Welcome to the very special learning community that is
St Matthew's Primary School.
Update May 21
Dear Parents and Caregivers
The Board of Trustees cannot provide teaching for students during the upcoming strike.
The NZEI has advised our Board of Trustees that the Principal and Teachers at our school will be taking strike action on Wednesday, May 29th, 2019. The Board has carefully considered the availability of teaching staff, and unfortunately decided that we can’t provide the normal teaching services during the strike so the school will officially be closed for instruction on May 29th.
Accordingly it’s important that you make alternative arrangements for the care of your child/children on May 29th as no supervision can be provided.
I know that this is inconvenient for parents and students alike, but please be assured that student safety is our main concern.
Thank you for your understanding. Please contact our Principal, Tim Anderson if you have any queries relating to this decision.
Yours sincerely,
Tim Anderson
We will be celebrating this Silver Anniversary during the weekend of 14, 15 March 2020 with a dinner, thanksgiving church service and other events.
We are forming a working group to plan the event. If you would like to help organize the event or know of sponsorship sources that may assist us please come to the Silver Working Anniversary Group (SWAG) on Monday 27 May, 7 pm in the staffroom. If you have any other ideas please see Kathryn Rowe, who is convening the SWAG or email to silver@ourplace.school.nz
Children being on time to school
We work very hard to provide every
student with a very varied programme that matches their own needs. It is hard to maintain this when your child arrives late to school on a regular basis.
It certainly doesn’t help to set your child up for success for the day, let alone help the classmates who have to have their work interrupted so the teacher can bring your child up to speed. Please, please, please try to get your child to school around 8:45 or just after so they can be set up for the day.
Winter Uniform
By the start of next week everyone should be in winter uniform. A couple of notes that I need to mention.
Girls: it is long white socks OR stockings/tights. It is NOT leggings.
Boys: please note that the winter shorts are different (and much warmer) than the summer shorts.
A group from the BoT is currently looking at the uniform and they will be inviting comments from the community soon.
In the meantime, feel free to email me with any comments you might have : tim@ourplace.school.nz
Girls’ Winter Uniform
Year 1-6, white skivvy.
Year 7-8, white long sleeve cotton shirt.
Year 1-6, school pinafore.
Year 7-8, school skirt.
School v neck jersey or polar fleece option for non wool wearers.
White plain knee length socks or navy rib tights.
Black lace-up, velcro or t bar school shoes.
Boys’ Winter Uniform
Year 1-6, white skivvy.
Year 7-8, white long sleeve shirt.
Year 1-6, grey winter weight shorts either side strap or elastic waist.
Year 7-8, long grey trousers, (optional).
School v neck jersey or optional polar fleece for non wool wearers.
Black lace up or Velcro school shoes.
Grey school socks.
Netball
We have two teams playing this term – a Year 5 and 6 team as well as a Year 7 and 8 team. Both teams practice down at
St Joseph’s school on a Wednesday lunchtime. St Jo’s have been kind enough to let us borrow 2 courts while ours is out of action due to the earthquake fencing.
Books In Homes
Whaea Jan has put together a programme to encourage children to read with parents/caregivers/brothers and sisters each night at home. Children can select books with the above sticker attached from a new library here at school.
However, we need the books first! Do you have any books you could donate? They can be at any age level. Thank you.
Arriving at School on Time
It is very important that our pupils are at school on time each day – by about 8:50am. This gives your child time to get ready for the day, put away their bag, catch up with their friends. I did a count of the ‘lost minutes’ of our children's
lateness for the last fortnight – just over 7 hours worth of lost time.
So for these children, they are missing quite a bit of time in class, but they are also missing out on the important time just before school starts where they mix and get ready for the day – and they cause the teacher to have to break off their teaching to make sure the late child slots into the activity with the correct
information. but it is not fair on your child, their class or their teacher.
Board of Trustee Elections
We have an election at the start of next term for our Board of Trustees. Have you considered being available for this role? Our board meets twice a term in the evenings and set the direction for our awesome little school. We need good people to seriously think about this role. Since 1990, an estimated 100,000 professionals, tradespeople, parents and community leaders have contributed their time, energy and expertise to ensure the success of schools, classrooms and students in this country – maybe you want to be part of that group! Have a look at this weblink if you are interested.
https://www.nzsta.org.nz/trustee-elections/becoming-a-trustee/
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 2019
They are as follows:
Term 1 4 Feb to 12 April
Term 2 29 April to 5 July
Term 3 22 July to 27 Sept
Term 4 14 Oct to 19 Dec
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.
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)