Gymnastics

We have gymnastics for the next 3 Fridays. Remember to wear your tracksuits.

Week 6 Term 3

Ski Day Week is finally here.

Last week we spent time with the Year 4's thinking about our 'hopes' for the day and also using the internet to check out the Snow Farm and find information about snow code rules and what to wear etc. Great to see that we are all getting ourselves sorted - thank you to those people who are loaning clothing for the day.

Please no puffer jackets: they are too hot for the activity, are not waterproof and get very heavy when wet. We have talked about the importance of windproof and waterproof jackets. Wearing layers of clothing underneath is what is needed for warmth. To save getting sneakers wet, gumboots are often the go to keep feet dry at the end of the day - they are also easy to get in and out of. A clothes peg can be used to keep them together as a pair while you are skiing.

Please be at the church car park no later than 6:45am. Have your gear in one back pack. The parent who is looking after you for the day will ask to see:

• waterproof and windproof pants and jacket
• waterproof gloves (I noticed in Queenstown NW a big bin of great cheap gloves - perhaps at ours too)
• helmet attached to a strap of your backpack
• sun glasses or ski goggles
• sunblock
• a good sized lunch with food for morning and afternoon tea
• plenty to drink. 2 bottles might be a good idea.
• plastic bag with a spare set of clothing in case you get very wet
• You will be given a hi-vis vest as you get on the bus.

Rachael Baxter	Christine Lanham	Shayne O’Connor	Savio Fonseca
Liam Ted	Aurelia Isabella Charlotte O	Jack Alia Sophie	David Adam Jelena
Tracey Reid	Aimee McCutcheon	Atiria O’Neill	Sam Williams
Mason Quinn L Lars	Quinn Zack	Jada Savanah Eden	Pippa Sam Tamai
Danny Knowles	Haines Battrick	Ben Donaldson	Bede Mulholland
Amelia Amelia Frew Charlotte K	Otis Hayvin	Bella Findlay Lily M	Tara Taine Lily A
Tracey McFadyen	Skiing: Mrs Ward 0278168609 Not Skiing: 021449296 Mrs Beilby available for any injuries or sickness.
Jay-T Jedi

Hoping for great weather and fun learning a new skill in our wonderful mountains.

Hi All

Last week's Morning Programme - it was another exciting line up!

Below Jada has shared with us the recipe for her 'slime'.

Thank you to all the children and parents for their preparation.

Morning Programme for this week:

Our Place:  Tara

Current Events:  Aurelia

Famous Person:  Amelia, Zack

About Me:  Jedi

Book Review: Jay T

How To:  Bella B, Sam

We are fitting in some children this week who have missed a turn, which makes for a big line up.

As it is Ski Trip on Thursday I completely understand if you would prefer to leave your presentation to next week.

Just let me know😊

Emma Stratford

Hi All

This Sunday it's our turn to share what we have been doing in Religious Education with the Parish.

The Children have made their own set of Rosary Beads which they are really proud of.

If you are at Church on Sunday it would be wonderful if your child could come up the front and share their Rosary Beads.

I will have some of the Rosary Beads with me and will be at church before 9am.

Thanks Everyone

Emma Stratford

Hi All

A snapshot of Friday's Morning Programme.

A very exciting line up this week!

Thankyou to all the children and parents for the work that went into the presentations.

With Bella's permission we have attached the recipe for her delicious chocolate cake.

Have a great week everyone🌞

Emma Stratford

Week 5 Term 3

We wish the year 5 & 6 students a wonderful ski camp at Coronet Peak. Hope the snow is sparkling and the sun shining as you all swoop down the slopes.
Year 3 & 4 Ski Day: the final note came home on Friday - please check the school bag if you haven't seen it. A copy is posted on the blog.
Congratulations to everyone who competed so well on Wednesday at the cross country. So proud of how you all stepped up to the challenge, and how so many of you really gave 100% to your fitness time training. you were "going for gold!" Wonderful to see how you supported each other, too.

School Fair: let's get behind our PTA who do so much for us all. Mystery bottles are now being collected and can be left in the foyer. Please no alcohol but old bottles can be refilled with something exciting and wrapped or a bottle of something gift wrapped. It would be amazing if we could get one per family in the foyer by the end of the week. I'm sure that some have already been sent in. Thank you all so much.

Gymnastics - Tuesday,  so sports uniform please.  We will have a catch up day next Tuesday as Sharelle was sick last week.
Wednesday afternoon I will be at Reading Recovery In-service training and Mrs Stratford will be teaching.
Years 3 & 4 Netball skirts: I have 2 of these back, keep them rolling in please so that I am not chasing these at Christmas time like I was last year. Please leave them in a named plastic bag on my desk.
Inquiry: Our over-riding question is "What is it like to be a .........? We had so many questions about animals once we had sorted our questions that this was where we will be learning this term. Each person can choose the animal that they are passionate about.
Following on from term 1 where we learned how to use a KWL sheet (what I know, what I want to find out and what I have learned), we looked at a KWHL sheet with the 'H' being how I will find out.  What excellent thinkers we have in Room 3 as it took us no time to get a large list of ways we could find out about our questions.  Our KWHL sheet is on the wall of the classroom - feel free to come and take a peek. Some of us have already made a big start on our independent inquiry learning journey - WOW! I will be supporting all children with their inquiry with varying levels of support. Some reading groups will be using reading time to further their inquiry as they have reached the "Reading to learn" stage of the learning process, while others will continue to have daily instructional reading as they secure their "Learning to Read" skills. A variety of non-fiction texts will be chosen alongside the usual readers.

Homework:

1. Reading: every night. Can be inquiry research or Sunshine on line - there are some great new non-fiction titles being added all the time.
2. Spelling 'er' sound - make sure that you tool each word every night and listen to the sounds. I am seeing a few books where the words have just been copied across. Remember to 'say, listen & tool, record the check that the word is correct.
3. Maths Buddy - have you tried it yet? The password is glued onto the front cover of the homework book.  Great to hear that some people have really enjoyed a few lessons and activities.
4. Poetry for the weekend.

Poetry books back on Monday please.

Puppet Play

A little extra for our Friday.
Thank you Mrs Ward for the loan of your puppet theatre and to the Bella, Pippa and Jada who shared the play.  What super little puppets you have made Bella - perhaps we could all make some at Discovery Time and join in the fun.

Years 3 & 4 Ski Trip Information

This should be in your child's bag - a hard copy for the fridge.

Years 3 & 4 Ski Trip   Thursday 31^st August 2017

18^th August 2017                                        

Thank you to those parents who have now confirmed their availability for the ski trip.

The parents travelling with the group are: Rachael Baxter, Christine Lanham, Shayne O’Connor, Savio Fonseca, Tracey Reid, Aimee McCutcheon, Atiria O’Neill, Sam Williams, Ben Donaldson, Danny Knowles, Haines Battrick, Tracey McFadyen and Bede Mulholland.

Travel arrangements are as follows:

Bus: Savio Fonseca, Rachael Baxter, Tracey Reid, Bede Mulholland.

Emergency vehicle: Ben Donaldson – Sam Williams, Atiria O’Neill, Aimee McCutcheon.

Second vehicle: Shayne O’Connor: Christine Lanham, Tracey McFadyen, Danny Knowles & Haines Battrick.

Below is a reminder of clothing requirements for the day.

·       Jacket – it needs to be waterproof AND windproof

·       Overtrousers or ski suit (waterproof & windproof)

·       Polyprop or merino ‘long johns’ underwear

·       Track pants

·       1 spare pair socks (thick, woollen if possible)

·       Polyprop, skivvy or shirt, jersey (merino/woollen)

·       Gloves (waterproof)

·       Sunscreen

·       Packed lunch box including morning tea, afternoon tea and water bottle

·       Hi-visibility vest  (will be given to each child before boarding the bus)

·       Hat or balaclava (woollen/polar fleece)

·       Helmet

·       Goggles/sunglasses

·       Plasters to prevent blisters

 The weather can be very changeable on our mountains so everyone should come well prepared. All participants need to have the required clothing. Remember, several thin layers are better than one thick layer of clothing.  Please be sure that your child has sunscreen and sunglasses/goggles as the altitude, clear skies (we hope) and facing the snow all day leads to increased exposure of UV rays.

Because of the altitude, cold temperatures and energy expended it is important that the students eat and drink plenty during the day so take plenty of food as well as those energy snacks to keep in your pocket. Plenty of food and fluids are essential when skiing!!

Health Information: February health information is held at school. If there is any further information we need to be aware of eg: car sickness etc, please let the classroom teacher know.

Should the weather be doubtful on the day cancellations will be broadcast on More FM and on the school Facebook page as soon as possible after 6:15am.

Bus will leave at 7am so please be there at 6:45 am with your gear ready to be checked.  Hats, gloves, jackets, waterproof pants/skisuits and sunglasses/goggles will be checked.  For safety reasons any child without the required gear will be left behind and parents will be contacted.

It would be appreciated if all money could be paid to Mrs Turnhout in named envelopes no later than Tuesday 29^th August. Please note that the confirmed price per child is $85. If there are any problems please contact Mrs Beilby as soon as possible.

Hoping for a super day!

Regards

Chris Beilby & Markelle Ward

Years 3 & 4 Netball Skirts

These can be handed in to me in Room 3. Please be sure to put yours in a named bag so we know you have returned it.  Would be good to get this tidied up early in the term so that we are not looking for skirts just before Christmas this year.
Thanks for dropping these in.

Week 4 Term 3

Thanks you to all those people who attended the school mass on Sunday.
Liam was a star at Monday morning prayer, where he read the Gospel, as he stepped up for the reader who was not at school. What a great job you did, Liam.

Cross Country: There is a separate post with all the details from the newsletter. Thank you Vanessa for offering to help with the class at the cross country course - due to very few children having appropriate clothing, and only 1 parent available to assist with supervision, the training run was cancelled. We still need some parents to assist as marshals on the course on Wednesday.
School Sports uniform Tuesday (gymnastics) and Wednesday (cross country).

Mass 9:00 Wednesday.

Assembly 2:10 Friday

Ski notices went home on Friday. I have had confirmation from 3 parents. Please check bags if these have not been given to you.

Homework

1. Reading: don't forget to record what you have read in your log. Sunshine-on-line books also count!
2. Spelling: looking at the 'er' spelling patterns. never,  thirty, burst, dollar, earth, word. Look out for these in what is being read. Taking notice of these will help us to transfer what we know into our writing, where we are learning to sample words, then look at them as a good reader and choose the one that looks right.
3. Maths Buddy: enjoy free use of this site. We will be asking towards the end of the year whether this is a site to pay for next year.
4. Learning to type: try 'dance mat typing' www.bbc.co.uk/typing Knowing where the keys are on the computer will help with spelling as well as speeding up publishing of work. We also have  questions for Inquiry "How do people type without looking? How do they know where the keys are?"
5. Kapahaka: Poi - work on those wrist strengthening exercises that Ms Tamati has given you. You do not need a poi to work on these. Make sure that it is your wrist not your arm moving. Remember to keep your arms out straight. 50 up, 50 down and 50 to the side. Work on catching 10 times remembering how to hold the poi between your thumb and fore finger.

1. 

Cross Country

St Gerard’s School Cross Country
Wednesday 16th August
12.00pm – Early Lunch
12.30pm – Leave School and walk together to the course
12.45pm – Walk the Course
Children will walk the course at approximately 12.45pm and races will begin
immediately following this. The race order will be as follows.
1.00pm (approximately) Races Begin
Race order as follows (Distances may change if the course needs to altered due
to weather conditions/mud):
Year 7 & 8 Boys (2 big laps and 2 short laps)
Year 7 & 8 Girls (2 big laps and 2 short laps)
Year 5 & 6 Boys (2 big laps)
Year 5 & 6 Girls (2 big laps)
Year 1 & 2 Boys (1 short lap)
Year 1 & 2 Girls (1 short lap)
Year 3 & 4 Boys (2 short laps)
Year 3 & 4 Girls (2 short laps)
Years 3 – 8 are eligible for the cups. Years 5 – 8 are eligible for selection to
represent St Gerards at the Central Otago Cross Country on Thurs 24th August.
2.30/2.45pm (approximately)
Last race finished, tidy up of area, return to school.

Hi All 

Have access to the blog now so am sharing a snapshot of Morning Programme from the last two weeks.

Thank you to all the children who came with such well prepared and interesting presentations😊

Morning Programme for this week:

Bella Donaldson - How To

Ted - Our Place

Lily - Current Events

Sam - Famous Person

Finlay - About Me

Eden - Book Review

I have really enjoyed getting to know all the children in Room 3 these past weeks!

I'm in the classroom every morning or can be contacted at emmastratford@stgerards.school.nz 

should you have anything you would like to discuss.

Have a happy week!

Emma Stratford