Newsletter No. 10, 31st July 2014 Welcome back. We have started the term with the usual winter illnesses, but are all well into our learning for term 3. I trust you all enjoyed your break with your children and are enjoying being back into your routines again. SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY This was held on the last day of term 2, 4th July, went very smoothly with results as follows: Jnr Girls 1st: Rose Royal Tenbroek, 2nd: Olivia Goodwin, 3rd: Amelia Hunt Jnr Boys 1st: Tyler Tapper, 2nd: Don Smitstra, 3rd: Edward Roskam Snr Girls 1st: Nikisha Todd, 2nd: Morgan Norris, 3rd: Madi NormanKeenan Snr Boys 1st: David Hancock, 2nd: Robson Tarrant, 3rd: Marlin TaylorBailey All students participated well with the top six runners in each race going on to represent our school at the InterIntermediate event at Porritt Stadium on Tuesday, 19th August TECHNOLOGY & ART REPORTING TO PARENTS Students started a new module this term. Some students had technology reports go home with the mid-year reports at the end of last term, the remainder of the students will bring their technology and art reports home on Friday. ASB GET WISE COMPETITION: As part of the ASB Get Wise campaign, they have teamed up with TVNZ Breakfast on an exciting competition to find out what kids think about money! People will be encouraged to share their child’s funny ideas about money by uploading a video. Entrants could win a $1,000 nest egg for their child and be in to win a grand prize of a $10,000 family holiday to the Gold Coast! The grand prize winner will also win a $5,000 donation for their school!!! Further information on the competition including the terms and conditions can be found here: http://asbgetwise.tvnz.co.nz Give it a try, you just never know! Be in to win. ROCK BAND COMPETITION Our Rock Band, consisting of Aleisha Currie, Oliver & Abbey Howes Hannah Jacobsen, Reuben Kemp, Neive Lawrence & Emily Nowell, are heading to the Pulse Competition in Hamilton to compete with other intermediate school bands throughout the region. These students have worked extremely hard in a short space of time to prepare for this performance and will also be performing at assembly this week in preparation. GOOD LUCK THUNDERSTRUCK! LUNCHTIME STUDIO CONCERT Next Monday, 4th August at lunchtime, our singing tutor, Loretta Wilkinson, is holding a studio concert in the music suite. Students are encouraged to attend and support their peers. SPEECH COMPETITION WINNERS Year 7 winners: 1st: Paige Weatherley – The Principal’s job 2nd: George Chittick – Father, Son Bonding 3rd: Oliver Howes – Smoking Year 8 winners: 1st: Nicole Schweizer – Speeches 2nd=: Grace Rye – Why Chocolate isn’t candy Helen Drysdale-Dunn – The importance of Reading rd 3 : Cameron Cresswell – Why we shouldn’t shoot bears Thank you to Mrs Hunter for once again supporting our school by judging our speech competition. Mrs Hunter was very impressed with the high standard of presentations. Our thanks must also go to Mrs McLennan for judging the semi-finals and assisting our students by giving them constructive feedback. POETRY READING COMPETITION WINNERS Year 7 winners: 1st: Oliver Howes – Dentist and the Crocodile 2nd=: George Chittick – All my great excuses Yuane Haasbrock – It’s a Secret 3rd: Edward Roskam – Twinkle, Twinkle Year 8 Winners: 1st: Cameron Cresswell – Little Red Riding Hood 2nd: Nicole Schweizer – Excerpt 3rd=: Helen Drysdale-Dunn – The Owl & the Pussycat Locryne Tiddy – The Laundry Lastly, to all students who participated – we know that this is a very challenging activity for some and it is great to see you completing and competing in this event. Enjoy that great feeling in accomplishing something you thought you would never be able to do! SCIENCE NEWS The school wide Science Fair is being held on Tuesday, 2nd – Wednesday 3rd September with a selection of top entries from each class being open for public viewing on the Wednesday. All students were given an order form last week for a Science Fair board, if they wished to order the board through school @ $10.50 each. These orders and payments, are due tomorrow – Friday 1st August and the boards will be distributed when they arrive, the following Friday. STUDENTS’ OUTSIDE SCHOOL SUCCESSES Oliver Howes won his gymsports competition recently placing first on floor, high bar, rings and vault, second on pommel horse and third on parallel bars, winning the overall competition by a healthy 2 points. It was also the Midlands Championships for the North Island. Oliver is competing in the North & South Islands championships in the near future and has been selected for the national team, which competes in Auckland in October. Abbey Howes also competed the same weekend in the Midlands Championships and despite a fall off the uneven bars, scored really well over 4 apparatus to finish 8 th individually and third in her team. A great result after your hard work, both of you. Keep it up! TE REO SPEECH On 30th June, Te Aonui Muriwai-Wharawhara won the Waikato Speech Competition run by the Maori Women’s Welfare League. He will now compete in the National competition in September in Tauranga. Te Aonui delivered his winning speech, in Maori, about child abuse, at our school assembly. Well done Te Aonui, keep it up! SQUASH Logan Webber participated in the NZ Junior National age group competition held in Hamilton recently. He was seeded 5th and finished 6th overall and is currently sitting 5th in NZ! Logan really enjoyed the competition, meeting new people and is looking forward to next year’s competition. Good luck for NZ AIMS & next year Logan, well done! READING LOGS FOR TERM 2: R1,3,4,5,8,9,12,13,14 all had 100% of their class read at least 4 chapter books last term. Congratulations to our Maori boys who are the term 2 Reading CHAMPIONS. Every one of them read at least 4 books last term. Make sure you keep your place at the top of the list for term 3 boys. 40 HOUR FAMINE Our final Famine total from the 114 students who took part was $10517.70. This shows a fantastic commitment from these students to making the world a better place. Thank you for supporting your child if they were one of the students who took part. OLD CELL PHONES The Student Forum are collecting old cell phones which will be sent to Starship Hospital to help their fundraising. In return rewards are given and the Forum’s aim is 250 phones by November which will earn the school an iPad. Please clean out your drawers and ask your friends for their old phones to support the Forum. HEALTH PROGRAMME TERMS 3-4 We are beginning our sexuality unit called “Discovering Me” this term. Your child will bring home a letter providing some more information before they begin this study. This unit is aimed at helping our students make informed decisions about their personal wellbeing and safety and guiding them to make and keep positive relationships with others. You are welcome to speak with Mrs Stiles or your child’s teacher if you would like more information. th MUFTI DAY, 5 AUGUST th There is a mufti day on Tuesday, 5 August to support our participation in the NZAIMS Games and subsidise participants to attend the opening ceremony. A $2 donation is required for students to take part and it is always optional to be involved in mufti days. FREE/GIVE AWAY TO GOOD HOME! 1x Masport 3-Burner BBQ (bottle not included), 1 x 29” Panasonic TV, not digital, so will need a box, or perhaps would be able to be used for games, etc. 1x Brother colour printer (it just needs new cartridges), as is, where is, all in going order as far as I know. Pick up only. Please contact Ruth at the school office, 07 888 7221. AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE YOUR SAY: Has Council got it right? Council is working on a plan for the community over the next ten years and needs the community’s feedback on some big issues. Over the next three weeks they’ll be asking “have we got it right” on three big issues – the Power New Zealand (PNZ) fund, rural rubbish and recycling and the water supply. You can find out more about each topic and tell us what you think in your local paper, at www.mpdc.govt.nz, or join the discussions on Council’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/MatamataPiakoDistrictCouncil. So, make a submission and have your say on whether Council has got it right. These proposals could have an impact on your rates, so please ensure that you check it out! WAIKIDS YEAR 7 VISION SCREENING – Vision Hearing Technicians from Rural and Community Services will be visiting our school on Wednesday, 17th September, 9a.m. The objective of vision testing is to identify previously undetected vision defects. What checks are carried out? – Long distance vision tests on all Year 7 students and Colour vision tests (Year 7 boys only). If any parent does not want their child to be checked, or your child is currently under specialist care for a vision defect, please let the school know. This is not a complete vision examination, but a simple screening test. When an unsatisfactory result is obtained, it will be necessary for the Technician to obtain personal details, i.e. home address, date of birth and parents/caregivers will be advised to seek further advice. FREE EAR CLINIC SERVICE FOR CHILDREN Tuesday, 19th August, Firth Primary School, 9am – 12p.m. NATIONAL SCOUT SCARF DAY – Friday, 1st August (tomorrow) All past and present members of the Scouts are encouraged to wear their scarf for the day to school (or work!) to promote Scouting and the adventure that girls and boys aged 6-26 can experience. For more information, go to www.scouts.org.nz. NZEI MEETING – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS The NZEI is hosting a meeting at which 6 local political party representatives (National, Labour, The Maori Party, The Greens & The Internet Party) will be present to discuss issues with a focus on education. There will be an opportunity for questions from the floor to each representative. Anyone welcome, being held on Monday, 4th August, 7p.m. at the Matamata Club/Rawhiti Lounge. Free of charge. Light supper to follow. CALENDAR OF EVENTS STUDIO CONCERT – lunchtime, 4th August MUFTI DAY – Tuesday, 5th August INTER-INTERMEDIATE CROSS COUNTRY- 19 August SCIENCE FAIR DISPLAYS, VIEWING – Wednesday, 3 Sept Marion Henriksen, PRINCIPAL