First Discovery 2018

Yeah, First Discovery  for 2018!

Super that swimming is now over, so that we are not squeezing reading into our afternoons. As Discovery has a big focus on the essential skills, we are looking at self managing. We talked about what this would look like while we are choosing our learning activities.

Great ideas:

• sharing equipment and resources (construction boxes)
• speaking respectfully if we need to use something
• clean up quickly when it is 2:40
• listen to Rachael if we are working in the garden
• use our listening manners at sharing time

We achieved most of these today - some will need a bit more practice but we all had such FUN!! A shame my phone decided to die, so thank you Olivia for taking photos on an iPad at sharing time. This even gave me the opportunity to learn something new - how to use airdrop to get the photos onto my computer.

 Thank you Jasmine for teaching us how to use paper to make talking puppets. The is also a special part of Discovery where we teach each other new skills.

 Great teamwork Milla and Michaela.

Fantastic crane Quinn, you are quite the engineer!

Hi All 

Sharing some photos from our Morning Programme line up on Friday.

Am so proud of the children that presented!!!

We were even treated to a cooking demonstration and scrumptious banana muffins😀

Our next Morning Programme session will be Friday 9th March and to present we have Findlay, Jedi, Eden, Aurelia and Tamai.

This Friday we have a library visit so remember your library cards if you have one (I am happy to keep these at school if easier).  

Week 5 Term 1

WOW nearly half way through the term already.
This last week we welcomed Jasmine Panganiban to Room 3. Jasmine does not speak any english yet, so we have all had to be a bit creative to help her feel at home in our room and our school. Thank you Varna for your special help. Jasmine comes from 'Mexico Pampanga' in the Philippines. We looked at what her classroom was like, and can see that school is so very different for her here in New Zealand. Jasmine nodded or shook her head when we showed different pictures of schools in the Philippines. Her classroom was about half the size of Room 3 and had about 40 students who sat at double desks with a chair attached,  like the ones in the classroom at the Arrowtown Museum. So school itself is very different - not just a different language. You might like to look together on the internet for photos of Mexico Pampangi.
Thank you so much to all of you who came and supported the school swimming sports. Without the wonderful help we have from parents events like this could not be run. Mr Yeoman is now asking for helpers for the school triathlon. Please email him ollieyeoman@stgerards.school.nz if you are available to assist. We especially need marshals  through the bike track in the pines.
As we will be training for the Triathlon this week, please wear school sports uniform until the triathlon next Tuesday.
Thursday: We welcome back Tessa from Football South, who will take a session on soccer skills. Tessa visited at the end of last year and we all had such fun while learning new ball skills.
Poetry books need to be back at school on Monday mornings - we glue our poem for the week into our books before school, so that we can work on these during the week.

Homework

• Reading: a book should come home each night along with the diary. Please remember to remind your child to record what they have read. These diaries are to assist with self management, and this is the year for your children to start taking over some of the responsibility for recording this. Thank you to those people who have sent a Reading Folder for taking these books to and from school.
• Fridge Words: compassion, tempo, visualisation. Remember that this is an oral language activity. On Friday we talk with our buddies and put these words into sentences. There were some excellent sentences last week. Keep working to extend your child's oral vocabulary.
• Triathlon Training: We will be taking a run each day at school for fitness, and our Big Book and Poem are based around bikes. Please take the time this week to check that tyres are inflated, brakes are working, chains are oiled and handle bars safe with no metal ends poking out. We will be learning about bike safety. Please bring your bike to school on Friday, so that we can practise the transition from the run to the bike at 1:30.

Discovery starts on Wednesday afternoon. If there was someone willing to help Rachael Baxter with small groups in the school garden that would be much appreciated.

Swimming Sports/Tamai's Togs

Help! Tamai misplaced her bag with her togs, goggles and towel and only realised this as we were getting off the bus at school. We have checked at the pool and the bus company with no luck. Wondering if someone has picked up her bag of swimming gear in error as they were getting off the bus.

In the meantime if there is anyone who has a spare pair of size 10ish togs - it would mean that Tamai can swim at the sports.

Room 3 Swimmers in Junior School Races 
for 6 year olds and 7 year olds.

These races are held in the therapeutic pool between 10am and 11am. Everyone else is swimming in the main pool races.

Liam Broome

Boston Irving-Dowling

Mark-Allan Shelford

Louisa Marsden

Michaela McGinnis

Lilli Saunders (6)

Arn Cuthbertson

Olivia Delport

Varna Sim

See you all at the pool in the morning by 8:55. Remember to say 'good morning' to Mrs Stratford when you arrive so that she can quickly mark the roll.

Have a great day of competition.

DO YOUR BEST, but most of all HAVE FUN AND ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER.

Week 4 Term 1

It was great to see people join us at mass on Sunday. Thank you to those people who contributed to a beautiful morning tea, which was held outside the staffroom this time.  Happy Birthday, Fin - hope you had an amazing party too.

• Poetry Books: these go home on a Friday and need to be back at school each Monday. Before school on Monday children paste the new poem for the week into their books. This year the poem is part of literacy, so we unpack various parts of the text each day, and an activity is part of the 'must dos' over the course of the week in the literacy learning block. Please have a look for the poetry books at home.
• Diaries: these need to be at school each day. From this week diaries will stay at school on a Friday, so that I can keep track of  nightly reading. On a Monday the fridge words will be recorded as will any important 'happenings for the week'. I have been shown some exciting learning happening with these books - family birthdays recorded in both the front yearly planner and on weekly pages further through the books. This week's information is on Page 37. Several people have written this important information on paper and I ask you to make sure that this is recorded into their diaries.
• Reading Folders: We have tried to mange without a folder this year, but there seem to be books everywhere. Please make sure that your child has a reading folder that they bring into the classroom before school each day. Diaries, poetry, and reading books need to be in these each day. Remember to record your reading in the blue lines at the bottom of each day.
• Swimming: a busy week here. Lessons Tuesday & Wednesday, with the swimming sports on Thursday morning.
• Swimming Sports: will be held from 9 - 12 at the pool on Thursday. Children need to be dropped at the pool by 8:55am, and will travel back to school  by bus at 12:10. Junior swimming sports will be in the therapeutic pool from 10 - 11am. Please come dressed in house colours and bring an extra towel. No crepe paper please. Entries are being taken for swimming races. Please contact me if you have concerns about what your child will be competing in. Entries can be either competitive or non- competitive. In a non-competitive race it is fine to stop for a quick breather. If your child is swimming in the main pool at lessons they will be competing in this pool on the day. I would still love to hear from anyone keen to help with timekeeping or to assist with having a cuppa available for staff and workers.
• Maths: cross class groupings has started this week. This allows us to provide the best possible fit for all learners. If your child is learning maths in either Room 7 or Room 4 you will have been notified.
• Mrs Laidlaw will be taking visual arts on Wednesday from after play until the end of the day.

Homework

• Managing ourselves: clothing and books. Be sure to check your diary and have your togs at school. Bring books and diary every day in a reading folder.
• Reading - as with maths, guided group reading has started this week, so there will be a book come home each night. As it is the beginning of the year, the levels of these texts are lower than where people were reading at the end of last year. Enjoy listening to the stories. Listen for 'reading like talking'. Don't forget how valuable it is to read to your child each night and talk about any interesting language in the texts.
• Triathlon Training: make a start on a wee run or bike as we get ready for our school triathlon in 2 weeks time. There are cups for Years 3 and 4. We can grow our ability to run and ride by practising. 

• Fridge Words: this week they relate to our illustrator visit.  illustrator    prolific    manure

We're up for a busy week once again. Thanks so much for the way you support your child's learning.  Such a creative bunch in Room 3.

Hi All

Just a quick update on Morning Programme.

Friday's have all of a sudden become busier.  

We are now having our Ukulele lessons on a Friday at 10:20 and every second Friday we are off to the Library.  

The class is really enjoying these opportunities!  

This means Morning Programme will be every second Friday.  

So the wonderful Year 4 boys that came prepared to present on Friday can present this Friday instead (Taine, Jedi and Findlay).

Which gives the Year 4 girls some more time to prepare (Eden, Aurelia, Bella and Tamai).
Presenting now on Friday 9 March instead.
If your'e super excited about doing it this Friday I'm sure we can accomodate you though😊

Mrs Bielby and I are looking at our Timetable to see if we can fit this in anywhere else and we will let you know if we come up with a solution.

  

Emma Stratford

School Mass Sunday 18th

Just a reminder that school mass is this Sunday. Please be seated with the teachers by 8:55. Full school uniform should be worn. As there is a morning tea afterwards, please bring a plate to share. These can be left at the staffroom. see you on Sunday.