Room 8 and 9 beach trip

Room 8 and 9 has fun at the beach.movie

Athletics

Explorers athletics dayalthletics movie

Santa Letters!

We wrote letters to Santa and told him what we really wanted for Christmas. We had to be very polite! After we had published our fantastic letters we put them into a giant envelope addressed to Santa. Then Room 8 and 9 writers walked down to our nearest postbox to post it! 

Room 8 Printmaking

Room 8 have been busy experimenting with different types of printing.  We had so much fun making bubble prints with Rebecca! 

Print Making 

This term, Explorers Two have been trying out the art of Print Making. In Room 7, we have turned handprints and leaf prints into animals. 

We began our handprint printby choosing an animal to print. Then we painted our hands and transferred the paint onto paper. We drew features onto our prints with Sharpies, resembling our animals, and finished by adding googley eyes! 

Miss Hill brought in leaves from her garden at home. We choose four leaves each, painted them and transferred the paint onto paper, making a print. Once the paint was dry, we created animals with pencil and Sharpies. 

 

Poetry Competition

Congratulations to the students from Explorers Two who shared their amazing poems at Syndicate Assembly. Joseph, Georgy, Tom and Barnaby represented Explorers Two very well, and captivated the audience with their recitals. Our school librarian, Mrs Hayes, had the tough job of choosing a winner! Thomas Crane was chosen as the Year 2 winner, with an original poem 'Halloween Dream'. 

A huge Well Done to all Explorers Two students for choosing and sharing some fantastic poems. The competition this year was stiff, and we appreciate how hard it can be to get up in front of others and present, so you all did a splendid job! 

We cannot wait to hear the poems next year! 

App 

Room 7 has welcomed another new student! 

Sammy Sloth has joined us from the depths of South America's rainforests! Sammy is learning all about Room 7 and New Zealand by having sleepovers with his classmates. If you see Sammy around, feel free to say hello!
(Apologies for the closed eyes, the sun appeared this afternoon!)

What a fantastic and fun way to support your child's reading at home.  Thanks Sebastian for sending us these photos of you making your happy cake!

I was reading something interesting over the weekend and thought this part might be helpful for some of our students.

On her son’s first full day at school, a mum drew a small heart on the palms of both her and her son’s hands. They were “charged” up by holding hands on the way to school and she told her son to simply press the button if he wanted to send her a hug and she would do likewise.

She sometimes drew a spare heart on his arm in case the one on his hand wore off! Now that’s a mum who thinks of everything.

She was pleased to report the tactic worked and her son said, “I pressed it for a long time mummy but I didn’t cry.”

Commenters on the Facebook post likened it to a similar method described in a storybook called The Kissing Hand, where a mother racoon kisses her son’s paw when he was nervous going to school.

She tells him, “Whenever you feel lonely and need a little loving from home, just press your hand to your cheek and think, ‘Mummy loves you. Mummy loves you.'”

What beautiful, yet simple techniques to let your little person feel they a tangible connection with you, even when you aren’t close by.

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Welcome back to Term 4.  The children all seem rested and refreshed after the school holidays.  

A special welcome to Timmi Lewis who is renewing her teacher registration and helping out in Room 8, and our new students, Oliver in Room 7 and Ivy in Room 8.

Homework

It is important that your child reads to you each night.  As your child’s books become longer with more difficult text, they may have a book to read over two nights.  Remember to discuss the story together and ask questions to develop comprehension.  Your child could also read a range of materials, such as, library books, short chapter books, and poems.  

For those children who have weekly spelling words please continue to practise them using the strategy of Look, Say, Cover, Write and Check.

Parent Help

Thank you to those parents who have helped in the classrooms over the past 3 terms.  Your support is greatly appreciated.  If you have some free time to help (even if it is not on a regular basis), that would be great!  Please have a chat with your child’s homeroom teacher if you would like to help in the classrooms.

Hats
It is compulsory for children to wear a uniform hat at school this term.  Please can you ensure that your child has a named hat at school every day.

Bees

St Martins school have been lucky enough to receive two beehives to support the Year 5-6 Eco Action group and Garden to Table.

Michelle will be away in week 3.  During this time, a regular relieving teacher at St Martins, Maree Porter, will be taking Michelle’s class.  

Kind regards,

Michelle, Helen, Kate and Katelyn

         Explorers 1 and 2 Newsletter

Term 4  Week 2   2017

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Welcome to the final term of 2017. We look forward to a busy and rewarding term.

Mrs Pip Olorenshaw joined our team at the end of Term 3, and is teaching the New Entrant class in Room 10A.  Pip is a very experienced new entrant teacher and we are very pleased to have her return to the Junior teaching team.  Welcome also to the new children in our syndicate.

Term 4 - Learning Programmes

Literacy and Numeracy, daily 9am – 12.30pm

Inquiry: Health and well being

The Arts: Visual Art focus on Printmaking. Music with Trudy Rowe, Helen Murray and Amy Kenel

PE: Run Jump Throw - skills for Athletics

For your calendar - Syndicate events and learning outside the classroom:

Explorers 1 (only) will be attending a ChCh School of Music performance – 20th October

Athletic Sports Morning

When: Tuesday 5th December (postponement day – 7th Dec)

We will be rotating through a variety of “run, jump, throw” events, starting at 9.15 am, finishing around 10. 50 am.

Who: The children in Year 0-2 will be in mixed teams. Parents are invited to come and cheer us on!

What: Your child will need suitable shoes, a polar fleece, a drink in a named bottle, a snack in a named plastic bag, and their school hat. Children will need sunblock applied before they come to school.

 

New Entrant Class Photos:

Rooms 22/23/10 will have their class photo on Monday 20th Nov.

Beach Education

When: 20th, 21st, 22nd, 27th November

There will be detailed parent information coming home at the beginning of Week 3.

Waltham Pool End of Term Family Day

When: 14th December

There will be detailed parent information coming home closer to the time.

End of Term Celebration of Learning

When: 8th December

There will be detailed parent information coming home closer to the time.

Reporting Conferences:

In Week 8 (Thursday 7th Dec) and Week 9 (Tuesday 12th Dec) we will be holding reporting conferences for those children who are scheduled for either a milestone or interim report.  If your child is due for their conference you will receive a conference note confirming this and giving you the online booking details. Please do not make a booking for a conference if you have not received a reporting letter.

Hats and sunblock:

It is compulsory for children to wear a uniform hat at school this term. Please ensure your child has a clearly named hat. We are unable to allow children to play outside if they do not have this protection from the sun. If you wish your child to have sunblock please ensure that it is applied before school, and that your child knows how to re-apply it when necessary during the day. We really promote sun safety and encourage the children to find a shady place to eat their lunch and play when outside.

SEE BELOW FOR SUMMARY OF TERM COSTS

Kind Regards,

Year 0-2 Team.

Year 0/2 Term costs - Term 4     2017	Cost	Cost	Costs can be paid by the following methods: 1.  Cash or cheque at school office 2.  Eftpos at school office (excludes credit cards) 3.  Internet banking to ASB 12-3240-0111723-00 4.  Automatic weekly payments to ASB 12-3240-0111723-00. (Please advise Michele Stephens if you are setting these up.)
	Rms 6/7/8/9 only	Rms 22/23/10 only
Beach Ed - days programme	$13.50	$ 13.50
Bus to South New Brighton surf Club	$  6.50	$   6.50
Waltham Pool family picnic	$  3.00	$   3.00
Bus to “My Cat likes to Hide in Boxes” EXPLORERS 1 ONLY		$   6.00
Total compulsory costs
Photocopy Donation	$ 5.00	$ 5.00
School Donation ($100 per year or $25 per term - please disregard if you pay in full)	$25.00	$25.00
Total including Donations	$53.00	$59.00

The Junior Poetry Homework Challenge - Reminder Notice!

24 October 2017

Dear Parents/Caregivers                

This is just a reminder notice for ‘The Poetry Challenge’ which will take place next week.  The children will share their chosen poem with their classmates at the beginning of Week 3 and may have the opportunity to share it with the whole Junior Syndicate later on in the week.

An important part of literacy learning at school is the development of oral language skills.  It is only days away until your child will have the opportunity to take part in our “Poetry Challenge”.

Remember preparations should be underway by now:

• Choosing a simple poem (it may be a jingle, rhyme, limerick or a poem from your child’s poetry book).
• Practise this poem at home using a clear voice, expression, eye contact and gestures.
• It is great if they learn it off by heart but a prompt is fine.
• You may include a simple prop.

We look forward to hearing your child’s poem.  Happy reading!!!!

From Explorers 1 and 2

Head lice

Hi everyone

We have had several outbreaks of head lice last term and already again this term.

Unfortunately they are resistant little things so please keep tying up long hair, checking your child's hair, and treating if need be.

There is a preventative spray available from pharmacies called MOOV defence spray - you can read more about it by tapping on this link.
https://www.moov.com.au/product/moov-head-lice-solution/

Thank you.
Explorers 2 teachers

Calendar Art

Calendar art order forms will be sent home soon. Come into your child's Home class to view their piece of art.

Movie Characters

Term 3 Newsletter

Explorers 1 and 2 Newsletter

Term 3  Week 1 2017

Dear Parents and Caregivers

We hope you have enjoyed the winter holidays despite the dramatic weather we have had!

We have a new NE class starting in Room 10 and this class will be taught by Mrs Charlotte Bates.

A special welcome to all new students and their teacher! Katelyn Hill will continue to teach in Room 7 while Ms Dempster is on maternity leave. Ms D has a new wee boy called Ciaran.

Focus for learning this term:

This is a brief outline of the learning programmes.

Values:        Caring   Respect   Personal Best    Responsibility     Learning

We will revisit these at the beginning of term to refresh the children’s understanding of how these school values can enhance all they do at school and at home.   

Literacy and Numeracy:

These essential learning areas form the basis of all class programmes throughout the year. The strand focus for Mathematics will be Geometry - Shape position and orientation.

PE and Health:  

We continue to teach fundamental skills in PE and will focus this term on ball skills. (throwing, catching and striking.)

Inquiry - Visual Language:

We will be looking at stories and storytelling. In conjunction with this we will be learning how to use I Movie to tell a story. Keep an eye out for information about the family movie afternoon/evening at the end of the term.

Arts:

The Visual Art theme is Photography in conjunction with our Inquiry. All students will attend two drama days this term with Trudy Rowe and Helen Murray.

Te Reo:

Māori language week will be 11-17 September and we will have a special Te Reo focus for this week.

Note from Trudy Rowe  -   Our Kapahaka leaders have asked to work with our Senior Kapahaka for the next four weeks, due to preparation for the Cultural Festival on Wednesday 16th August.

There will be no Junior Kapahaka until Week Five, this term.

Term 3 Workshops:

We have Canterbury cricket tutors teaching cricket skills later this term. This should be great fun and tie in nicely with our focus on developing ball skills. In week 1 we will all attend a 30 minute Kelly Sports workshop.

Senior Teacher:

Ruth Burry is on leave for Term 3.  Judy Davies will be responsible for all Senior teacher duties, Mutukaroa and New Entrant liaison.

Winter Chills and Illness:

We still have a bit of winter to go and we would encourage you to keep your child at home if they are unwell. A classroom is a great place for the spreading of bugs. Please always notify the school office if your child is absent.

Lunches:

Keep up the great work with trying to use less packaging in your child’s lunchbox. This makes a difference to the rubbish in and around our playground. It has been pleasing to see that some children have no plastic or paper wrap at all. There is a challenge for everyone!

Reporting Conferences:

If your child is scheduled to have a reporting conference this term you will receive a note outlining the time and booking details.  Keep an eye out for this in the next week.

Blogs:

The team blog is a great window into your child’s classroom.

Please do not hesitate to see your child’s teacher if you have any queries or concerns.

Kind regards

Junior School Teachers

SEE BELOW FOR SUMMARY OF TERM COSTS

Term costs:

Year 0/2 Term costs - Term 3     2017	Cost
No additional charges this term
This is to confirm the notification of costs you have already received via school links.
Total compulsory costs
Photocopy Donation	$5.00
School Donation ($100 per year or $25 per term - please disregard if you pay in full)	$25.00
Total including Donations	$ 30.00