Enviro

Enviro group garden request.

Wheelbarrows: This Wed July 1st we are shifting a whole bunch of soil. If you have a wheelbarrow we could borrow for the day could you please let Mr Yeoman know. Any parent help during Wed lunchtime would be very welcome.

Pots: We need a range of pots for planting seedlings in. A range of sizes and materials would be fine. If you have any spare could they pleased be dropped into Room 6 anytime. We will begin planting seedings in Term 3.

Building materials: We want to build a mini hot-house to raise our seedlings and are looking for materials to do this. The hot house will be aprox 1000mm x 600mm x 600mm. We are particularly looking for timber to frame the hot house and plastic to cover it.

Thanks

Term 2, Week 11

Room 4 Newsletter:  Term 2, Week 11

Sunday 28th June, 2015

First Reconciliation:

Congratulations to the 12 children from Room 4, and Tessa Handford in Room 5, who all participated in their First Reconciliation Mass on Thursday evening. We had a lovely celebration at Father Pat’s afterwards. Thank you to all the families, friends and parishioners who joined us for this special occasion.

Friday Mass:

Room 4 also did a lovely job of leading the Parish Mass on Friday, with many students involved in the readings, prayers, music and powerpoint. They also sang beautifully. Well done everyone. We overcame trying circumstances after the Church heating system broke down just prior to Mass and we needed to clap hands a lot to keep warm!

Upcoming dates:

*Ice-skating: Monday 29th June and Wednesday 1^st July: Room 3 & 4 will be leaving on the bus at 9.30 am for an ice-skating session from 10-11 am.  

*Poetry Eisteddfods will be presented in class Monday 29^th and Tuesday 30^th June.

*Eisteddfod Assembly: Thursday 2^nd July, 1.30 pm.

*Friday 3^rd July – last day of term.

Homework:

Over half the homework clear files were not handed in on Friday. There will be no homework this week but could I please have ALL clear files and ALL reading books in for the end of term. We will not be continuing with the Homework Calendars in Term 3. It worked really well but I would like a change back to good old maths, reading and spelling routines for next term.

De-clutter time:

Being the last week of term it is an appropriate time to have a ‘de-clutter’ of the classroom. Much as I love all the little animals and objects that the children (particularly the girls) pile up their desks with, it is now time for them all to come home. The cleaners are finding it difficult to clean the student’s desks, which means there is a bit of a health issue as the surfaces are not as hygienic as they should be. Trays are also overflowing. So please send an extra bag in with your child over the next day or two as they will need to bring anything home that is excess to their classroom requirements. One zip-up pencil case for inside their trays is also preferable to stand-up tins which are now overflowing as well.

Year 3 & 4 Camp:

I am slowly working through the costings and arrangements for our camp. A letter with full details will come home at the very beginning of Term 3. Please look for fundraising details in the last few school newsletters as fundraising efforts are being combined across Years 3-8.

Have a great last week of term and a warm, safe, and blessed holiday.

Regards, Markelle Ward   J

Term 2, Week 10

Room 4 Newsletter:  Term 2, Week 10

Sunday 21st June, 2015

Congratulations to Libby and Tessa Handford who were baptised by Father Pat in our Parish on Saturday afternoon. It was a privilege to attend this special family gathering for the Sacrament of Baptism. Just in time for their First Reconciliation… good job!

Upcoming dates:

*Ice-skating: Tuesday 23^rd June. Room 3 & 4. Leaving on the bus at 9.30 am for an  ice-skating session from 10-11 am.

*Tuesday 23^rd June: Reconciliation Meeting with Father Pat, 1.30 pm with the children in school time. Parents welcome to join us if available.

*Ice-skating: Thursday 25th June – as for Tuesday.

*Sacrament of Reconciliation: Thursday 25^th June, 7 pm. All welcome.

*Eisteddfod Assembly: Thursday 2^nd July, 1.30 pm.

Poetry Eisteddfods:

I will begin assessing Poetry Eisteddfods later this week, especially for those who are leaving early for the school holidays. Officially assessment is on Monday and Tuesday of next week, but with ice-skating and various interruptions, it will be good to take a bit of pressure off and get these happening as soon as possible. The children have really enjoyed reading poetry and have had lots of opportunities to practise reading aloud. Let me know if you are having trouble choosing a poem, we have tons to choose from in the classroom.

Publishing:

A big congratulations to all those who have emailed me their completed published stories. I know for some this has been a huge challenge (hopefully by choice) because either they had a very long story, or they are just learning to type. The children are very excited that I can bring their story up on the big screen, and there is a great sense of satisfaction when their story is complete and edited and shared with a wider audience. Thank you so much for your support with this.

Swimming:

After 8 weeks, our swimming sessions have come to an end. The instructors did a really good job, the children were always engaged and challenged, and I’m sure they made very good progress with their swimming. We now have two sessions of ice-skating per week for the last two weeks of term.

Mrs Lyon will be teaching in Room 4 on Thursday when I am in Dunedin for an appointment. I will be back in time for Reconciliation on Thursday evening.

Have a great week.

Regards, Markelle Ward   J

Term 2, Week 9

Room 4 Newsletter:  Term 2, Week 9

Sunday 14th June, 2015

Welcome to Week 9.

It sounds like everyone had a busy and fun time with Miss Clouston. Well done Room 4, I’m looking forward to seeing your ‘Lion’ Art.

Upcoming dates:

*Thursday 18th June – SWIMMING – Final Session, 10.10 – 11.15 am.

*Sacrament of Reconciliation: Please note the following important dates:

-Thursday 18^th June, 7 pm, Parent Night prior to the Sacrament of Reconciliation

-Thursday 25^th June, 7 pm, Sacrament of Reconciliation

Publishing:

A reminder that publishing for narrative stories is due this Friday. Well done to those who have got them in nice and early. I look forward to reading through them all.

Poetry Eisteddfod:

Please continue to use some homework time this week to support your child’s choice of poem, and follow the Poetry Eisteddfod Criteria Page  in their homework clearfiles.

Have a great week.

Regards, Markelle Ward   J

Term 2, Week 8

Room 4 Newsletter:  Term 2, Week 8

Sunday 7^th June, 2015

Welcome to Week 8.

I am away from Tuesday afternoon till Friday evening this week to the Catholic Schools Convention in Wellington. Room 4 will continue a fun and varied programme with their reliever who will be looking forward to working with them I’m sure. Please keep the notes and messages coming in to class as needed.

Upcoming dates:

*10^th-12^th June – Catholic Convention, Wellington.

*Thursday 11th June – SWIMMING – Session 7, 10.10 – 11.15 am.

*Sacrament of Reconciliation – please check this Wednesday’s school newsletter for details of the dates for Reconciliation, and for the Parent meeting prior to that.

Homework:

Homework for the next TWO WEEKS is for the children to publish their narrative stories and to prepare for their Poetry Eisteddfod:

(1)            Publish Story

A copy of your child’s draft story will come home in their homework clear file. Please support them to publish as much of their story as possible, and email it in to be by June 19^th. I have included in their homework a Narrative Writing Criteria Page for them to check off as they go. Email markelleward@stgerards.school.nz

(2)           Poetry Eisteddfod:

We are reading lots of poems and verse in class at the moment to get us ready for Poetry Eisteddfod. Please also use some homework time to support your child’s choice of poem, and follow the Poetry Eisteddfod Criteria Page  for guidelines. The term is going by fast so it is a good idea to get this organised now.

There will not be a Homework Calendar during these two weeks but there will be extra maths, reading and spelling sheets available for those who have indicated they want them.

Sacramental Programme:

Liturgy sessions for Reconciliation children will continue at this Sunday’s 9 am Mass J .

Ride back from Dunedin?

If anyone is coming back from Dunedin this Sunday 14^th June and has a spare seat in their car, please let me know as soon as possible. We need to get Nadine back for her 21^st birthday cake by about mid-afternoon, and the bus appears to be booked out! Thanks J .

Reports

I am making my way through the Year 4 reports which are now being forwarded on to Mrs Eastwood for Principals comments and signature. You should receive these reports by the last week of term.  Parent-teacher interviews are being set up for Week 2 of Term 3.

Have a great week. 

Regards, Markelle Ward   J