured for the Vincent Ski Hut on the mountain for accommodation.
I have discussed our camp with Ms Barb Lambeth who organises the Clyde Year 7 & 8 Ski Week to Coronet Peak and she has offered to attend our meeting to answer any parent questions.

Tuesday 26 February 2013

Week 5 Newsletter


THANK YOU DALE FOR ENCOURAGING EVERYONE TO ENTER THE PAPER PLUS INKIE COMPETITION:
We have won $500 worth of products which will be delivered on Friday about 10:30am.

Swimming Sports:
It was very pleasing to see everyone compete with such enthusiasm and confidence on Monday. Having 6 sessions before the competition this year was really worthwhile.  Thanks to all of you who helped with transport, supervision, encouragement and technical tips.  This was most appreciated as everyone could be in the pool for the whole 30 minutes. Permission slips for the Central Otago Competition have gone home today and need to be returned urgently to Mrs Rebecca Williams please.  This makes her job so much easier.

Kapahaka:
Permission/commitment letters went home last Friday after Kapahaka.  Thank you to those who returned these so promptly.  There are still lots to come back from Room 4, please check your bags and make sure these have been handed in.  Maria Williams wants to make a start on checking that we have sufficient outfits, so it is important we know who has committed to the festival.  The group sounds and looks fantastic, and everyone is working really hard in the half hour we have with Ms Tamati - she is really excited.  Thank you to those who have indicated that they can assist with the costumes.  Maria will be in touch with you. I am quite excited that our friends from St Johns Ranfurly want to send a small group of 8 to the festival, and will augment our group and perform with us.  They have 6 older boys and 2 younger girls. 

Visit To Alexandra Library:
We are walking to the library on Friday at 9:00am returning to school about 10:00am. I have 2 parents who have indicated that they are able to walk with us, but as 1 parent is unable to accompany us back I do need at least one more so that we can go.

Homework reminders
  1. Tables sheet - tables test on Friday
  2. Reading every night and completing the reading log
  3. School triathlon coming up shortly with the Central Otago event in Cromwell on Wednesday 27th March. Everyone will enter the school event as an individual in either a competitive or non-competitive race.  The team for the C.O.event will be chosen from the competitive results. Make a time to have a run, bike or a swim.  Bring your PE uniform, (black shorts & school t-shirt) each day as we will do some training at school as well - running to start with, as we have spent plenty of time on swimming recently, then biking closer to the race when you will need to have bike at school.  Get out there - keep fit as a swimmer, have a bike or a run with a friend or family.  Training log for this next week.
  4. Great to see so many people working on their typing skills - keep it up, you will find this a real benefit.

Monday 18 February 2013

Newsletter 18 February

Thank you so much to those parents who have provided transport to and from the pool and also supervised groups in the water.  This has meant that all swimmers have been in the water for the full 30 minutes and as much as possible individual needs have been met.  It has been encouraging to see good improvement in technique and confidence over the 6 lessons. Please remember the teaching points - especially fast feet when it comes to the racing on Monday - don't get too excited and revert to the thrashing arms!
Please check your jerseys, Adriana has lost her named jersey "Ruby" from our cloakroom.  She would be delighted to have it back as the mornings can be a bit cool.

BBQ Sausages = Thursdays. Please contact Michelle Healey if you are able to go on a roster for this.

What's Happening in Room 4?
  • Library Day = Mondays at 1:30pm.  I expect everyone to take a book home for home reading.  We will also be visiting the Alexandra Library on Fridays 1 March and 5 April leaving school at 9:00 am and returning at 10:00.  We need 2 or 3 parents to accompany us please.
  • Water bottles need to be taken home and washed each day. Brain Food = have this on your desk before school.  Brain food needs to be fruit or vegetables that have not been processed.
  • Uniforms:  great to see people wearing the uniform with pride. "Respect for Self". A note is needed at times when you are not wearing the correct uniform items.
  • School Swimming Sports: Monday 25th.  Mrs Rebecca Williams would be pleased to hear from anyone able to help on this day.  Please be at the pool at 8:55am.  If you have to come on the bus to school please let me know so that we know who we need to wait for at school.  Remember to wear your house colours, practise your house chant & Go For Gold, while encouraging each other to do their very best.  Two towels are a great idea.
  • Camp Consultation Meeting/Fundraising Meeting: Thursday 28th February - Fundraising Meeting shared with Room 3 parents at 7pm followed by the Room 4 camp meeting.
  • Central Otago Swimming Wednesday 6th March - Cromwell
  • Goal Setting Interviews: Monday 11th & Tuesday 12th March. Next week will be a testing week, so we will have  up to date assessment to set the beginning of the year goals from.
  • Bible Reading Eisteddfods: Tuesday 26th March class presentations.
  • Thursday 28th March: Stations of the Cross, school Eisteddfod presentations.
  • Kapahaka Festival: Sunday 14th April.

Homework
  1. Maths: tables sheet - keep working on the ones that you are not sure of.  The next tables test is next week, the first Friday in March.  Set yourself a goal. Once you have your goal, decide what you are going to do to achieve this.   Try www.studyladder.co.nz your log in and passwords are in your homework book.  The Census: what is this? What sort of questions are asked? How is this information used? Look out for someone coming to your house. We are looking at statistics for maths as well as working on our tables and place value knowledge.
  2. Reading: Record your reading in the log at the back of your book.  Check that you are reading a variety of texts - fiction, non-fiction, newspaper articles, recipes etc.
  3. Spelling will start shortly.
  4. Morning Programme: Group 3 will present after interval on Friday.  remember to write your item up on A4 paper so that we can read it again in the class book. Excellent programmes so far - keep up the high standard.
  5. Touch Typing: so that we don't develop bad habits when typing our work, over this first term I want everyone to begin to learn to type correctly.  At school we will do this on the site www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/ which you can also access at home. 5 minutes a night if you have access to the internet would be fantastic.

Tuesday 5 February 2013

Room Four Homework Information

Welcome To Room Four 2013.

Looking at what is planned for this term it will be very busy.

Homework needs to be completed and handed in on Fridays to the tray inside the classroom door.  It is expected that regular time is set aside to complete homework each day Monday to Thursday.

Reading should be recorded each night in the log at the back of the homework book. In Room 4, I expect you to choose what you will read, many of you use the town library and I know that Christmas books are still being read. People who have reading instruction in Room 3 or 6 may be given a book each day to read at home - this is what you must record in your reading log.  Library Day for us is Monday at 1:30.  This year you may issue 3 books at a time. So that you can use this opportunity to issue new books you need to organise to have library books in your bag on a Sunday night.  If you finish your book earlier in the week it can be placed in the "library book" box just inside the door of the classroom at any time.  Please do not take books out of this box to read. Library time is for browsing, silent reading and researching - you may choose to use this time to prepare for your Morning Programme or research for reading or topic work.  We also start with "Talk Book Time" where each of us shares something about what we have read over the week - a great time to find out about fantastic books that others have found.
The more you read, the more you know and the better you write.

Spelling will come home weekly and will be tested on Fridays.  This year we are introducing a new spelling programme "Spelling Alive" which Mrs Eastwood will explain at the Family BBQ/Picnic & Information Evening on Thursday.  Mrs Eastwood is coming in to our room to teach us all how to make "clean sounds" on Thursday.  Once we are all familiar with how spelling is to be learned, a list of words will come home - this may take a week or two, but yes I do expect spelling is learned every night.  Those who have had children in rooms 1 & 2 last year will be familiar with this.

Tables need to be worked on regularly and some tables will be part of the homework each week.  We are looking at accessing Maths Buddy again this year, costing this for the year, as this was popular with the students and had a variety of activities which covered all strands of maths - not just tables.  This week there is a copy of what my monthly tables sheet looks like. In class we do one of these as a speed test the first Friday of the month. For homework I expect the whole sheet to be attempted, perhaps 3 columns a night.  Year 5, just do the questions that you know, as many of you have not covered all the tables yet or division.

Morning Programme starts on Friday.  It is well explained at the start of the homework book, and an opportunity for us all to learn so many new things.  Aren't we lucky having 32 teachers in the class!

If ever you are unsure about any homework activity, please ask me for help, don't panic at home!  Remember to read any activity over before taking it home and clarify any problems.  Homework is for you to be independent at, not to raise stress levels in the family.  It relates to what we are learning about and is an opportunity for you to share your learning at home.

Sporting Events are coming up this term.  Swimming Sports on Monday 25th February and school triathlon Monday 18th March? Meet up with a friend to swim, run or bike in preparation for these.

Opening School Mass this Sunday 10th February 9:00 am, please be there in summer uniform by 8:55am.  Families are asked to bring something for the Alexandra Foodbank and a plate for a shared morning tea.  See you all there.

Contact, Health and Information Forms: please get these back by the end of the week as it is very important that we have all you latest details.