MUFTI DAY

Dear Parent/Caregivers

Tomorrow there will be a Vanuatu fundraiser day. We will be holding a series of fun activities for a small cost. All the money we raise will go to the 'coins for bricks' trust and will help rebuild local schools in Port Vila. The activities we have are:

Mufti day-$gold coin 

Easter rock paintings $1.00

Face painting $1.00

Guess how many jelly beans in a jar$0.50

Baking for sale: $1.00 a piece

The activities are not compulsory, but we would like to have every student, wearing mufti if possible.

Thank you 

Molly and Emma 

 Special Character leaders  

Term 1, Week 10

Room 4 Newsletter:  Term 1, Week 10

Sunday 29th March, 2015

Congratulations to all those who participated in the Kapa Haka Festival at Molyneux Park this afternoon. It was full of laughter and song, music and action, and the sun shone till just the last few items. Well done to all those involved for all the hard work and for being part of something so special.

Upcoming dates:

*Year 3 and 4 Class Eisteddfods – Monday 30^th and Tuesday 31^st March

*End-of-Term Itinerary for Thursday 2^nd April – last day of term:

11.45 am: Easter Reflection – Holy Week Walk

12.30 pm: Family Picnic Lunch

1.30 pm:  Eisteddfod Assembly

Parish Easter Timetable:

*31^st March – Holy Tuesday – 7 pm: Mass of the Oils

*2^nd April – Holy Thursday – 7 pm: Mass of the Lord’s Supper

*3^rd April – Good Friday – 3 pm: Celebration of the Lord’s Passion

*4^th April – Easter Saturday – Omakau Mass at 6 pm; Alexandra Vigil Mass at 8 pm.

*5^th April – Easter Sunday – Sunrise Service at 7 am above the clock. Alexandra 9 am Mass. Roxburgh 11 am Mass.

Homework Calendar:

The feedback so far after the first week of the new Homework Calendar has been overwhelmingly positive. Sounds like this is something we should continue into Term 2. Thanks to those who have indicated which other homework sheets to continue for their child.

Sacramental Programme

Those wishing to enrol their Year 4 child in the Sacramental Programme can do so now by ringing Father Pat (Phone 4488202). We will start the Programme early in Term 2,  beginning with Reconciliation. This is followed by Confirmation, for which the proposed date this year is Tuesday evening, 22^nd September (during the last week of Term 3). The final sacrament for the year is First Holy Communion in Term 4. If you have any questions about the Sacramental Programme please don’t hesitate to contact Father Pat, Trina or myself.

Guinea pigs

Obviously a full-day visit from the guinea pigs to Room 4 has had quite a profound effect on the children. They keep asking when they are coming back, and one student has even written a letter to me asking if she can please HAVE the guinea pigs. It’s nice to know there will be many willing babysitters if we need them looked after!

What a busy and productive term it’s been. You can be very proud of your child. J

Regards, Markelle Ward     

Your invited

Room 4 Newsletter:  Term 1, Week 9

Monday 23rd March, 2015

Hi everyone and welcome to Week 9. I hope you are all enjoying the lovely weather for Otago Anniversary Day. The term is spinning to a close now.

Upcoming dates:

*Central Otago Triathlon – this Wednesday 25^th March, Cromwell.

*Kapa Haka Festival: Sunday 29^th March.

* End-of-Term Itinerary for Thursday 2^nd April – last day of term:

11.40 am: Holy Week Reflection

12.30 pm: Family Picnic Lunch

1.30 pm:  Eisteddfod Assembly

Scripture Eisteddfods:

Preparation for Eisteddfods is coming along nicely in Room 4. There is an opportunity each day for the children to let me know how they are going, and those that are ready have been having a practise and getting feedback on their progress. Please let me know if you don’t yet have the resources you need to support your child with their scripture eisteddfod, as I have a number of readings available. Please note that the introduction is a significant aspect of the speech. Reasons need to be given why this scripture/psalm/gospel was chosen and a link made with it, before the scripture itself is read.

Homework Calendar:

You will notice a change to the homework format for the last two weeks of term. A Homework Calendar will come home in clearfiles, and the children are to complete 3 out of the 4 activities shown for each night. Please sign these off to show they are done.

At the bottom of the same sheet, there is a wee questionnaire/tick box section asking you to indicate your preferences for next term in terms of homework for your child. Please discuss this with them, and agree on what is reasonable for your family, then tick or cross the boxes accordingly. I will gather up your responses over the next week and this will help me determine the right homework for you and your child for Term 2.

Remember that every child is different – some enjoy the challenge of a bit more homework (especially maths), others may be better suited to the flexible calendar format. I welcome your input and feedback as always.

Easter stories and Holy Week

As we move through Lent, and continue into the reflective period of Easter, let’s give thanks for all the good things we have in our lives. We thank God for the practical support going out to the people of Vanuatu at this time, and continue to keep them in our prayers.

Keep safe this week.  Regards, Markelle Ward            J

Term 1, Week 8

Room 4 Newsletter:  Term 1, Week 8

Sunday 15th March, 2015

Upcoming dates:

*Monday 16^th March – St. Gerard’s Triathlon – Please refer to Miss Passmore’s Room 5 blog for detailed information about this event.

*Friday 20^th March – Teacher Only Day

*Otago Anniversary Day – Monday 23^rd March – School closed

*Eisteddfod Assembly – Thursday 2^nd April (last day of term)

Hay for the guinea-pigs

If anyone could sell me a bale of hay for our wee guinea-pigs it would be greatly appreciated. We’ve run out!

Homework:

Great effort on the homework last week. There will be basic facts, reading comprehension, and a spelling activity this week. Remember to bring homework clear files back on Thursday this week because of the teacher-only day and long weekend.

Have a great week. Regards, Markelle Ward      J

Term 1, Week 7

Sunday 8th March 2015

Sea Week Exhibition:

Wer’e off to the Sea Week Exhibition again, this time with the whole class. We have been invited to a special DVD screening tomorrow afternoon between 1.30 and 2.30 pm at Community House. If anyone is available to walk with us, leaving from school at 1.20, please give me a call.

Haiku Competition: As part of Sea Week the children all wrote a Haiku poem, which is a 3-line poem on a theme. It has 5 syllables in the first line, 7 syllables in the second line, and 5 syllables in the last line. Most of the children then had to quickly provide an illustration of their poem for me to photograph, to send in with their haiku. By the end of Friday I had just managed to get them all away for those who wanted to enter. Wouldn’t it be exciting to win something? Entries will be posted on the Sea Week Facebook page, so you could even check them out.

World Day of Prayer Service:

I had about five comments from parishioners about how wonderful it was to have the children from Room 4 and the choir at the World Day of Prayer service on Friday morning. They all said how beautifully the children sang and what a lift it brought to the service. Well done everyone!

Upcoming dates:

*Monday 9^th March – Sea Week DVD at Community House:  1.30-2.30 pm

*Thursday 12^th – Friday 13^th  March – Junior School Camp (Rooms 1-3)

*Monday 16^th March – St. Gerard’s Triathlon – Afternoon only

*Friday 20^th March – Teacher Only Day

*Otago Anniversary Day – Monday 23^rd March – School closed

*Eisteddfod Assembly – Thursday 2^nd April (last day of term)

Spelling Homework

There will be a change to Spelling homework for the rest of the term. Five words will be given each week. The children will be required to highlight the part of the word that we are focusing on (for example, this week it is suffixes), and also to put each word into a sentence to explain it’s meaning.

Spelling lists will be worked on in class rather than at home, to ensure that Spelling Alive tools including sound lines and conducting lines are being completed correctly. If you particularly want spelling lists to continue coming home over the next few weeks, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

Thank you for your support with this.

Have a great week. 

Regards, Markelle Ward      J