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Term 4 No 4 - 4 November 2010 |
Term 4 No 4 - 4 November 2010
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Dear Parents
We live in a time of rapid technological change; some can view this as exciting and liberating whilst others will see it as bewildering and intrusive. This spectrum of opinion is often, but not always, in direct proportion to one’s age! On a personal level I see my pre-schooler confidently navigating around a laptop whilst having grandparents who struggle in comparison.
The term digital native has been around for some time now and we have a school full of them. This presents us with opportunity and challenge in equal measure. How do we effectively integrate technologies into our classrooms? Where should we invest our limited financial resources in this area? What professional development training will best support staff to deliver the learning opportunities we want for our children?
Last year our school-wide consultation process lead to the new Strategic Vision in our charter (click here to download the full charter). One of the six strategic goals was:
To provide a school ICT environment that enhances opportunities for inquiry
and learning, facilitates collaboration, and improves management and
communication systems.
To help achieve this goal we had several Key Points in our 2010 annual plans. These included:
- Investigating the desirability of introducing a Learning Management System at our school
- Auditing the ICT infrastructure to ensure it meets our e-learning and e-administration needs
- Exploring opportunities to further develop our website
- Ensuring staff have the confidence and capability to maximize the use of the
- available ICT resources
- Ensuring we are using evidence based practice to increase knowledge and
- understanding of effective e-learning
As we are preparing the budget for 2011 this particular goal is central to our thinking. We have carefully considered all of the points above throughout the year and will continue to reflect on them in the months to come. Whilst I will expand on our ICT vision in subsequent newsletters, and indeed reflect on possible future advancements, I wanted to inform you of a few of our goals for 2011.
- We will complete the upgrade of the desktop computers by bringing the junior classes up to the standard of the rest of school.
- We are one of a handful of Primary schools across the country to have received government funding for the introduction in 2011 of a Learning Management System, Ultranet. Those of you who attended last term’s parents’ meeting on assessment and reporting will know a little about what this means but if you are keen to find out more click here.
- We wish to investigate into the use of mobile technologies in the classroom.
Returning to the beginning we are definitely of the ‘exciting and liberating’ viewpoint when it comes to technology and will be striving to ensure that its effective use in the classroom really does make a difference to the learning experiences of our children.
Staffing – Over the last few weeks I have been finalising the teaching team for 2011. Whilst we have no permanent full time members of the teaching staff leaving at the end of 2010 we do have a few staff on leave next year. Charlotte Edgar (Yr2) and Mirren Fredrickson (Yr4) are both going to be travelling in 2011. We wish them well in their personal overseas adventures and look forward to seeing them return in 2012.
We will also be saying a (temporary) goodbye to Katy Rolleston (Yr4) at the end of this term, as she will be on maternity leave in 2011. We wish her and her husband James every joy and happiness as they prepare for the birth of their first child.
We have two new staff members joining us. Pauline Munro is a very experienced member of staff who will be teaching in Year 5 next year. She has worked at a variety of Auckland schools most recently at Epsom Normal School where she held several management responsibilities. Jenny Coleman worked for several years at Howick School, including time as a team leader, and she will be teaching a Year 2 class in 2011.
Staff movement has allowed us to make one or two structural changes to the teaching teams. For 2011 the class teachers at each level will be:
Junior Syndicate – Kylie Wight (Syndicate Leader)
Yr 0/1 Bron Andrew, Sharon Reynolds (New Entrants Team Leader)
Yr 1 Nickie Marshall and Marion Martin, Krystal Pennell
Yr 2 Jenny Coleman, Kylie Wight, Ally Young
Middle Syndicate – Stuart Eeles (Syndicate Leader)
Yr 3 Pam Childs, Hiranthi Manukulasuriya
Yr 3/4 Frances Coleman
Yr 4 Stuart Eeles, Catherine Kelly, Paul Rattenbury
Senior Syndicate – Hayley Gibson (Syndicate Leader)
Yr 5 Nadia Lazarus, Esther McEwan, Pauline Munro
Yr 6 Brad Cates, Hayley Gibson, Jessie McQuinn
Whilst I have been discussing class teachers we have a large number of other staff who support the teaching and learning at Victoria Avenue School. Management specialist subject teachers, administration and support staff, groundstaff, teaching assistants all are vital in help making this the special school that it is.
This week we say goodbye and thank you to a long serving teaching assistant Victoria Shakes. Victoria has worked for the last five and a half years with individual students, class groups and children in our Rainbow Reading programme. I know that she wishes to thank all of the parents and teachers who have so enthusiastically supported her over this time. Victoria is not moving away from the area but is seeking new challenges in a different career. We wish Victoria good luck and trust that she knows that as a member of the VAS school family we expect to see her at various school functions in the future!
Kind regards
Allan Short |
Coming Events and Term Dates
Refer to the calendar on our Home Page
www.victoriaave.com
Click Here for copy of Term 4 Calendar.
IMPORTANT DATES AND TIMES
School Times
School starts: 8.50am
Interval: 10.40-11.00am
Lunch: 12.30-1.30pm
School finishes: 3.00pm
Stationery Sales
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 8.30-8.45am
Uniform Shop
Fridays only: 8.30-9.00am
Orders and payments for uniform can be made online on our website http://victoriaave.com/school-shop
Lunch Orders
French Lunches: Tues only
Subway: Wed and Fri
Sushi: Thurs only
Order forms/Instructions
http://victoriaave.com/our-school/lunch-orders
Term Dates 2010
Term 3 Mon 11 Oct to Fri 17 Dec.
Term Dates 2011
Term 1 Thurs 3rd Feb to Fri 15 Apr 2011
Term 2 Mon 2 May to Fri 15 July 2011
Term 3 Mon 1 Aug to Fri 7 Oct 2011
Term 4 Tues 25 Oct to Fri 16 Dec.
A huge thank you to all the parents, grandparents and children who supported the Scholastic Book Fair last week. The library benefits from the purchases you make at the book sale, and with the commission earned we are able to buy lots of exciting new titles
for our library.
Thank you also to the fabulous volunteers who helped run the Book
Fair every day. Your help is really appreciated – the Book Fair would not have been the success is was without your support.
Jane Clark
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SPORTS NEWS
BASKETBALL RESULTS
The Vicky Ave Vipers played Remuera Primary. After last weeks slow start to the game, this weeks objectives were to start strong and maintain the momentum throughout the game; all focus on their individual roles to create a better team performance; and improve their passing game. The Vipers started the first half reasonably strong with plenty of determination and the whole team performing their roles well. By the second quarter the team continued to improve other areas of their game, including their passing, and started to dominate. The Vipers led 10 - 0 at half time. In the second half the Vipers 'poured on the acid' - getting breakaway after breakaway. By full time the score was 22 - 0. This was a comprehensive effort by all of the team, demonstrating how strong teams can be if everyone focusses on doing their role to the best of their ability. The score was the second highest score for any game in their competition (only 1 point below the highest) - emphasing how good their performance was. Awesome effort team! Alice Foster got Player of the Day for her attacking play and shooting, including her 6 baskets. Charles Hill got the Coaches Award for his best game this season, including scoring 1 basket. Josh Kennard scored 4 baskets.
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Vikings
VAS Vikings played Parnell Primary and lost 26-5. the team played well keeping the score low but could not get the baskets in. Ruby Cotter and Fraser Nicholas played good defensive games. Baskets scored by Maddi and Ruby.
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Chiefs - The Year 6 Chief played Cornwall Park Aces. The game in the first half was evenly matched with a score of 10 – 8 to Cornwall Park. The Chiefs had opportunity at goal on numerous occasions , but unfortunately were unable to make them count. During the second half, the Chief were unable to match the determination of Aces putting up four consecutive baskets in a row at one stage. This was a disappointing loss as on a previous match, the Chiefs won by 20 points. Final Score 16-26 to Cornwall Aces.
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