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