jWelcome to the very special
learning community that is
St Matthew's Primary School.
February 3 Update
Welcome Back to 2015!
We have had a lovely start to our year and it has been great seeing the classes settle in.
A big Kia Ora and Welcome to all our new children and families—it is lovely having you here.
We have heard from many of our Year 8s who have now started high school—it is so nice to hear that they have started so successfully.
Life Education
We have Anne and Harold from the LIFE Education Mobile Classroom coming to visit us next week. Each class will be visiting the classroom which will be parked onsite during next week.
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.
We are changing back to American Hotdogs on Wednesdays for the summer. These are pre-ordered in the classrooms just after the bell at 9:00am and cost $2.00 each. This starts next week.
Canteen also starts next Friday, 13 Feb. Order slips and envelopes in the admin foyer. Orders need to be in before school starts on Friday.
School Service on Sunday
The Parish is celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the concrete section of the church this weekend.
This is also our first school service at 10am on Sunday.
For our new families—we have 4 of these per year and the children arrive in school uniform.
This Sunday has an historic theme to it so the children are encouraged to come in Art Deco or clothes from 100 years ago—OR in school uniform.
There is an old fashioned picnic to follow the service—with fun and games in our school grounds. You can bring your own food or let the Parish Office (8789476) if you would like lunch to be provided for you for a koha of $5 each.
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 recently 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 for
contact details.
School Fees
We have two types of school fees here at
St Matthew’s:
1) Attendance Dues $375.00
(93.75 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 $255.00 paid to the school. ($63.75 per term).
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 cover the extra cost of
resources that the Ministry do not fund us for and for the likes of local trips etc.
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!
Earthquake Service
It was lovely this morning for the school to attend the Earthquake Memorial Service down at the Clock-tower. We were one of four schools attending and our children represented themselves very well.
2015 School Term Dates
Tuesday 3rd Feb to Thursday 2 April
Monday 20 April to Friday 3 July
Monday 20 July to Friday 25 September
Monday 12 Oct to Friday 18 December Term 4
Reading Books
If you find any reading or other school books at home - please return them to us before the end of the term or next year. Most children's readers cost us $8 to $10 each to replace - so we do need them back!
Breakfast Club
We have a great group of volunteers led by Philippa Evans who look after the Breakfast Club. Do you have some spare time in the mornings—once a week or even once a fortnight. We need just a few more volunteers to keep this great programme running. The key times are from 8:00am thru’ to 9:15am. Can you help us at all—even for part of this time?
If you ever come across any breakfast related freebies—any chance of getting some for us? Our milk and weetbix gets donated, but we buy the rest. Do you know any sources of discounted food for breakfast?
Early Childhood Centre
St Matthew’s Early Childhood Centre is now taking enrolment's for 2015. 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)