Term 4- Week 8

A couple of extra things.....

The PTA would like a copy of a favourite recipe for their cookbook. Please send these in this week.

Items for the Christmas raffle, we are to contribute a christmas item. Classroom boxes are in the office. Each family received a raffle ticket to sell over the next week please.

We are having a MUFTI DAY on Thursday and a DISCO this Friday night!!

Rudolph Writing Competetion

Rudolph Writing Competition

Hi Everyone,

In the traditional tale of Rudolph, he is left out and excluded by the other reindeer until Santa needs his special talent!

Sticks ’n Stones think that young people across the country can create their own Christmas stories that celebrate ACCEPTANCE, DIVERSITY and BEING YOU and encourage us all to spread joy.

The stories do not need to be about Rudolph, or even be about Reindeer!

We know it is late in the year but think this could be a great session for students to engage with :)

We have an INCREDIBLE judging panel including Louise Dempsey from ‘The Writing Book’, Kyle Mewburn (Old Hu Hu), Bruce Potter (Doodlebug, Penny the Prolific Pooing Cow) and Ross Kinnaird (I need a new bum)

Open to all ages (There is even an Open Category teachers could enter…)

For the Aged 5-7 year old category, classes or groups of students can enter collaboratively

Prizes for each category ($50 vouchers)

More information available at:  http://www.sticksnstones.co.nz/rudolph-needs-a-rewrite-competition/

Carla Sanders.

Term 4 - Week 8 and 9

Week 8 - Christmas Art activities

Rooms 1, 2, 7 and 3 will be rotating around Christmas art activities after play from next Monday to Thursday.  This is a cross-grouped learning activity. Parents are welcome if they would like to help. Please send plastic drink bottles and shoeboxes to school before Monday.

Week 9 - Outdoor Education Week 

Monday 5 December (Sport's uniform to be worn)

We are walking along the river track and up to the clock, leaving school at 11.40am.  We will have lunch at the old pool site at approximately 12.45.  After lunch we will go to the playground at Pioneer Park and be back at school by 2.50. We will need parents to accompany us. (Postponement day -Tuesday)

Tuesday 6 December

We are having a water afternoon, weather permitting.  Please brings togs and a towel, plus water guns. If anyone has a waterslide or paddling pool they would be able to lend, this would be great and please let your classroom teacher know.

Wednesday 7 December

This is our trip to the wharenui at Dunstan High School.  We will be walking to Dunstan at 11.30am, and having the powhiri at 12.00.  Some Room 7 boys will be sharing their Mihi. After this, we will have a shared lunch with some Dunstan students, and rotate around some activities. It would be helpful to have some parents with us on this trip.

Everyone needs to provide a small plate of finger food for lunch. (The food is our koha). Please bring this to school on Wednesday morning.

Also remember a jacket if wet.

Thursday 8 December

Thursday afternoon is the school Eisteddfod.

Friday 9 December (Sport's uniform to be worn)

Bike day and trip to the pool.  Please bring bikes to school on Friday morning. We will be leaving school at 10.30 and biking along the rail trail to the bike park. (If your child has trainer wheels or is not confident on a bike, please drop their bike at the bike park at 11am and they will walk along the rail trail). We will then ride bikes at the bike park and go over to the playground for lunch. From 1.00 - 2.00, we will be swimming at the pool, and children are to be picked up from the playground opposite the Stadium Tavern from 2.30 (2.55 at the latest). We will also need parent help for this trip and there will be a cost of $3.00.

If you are able to help with any of the above activities, please email or see your class teacher.

Swimming

Just a little reminder, we have a swimming lesson tomorrow, Thursday. 12.30-1pm.

POSTIE PLUS STOCKTAKING

We as a school are stocktaking at Postie Plus tomorrow night (Thursday) and are desperately short of helpers for the early shift which is from 4-8pm.

This stocktake will make us between $1500-$2000.

If you are able to help please contact Donna Ballantyne or somebody on the PTA. 

Many Thanks

Term 4 - Week 7

Hi All

Many thanks to those who provided baking for Mass this morning.

We have some fun activities this week :-

Wednesday afternoon - T-Ball skills with Vanessa

Thursday - Swimming 12.30 - 1.00pm. This is a make up lesson for one we missed out on earlier. 

Friday - Life Education with Harold. We will have 2 sessions about where our food comes from, how our bodies get energy from the food we eat and why we need to eat different kinds of food to stay healthy.

Maths Games - if you still have a maths game at home please return this week.
Spelling Alive - we have been doing this each day in class, as many find it hard to do at home.


Next week, Week 8, we will be having a junior school Christmas Art activity rotation after play each day. This will involve Room's 1, 2, 3 and 7. Mrs Beilby has asked everybody to bring one large coke/lemonade bottle for her activity please.

Week 9 is our Outdoor Education week and we have some exciting activities planned, including a trip to the marae. There will be more details coming next week.

Also the Speech Eisteddfods are in Week 9.  For this, the children need to prepare a short talk for the class about something they are interested in eg. a favourite pet, a sport, a favourite holiday place etc.

Have a good week.
Neroli

Dairy Farm Visit

A very big thank you to the Stratford family for having the Junior School visit their farm yesterday. We all had a wonderful time exploring the dairy shed and watching the calves being feed. Many thanks also to those parents who accompanied us. It was a fabulous learning experience !!!

Baking Stall - Sunday 20 November

Just to let you all know that it is our turn, room 7 families, to sell baking before Mass this Sunday. A group of children are also receiving their First Holy Communion this Sunday, so there will be a good turn out.
We would really appreciate your donation of a cake, muffins, slice, biscuits etc.
Thank you in advance
Neroli

Dairy Farm Visit

The weather is looking as if it will be okay at this stage, and we have made arrangements with Mrs Stratford for lunch eating if the weather changes.

Please be sure to bring your waterproof jacket.

Please wear gumboots or shoes that can get muddy and bring a plastic bag to put these in before we get back on the bus. Bring another pair of shoes in your back pack to wear on the bus home.


Today we identified the safety issues of a visit like this: electric fences, machinery, water, the animals and behaving responsibly.
We know that we have been shared amongst the groups, lead by teachers and parents and are expected  to self manage our behaviour by:

• staying close to the parent looking after us and doing as they say
• staying well back from electric fences
• listening carefully to the people in charge at the farm and following their instructions
• wearing our hi-viz jackets so that we are visible
• moving quietly from place to place so as not to 'spook' the cows
• asking questions and listening to other people's questions.

We are looking forward to a great learning experience as we see first hand where our milk comes from for so many of our food products.

Term 4 -Week 6

On Wednesday we are travelling to the Stratford's dairy farm to look at the milking cycle - Where Does our Food Come From?  
Thank you to the parents who have offered to accompany us. If there was anyone else, that would be fantastic as only 5 parents from the whole junior school have indicated that they are available.  
We will be meeting after school on Monday to organise supervision groups, as we need to keep all children safe in this environment.
Please remember to dress for the farm - sturdy shoes or gumboots, hi-viz jacket, sunhat but also a warm jacket and plenty to eat and drink. 
It would be appreciated if the $10 per child could be paid to the office by Wednesday.  If there is a problem with this please let us know.

Sunhats: are required every day and it is expected that these are worn at all times outside the classroom.  We are a sunsafe school and developing this habit is essential.

Cultural Assembly: Thursday afternoon starting at 1:30 in the hall.

First Holy Communion - Sunday 20th  - 9am. Please support our Year 4 students who are taking this further step in their faith journey.

Calendar Orders

Just a wee reminder calendar/ diary orders need to be in by Next Tuesday 15 November. Thank you🌺

Farm trip

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

On Wednesday 16th November Rooms 1, 2 ,3 and 7 will be visiting the Stratford’s dairy farm at Omakau. This is part of our inquiry topic, “Where does our food come from?”

Children are to wear mufti, appropriate clothing for a farm, which will include, jacket, sunhat, covered shoes/gumboots.

Please pack a full school lunch with a drink and bring sunblock.

If your child has any medication/issues/allergies not held on the school files from your notification in February, please contact the classroom teacher, so that we are aware, and have appropriate medication on hand, if needed.

We need parents to accompany us, and 1 back-up emergency vehicle.

The cost of this trip is $10 per child - this covers the cost of the bus. Please come and see us if this cost is a problem.

This note will be in Wednesdays newsletter – if you can help please email chrisbeilby@stgerards.school.nz

Term 4- Week 5

Hello everyone. Hope you all had a nice weekend. 

Things on this week include-

Tuesday morning ICT with Mrs Flannery

Wednesday - we have started our weekly T-Ball lessons, taken by Vanessa and Maria. Many thanks to you both, the children are very enthusiastic !!

Thursday - Ronald Mc Donald Roadshow in the hall at 12.00, talking about road safety.

Mrs Cooney will be in Room 7 on Thursday and Friday as I will be away.

PS It is Speeches for the Eisteddfod's this term, so it wouldn't hurt to start preparing for this now.

Have a great week.

Calendar Art

Calendar Art

Not sure why these are upside down😬

Here is the MY FAMILY art that we have produced for our calendars. They are bright and beautiful!! Will make fabulous gifts for Nana and Grandad. Please send in your orders next week.

Term 4 - Week 4

Unfortunately I was unwell yesterday and we missed having our School Prayers. Luckily we can do it tomorrow morning, Wednesday. So for those children reading, have another practise tonight !!

We had busy day today with a visit from a firefighter teaching us how to be Firewise. There are booklets that will come home with the children. She stressed that everybody should know their address and that all families should have a pre-arranged meeting place, eg: front gate.

At lunchtime today we went down to the Thyme Festival High School Concert and this afternoon practised for our own performance which is tomorrow at 12 oclock St Enoch's Church. ( no lunch orders tomorrow please)

Thursday and Friday look pretty straight forward at this stage, with R5/6 assembly on Friday afternoon.