NEWSLETTER 17 August 2015 Acting Principal: Garth Powell B.Sc B.Teach Email: garth@east-taieri.school.nz

Web: www.easttaieri.school.nz

Phone: 489 6737

Dear Parents/Caregivers

This is my last week as Acting Principal. I have really enjoyed the opportunities this role has offered me. I would like to thank everyone who has supported me in so many ways, it has helped to make the transition very smooth and seamless. However, I am really looking forward to getting back into Room 7. Janine Clague will be Acting Principal from next week until the end of the term.

Regards

Garth

MATHS EVENING

Thank you to everyone who attended our annual maths evening last Wednesday night. It was a huge success! Well done to all the maths 'experts' who were able to explain how they use strategies to solve problems or what knowledge they had been learning. We gave out 2 booklets to provide more information and ideas to parents. They can be downloaded from the school website or collected from the office.

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DAFFODIL DAY AND SUBWAY LUNCH - TOMORROW Thank you to everyone who has put in an order form for the Daffodil Day Subway Lunches fundraiser - ordering for this has now closed and we are unable to accept any late orders. The children’s lunch will be delivered to

school on Tuesday 18 August - this is only for those children who have placed an order. BIKE SAFETY

Concerns have been raised by members of the community about some children biking to school. Last week we had an incident at the Gladstone and Gordon Road intersection. A child pulled out in front of a car and was almost hit. We ask that you talk to your children about bike safety and watching for cars. They can also walk their bikes across the road using the pedestrian crossings.

BOOK CLUB ORDERS – Book Club orders close this Wednesday 19 August.

SCHOOL DISCO

The East Taieri Home and School Disco held on Friday night was amazing! It was great to see so many children with their glow sticks and flashing lights up dancing with their parents and families. Well done to the break dancing champions of 2015. Awesome moves. A big thank you to the Home and School Committee for organising a wonderful evening.

LATE STARTS

This winter has been particularly bad for frosts, black ice and other wintery driving conditions. A decision to have a late start is made by the Otago Primary Principals Association after discussion with the Police, Dunedin City Council, the bus companies and taxi services. Although the conditions may seem

fine in our local area, many teachers live in various parts of Dunedin, including the hill suburbs. We endeavour to let you know as soon as we are told so that you are able to make suitable arrangements. This decision is broadcast on the radio (the Hits 89.4 and the Breeze 98.2), put on our Facebook page and also on the school website.

FOCUS VALUE – CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

CHURCH CAR PARK We have been contacted by the church with concerns about parents parking over their driveway. We have recently been advised of several near misses with cars trying to enter and exit the church driveway when cars are blocking the exit. You are very welcome to drive the short distance up the church driveway and park in

the large carpark at the top, but please do not park in the driveway entrance/exit way - this includes in front of the gates and the curved brick fence. This is an extremely dangerous situation and we would appreciate your co-operation in this matter.

LIBRARY NEWS

We would love to say a huge thank you to the wonderful grandparents that have donated books to our library. Passing on your love of reading to your grandchildren is a wonderful gift in itself.

Thank you to the Nitis Family for donating this wonderful book to our library.

SICK CHILDREN

We have a large number of sick children at the moment. We ask that you keep your children at home for at least 24 hours after a vomiting bug. This will help to reduce the number of children who get sick.

MUFTI DAY

As part of the fundraising for the Year 6 camp, we are having a mufti day on Friday 4 September. We ask that the children bring along a gold coin donation if they choose to wear mufti.

STARS ON STAGE

We would like to invite all members of the community to come along on Thursday 20 August for the dress rehearsal of the East Taieri Stars on Stage show. This will be held in Coronation Hall at 12pm. We will run through the performance twice. We recommend arriving early so that you don’t miss it.

We also ask that you bring a gold coin donation to help with the cost of the buses.

Our performance night is Wednesday 26 August. It starts at 7pm and usually goes for around 2 hours. Tickets

Tickets go on sale at 9am Monday 10th August both online at www.ticketdirect.co.nz and at the Regent. Please note booking fees will apply to all tickets. Prices are $17 Adult, $8 child. Please get tickets early - it has sold out in previous years!!

O’MATHALON

Last Tuesday 3 teams of Year 5 and 6 children went to the Edgar Centre to participate in the annual Otago O’Mathalon competition. There were a number of teams in each

competition and the children had to answer maths problems and run a fair distance to have them marked! Although we didn’t win either age group, I was proud of the way the teams managed themselves and represented East Taieri School. A huge thank you to Mrs Hay and Mrs Thom who were thrown in the deep end and were markers for me!! Thanks also to the parents who helped with transport.

PROCEDURE FOR RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR CHILD

We take all concerns raised by parents about their children very seriously. If you have a concern please contact your child’s teacher either in person or in writing/email. If you would like to meet with the teacher you will need to arrange a meeting at a time that suits both parties. If after this you still have concerns, you will then need to contact the relevant syndicate dean: Seniors - Miss Janine Clague; Middle - Mrs Sarah O’Neill or Mr Garth Powell; Juniors - Mrs Karon Read. They will work with you to resolve the concern you have and to find an outcome suitable for all parties. However, if you still feel that your concern has not been fully addressed by the class teacher and syndicate dean, you are more than welcome to meet with the Principal to discuss your concern further.

DISCOVERY TIME

We have started Discovery Time again on a Friday between playtime and lunchtime for the Year 3 to 6 children (11:20-12:30). Discovery Time is a fantastic opportunity to develop the wonderful child leaders we have at East Taieri School and help students to develop the competencies to become lifelong learners and competent citizens. If you are available to come along, even once, and take a small group for an activity it would be hugely appreciated. Examples of activities you might like to take are cooking, art, craft, woodwork, sports skills, board game sessions, photography……….anything you like! There can be remuneration of costs of materials if necessary. Grandparents are also very welcome to come along as well. If you are able to help on a Friday between 11:20am and 12:40pm, please contact Garth Powell - garth@east-taieri.school.nz or Janine Clague - janine@east-taieri.school.nz

SCHOOL UNIFORM We see the wearing our school uniform as a mark of high standards, and we are proud of our school and its reputation. The uniform is our school colours, being jade and navy blue, and includes our school logo on all items. Some children are wearing items of clothing that are not part of the school uniform, and we ask that parents check the guidelines of what is or isn’t acceptable. The guidelines and updated price list can be found on the East Taieri School website: http://easttaieri.school.nz/blog/school-uniform/ Temporary exemptions from uniform require a letter from the parent or caregiver, and must be approved by the Principal. We have had more uniform stock arrive. We have good supplies of double knee track pants in sizes: 2, 4, 8, 10 and 12. There are no size 6 - but they are on order and we will inform you when they arrive.

VALUES STARS

All the children who were maths ‘experts’ at the maths evening, you were all outstanding.

Klae Eckhold - for helping a child who was hurt James and Nico - for being excellent helpers during a Discovery Time activity

Regards

Garth

TERM THREE EVENTS

AUGUST

18/8 Daffodil Day Subway Lunch

19/8 Ukulele Jam

20/8 S.O.S. Dress Rehearsal 12:00 - 1:00pm

20/8 - 21/8 Yr4 Museum Sleepover - Room 8 and Room 4 Yr4 Girls

27/8 - 28/8 Yr4 Museum Sleepover - Room 7 and Room 4 Yr4 Boys

28/08 Assembly – Room 3

SEPTEMBER

3/9 Craig Smith (author) presenting to the school

4/9 Father’s Day lunch and Mufti Day (gold coin donation)

4/9 Otago Cross Country

11/9 Years 5 and 6 Sports Morning

11/9 Assembly – Room 7

14/9 Golf lessons - whole school

15/9 Years 4, 5 and 6 ETS Athletics Day

15/9 - 18/9 POLYFEST

17/9 Years 4, 5 and 6 ETS Athletics Day (PP Day)

18/9 Marrzipan Drama performance – 2.15pm

21/9 - 24/9 ART EXHIBITION

25/9 Last Day of Term 3 – BBQ lunch

12 OCTOBER Start of TERM 4

17 DECEMBER END OF TERM 4

CERTIFICATES

Congratulations to the following students who were presented with certificates at Room 9 & 10 Assembly last Friday.

KEY COMPETENCY

VALUES

Manners

EXCELLENCE

Room 1 Heath Knowles – Participating & Contributing

Blake Carter Annabel King-Begg

Room 2 Nico Nitis – Managing Self Paige Davidson Paddy Smythe

Room 3 Darius Bremner – Managing Self Anna Divers Ollie Smythe

Room 4 Erika Reid – Managing Self William Samuels Jack Cloynes

Room 5 Nadia Te Kanawa – Participating & Contributing

Matthew Hanna Daniel Grieve

Room 6 Kellyn Outram – Managing Self Kaleb Beaman Rania Najafi

Room 7 Jesakah Thom – Participation & Sharing

Isobel Kerruish Pippa Earl

Room 8 Jasmyn Davidson – Participating & Contributing

Jacob Thompson Cooper Shrimpton

Room 9 Elodie-Marie Ilian – Thinking Isabella Thomson

Ollie Elliott

Room 10 Flynn Lucas – Thinking Ruan Hamman Courtney Smith

Room 11 Ollie Stoddart – Enthusiastic Participation

Lila Taylor Lily Mason

Room 12 Hugo Niak – Managing Self Sam McHutchon Kaiah Hiko

Room 13 Toby O’Neill - Relating to Others Grace Turton Leo Hill

CONGRATULATIONS Mya O’Connor competed at the Southland gymnastic champs in the weekend and got 1st on beam, 1st on floor, 1st on vault and 2nd overall…well done Mya!

FOR SALE

Girls size 6 ski jacket, pants,

thermal top and jumper in very

good condition –

$40 0273023727

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