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

Update November 19.

  This Thursday, November 22 we have Photolife here to take our annual class and individual photos. All children need to be in correct, clean summer uniform.

Boys– Year 1 to 6, grey shorts, grey shirt, roman sandals or shoes/socks and the same for Year 7/8 or Grey trousers, white shirt.

Girls– Year 1 to 6, white blouse,
pinafore, roman sandals or shoes/white socks and for Year 7/8, school skirt, white blouse, sandals or shoes/white socks.

Children can change into their sports uniform for swimming after photos.

Photo order forms have all been sent home and need to be back at school by this Wednesday with the correct
money please. If you have more than one child here at St Matthew’s you can have an extra photo pack taken of them together. Sibling
order forms can be collected from the
office.

White Ribbon Ride
On Wednesday November 21 at 9:15am we have the White Ribbon bike riders visiting Waiapu Kids, the early childhood centre and our school. This ride is to bring awareness to stop violence.   

To help you plan your summer holidays we’d like to let you know that Term 1, 2019 begins Monday 4 February. The school will be open during the last week of the holidays for second hand uniform sales, for families who have lost their stationery list  and for new enrolments.

To help us plan our classes for the beginning of 2019 please make sure your four year olds are enrolled
before the end of the year.

This year we’ve had lots of families on the move to new houses and new jobs, in different parts of the city and
different parts of the country. This often means children need to move schools. If you are intending to move schools please make an appointment with Kathryn Rowe for an exit
interview or let Mike know in the
office. It helps us plan our classes and transition your child.

Attendance

 A good night’s sleep, a good breakfast and getting to school on time will help your child learn.

Our school day starts at 9.00 a.m. This means children should be at school with their school bags hung up or in their cubby-hole, and their book bags in their box by 8.45 a.m.

Breakfast Club finishes at 8.45 a.m. so this can happen.

Every student between 6-16 years is
required to attend school every day it is open. Principals are only allowed to exempt children for up to five days justified absence e.g. attending a funeral or tangi, a family wedding, or visiting a sick relative in hospital.

The Ministry of Education requires that we record holidays during term time as
unjustified absences.

A visit to the doctor or a dental appointment is marked as a justified half day absence.
It is best if appointments can be made outside school hours.

Our absence data shows:

· 3% justified for doctor/dental appointments

· 43% justified for illness

· 11% other justified e.g. bereavement etc.

· 26% unjustified for in term holidays

· 5% explained but unjustified

· 11% unjustified truant

The end of year reports will show whether your child’s attendance is effecting their learning progress.
96-100% excellent
90-95% satisfactory but effecting progressLess than 90% poor and effecting progress.

Teacher Strike

The Ministry of Education and teachers’ union have agreed to jointly apply to the Employment Relations Authority to enter into facilitation. The facilitation process may halt the proposed strike action, if the Ministry tables new offers that can be voted on and are accepted by principals and teachers. 

However, if an agreement cannot be reached the proposed strike date for Hawke’s Bay schools is Tuesday 13 November.

In the event of the strike going ahead, the Board has carefully considered the availability of teaching staff and decided that we can’t provide the normal teaching services during the strike. The school will therefore be closed during this strike.

It’s important that you make alternative
arrangements for the care of your child/children on the day of the strike.

Yours sincerely

Mark Hames

(Chairperson Board of Trustees)

  Term 4

Sunday 11 November: The school service for Term 4 will be at the Remembrance Day Service, which will celebrate one hundred years since the ending of the First World War, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month 1918.

Monday 12-Thursday 15 November: Swimming.

Thursday 15 November: Kapahaka
Festival, 12.55 p.m.

Monday 19-Thursday 22 November: Swimming.

Thursday 22 November: School photos.

 Move It! Champions

To motivate students to actively travel to school by walking, biking or scootering we are part of the Move It competition from 15 October– 23 November. Great job for those parents who are dropping off their children several blocks from school and getting them to walk, when they usually come by car.

The points for last week:

1st place W4 45 points

2nd place B2 37 points

3rd place W5 36 points

4th place B3 34 points

5th place W3 26 points

6th place W2 23 points

7th place B1 12 points

Our three prize winners last week were:

Archie (W2), Zachaeus (B2), and Isabella (W5).

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