Welcome to the very special learning community that is St Matthew's Primary School.
September 14 Update
Kapa Haka
The whole school has been working hard towards our performance at the Ngati Kahungunu Festival at Bay City Church next Friday 23rd. We are performing at 11:10am and will be back at school around 12:30.
If you wish to view the performance at Bay City Church you will need to buy your ticket at the school office (we only have 15 here) or buy them online at
www.ticketek.co.nz
Search for Ngati Kahungunu Kapahaka Festival 2016.
Tickets online or at the office will be $3 plus transaction fee.
No Canteen on the Friday of Kapa Haka
Swimming Term 4
We are swimming at the very start of term 4 for the first two weeks. Your child will need their togs and towel each day for the 1st two weeks, apart from Fridays.
End of Term Assembly
Our End of Term Assembly is next Wednesday 21st September at 2pm in the church. Our whole school will perform the kapahaka routine at this assembly as their final dress rehearsal. This would be a great time to see it if you can’t get to the Festival on Friday.
At the recent Board of Trustees meeting, the term dates for 2017 were confirmed. They are as follows:
Term 1 1 Feb to 13 April
Term 2 1 May to 7 July
Term 3 24 July to 29 Sept
Term 4 16 Oct to 19 Dec
Water at School
Over the last few months, children have been looking at various ideas around
being a “water only” school.
As part of the next stage, we are asking children to interview an adult at home to get your views on this issue.
On Monday your child will come home with a survey sheet and a draft Water At School Policy that the board of trustees is considering.
Can you help your child by giving a response to the statement:
‘St Matthew’s should be a water-only school’
We would like to get a “yes or no” answer from you as well as an idea of why you think that.
This will be part of your child’s homework for next week.
If you have any specific ideas or thoughts on this, please feel free to also email Mr Anderson here at school with those thoughts.
tim@ourplace.school.nz
Paid Union Meeting
You may have heard in the news about the Paid Union Meetings happening around the country at the moment for teachers and support staff.
Our staff will be attending on Wednesday 14th September but there will be no disruptions to school. OUR SCHOOL WILL REMAIN OPEN.
The issues they are discussing are very serious and could possibly effect our school very badly in terms of funding for students who need
support.
Please note that these not ‘stop work’ or ‘walking off the job’ meetings as reported by some media. They are meetings that must be attended by union members while the board of trustees still keeps the school open.
Cross Country
Well done to all the children who ran in the school Cross Country race last Friday at Akina—it was great to see you running so well.
A strong team then ran on Tuesday at the interschool cross country event at the Showgrounds.
A huge thank you to all the family and friends who helped by marshalling at Akina Park for us—it made it a very easy day to manage!
Your Chatterbox
Many people get the Chatterbox by email and enjoy reading it on a device. If you would this by email, please let Mr Coyle know at admin@ourplace.school.nz
If you would ONLY like an email version (and not get a paper copy) also please let Mr Coyle know at admin@ourplace.school.nz.
Picking Your Child Up
A reminder please that if you are dropping off your child to school after 9:00am, make sure they come in via the office to sign in.
It would be best if you accompany them.
If you are picking up your child
early from school or for an appointment, please do this from the office as well.
Your child will meet you in the school office.
It is not OK to just meet them in the carpark, you need to let the office know.
Helen's Travels
Our Vicar Helen is on study leave at the moment in Turkey and Israel. You can follow her travels on the following Blog Site:
theVICARiousjouney.blogspot.com
It has photos and comments from her emails back to the parish. Why not leave her a comment or ask her a question on the blog?
End of year Camp, Year 5 to 8
During the last term we are planning to take our year 5,6,7 and 8’s up to Camp Kaitawa. This is W2 and W4.
This is a wonderful camp right beside Lake Waikaremoana in the mighty Urewera National Park.
November 21st to 25th—which we hear has got BEAUTIFUL weather already planned !
The cost for this camp will be $150 and we have some fundraising ready to roll out which includes the Matariki Fancy Dress Ball.
We take our seniors up to Kaitawa every two years, and it such a lovely place to find out more about our awesome country.
We will also be looking for some parental help during this camp, so have a think about whether you may like to join us up there.
Music Opportunities
Guitar/Ukulele—These are held here at school on Thursdays and are taken by Brendan Hooper. These proved very popular last year and we have some talented children come through. Brochures available from the office or phone Brendan on 870- 8522.
Instrumental– at Heretaunga Intermediate. These lessons cover drums, cello, flute, violin and brass. Brochures available from our school office. Places fill very fast so if you are interested please contact Ngaire Shand 876 9388 within the next few days.
Instrumental here at school. This year there will be an opportunity for students to learn Flute, Piano, Fife or Recorder. The lessons will be taught by Kathy Fletcher B.Mus (hons) LTCL who has returned to the Bay after many years of music teaching and performing in Wellington. If you are interested or have questions please contact Kathy on e-mail thekains@gmail.com or (027) 8242669
Parish Junior Choir– There are a few places available to join this choir. Practices are on Fridays at 4:00pm and they sing at various Sunday Church services. See Mike in the school office for contact details.
Weekly Events
We have a number of things that happen regularly every week.
Wheels day, Skateboards, unicycles, scooters etc, is on Tuesdays, with helmets required.
Naming Uniforms
Thank you SO MUCH to the people that have checked that their child’s uniform is named.
please please please please please please
name your child’s gear—sandals, pinafore, skirt, blouse, shoes, hat, jersey.
Name it in a place where your child knows to look. Make them responsible for checking they have the right clothing each day, but check it with them. We can only return articles of clothing if they are NAMED!
Waiapu Kids-Early Childhood Centre St Matthew’s Early Childhood Centre is now taking enrolment's for 2017. There are still places available for 2016. The centre is open from 8:00am to 5:00pm and they cater for children from 0-5 years. Children can attend full time or part time and it is open all year except for three weeks over Christmas. The centre is ideally situated for Mum’s and Dad’s working in the city centre. There are a few vacancies for this year available.
St Matthew's Primary School is an Anglican state integrated school, catering for students from Year 0 to 8, situated in the heart of Hastings. Since its inception in 1995 it has grown to become a small school of just over 130 pupils.
Our motto is "teach our children to use the right path, and when they are older they will remain on it" (Proverbs 22:6). We achieve this by offering high quality values and curriculum based education within a special character context.
We have an open door policy and we encourage all members of our community to be involved in educating our children.
St Matthews Primary School has students from around Hawkes Bay, as well as from around the world.
Our website is aimed at the whole community, students, parents and parish members, to make it an information site to find out what is happening in the school.
Tim Anderson (Principal)