Carterton School -Newsletter 8 – 9 September 2014

Child's Name.........…………..    Rm#…..........

Dear Parents and Caregivers

A reminder that SCHOOL IS CLOSED next Thursday 18 September. This day has been allowed for in the total number of school days this year.

All of the teachers, and 2 BOT members (Lisa Fleming and Mike Keyworth), are going to Auckland to visit Point England and Tamaki Primary Schools. You may have seen Point England on the Nigel Latta show a few weeks ago when he was investigating modern education settings. We are not trying to become a clone of these schools, but they have some inspiring stories to share about how the teachers teach, how the children learn, how the whānau is involved in the school and how the children are accessing 21st century learning. I am sure we will return enthused and with some ideas about how we can continue to improve the education we offer your children. The schools are part of a network called ‘Manaiakalani’. If you go to www.maniakalani.org you will be able to access some of the information about the schools we are visiting and the background to their work.

Much of what we will be looking at is centred around access to digital technologies and connections with the wider world. Our school is soon to have a major digital network upgrade supported by the ministry of Education so access to the world will be hugely enhanced for all of us.

Related to our visit to Auckland – The South Wairarapa Principals Association is organising for Dorothy Burt, a real  ‘mover and shaker’ from Point England School and an ‘Apple Distinguished Educator’, to come and spend the day with us and our teachers on Monday 29 September (at Kuranui College). We will be inviting parents and community members to come along to share the day with us. While most of the day will be focused on teaching and learning, the first session will be an introduction in to the urgency we have to make sure our children are being taught in the most appropriate way for their present and possible future - not our past. More information will be sent out next week.

The General Election is coming up very soon – Saturday 20 September. Our school is a polling station. Whoever you vote for please make the effort to come and VOTE. Have your say!

One of our cleaners, Bridget, is leaving us soon. We have a vacancy for a part time cleaner 3 days a week in the late afternoon / evening (approx. 12 hours a week). We would ideally like to appoint someone who could also cover as caretaker should our caretaker be away from work, and could do some hours during the school holidays (eg water blasting decks, windows.) If you are interested in this position please apply in writing, including contact details for 2 people we can talk to about your work. A letter should get to Alison Woollard, Principal, Carterton School by 3pm Friday 19 September. Cone and talk to me if you would like to know more.

As a BOT member has left the Board, there is now a space for a new person to participate in the governance of the school. There are a variety of ways the current BOT may decide to fill a vacancy, but we invite anyone who might be interested to come along to our next meeting to get an idea of what is involved. This is on Tuesday 23 September 7pm in the staffroom. You are also welcome to contact a current BOT member directly to have a chat.

Jim Green (chair) 3795555. Mike Keyworth 3795634. Nick Glennie 3795109. Lisa Fleming 3798565. Lesley Kennedy (staff trustee) 3796980. Alison Woollard (Principal) 3724000.

School Pet Day is on Friday 17 October (the first Friday of next term.) My favourite day of the year! We encourage everyone to bring a pet – or to be involved in the other fun activities that are organised. On the afternoon of Pet Day many children go home and take their pet with them. School is open, but teachers will use the afternoon for planning and preparing for next year. If your children are at school for that afternoon you will need to let someone at the school office know. Pet Day information and entry forms will come home next week.

It is VERY important that we know if you are planning to move out of the area / to another school next year, or if you have children starting school next year. Planning for 2015 has started and the numbers in each year group can have a big effect on the school organisation.  Please let your child’s teacher, the office or me know if you know of any children coming or going from school at any time during 2015. Thank you!

Very exciting news – after asking parents of their interest in a possible ‘akonga māori’ class (similar to how Rm 6 has been working for 2 years) for their child/ren next year we have 85 children across the school who will be involved in learning in this environment. The school and New Zealand curriculum remains the focus for learning, but Maori contexts are used for content and organisation. We are planning to have a Year 1-2 class (whaea Lesley Standish) and Year 3-5 class (Jo Taia) and a Year 6-8 class (whaea Michelle Hawkins). The finer details of organisation are still being decided, but we are proud and excited to be able to bring this opportunity to our school community.

Whanau hui today. Starting at 5.30pm in the staffroom – Bring Your Own Tea followed by a short chat, then one of Whaea Michelle’s now almost famous quizzes (with amazing prizes). We all leave at 7pm promptly. Come and join the fun!

Please remember to always contact your child s teacher if you have any questions, worries, concerns or bright ideas. We can often solve things easily if we hear about them quickly.

House for sale (not in our zone). 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom. Renovated older style. 880 sq m section. 0274242300 Julie Rayner.

Carterton School Coffee Club - Did you know that every Thursday Nurse Judi Harding is at Carterton School? Judi comes and helps us with a range of health issues, she might talk about hand washing or nits to a class, or help teachers and students with specific problems. Judi is going to host a drop in Coffee Club once a month from 9-10am in our staffroom. The next meeting is in Term 4. 

Kuranui College Enrolments – This Thursday 11 September from 9.30 am at Carterton School.  If your Year 8 will be attending Kuranui College in 2015 you can make an appointment to enrol by phoning 379 4010 or calling into the office.  Appointments are for 20 minutes with Gina Smith, you and your child.  Please bring along a copy of their birth certificate or passport.

Pies, Pies & More Pies!  Remember to keep collecting those pie orders.  Money and forms back to school by next week – Tuesday 16 September.  Ask the Grandies, ask the neighbours, ask EVERYONE……  We are aiming for 2000 pies in the community.  Support YOUR PTA – BUY PIES!  Please make cheques out to Carterton School PTA or you can pay online.  Westpac bank account details for the PTA are 030 609 0011068 00.  Please put your name and ‘pies’ in the reference and code areas.

Home Garden competition students and parents.  Come along to a seed planting Afterschool Academy tomorrow Wednesday 10^th September at 3.05 to 3.30ish outside Rm 12.  We will be planting a variety of seeds that will be germinated in our school potting shed.  In term 4 we will meet again to prick the seedlings out, ready to harden them off for you to take home.  Come along if you are interested!  Mrs MacGregor.

Carterton School Monthly Radio Show - Carterton School is going live for the next 12 months, once a month as from this week.  Arrow FM has been working with us here at Carterton School and we have put together our first radio programme.  This programme is completely student driven and is all about the fabulous things we are doing here at Carterton School.  We have many items from across our school that will be on the radio and many of your children will be preforming for the first time on live radio.

Our first show has been recorded, you can hear it on Thursday 11 September  at 2.15 pm. Our frequency is 92.7FM. The programme will be streamed at the same time from http://www.arrowfm.co.nz  click on Listen Live (and then press the play symbol). If listeners are not able to listen live, they can go to our podcast page at http://www.arrowfm.co.nz/podcasts/ and look for the Carterton School Radio Show title.

Yesterday afternoon while playing soccer an ipod (3^rd gen) was lost on Carrington Park field.  If found please return to William Renall in Rm 12 or hand into the office or Carterton Police Station for a small reward.

Weetbix for sale - $3 per box from the office.

We would really like you to consider taking part in our Reading Together workshop programme for parents and caregivers.  We all know how very important reading is for children to succeed.  One thing that really helps children to become good readers is support from home.  The Reading Together workshops show you how best to do this.  This consists of four workshops – each I hour and 15 minutes to be held in our school library early next term.  Please let Wendy Taylor know if you are interested in participating.

Thanks to the Carterton Library staff for agreeing to acknowledge children who show the 3Rs in the town library after school.  The town library staff give children a card like ‘coffee club’ cards – they can get 5 stamps on this.  When the card is full, bring it to our school library for a special bookmark and to go in the end of term draw for a library book.   

Carterton Junior Cricket Registrations - Kiwi Cricket Ages 5-8 and Incrediball Cricket Ages 9-11 played on a Friday 5.30-7.30 pm.  Hardball Ages 11-13 played on a Saturday 9.00-12.00 noon.  Fees are $45 per player and must be paid when registering.  Shirt is provided for the season.  For a registration form or more information please contact Nikki Robinson nikwayne@xtra.co.nz or (0274) 417 517.  Registrations must be completed by Friday 19th September 2014.

Martinborough motorcycle Club Day - * Minis flat Track.  East west access road (sign posted from SH2).  Register from 8.30am, riders brief 9.45am, start riding at 10am.  Hope to see you there for a good day of riding!

Yours sincerely

Alison Woollard

Principal