Term Dates : Term 2 - 2nd May - 15th July. Term 3 - 1st August - 7th October. Term 4 - 25th October - 13/20 December.
Welcome to week 1 of term 2, 2011. Nice to see everyone back here safe and well and looking forward to a great term 2.
Events for your Calendar
Remember to click on the Calendar tab at the top of our newsletter to keep up to date with these. If you can not open the calendar let us know and we will help you.
Music - Please remember to practise and bring your recorders and glockenspiels for music on Wednesday.
Students of the Week
Junior Rm - Wk 11 - Hayley!
Senior Rm - Wk 11 - Cole! - Excellent application in all learning areas, setting himself high standards and striving to achieve
Quality Work Table / Appreciation Box - These were all given to students at our final assembly last term.
Board of Trustees
The next Board of Trustees meeting will be held on Thursday the 26th of May in the staff room starting at 7.00p.m. All members of the community are most welcome to attend.
What's been happening ...
Closing times
Last year (2010) we had a shortened lunch hour and finished at 2.30. After surveying parents, results showed that most people were flexible. We appreciate this. As with any survey, decisions are based on the majority. This winter (term 2 and 3, 2011) we will be finishing at 3pm. We appreciate people making arrangements to suit. On Friday we will finish at 2.30 to enable people to make appointments in town.
We would appreciate it if you could reflect on this as it will be reviewed for next winter.
Please remember that Nicki is always available at any time before school, in break times in school hours but not after 3pm. You are welcome to ring or email staff.
ANZAC DAY
The school would like to say a huge thank you to Wendy Cawood for making the beautiful wreath for the school children to lay on ANZAC Day, we really appreciate you taking the time to do this for our school.
We would also like to thank Travis, Derek and Hayley for representing Apiti school on Anzac Day.
Homework
The goal of this is provide a seamless ongoing link between learning in all aspects of life. It is another opportunity to reinforce and apply important knowledge, skills and competencies . Just as important is developing the habit of sitting down each evening and spending time consolidating and extending learning (Year 1-3 up to 30 minutes / Year 4-6 approximately 20-30 minutes / Year 7-8 approximately 30-40 minutes). When students are in year 9 homework completion is expected and we believe our students have the opportunity to develop this habit. It is important to note that these are only guidelines and homework considerations should be based on need and other learning opportunities students are involved in. A large amount of learning happens when helping with things like cooking dinner, household chores, team sport practice ... the list could go on!!
Students are expected to develop their own responsibility in these areas as these are dispositions they will have for life. Your support and encouragement is greatly appreciated!
Compulsory Consolidation of Learning
Reading each night. For the juniors , they will have a set leveled reading book every night, as they are learning to read. The seniors are reading to learn, and their reading should be self motivated ,it is usually personal reading but may be based on class learning where required.
Spelling - learning personal spelling words. At least 4 of these words should come from personal writing. This encourages experimentation with new and varied vocabulary. These are tested each Thursday. The juniors are learning the basic word lists and are tested on a Tuesday each week.
Mathematics basic facts / knowledge practice. Seniors - Your child will have cards with the basic facts they are currently learning. They are practised and tested daily at school and it is expected that they are also practised each night at home. Each card has a range of ways to be practised. Your child will be able to show you. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask me to explain. Progress with these will be recorded on the maths page in each students wiki. Juniors have a sheet in their homework notebook which clearly outlines their next step eg counting backwards from 100 in 2's or 5's. Mathletics and Smartkiddies continue to be a valuable and interesting way to practise using all maths strands.
Music practice – All of our students are fortunate to have in depth learning of a musical instrument. Progress can be optimised by daily practise. Students are also expected to learn and practise the words for the songs we are learning. This develops reading skills and memory.
Throughout the school term there are many times when students transfer learning between home and school. There are many benefits including discussion, use of a computer for practice using sites such as Mathletics and to work on time consuming aspects such as publishing and creativity. We are hoping to enter into the Manawatu Digi Awards and the areas and criteria can be found at http://thedigiawards.wikispaces.com/home. We would like the students to take a lead in their areas on interest eg original song, animation, graphic design, digital photo. Please contact us if you have expertise in this area and would like to help us.
Your support really is appreciated. It is important that children take responsibility for and pride in their learning ... your support and guidance helps them to feel empowered and competent learners.
We begin the term exploring point of view and persuasive language. I’m sure this will lead to some great discussions at home too! This will lead into our annual speech writing in Week 2 – 5.
Important: All students have a homework notebook. They take responsibility for ensuring that is moves daily between home and school. It is expected that students record daily reading at school and at home, weekly spelling words and holds basic fact cards.
Bon Apiti
The senior room students are presently working out and pricing Healthy lunch options. We hope to start these next week.
Dairy Farmers - Help Affco Support our School - "Cash for Schools"
Through Affco's 'cash for schools' scheme, Affco will donate 40c for every bobby calf you supply in 2011 to the rural primary school of your choice - hopefully that's us! This will not come off the schedule payment; it is a donation on your behalf over and above the price you receive for your calves. All you need to do, is nominate your desired primary school (that's us)! on your Seasonal Animal Status Declaration form and at the end of the season Affco will donate to (that/our) school 40c for every calf you have supplied to Affco.
We would really appreciate any funds received through this scheme.
Tennis Coaching
Kurt McNarama (A Professional tennis coach) has offered to come to our school to coach tennis every Thursday for 5 weeks. These lessons would cost $150.00 per session. We will need several parents to be keen for their children to learn tennis as parents will need to contribute to the cost of these lessons. Please let Mary or Nicki know if you would like your child to be involved as we would like these lessons to start as soon as possible.
Trail Bike Ride
Huge thanks to the following land owners who allowed us access to their land and helped make this day such a success :- Thomas and Pam Strahan, Andrew and Ester Knight, Lex and Shelly McKenzie, Rick and Rachel Pettigrew, Pat and Jo Hayes, Blair and Fiona McCarroll, Kevin and Tasha Buckman, Jo and Richard Beard and Mike Malone. We really appreciate your support.
The following is a description of an aspect of our holiday. Our goal is to describe key details without explicitly stating them. We knew we were effective when other students could work out from our writing where we were and what we were doing :
"Ash hurry up and say goodbye to Michelle, Jess and Georgia. We need to get moving if you want to be there in time to set the tent up.
As we pulled out of the drive-way we head for Table Flat Rd. As we pulled in the drive-way I unloaded my gear and put it with Sarah and Olivia's gear around the back of the lodge. Kathy drove the van out the back of the lodge. This meant that we could set the tent up. We pulled the canvas and the poles out of the trailer. This was just the beginning of the best camp ever. Oh and on this camp there were NO BOYS!! allowed.
YAY!!! It was two whole nights of full on camping. This camp started on the first Tuesday of the holidays.
Right you have read this, now try and guess where and when this camp happened.
Write your answer here:
........................................................................................ By Ashleigh
Junior Room ‘Holiday Time’ Stories
We went to the beach and we saw Alex, Ben and Tom. At night it was fun. We got chocolate bunnies and we ate them. - By Tyler.
We went to Taupo. We stayed for one night at Nana and Poppas. We went to Auckland. We stayed at a Hotel. We went out for tea all the time. - By Alex.
I ran in the leaves and then I had some ice cream. Then I went to bed. Easter was fun because we had a big chocolate cake. - By Chloe.
I went to Granddad and Nana’s. We shot a deer before night time. We brought it home. -By Derek.
Well that’s it for the first week of term folks, will see you in a fortnight.
Regards, Mary, Nicki, Mary B, Pat & Christine.
Check out this link for after school art classes www.rangienviroartscentre.org
Dairy Farmers - Help Affco Support our School - "Cash for Schools"
Through Affco's 'cash for schools' scheme, Affco will donate 40c for every bobby calf you supply in 2011 to the rural primary school of your choice - hopefully that's us! This will not come off the schedule payment; it is a donation on your behalf over and above the price you receive for your calves. All you need to do, is nominate your desired primary school (that's us)! on your Seasonal Animal Status Declaration form and at the end of the season Affco will donate to (that/our) school 40c for every calf you have supplied to Affco.
We would really appreciate any funds received through this scheme.
'The Awesome Colgate Carton Race'
Remember we need your empty Colgate Toothpaste Cartons!
Our school is competing to win a share of $60,000 worth of new sports gear.
It is part of a campaign called the Awesome Colgate Carton Race and the winning schools simply have to collect the most Colgate toothpaste cartons per pupil.
We have until the 30th of June to collect as many cartons as we can get our hands on, so please give them to your child to bring to school, or drop them off at our office. Thanks for your support and thanks for giving us a sporting chance!
The Growing Minds Fund - Hatuma Dicalcic Phosphate
For every tonne of Hatuma Dicalcic Phosphate you order, Hatuma will contribute 20 cents to our school. Please just mention our name with your purchase and the 20c per tonne will be credited to our account. Thanks for your support.
Cash for Communities - PGG Wrightson
PGG Wrightson is supporting schools and community organisations this Autumn with the 'Cash for Communities' programme, which could mean $$$$ for our school.
Any farmer who purchases Ballance Agri-Nutrients fertiliser or selected agri-chemicals or seed on their PGG Wrightson account between 7th February and 31st May 2011, can earn cash for our school. We would appreciate it if you could nominate Apiti School as the recipient. For more information, please feel free to contact PGG Wrightson on 0508 276 556 or see www.pggwrightson.co.nz - Shannon Galloway (GM Marketing).
