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Newsletter – Week 5, Term 1 5 March 2019
Kia Ora Whanau I am sure you have all been bombarded with a myriad of stories from very excited children about our EOTC (Education outside the Classroom) week long programme. This week is yet another reminder for me of the many wonderful learning opportunities our St John’s children experience. Each day they have participated in rich, authentic learning.
I was very fortunate to attend the Rangitoto Junior Team excursion to Ambury Farm Park. It was such a memorable day. Together, we learnt about shearing sheep. The children were very interested in why the sheep have to have their dags removed! We fed sheep, pigs and chickens from our hands, petted horses and calves and then fell asleep on the bus ride home.
I visited our Year 6 children at Hunua Falls Camp for breakfast on Wednesday morning and enjoyed the tie dying activity. Our Waitemata Senior children challenged themselves on the confidence course, on the rock wall, when mountain biking and sliding at great speed down the hill. They ate extremely well, slept a little, but most of all, they formed close bonds with their teachers, camp parents and peers.
The Pupuke Middle children went off site to Point Erin Pools where they had a blast and then had a ‘long stay’ at school in a mini camp situation.
I wish to thank all the parents who supported this week long initiative as it is not possible without your help. I wish also to thank my amazing team. They are so creative, passionate and determined.
Catholic Schools Dedication Mass Last Tuesday evening, a large group of our staff attended the Auckland Diocese Catholic Schools Dedication Mass at Christ the King Church in Owairaka. The Mass was celebrated by Bishop Pat and a number of other Priests from the Auckland Diocese. It was a very special event for Catholic schools as we came together to ask for God’s blessing on the school year ahead. We congratulate Mrs Ball, who received Leadership Certification in Religious Education, and Miss Binns, Mrs Marsh and Mrs Miller, who all received Classroom Level Certification. We are very proud of the achievements of these teachers.
Mandarin Learning Assistant It is my great pleasure to welcome Jin Han Huang (Vicky is her English name), a teacher from China, to our school. Jin Han will be visiting our school each Tuesday. She will share her knowledge of Mandarin culture and language with some of our children. Mrs Zaisluik will be the support teacher for Jin Han while she is at St John’s. I look forward to the exciting learning that will happen as a result of having Jin Han as part of the St John’s family this year.
Ash Wednesday will be celebrated tomorrow with a whole school liturgy in the church at 11:15am.
Viki Trainor – Principal
Dear Parents
Today our 2019 Board of Trustees Elections feature in our newsletter and you are asked to consider nominations to the Board of Trustees that will govern St. John’s for the next three years. You may consider standing for election to one of the five parent representative positions or you might know someone you would like to nominate.
Our school Board has eleven members serving on it. Five are elected Parent members, four are appointed by the Bishop of Auckland as Proprietors Appointees, one is a Staff Representative and one, the Principal.
St John’s is a great school and we need a great Board to continue to nurture and develop it further. It is an important role of supporting strong professional leadership and effective teaching, of maintaining and developing a high performing school in the best interests of the children. Please give our Board elections your interest and consideration.
Enclosed with this newsletter is an informative pamphlet for you. Lyn Ryan – Board Chair
HOUSE CAPTAINS FOR 2019 The presentation of badges to our Captains and Vice-Captains for the first two terms of 2019 was made at our first assembly of the year. We congratulate these children and wish them well in this leadership role. Blue C: Carter Chilek VC: Isabella Chandler Gold C: Lila Gilchrist VC: Zach Walpert Green C: Elliot Straka VC: Libby Stevenson Red C: Aya Bosnyak VC: Richelle Feng
PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES Conferences will be held on Monday, 11th March. The conference times will be from 1.00 – 2.50pm, 3.30 – 5.20pm; and 6.20 – 7.50pm. Classes will finish at 12.00 on this day and you are asked to make arrangements to pick your child(ren) up at this time. School buses will not be available.
Conference Focus These conferences are for parents and caregivers only and will give you an opportunity to meet your child’s teacher, hear how your child is settling into the 2019 school year and for you to share information about your child with their new class teacher. Teachers will take the opportunity to explain any particular procedures and/or expectations relating to their classrooms and you will have the opportunity to ask any questions you have. The conference will be 10 minutes in length and a bell will indicate the end of each. Please be on time. If, after 10 minutes, you feel further time is required with the teacher than please arrange another appointment.
To Book a Conference
Bookings are now open
Please go to www.schoolinterviews.co.nz and enter the code sgwn8 (it is case sensitive)
An email confirming the time of your conference(s) will be sent directly to the email address entered
at the time of booking.
If you do not have internet access please contact the school office Tel: 09 478 7734 or via email on
[email protected] and they can make a booking on your behalf.
Our Swimming Sports is always a special event and the children are keen to get in the pool and compete for their house teams. In response to feedback received over the past few years, the format of our swimming sports will be changed slightly this year. Year 3 to 6 children will be participating in the morning, starting at 9.30am, and competing for the Nicola Jack Memorial Cup. A copy of the programme will be published on the Sports page of the school website www.stjohnsmairangibay.school.nz in due course.
The Nicola Jack Memorial Cup was presented by her family to the school for our swimming sports in memory of Nicola Jack who died as a result of an accident in 1991. She was in Year 3 at the time and we remember her fondly as one of our children full of life and promise and very keen on her swimming. The cup is presented to the winning house team.
Year 1 and 2 children will be participating in a non-competitive afternoon, starting at 1.45pm, where they will have the opportunity to showcase what they have been learning and enjoy time together in the pool area.
We ask you to refrain from going into the pool area, rather, enjoy sitting on the surrounding banks. For safety reasons the children will not be allowed to leave the pool enclosure. They will have their hats on while not swimming and should also bring a T-shirt in their house colours to wear at the pool. Please feel free to give your child ‘named’ sunscreen to put on or apply it to your child before they come to school.
Best of swimming to all the House teams!
Our ANNUAL SWIMMING SPORTS Thursday, 14th March - 9.30am start.
Savaday Thursday, 21st March
SWIMMING TRIALS – Change of Date Please note: the date for the Swimming trials for years 4, 5 & 6 for the St John’s Inter-School Swim team will be held on Tuesday, 2nd April not the Thursday, 11th as advertised on the permission form.
Keen to find out more about the work of the PTFA and help plan our 2019 events?
Join us for a drink and nibbles at the PTFA Annual General Meeting,
Tuesday, 19th March from 7.00pm.
LENTEN APPEAL
This Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Lent is a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving in preparation for Easter. Each year the Lent Appeal is run by Caritas on behalf of New Zealand’s Catholic Bishops to support our work of charity and justice for the poorest and most vulnerable around the world, including in Aotearoa New Zealand. The theme for Lent 2019 is inspired by a quote from Pope Francis: 'Living our lives with love.' We are called to live our lives with genuine love - for others and for God. Please donate generously to the purple Mission boxes in each of the classrooms. God’s Blessings. Mrs Laura Baddeley - DRS
SECONDHAND UNIFORM SALE
The next Second Hand uniform sale will be on Thursday, 7th March, 2.30 – 3.00pm in the School
Hall.
If you have items that children have grown out of and you would like to on-sell them, now is the time to bring
them to the office and complete the sale detail form. Alternatively, do it all at home by downloading the form
from the school website Our School – Uniform tab. There is currently plenty of stock so our Year 5 & 6
families may wish to consider this option as the new uniform style is not compulsory until October 2020.
WELCOME We warmly welcome Mrs Silke Schaffer to Room 9 and Miss Paula Ritsma to Room 6 who are retraining teachers fulfilling the practicum component of their refresher course for 4 weeks.
ANNUAL SUMMER PTFA FAMILY PICNIC Friday, 8th March 5.30pm onwards
Come along with a picnic tea, meet the teachers, catch up with friends
and welcome in the new school year.
Sausage sizzle from 5.30pm Ice cream from 6.30pm ($2.00 each).
Swimming Pool and Sandpit area is open; parents are reminded that they need to actively
supervise their own children in all areas of the school.
The sandpit is restricted to pre-schoolers and junior school aged children.
LOST PROPERTY
At last count there were 9 pairs of sandals (in various styles & sizes), 1 pair of winter shoes (junior size), 11 water bottles, 9 pairs of swimming goggles and a few towels in Lost Property. None of these items are named. If you think these may belong to your child please come and check Lost Property (stored in sick bay) as soon as possible.
SHOES AT SCHOOL Just a reminder that whilst the children are permitted to have bare feet at school during the day, they are expected to wear shoes to and from school as they are representing St John’s and are expected to be role models for our school. We have an excessive amount of sandals in lost property which might suggest that some children are not wearing their shoes to school, please can you reinforce this at home. If you have lost shoes come and check in our lost property in the sick bay. PARISH NEWS Happy Hour is on the Move! As from Wednesday, 6th March Happy Hour will be hosted by Hugh Green Retirement Village, 105 Apollo Drive, Albany and will no longer be held in the school hall. It will continue with the same structure, smiley faces and volunteers. Everyone is welcome to join us fortnightly on Wednesdays between 1.30 – 3.00pm. Contact Christine, Tel: 09 479 7694 Conversational English We will meet fortnightly on a Tuesday at 10.30am, starting Tuesday 5th March. Quinn Chapel in St John’s church. Tea, coffee and informal, conversational English for anyone who would benefit from these skills. Contact Mary Finlayson, Tel: 09 444 7156 CONGRATULATIONS TO… PLAYERS OF THE DAY… Yan-Jen Halpin, Mia Beresford-Huey-Kher (Flippaball), Leo Moore (Cricket) ALSO TO… Teresa Rotaeche, Alana Younan (Gymnastics), Elise Taylor (10th Park Run), Aaron Jayasekera (Summer Holiday Programme), Ethan D’Souza, Oscar Reade (Swimming), Charlie Rice (Choi Kwon Do), Bonnie Rice (Athletics), Alex Alsammak (Safe Boating), Ashlyn Stevens (Round the Bays) COMMUNITY NOTICES… 22nd Lakeside Multicultural Festival 2019 to be held at the Pumphouse, 2A Manurere Ave, Takapuna on Sunday, 17th March 2019 from 1.00 – 5.00pm 20 cultural groups performing, FREE entry. Drumadiddle North Shore: One on One individual drumming lessons. All styles and can prepare students for International and/or NCEA exams if you wish to go that route. If it’s just for fun that’s cool too! Recommended Age: 8-18yrs. Space available with Mark and Carly, contact Mark, Tel: 021 265 1975 or see www.drumaddidle.co.nz East Coast Bays Football Club 2019 registrations open now for girls and boys. www.ecbafc.co.nz for more information. Scottish Country Dancing for boys and girls from 7 years. Starting Thursday, 7th March, 4.45 to 5.30pm, Senior Citizens Hall Milford (Behind New World), $25.00 per term (includes shoe hire). Contact: Liz 027 405 3415 or Lois 440 5568 email: [email protected]
EOTC WEEK
The week long Year 6 Camp to Hunua Falls was another great school camp. The children performed with distinction and feedback from them would indicate a high level of enjoyment. We are very proud of you all. Highlights from Camp will feature in the Newsletter in coming weeks. Congratulations to the teachers and the Camp Parent Helpers.
Our Year 1 and 2 children waved farewell to our Year 6 children as they left for camp; explored our Native Bush Walk, enjoyed a day at Ambury Farm Park and a wonderful array of other Playbased Learning activities.
Pictures below show our Year 3 and 4 children enjoying Water Safety Skills, team building games, being read a ‘bedtime’ story by Mrs Baddeley at their ‘Stay Late at School’ day, Wheels Day and their trip to Point Erin Pools
As part of the EOTC Programme, Year 5 children spent two days at the AUT Millennium Institute. The children went kayaking, snorkelling and rock climbing, played Flippaball, and also took part in water safety, athletics and team building activities. The nature of the activities provided the children with both enjoyment and challenge.
We would like to thank all the parents, grandparents, aunts & uncles and family friends who assisted at school and on trips during EOTC week. Your generosity allows us to continue to offer the children these valuable opportunities.
