Term 4, Week 10

Room 4 Newsletter: Term 4, Week 10

Monday 12^th December

Thank you to all the parents and to Mr Milford for supporting Rooms 3 & 4 on our big Bike Excursion to Mrs Beilby’s place on Friday. We had an awesome day, a huge success, and everyone did well to cope with the challenges, especially the heat. Thank you especially to Mrs Beilby for hosting us and organising the day.. what an amazing home and property!!

Dates:

*Monday 12^th December: 1 pm – Prize Giving Assembly in the Church. Shared lunch prior to this 12-1 pm.

*Tuesday 13^th Dec: Shared lunch to farewell Grace Brydges at 12.30 pm. Please bring finger food that is simple and healthy to Room 4.

*Tuesday 13^th Dec: Mufti Day – please bring a gold coin for Ben Whitaker’s ‘Food for Thought’ project in Buenos Aires.

*Tuesday 13^th Dec: Graduation Mass – 6 pm. Summer School uniform to be worn by all.

*Wednesday 14^th Dec: School finishes at 1 pm. As buses won't be running please arrange to collect your children at this time.

*Thursday 15^th December: Teacher Only Day.

Farewell:

Farewell to Grace and the Brydges family as they relocate to Hampden.  Thank you so much for all you have done for St. Gerard’s School, our School Garden, Central Otago Athletics, and for the Alexandra Community.  You will all be very much missed.

Favourite Family Recipe:

Could we have one last burst on getting those family recipes in please. J

(On behalf of the Recipe Committee)

Happy Third Week of Advent:

Have a most wonderful Christmas and holiday season.

Thank you so much for the privilege of teaching your children for 2016.

God's blessings to you and your extended families.

Markelle Ward J

Term 4, Week 9

Room 4 Newsletter: Term 4, Week 9

Sunday 4th December

Important Dates:

*Monday 5^h December: Bike Check with Mr Milford in the afternoon.

*Eisteddfod Classroom Presentations: Monday & Tuesday mornings 5^th -6^th Dec.

*Wednesday Morning 7^th December: Visit to watch Alexandra Primary School’s Musical Production, leaving approximately 9.30 am.

*Thursday 8^th December: Eisteddfod Assembly, 1.30 pm.

*Friday 9^th December: Room 3 & 4 Bike Excursion.

*Sunday 11^th December: Little/Big Day Out – Music Concert & Fundraiser for Ben Whitaker’s ‘Food for Thought’ Programme in Buenos Aires. 12 noon – 8 pm at the Old Swimming Pool area. Admission $10 per child and $20 per family. If your child has made themselves available to sing with us (whether in the Choir or not) our items are at 12 noon. Please arrive at least ten minutes before that.

*Monday 12^th December: 1 pm – Prize Giving Assembly.

*Tuesday 13^th Dec: Graduation Mass – 6 pm.

*Thursday 15^th December: Teacher Only Day.

Favourite Family Recipe:

I only have two family recipes in so far. Please keep them coming. It is very important to the success of the Recipe Book that we have as many authentic recipes and photos and stories as possible.

(On behalf of the Recipe Committee).

Advent:

We have been decorating Mary pictures to add to the ‘Mary Garden’ pot plants that we will be making out at Mrs Beilby’s place on Friday. This brings together the two Term 4 strands of our RE curriculum beautifully: Communion of Saints, and Advent. I know our time in the garden on Friday will be a lovely reminder of all those near and dear to us, as we reflect on another year nearly over, and a new one soon to begin.

Bike Excursion this Friday:

I trust you all received the second notice (sent home mid-week) with all the details for this week’s Bike Excursion. Mini-golf (optional) is $5 per child which can be paid to me. Required gear includes a full packed lunch, water bottle, covered shoes for biking, sunhats, bike helmets, jacket, togs and towel. We expect to leave by 9.15 am and return by 2.40 pm. Let’s pray for a ‘just-right’ day.

Happy ‘Second week’ of Advent. 

Markelle J

Term 4, Week 8

Room 4 Newsletter: Term 4, Week 8

Sunday 27th November

Important Dates:

*Monday 5^th December: Bike Check.

*Thursday 8^th December: Eisteddfod Assembly.

*Friday 9^th December: Room 3 & 4 Bike Excursion.

*Monday 12^th December: 1 pm – Prize Giving Assembly.

*Tuesday 13^th Dec: Graduation Mass – 6 pm.

*Thursday 15^th December: Teacher Only Day.

9^th December:  Bike Excursion – Rooms 3 & 4

Thank you to all those who have made themselves available to join us on this day. We have the 10 adults that we require for the trip to go ahead. Remember that next Monday is the day we will have our bikes checked in anticipation of the journey ahead! Full details for the trip will be in next week’s class newsletter and blog. Please let me know if you did not get the notice that came home about the excursion a week ago J.

Favourite Family Recipe:

As part of homework this week, could you please organise for your child to bring to school a family favourite recipe, preferably one that has been passed down through the generations.  It could be a breakfast, dinner, desert, baking, snack, or salad recipe. Anything goes. Children could hand-write it, or bring a photocopy of it. The Recipe Committee really wants families to be thinking about it and become actively involved in the process leading to the development of the Recipe Book. Please record your family name on the recipe.

(With thanks from the Recipe Committee).

End-of-Year 4 Reports:

Year 4 Reports will be coming out to all students over the next week or so. Please let me know if you have any concerns or questions arising from your child’s report.

Life Education and the Harold Bus:

Room 4 were very fortunate to have two sessions with Pip and Harold in the Life Education Bus on Thursday and Friday morning. This was a great experience, and we learnt lots about food and nutrition. The children all have their own Harold booklets which will come home with their other books at the end of the year.

 Happy Advent.

Have a great week.

Markelle J

Room 4 Newsletter: Term 4, Week 7

Sunday 20th November

First Holy Communion

Congratulations to those who received their First Holy Communion at Mass this morning, to their extended families for their support, and to the wider parish family for  their prayers and support. Thank you also to those who contributed morning tea. The children looked amazing, and were delighted with their special morning tea celebration afterwards. They have now completed the Sacramental Programme, and we wish them all God’s blessings as they continue their faith journey.

Certificates:

Certificates for those who received First Holy Communion will be given out at Whole School Prayer on Monday morning.

Yoghurt-Design Competition:

Thank you to Lisa Reilly for agreeing to come in last Thursday to judge our Yoghurt-Design competition. The children did really well to create original, healthy and yummy flavours, considering that the plain natural-flavour yoghurt that we made as a baseline was quite bitter.

Most original: Keira and Zaria

Most healthy: Jacqui, Rhianna and Angus

Most yummy: Tadhg and Frans

Congratulations to these winners, and well done everyone.

We all got to enjoy the tasting afterwards, and Tadhg’s and Frans’s yoghurt was judged the yummiest in the peer-assessment as well!

Speech Eisteddfods:  Guidelines for Presenting/Speaking:

• Speak clearly so the audience can hear all that is said.
• Use expression in your voice.
• Pause for effect.
• Use pictures or props to add interest.
• Make eye contact with the audience.

Please note there is an A4-page Criteria sheet for Speech Eisteddfods in the student’s homework clear files this week.

9^th December:  Bike Excursion – Rooms 3 & 4

Hopefully you received a notice about this from the children last week. We are planning a bike ride along the Rail Trail as part of our LEOTC programme for 2016. We have scheduled this for Friday 9th December. For this Rail Trail event we require ten parents to accompany us. Please email me asap:  markelleward@stgerards.school.nz  if you are available to join us.

Have a great week. Markelle J