Room 4 Newsletter:  Term 4, Week 8                     Sunday 30th November, 2014

Welcome to Week 8. It’s very hard to believe that December is now upon us and the year is racing to an end. Last week in Room 4 we started iMovies about Advent. My question was “How do we make an iMovie about knowing and loving Jesus this Christmas time?” One student’s response was “People in the world forget about what Christmas is all about. They need to remember that it’s about God, and Jesus, and Joseph and Mary”. So true!

Girls’ Self Defence

On Tuesday 2^nd December (this week) all Year 3 and 4 GIRLS will be participating in a self-defence course here at school for the whole day. A notice about this would have gone home last week. Please let me know if there are any questions. The girls are to wear their sports uniform. The boys will remain with me as usual.

Assembly

This week Room 4 will be leading assembly (2.10 pm Friday). We will be showing an iMovie about the Year 3/4 camp, so if you can possibly get there, it will be an opportunity to see some snippets of what we got up to. Alternatively, if you can’t make it and you would like to have a copy of the iMovie, you could bring me a stick to put the iMovie onto. It will be a nice memory to have for keeps.

Books and Journals

As we get towards the end of the year I would be really grateful for a big amnesty on any library books, journals and reading books that may have found their way into your bookshelves. Books are a precious resource and it would be nice to get everything back to where it belongs. I appreciate your support with this.

Christmas Baking

We had a great time for a couple of hours on Friday getting the first stage of our Christmas cookies done. Thank you for the last-minute grab of flour, rolling pins etc. The children have prepared a whole range of cookies of all shapes and sizes, and I have frozen them. This week I will bake them and return them to school for an icing and decorating session, so the children will be wanting to bring things to decorate the cookies with. Please make sure they bring ONLY things that you can spare, eg. sprinkles, writing icing etc. There is no need to buy anything especially for this.

Reports

I have completed all Year 3 reports and I am now underway with Year 4 reports. While there is no requirement to have final parent interviews for the Year 4 students, please feel free to make an appointment to check in regarding your child’s progress before the end of the year if you wish.

Have a great week.

Markelle

Term 4, Week 7

Room 4 Newsletter:  Term 4, Week 7                     Monday 24th November, 2014

First Holy Communion

Thank you to all those who helped us celebrate First Holy Communion on Sunday. It was very special and the children were buzzing today with stories about their celebration.

Girls’ Self Defence

A notice is coming home today for all Year 3 and 4 GIRLS regarding a self-defence course coming up on Tuesday 2^nd December (next week). This will involve all the girls in Room 4, and two of the girls in Room 3. Please discuss this with your daughter during the week, as it is expected that all girls will attend during school time that day. Please let me know if you have any questions. The boys will remain in class as usual.

Have a great week.

Markelle

Term 4, Week 6

Sunday 16th November:  Term 4, Week 6

Room 6 are off on their big adventure to Stewart Island… we will be thinking of them. Lot’s of fun and challenges ahead for them all!

First Holy Communion

This weekend some of the children in Room 4, along with others, are celebrating their First Holy Communion. Father Pat has asked that we all do our best to attend Sunday Mass this week to support these children and their families. They have been preparing at Sunday liturgies, in class and at home, and we even have some lovely art work to put up at Church.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Charis, Max, Mia, Jacob, Jade, Maggie, Ryan, Bryan, Patrick, and Eamon, and their families, as they prepare for this special sacrament.

A plate of morning tea on Sunday would also be greatly appreciated. As this is a Parish occasion, everyone is invited to join the children up at the school library for a cup of tea afterwards. A separate special table will be set aside just for the First Holy Communion children.

What’s happening this week?

·      Mrs Lyon will be in Room 4 on Monday while I begin 1:1 maths testing for Year 4 students.

·      Mrs Eastwood and Mr Yeomen are away with the Room 6 camp to Stewart Island, along with some very committed parent helpers and some very excited students!

·      Assembly on Friday led by Room 1 and 2 (2.10 pm)

Interviews:

Thank you to all those who have come for parent interviews and for those scheduled this week. I am well through the Year 3 reports.

Sickness:

There are some sick-bugs doing the rounds, particularly the cold virus. I’m usually the last to get it but got hit early this time. It is really important to keep a sick child home in those first few contagious days (yes I admit I had to be sent home myself) and to wash hands regularly in hot soapy water. We’ll be working on keeping up with the hand sanitiser and tissues too.

Please don’t hesitate to remind me if I’ve forgotten to broadcast something.

Have a great week.

Markelle

Term 4, Week 5

Welcome to Week 5. Various testing is taking place for both Year 3 and Year 4. We are doing a writing assessment across the school in order for staff to internally moderate our students’ writing. STAR Reading Comprehension tests have mostly been completed for Years 3-8. I will be doing Maths testing for the Year 4’s on Wednesday, and an up-to-date spelling test will also happen in Room 4 soon. I promise there’ll be lots of brain food sessions in between all this hard work!

Hampers

There are boxes in the office foyer for donations of goods for hampers. Room 4’s box is for bottles (alcohol free please). If you could possibly start getting these in it would be much appreciated.

Thyme Festival:

Room 4 will join Room 3 tomorrow (Tuesday) at 12:00 to head down and enjoy the Thyme Festival Lunchtime Concert. We will take our lunches (weather permitting) then look around the activities on offer, including the children's Art Exhibition. Are there some parents able to accompany us to this event please?

On Thursday the whole school will be performing at the lunchtime concert.  We will be singing 3 songs from the musical. There's A Party Here Tonight, Not All It's Cracked Up To Be and Happy Ever After.  

Homework:

Thank you for the feedback on homework. There continues to be a range of different needs for different students, so it is good to know what is working well and what isn’t. I will give a reading task, maths task, and spelling task each week. Organisation is the most important part of it.

Have a great week.

Markelle.

Term 4, Week 4

Sunday 2nd November, 2014

Congratulations to those who participated in the Ballet and Music Competitions in the weekend. With at least two daughters competing over the years I have fond and not so fond memories of it being a very big and busy weekend!

Well done also to those beginning cricket, t-ball and other summer activities.

Important Dates for Term 4:

·      Tuesday 4^th November – Central Otago Athletics

·      Friday 7^th November – 12 noon Mass; Assembly 2.10 pm

·      Thursday 13^th November – Thyme Festival Lunchtime Concert

·      Sunday 16^th November – Room 6 leaves for Camp

·      Sunday 23^rd November – First Holy Communion

·      Friday 28^th November – Year 3/4 girls Self Defence Instruction

·      Tuesday 8^th December – Room 5 Camp

·      Thursday 11^th December – Eisteddfod Assembly (Song)

·      Wednesday 17^th December – Graduation Mass 6 pm

·      Thursday 18^th December – Year 4 reports posted

·      28^th January 2015 – First day back for students

Remember to keep a close eye on Wednesday school newsletters as the above dates can change at short notice.

Harold

The children had two excellent Life Education sessions last week with Pip in the Harold bus. There was a lot of discussion and learning about social relationships including what it takes to be a good friend, how we need to be a friend to make a friend, and how our words and actions can have a strong impact on other people. This fitted very well with our Restorative Justice process here at St. Gerard’s, and with the values and Catholic character of our school. The children are working on some of the follow-up activities from these sessions and will bring their booklets home in a fortnight or so.

Feedback

Please continue to give me feedback on how things are for your child. You can make an appointment for a time after school to discuss issues of concern. It will be a hot, windy and busy term with some very tired children already. Please encourage them to have water bottles in class daily, and encourage them to take these home for washing at the weekend (some drink bottles seem to be parked in the classroom permanently). Also, I’m afraid there is still a huge pile of clothing, scooters and ‘stuff’ in the corridor.

Have a great week.

Regard, Markelle Ward :)