St Gerard’s School Newsletter LOVE - AROHA AI

03 448 8339

LEARN - AKO AI

GROW - TIPU AI

www.stgerards.school.nz

[email protected]

Week 5 Term 1:Wednesday 1st March2017 PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

TEACHER ONLY DAY APRIL 7th The school will be closed on the above date, as staff undergo training in Restorative Practice with Margaret Thorsborne from Australia. INFORMATION SHARING INTERVIEWS – March 21st 3-7pm and March 22nd 2.30- 5.30 pm A reminder to go to www.schoolinterviews.co.nz and use code: fbrcx to book your meeting with your child’s teacher. This meeting is to set goals and share information in regards to your child and their learning. This interview opportunity is for all students at the school, not just seniors. NZ PLAYHOUSE Tomorrow we host NZ Playhouse in the afternoon. Thank you to the PTA who have paid for our students to attend this performance. STRATEGIC AND ANNUAL PLANS Last week our Board of Trustees accepted this years Strategic and Annual Plans. They have been forwarded to the Ministry of Education and will be on display on the school foyer as well as on the school website. If you have any questions about either of these plans please don’t hesitate to ask Mrs Eastwood or any staff or Board member. HAPPY BIRTHDAY • • • •

Lilli Saunders- Friday 3rd March Bobbie Stewart & Eden Breen – Saturday 4th March Sully Love –Sunday 5th March Jack Melvin – Tuesday 7th March

SPECIAL CHARACTER We are underway with the Jesus Strand of the R.E. curriculum and we were well supported last week with a visit from the Evangelisation team who are based in Wellington. Their message was very clear: Jesus loves us, Jesus accepts us as we are, and Jesus wants us to share his love with everyone. The children enjoyed the singing, dancing and role plays. We are now coming into the very important season of Lent. Thank you to all those who were able to join us for Ash Wednesday Mass this morning in the Church.

Ash Wednesday

The burning of palms of last year’s Palm Sunday calls us to remember the glory of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem in triumph that then quickly turns to rejection. Lent (40 days) is the time to look at our lives and ask about faithfulness in living our baptism. Lent should be a time of fasting, praying and almsgiving. It is an important time for reflection and new growth. !

PTA

Opening Hours: Monday - 2.45pm to 3.15pm Friday – 8.45am to 9.15am (Located Beside Room 3 – open other times by request) Contact Details: [email protected] or Kate Donaldson 027 6229226

Daffodil Bulb Fundraiser Mixed Varieties from Ken Hinton’s award winning patch 100 Bulbs

$50

50 Bulbs

$25

20 Bulbs

$10

Orders and payment to St Gerards office by

3rd March

Email: [email protected] phone 448 8339 Payment to 03 1733 0005065 000 Ref: bulbs & surname Limited Numbers so order early not to miss out Orders first in first filled! Thank you for supporting St Gerards

SPORT

Room 6 enjoyed their Physical Activity Leader Training with Rebecca from Sport Otago. This will help students to better communicate with each other and develop leadership skills to enable them to support others with activities and group meetings within the school. Rebecca commented how awesome the children were especially in the way they supported each other. Well done Room 6. Swimming Thank you so much to everyone who supported our swimming sports yesterday, especially the helpers and timekeepers. For some of you, this was your last St Gerards swimming sports and we appreciate the many years you have given us. A big thank you to Liz Anderson our starter. We are so grateful for Liz’s extended help even after her children moved on from St Gerards. I am pleased to share that Mrs Shannon Tait and Mrs Eastwood have indicated they will take over the two main roles of starter and chief timekeeper in 2018. ( Big shoes to fill.) Thanks also to the Swimming Club for the use of their equipment. It was wonderful to see so many enthusiastic parents taking time to join us and support the students.

Seb Waldron and Ethan Constable with Mrs Eastwood presented Liz Anderson with flowers to say thank you for her support

Central Otago Championship Sports – Thursday 9th March at Cromwell Swim Centre. Those swimmers who have qualified for this event have brought home a permission slip today. Everyone needs to return this to Mrs Beilby by 3pm tomorrow. Entries for this event need to be in Cromwell on Friday and will be made from those who return their slips. House points for swimming points were: Ruru 140 Tui 136 Congratulations to Ruru Kea 120 house Kiwi 103 Students earn points for participation, race results, sportsmanship etc

Miniball 2017: There will be a meeting in the Alexandra Primary School’s boardroom next Monday 6th March at 7pm. All parents are welcome. It would be wonderful to have some parent involvement. This is where you can share ideas for improvement and hear what is going on. Please email me [email protected] if you are able to attend this meeting. Netball 2017: Thanks you to Jayne Battrick and Camille O’Connor who have offered to attend the AGM as St Gerards representatives. This is an open meeting, so others are welcome. Tuesday 14th. i will advise of the time once the information is on hand.

SCHOOL TRIATHLON The school triathlon is happening next Tuesday 7th March from 12:00-2:30pm. We

will be starting the first race at approx. 12.40pm. Please check your children’s bikes and that their helmets fit properly over the next few days. • VOLUNTEER HELP: If you are able to help with course marshalling please email Mr Yeoman ([email protected]) before Friday 3rd March . It is important that we have plenty of parents around the course to ensure all children are safe at all times and of course to support the children. The more helpers we have the better. • CLOTHING: -Please be sure to come to school in the correct clothing: -Years 5 – 8: School sports uniform and track suit -Years 1 – 4. School sports uniform/ green trackpants if you have any/warm clothes. -School sunhats are compulsory, so be sure to have yours at school. -Please ensure all clothing is named especially hats and trackpants. • TIMETABLE:

-Lunch will be at 11:30. -We will all be leaving school at 12.10pm. -Years 5 – 8 will ride their bikes to the pool with Mrs Lyon and Mrs Eastwood. -Years 1-4 will travel by bus, their bikes will need to be dropped directly to the pool at 12:15. NOTE- this is year groups not rooms,.Year 5’s in Rm 4 will bike to the tri, Year 4’s in Rm 4 will travel by bus. -There will be an event briefing at 12:30 with the first race starting at 12.40pm. -Every child will be competing in the triathlon in the following age groups and in this order: 1. Yr 5-8 Competitive (Yr 5&6, Yr 7&8) 2. Yr 1&2 3. Yr 3&4 4. Yr 5-8 Non-Competitive • TRANSITIONS: There will be marshals at each of the Transitions, Mrs Beilby & Mrs Lyon at the run/ bike and Mrs Flannery inside the pool. We ask that parents please stay out of the transition areas, there will be help available to your children if they need it. It would be helpful though to have parents remove bikes as soon as possible from the area. • POOL ENTRY: Children may only access the pool through the rear doors. This is the understanding that we have within our pool hire agreement. All parents must use the normal pool entrance and stay clear of the rear doors. • PICK UP: Children and bikes are to be picked up from the pool after the event at approx. 2.30-2.45 please. Any bus children will be brought back to school by staff.

GENERAL NEWSBOARD

HANDYMAN NEEDED: The junior school are looking for a couple of handy men or ladies who could mount 2 televisions on the walls in Room 1 and 3. Please see Julie if you can help.

SAUSAGE SIZZLE Thursday lunch - $2 in named envelope to office by 9.00am please. LUNCHES The Bakery is closed this week and next so there will be no cream buns, donuts or custard slices available.

An evening with

Peter Kenyon An evening with Peter Kenyon, community enthusiast and social entrepreneur World renowned community development specialist Peter Kenyon is coming to Central Otago. Peter has worked with more than 2000 communities in Australia and around the world to facilitate fresh and creative ways that stimulate local community renewal. Come along for an evening to hear stories about community-led development around the world; envision what it could mean for your community; be inspired and make new connections.

When:

Wednesday 8 March, 5.00pm (for 5.30 start) - 9.00 pm

Where:

The Cellar Door, 143 Centennial Avenue, Alexandra

RSVP:

All welcome to this FREE community event. Light refreshments will be provided. RSVPs appreciated to Paula on (03) 440 0648 or email [email protected]