Growing Excellence Together Piki ake te tihi ngātahi Newsletter 16 December 2014 Important Notes Things to note… Nau mai haere mai, Talofa lava, Malo e lelei, Bula Vinaka! CLASSES FOR NEXT YEAR; ►Dec 17 Class Placements go home with pupils. ►Dec 17 Senior PrizeGiving at 6pm. ►Dec 17 Reports go home. It’s a difficult job deciding what class your child would be best suited for next year. There are all sorts of criteria we consider but our prime goal is to select the best place for your son/daughter. Next year, as we move more toward collaborative teaching, you must realise that it is not only the ‘home room’ teacher that is important but the other teachers in the team who will be involved in the education of your child. This team is made up of teachers with various strengths, skills and talents and together they will make up a rich, balanced ‘package’ for your child. This will enable us to cater better for all learning, social and personal needs. We have been trialling this collaborative approach this year and we know it has significant impact on the learning and well-being of all children. Class teachers, who know your children well, have spent hours talking about where the ►Dec 18 School finishes at best place for your child will be. We have placed your child into a home room and team that we know will cater for his/her academic and social needs. We ask that you have 12.30pm. confidence in us to know that your child has been carefully placed in a room where they will continue to grow and develop both academically and socially. This Year our Five Teams are made up of::  Team 1 made up of New Entrant and Year 1 students in R23, R1, R2 and Rm 3 with Kerri Waterman as the team Leader  Team 2 made up of Year 1 and 2 students in Rm 4, 5, 6 and 7 with Heather Law as our AP and Team Leader  Team 3 and 4 made up of three year 3 classes (Rm 8, 9,and 10) and three year 4 classes (Rm 11,12 and 13) with Kate Morgan as the Team Leader  Team 5 and 6 made up of five classes; (one of those being a year 4 & 5 class (Rm19)) and four year 5 & 6 classes (Rm 20, 21, 22 and 18) with Amanda Thornbury as Team Leader. Team 7 & 8 made up of four year 7 & 8 classes in our new Learning Hub with Bruce Rodger as the team Leader SWIMMING POOL For safety’s sake we have to restrict the number of pool keys we issue and like last year, have limited it to 70 keys. Just a reminder, the pool will be open over the holidays and will be heated. Please look after the pool for us and tell anyone who shouldn’t be there to leave. Please also remind children…there should be no diving OR DIVE BOMBING as it makes it very difficult for others to enjoy their swim while all that activity is going on. We will ask for your key back if we hear that families are allowing their children to do this. ►Term 1 of 2015 starts Monday 2 February. Contact Us FINAL ASSEMBLY –TOMORROW NIGHT at 6pm. This year we have shifted the formal, Year 7&8 assembly to the evening to allow more working parents to attend. All our Year 7&8’s are required to be at this assembly. As it is likely to last for an hour-and-a-half, the year 7&8’s are not required back on Thursday morning as they have fulfilled the extra requirements of attendance by being at this extra assembly outside of school time. So this will be an emotional time for the year 8’s as the march-out at the end will be their last time at school. Younger children who go along to watch this….are not required to be at this formal assembly. It’s OK if they choose to be there, but they will be required back at school on Thursday morning (finishing at 12.30pm) to fulfil their attendance requirement. Address: 55 Avonhead Road, Christchurch 8042 Phone: 03 348-7361 E-Mail: [email protected] Website: http://avonhead.school.nz Finally…….We wish you all a safe and happy Christmas holiday and look forward to seeing your wonderful children back with us at the start of the school year - 2nd February 2014. We would like to thank you all for your on-going support. Aku mihi nui ki a kotou Charles Levings Principal Our whole school at the final assembly for 2015. ▲Awardees at our final assembly. These students have the Avonhead attitude! Jnr & Middle Kapa Haka awardees► Awards Students ▼These students were awarded certificates for showing all if the Avonhead Attitude at all times. Congratulations for showing Respect, Responsibility and Excellence in everything you say and do. This term, four small groups of talented artists joined together for extension art sessions with Mrs Farrelly. This was made possible with Red Cross Funding. Year 5 to 8 students worked in a variety of media, particularly pastels and water colours. There are some very artistic children in our school and we thank Mrs Farrelly for sharing her talents with them. Celebrations! 1st, 2nd & 3rd place-getters at zones. A big thank you Placegetters at zones to our school community for their support for our Room 22 small business inquiry. We raised a total of $1340.60, which will go towards a chosen charity, something useful for our new Year 7/8 block and a treat for Room 22. To Karen O’Connell for Canterbury Primary School Athletics all the great work she Sports were held at Ashburton Domain does for our choirs! and 22 Avonhead children took part. We had 2 notable achievements...Kyle Gullery came 2nd in the 1200m and Kayley Johnson also came 2nd in the Thank you for the return of Skyla’s scooter! high jump. Well done to all those taking part! You had a very positive attitude and your behaviour was excellent! Calendar art will be delivered to homes if not received before the end of school. Sorry! Learning Celebrations Team 1! Learning Celebrations Team 2! Learning Celebrations Team 3/4! Learning Celebrations Team 5/6! Helene Pollard, (middle in blue) leaving Avonhead after 22 years! She is joined here by staff and ex-teachers, ex-Principal Harry Friedel, ex-caretaker Jim McCarthy, to celebrate her 22 years at Avonhead School. ▲ ▼ALP students at the careers expo. School Stationery 2015 Requirements: Stationery class lists will go home with school reports. Lists will be available on our school web site (avonhead.school.nz) from end of year. Team 1. - Rooms 1 – 3: List will go home beginning of 2015. All stationery items will be issued through school as many are specialist books required for these classes and are not found at shops. Classes below will be required to purchase most stationery items outside of school. Important the read your children(s) stationery list Team 2. - Rooms 4 – 7: All stationery items to be issued through school as many are specialist books required for these classes and are not found at shops. Team 3/4 – Rooms 8-9-10-11-12-13: Please note some items are only available at Office Max. It is important to check stationery list for your child’s room. Team 5/6: All items to be purchased outside of school so it is important to check the stationery list for this level. Team 7/8: Please note some items are only available through school only! so it is important to check the stationery list for this level. Library Book ‘Amnesty’ The Library has now closed for the year. All library books to be returned by Friday 12th December. Please help your child(ren) search at home and return all books that belong to our library. Community Notices Wanted Year 8 Girl to play as stand in for interclub tennis for local tennis club commencing February 2015 until end of summer season. No fees required and you get professional coaching on a week night from resident coach for free as well. Transport to interclub venues will be provided. Experience at tennis is required. If interested or you require further information please contact Julie Miles on Ph 0226218052 or leave a message and I will get back to you. Summer Holiday Programme at The international Antarctic Centre: Don't be bored over the Summer holidays! Come along and help us set up a real Antarctic campsite, compete in the penguin Olympic games, ride the waves on board the 4D Antarctic cruise experience, defeat the mighty 'Antarctic storm' and meet lots of new friends! Choose between a one-day or three-day holiday programme. Suitable for 6 to 12 year olds. ‘Summer never ends in Antarctica’ holiday programme runs from 9.00 am to 5 pm on: week 1: Tue 13th, Wed 14th and Thurs 15th of January, 2015 week 2: Tue 20th, Wed 21st and Thurs 22rnd of January, 2015 For more information and bookings, please call us on (03) 357 0519 or email: [email protected] or visit our website www.iceberg.co.nz Every year the librarians at Christchurch City Libraries put together their favourite books of the entire year.... and here are our picks for 2014! And while you’re reading some of those wonderful books over the summer holidays, make sure you enter our Summer Time Reading Club. Just pick up a double sided reading adventure map from your local library, or print one off the website. Try your best to complete the challenges and then take your completed map into your local library to collect your badge or sticker reward. The library staff will also enter you into the prize draw online. This qualifies you for 10 prize draws for 5 of the best children’s books of 2014! And the school with the most entries wins 50 books for their school! If you would like any reading suggestions, or help with finding books and resources for your children, just ask the friendly staff Upper Riccarton library.