Welcome to the very special learning community that is St Matthew's Primary School.

Update November 27.

  Tired Children

With the hours of daylight becoming longer and the end of term approaching we have a lot of tired children at school. Sleep keeps us healthy, happy and doing our best.

It is recommended that children aged 5-12 years get between 9-11 hours of sleep per night. Some things that help:

· Having a consistent routine for bedtimes

· Heavy curtains that block the light

· A quiet room

· Reading or being read to before
turning out the light

· No TV or blue screen electronic
devices an hour before bedtime

· No sugary or caffeinated drinks after
dinner

· Check your child is not infected by threadworms or pinworms.

· Remove ipads, Smartphones and
laptops to your own room overnight

Check out more information at:

https://nzhealthiestschools.blog/resources/health-wellbeing/sleep-and-screen-time/

Now-a-days a big cause of disturbed sleep is the use of electronic devices before or after bedtime.

We have had two examples at school
recently of children regularly getting up between 11.00pm and 1.30am to be on
devices.  One group got up to play on online gaming sites and the other was messaging on Face-book.

In both these cases, none of the parents had any idea the children were regularly up using devices. One child was sneaking down to the kitchen, grabbing the I-pad and taking it back to their room then putting it back before morning. Another child had free access to her Smartphone overnight.

Parents, please update yourself on the use of parent controls to access the internet.

Please talk with your children about your expectations. At least one in five New Zealand children will experience cyber-bullying or sexting. If the children are online at night without your knowledge it increases their vulnerability.

Healthy Eating

 It is really exciting when our children show they understand the messages around healthy eating. Check out this story from the junior school.

“Food is healthy and food is colourful. Like chicken, green, yellow, red. Humans have to be healthy with food”.

If you want more tips and ideas on healthy snacks for kids go to—

https://nzhealthiestschools.blog/resources/health-wellbeing/sleep-and-screen-time/

Matthew 7:12

St. Matthew’s Primary School and Waiapu Kids heard the message from the White Ribbon Riders on Wednesday morning—to treat each other with respect. If you would like to see the video of the visit and the beautiful version of Leonard
Cohen’s Hallelujah which the riders sang go online to:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503462&objectid=12163942

When Jesus was preaching about the kingdom of heaven to a big crowd of people, he said, “Treat others as you want them to treat you. This is what the Law and the Prophets are all about” (Matthew 7:12).

When you are with friends, teachers, adults, or kids you don’t know or don’t like, remember how God treats you: with respect, with honesty, with forgiveness, and with love. Make sure your words and actions to others always reflect this.

School Car Parking

  The school has been working hard with both the Parish and Waiapu Kids on the carparking, drop off and pick ups during the week. We have tried to make the drop– off in the morning and pick up in the afternoon better. Here are some ideas to make this busy time better...

· Please make sure you use a car park if you are picking up from inside the church grounds—please don’t stop in the driveway.

· If you are walking from somewhere else, please use another gate with your child—not the driveway.

· Consider parking a little further away and walking to meet your child.

· Meet your child at the library.

· Encourage your child to bike or scooter to school—maybe form work or a friends place if it is closer than your house.

· (AND PLEASE don’t honk your horn as you wait for your child!)

We are trying to reduce the walking traffic through the carpark and driveway before and
after school. Your help would be appreciated.

Sugary Drinks

 Just a reminder that only water and the school milk are available for children to drink at school and at school activities.

Other types of drink need to have no sugar or sweetener added to be allowed at school.

Naming Clothing

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, shorts 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!

 School Fees

We have two types of school fees here at St Matthew’s:

1) Attendance Dues $400.00
($100 per term).

(Paid to The Anglican Diocese of Waiapu) 

These are paid directly to the
Diocese. The fee is set by our
Proprietors and our school has no part in setting it.  This is a compulsory fee that must paid. This fee meets the capital costs of
alterations to school buildings and grounds (plus the building of our Waiapu block), and does not pay for resources.

2) Activity Fees/Voluntary Donation $275.00 paid to the school.  ($68.75 per term).

There is a reduction for multiple children as well, please check with Mr Coyle.
This is split into compulsory fees, e.g. to cover bussing to swimming at Flaxmere Waterworld ( for four weeks per year), also the likes of Technology at Heretaunga.
The voluntary  part covers the extra cost of resources that the Ministry do not fund us for and for the likes of local trips etc. If you have any questions about the School Fees, please talk to Mr Coyle in the office.

 Breakfast Club

Breakfast club is up and running, in the Hall from 8.10 until 8.45 every morning.  All pupils welcome for Weetbix and toast. We are looking for more volunteers to help us in the morning—if you had a spare hour it would be most welcome!

 Term dates for 2018

 They are as follows:

Term 1  1 Feb to 13 April

Term 2  30 April to 6 July

Term 3  23July to 28Sept

Term 4  15 Oct to 19 Dec

 Your Chatterbox

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