Hororata Primary School Tel (03) 3180 803 · Fax (03) 3180 682

Email: office@hororata.school.nz

http://ultranet.hororata.school.nz/

Diary Alert

TERM ONE (Began) Monday 29 January 2018

Waitangi Day (NO SCHOOL) Tuesday 6 February 2018

Board of Trustee Mtg Thursday 8 February

Malvern Triathlon Friday 9 February

Parent Teacher Assn. Wednesday 14 February

Parent Teacher Conferences

Mon 19 - Tues 20 February

Weet-Bix Tryathlon

Sunday 25 February

Hororata Swimming Sports

Wednesday 7 March

Malvern Swimming Sports Tuesday 20 March

Hororata DOathlon Friday 23 March

Canterbury - Duathlon Monday 26 March

Board of Trustee Mtg Thursday 29 March

Public Holiday - Good Friday Friday 30 March

Public Holiday - Easter Monday Monday 2 April

Public Holiday - Easter Tuesday Tuesday 3 April

Canterbury Swimming Thursday 5 April

Hororata Autumn Festival Friday 13 April

TERM ONE (Ends) Friday 13 April 2018

Newsflash…

PARENT TEACHER ASSN MEETING (PTA)

An invitation is extended to all to come along to the PTA meeting which has been scheduled for Wednesday 14 February 2018, 7.30pm here at the school. This will precede the Annual General Meeting which will be held during May. Everyone is encouraged to attend.

PARENT INTERVIEWS

Thank you to everyone who has returned their forms or indicated that they would like a parent interview. It is not too late. Please organise your appointment via the school office to save classroom disruptions. Teaching staff are looking forward to meeting parents.

SCHOOL LUNCHES

The canteen is open on Wednesdays for a weekly fix of a pie, American Hot Dog, or a chicken savoury. Prices over the page under PTA. Fridays the pie warmer is turned on so food can be heated for children, especially if they have been on the bus early in the morning. Please bring food to school in suitable Pie Warming containers or wraps.

YEAR 6 FLEECY TOPS

Could you please advise the school office of Year 6 children’s sizes for the fleece tops for the school leavers. Sizes to be advised by Friday please. Mr G would like these to be handed out at the first Celebration Assembly for the year. Thank you for your support and to the PTA who sponsor these.

JUBILEE STEERING COMMITTEE

Thank you to the people who ventured forthwith to assist with the 2020 Jubilee Celebrations. The school have very exciting plans to follow during 2020. First 2018 meeting...to be advised.

Hororata Primary School’s Official Newsletter (07.02.2018)

Kia ora Koutou

Quote of the week… ‘Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving’ - Albert Einstein

Welcome back to what promises to be another action packed year in the life of our school. A year that will see us extend upon our reputation for strong teaching and learning programmes; a year that will see us welcome many new students and families into our lives and a year that will see us our learners achieve much success across the region.

Let me introduce our team… Marty Gameson (Mr G) – Yr 5-6 teacher (Tui), Head Teacher, Bus Controller; Julia Raybould - Yr 0-1 teacher (Piwakawaka), Deputy Principal, Literacy Leader; Megan Stewart - Yr 2-3 teacher (Kea), Numeracy & e-Learning Leader; Amanda Cullen – Yr 3-5 teacher (Kakapo); STEAM Leader; Jenni Foster - Yr 5-6 teacher (Tui), Special Education Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO), Classroom Release Teacher (CRT); Dianne Woodward – Reading Recovery Teacher (Kiwi); Mrs Penny Oliver (Mrs O) - my ‘right hand woman’ and our secretary; Maureen Chatterton, Deb Davy, Katie Moody – our Learning Support teacher aides; Anne Merriman/Libby Gameson - our Cleaners; Dee Oliver our Caretaker and Bridget Parsons our Swimming Pool Caretaker… Welcome back team; buckle in for a very busy year!

Active Culture… Our Active Culture is an important ingredient in achieving our strategic goal to promote positive and responsible attitudes to personal health and well-being.

School Swimming… As part of our Active Schools’ Programme, Christina Clarkson has been employed as an Aquatics Coach to work with small groups of students in ability grouped swimming programme. The programme beginning Monday 12 February 2018 will see our children grouped into three main groups: Advanced (Seals) | Development (Dolphins)| Beginners (Seahorses). The SEALS will focus on aquatic fitness (1 L+); the DOLPHINS will focus on stroke / aquatic fitness (1 w+) and the SEAHORSES will focus on water confidence. To build confidence in the water our SEAHORSES will travel to Greendale School at least once a week to take advantage of their smaller indoor pool. Our SEALS and DOLPHINS will have intensive practice here at school twice weekly with some experienced parent volunteers. All groups will continue with their in-class swimming lessons as well. Children are encouraged to bring their togs and towels everyday regardless of what the weather looks like at your backdoor each morning.

Learning Culture…

Our Learning Culture encourages our children to ‘Think outside the box’; to use flexibility, creativity, innovation, and social intelligence to solve every day problems.

Young Leaders… To foster and develop leadership skill in our students, young leaders are selected each year to lead school initiatives and to work co-operatively with staff and students to manage school events and resources. The following students have been elected by their peers as House Captains for 2018: Kahurangi – Ayla Abraham (C), Zoe Parker (D); Whero - Vin Brown (C), Blake Booth (D); Kowhai – Jessie Smith (C), Quin Brown (D); Kakariki – Taane Buechele (C), Eunice Dela Pena (D), to lead the school houses. These students will be responsible for leading their houses in school competitions and working alongside staff to ensure full engagement of all students across the school

Bus Monitors are appointed each year to assist me with the management of student Health & Safety on the school buses. Monitors are my eyes and ears, reporting inappropriate and dangerous behaviour on the buses. The following students have been selected as Bus Monitors for 2017: Poppy Freeman, Robert Harris, Gagana Mudiyanselage (Downs Rd); Ellie Flett, Hubert Aquino (Te Pirita); Jessie Smith, Xavier Loos, (Karanga).

Thanks for supporting our school

Marty Gameson (Principal - Tumuaki)

Piwakawaka (Yrs 0-2) Miss Raybould

Hi Everyone

Welcome to 2018. Piwakawaka class is settling in nicely, getting to know each other and establishing routines. New to our class this year are Priya, Isabel and Elix. WE look forward to Illia and Maddelyn joining us over the coming two weeks.

Last week, we talked about our whanau and created some gorgeous pictures of our families which are displayed on the wall in the classroom, so, if you get a chance please come in and have a look.

Some Children brought reading books home last week and now all should be bringing reading books home Monday to Thursday. However, if they don't have a book bag they will not be able to bring their book home that night.

All will have sight words in their reading notebook to learn. If you could make sets of cards of these words they could be used for games of memory, snap and as they build up, they could be made into sentences.

Kind regards Julia

Kea (Yrs 2-3) Miss Stewart

Welcome to 2018 everyone.

At the moment our walls are still bare in Kea as we get to know the newest members of our class but we are starting to do some lovely writing and art work that will remedy that soon enough.

This term is all about learning who we are and about our community. We are starting to learn our mihi. This is a short speech in Te Reo Maori introducing who we are and we come from. We are also setting some learning goals for ourselves this year which you will hear more about when we meet in week 4. I look forward to seeing you then. Megan

Kakapo (Yrs 3-5) Ms Cullen

Kai Ora Koutou,

One week gone already it feels like term 1 of 2018 is flying. Everyone has settled in really well and the class dynamic is working well. Thank you to the families that have signed into to Seesaw it is a great tool for the kids to share their work with their Whanau and for communication with me.

In reading we will be continuing with our create and share so if anyone has toilet rolls or egg cartons I would really appreciate it and so would the kids.

Keep bringing those togs everyday and please ensure you put sunscreen on before the kids leave For school I always reapply at lunch or after a swim.

I would like to welcome Finn Jennings to Kakapo I know he will have a great year. Amanda

Tui (Yrs 4-6) Mrs Foster Hi Everyone

Welcome to Tui, 2018 promises to be another busy year. Our

first week back went by quite quickly and smoothly. The children all seemed

pleased to be back and are settling into the classroom routines.

Most books have been sent home for covering, if you want to cover books just

ask your child to bring them home. Looking forward to seeing you all at

interviews.

Cheers Jenni

KAPA HAKA

Each year our student are given the opportunity to join with children from Greendale, Sheffield, Springfield, Glentunnel and Windwhistle schools (South Malvern Group) to take part in Kapa haka. Kapa haka is a Maori term for performing arts and literally means to form a line (kapa) and dance (haka). It is unique and enjoyable way for students to learn about New Zealand’s Maori heritage, through song and dance.

Kapa haka practices are held on Friday mornings from 11:45am-12:45pm at either Glentunnel or Sheffield Halls (TBC). Students are taught by teacher - kaiako Anton McClean and will have the opportunity to perform at public events such as the Hororata Highland Games and the Malvern Kapa Haka Festival scheduled for Friday 7 December 2018.

It’s not too late… If you would like your child to be part in Kapa haka (Yrs 4-6), please forward their name(s) to me as soon as possible (classes begin this Friday).

PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION

The School Canteen

American Hot Dog $2.00

Mince Pies $2.00

Cookie Time $1.00

Chicken Savoury $1.00

Please ensure orders are written on an envelope and handed into the school office prior to the start of a Friday school day.

A meeting date for all interested people has been set for

WEDNESDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2018 7.30pm in the School Library.

Contact Sarah with any agenda items and also if you would like to assist with any positions currently available.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Pig & Possum Hunt—20-22 April Help please Sunday 22 April

Night Glow-28-29 April Help please also.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

2018 Donation/Activity Fee Update:

Donations and Activity Fees are most welcome to be paid. Accounts may be made term-by-term or annually.

Payment by instalment is perfectly acceptable.

Bank Account for the Hororata Primary School Board of Trustees is ASB 123441:0019878:00

HOME EDUCATING IN HORORATA Nicki Inch, who lives in the Hororata Township has started up her own business of home educating in Hororata. Nicki is a former Hororata Primary School student and has a wealth of experience in dealing with children from babies through to Primary School children.

Nicki is a qualified, professional nanny. Her hours are open from

Monday to Friday 7am to 5.30pm.

Contact Nicki on 03 318 0093 or 0212111605 for further particulars.

WANTED The school are always on the lookout for pre-worn school polo tops or hoodies. We offer $20.00 for these and we can usually sell them on.

If you would prefer, please advise uniforms you would like to sell and we will advertise them on your behalf or pass on to you who is looking for a pre-used top. Thank you.

COAST-TO-COAST All the best to Mike Henriksen who is competing in the one day event of the upcoming weekends Coast-to-Coast. Great advantage points are at the Waimak Bridge site or further up. We are rather proud of Mike for training so hard to give this a go.

STANDING OUT IN THE CROWD

Our children achieve much success in the classrooms and sports fields of Canterbury every year. To help our kids and school stand out in the crowd, our school has a smart school uniform. The uniform consists of the following items:

Black Polo shirt branded with gold flash along both sides, a red embroidered rata on the left chest and gold text printed front and back

Plain unbranded black shorts, trousers, track pants, leggings or skirt

Black school branded Hoodie

Bucket hat (provided by school)

Safety Vest (provided by school)

We appreciate that the set uniform for some may not be enough to keep them warm. The trend appears to be for children to wear thermals or the likes under their uniforms or addition jerseys/sweatshirts over top. Under and over garments should be plain, unbranded and black.

We are proud of our school; our uniform and the children and staff represent us. Our uniform plays a small part in bringing our community together as one and making those outside of our community stop and notice the great things we achieve.

It is important to uphold strong standards

for how we represent ourselves.

Our uniform, is unique to our school and represents the heritage of this area with it’s strong ties to gold, black and the red of the Rata.

We want our kids to wear the uniform with PRIDE and rely on parents to help children make the right choices at home about what they are wearing to compliment the uniform… plain,

unbranded and black.

Thanks for supporting our school

EXTRA FOR FOUR YEAR OLDS Every Friday at school from 9.00am the senior leaders of the school run a session especially designed for late 3 year olds and 4 year olds to come along to. Miss Raybould, our teacher for Years 0-2, organises the weekly lessons with exciting things for pre-schoolers to do. It is an extremely valuable session for our pre-schoolers to attend as it gives them the benefits of what to do when they turn five and are ready for school.

TWINKLE TOTS The Parish of St John (Hororata) host a morning of music and dance at the Hororata Primary School on Wednesday mornings during school time. The 2018 sessions will begin on Wednesday 21 February. This session is held in the School Library and starts at 9.30am. Lucy and Jenni who run the session invite parents and their pre-schoolers, no matter what age, to come along to join in the fun. The sessions last for an hour and everyone has so much fun. See you there. Contact Lucy on 318 0718

SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOL Schools are not about bricks and mortar, library books, laptops and sandpit toys. Schools are about the people. The people of Hororata are our school’s greatest asset. Unfortunately, although we all know that school are about the people, experience tells me that it is often the same small group of people do all the volunteer work, respond to surveys, or attend meetings… Parents, teachers and most importantly, children are missing out!

Here are some ways you can help our school.

Join the team… The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) provides outstanding support for the children, teachers and families of Hororata Primary School. Our school relies heavily upon the P.T.A to supplement the school’s annual funding entitlement. Being a part of PTA not only contributes to our school, but also helps to connect you with other parents and community members.

Share your time and your talents… Teachers often need parent volunteers to help with small group activities, reading to children or working with children during writing or at the computer. Do you have the time to work alongside our teachers to make a difference in the education of our children?

Get out your green thumb… Have you noticed that the school grounds could use some work? Talk to the principal about supplementing the great work undertaken by our grounds-person around the school. A little digging here and a little weeding there will make a big difference everywhere!

Get on board … Attend a Board meeting and get an insight into how the school board makes decisions that affect our school. Learn more about the challenges and rewards associated with being on the Board.

Keeping ourselves Safe... Safety vests are a compulsory part of the Hororata Primary School uniform for all students. All students in transit between home and school must wear the school’s safety vest, including pedestrians and all modes of motorised and non-motorised transport. School Hats have been issued to each child at the beginning of the year and are a compulsory part of our uniform. All hats have been individually named, should not be shared and remain at school. During the summer months all children will sit in a shaded area for morning tea and lunch. Where shade is unavailable in the lunch area, other suitable sites throughout the school will be used at the discretion of the Duty Teacher. The school operates a ‘NO HAT, NO PLAY’ policy. If a child loses or misplaces their hat, they will be directed to play in the school sandpit.

NB From The Office Keep your eye out for Carlos (now 42) in the Auckland 10 Rugby Team!

Spotlight Piwakawaka

Miss Raybould asked her Piwakawaka children what they would like to be when they are older:

They wrote Tarannum – a ballet dancer Elix – a ballet dancer Ava – a piano teacher Isabel – a ballet dancer Amelie – a doctor Patricia – a vet Kayden – a worker Albie – a motorbike racer Jeyloe – a ballerina Bella – a nurse Alex – a chef Jake – a farmer Rodley – a farmer Lexi – a mum Indi – a zookeeper Priya – a vet Haila – a swimmer