Dear Parents
It is hard to believe that in two weeks time the 2010 school year will all be over. The summer vacation will have begun, we will be eight days from Christmas, our Year 6 students will have said goodbye to VAS for the last time and we will have farewelled a large number of families, many of whom have a long association with the school over the years.
Mirren Fredrickson and Charlotte Edgar will be leaving us for a year to engage in exciting personal travel opportunities and Katy Rolleston will begin her maternity leave. We will be sad to see such dedicated, enthusiastic and talented young teachers absent from the school in February but look forward to their return to VAS in the future. The children in their classes have benefited greatly from their professionalism and as colleagues they have made great friends in the staffroom. Good luck to them all.
Of course we will also be saying goodbye to Debbie Oats and Anne McLeod after they have taken responsibility for our New Entrant classes, Rooms 12 and 22, over the past two terms. Debbie and Anne have made a great impression on our youngest pupils and we thank them for all that they have done.
Last week each of the 2011 teaching teams spent a day planning for the forthcoming year. Our new staff all joined us on these days and we are excited about the year ahead. A reminder that the teams for next year are as follows:
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
The teaching staff have also been considering the new class lists for 2011 over the first half of term. All staff have been involved, in particular the current teachers at each year level put together the first drafts for the subsequent year levels as these teachers know the individual children better than anyone. All parents were also given the opportunity to contribute and we are grateful for the input received.
Please understand that a huge amount of time and energy has been spent in this process. Many factors are considered when making these decisions such as: gender balance, academic ability, specific learning needs, personalities and friendship groups. Staff use their professional judgment and knowledge of the children when making these choices.
Parents occasionally approach the school and ask for us to ‘arrange’ a specific teacher for their child next year. The answer to such a request is invariably a polite “no”. As you can appreciate it would be impossible to do this for all families, and unfair to do it for just a few and therefore no changes will be made to professional decision of the staff.
On the morning of Monday 13th December your children will all spend time visiting their new classroom and they will meet their new teachers. This is for most an exciting time although a few children may be apprehensive about the change. As parents you can make a big difference in making this change as smooth as possible.
Please support your child and the school by discussing this change in a positive way. If they are in a class with some pupils they do not know very well then this is an opportunity to make new friends (their old ones won't disappear…they will be there at break and lunchtimes!) We encourage our children to have a ‘glass half full’ attitude to such changes in their life; new class, new teacher, new friends, new opportunities.
Pike River Mine Remembrance
At 2.00pm today the school bell will sound and everyone, wherever they are, will join our Nation to observe a two minutes silence.
Staff have been talking to the children about this today, as I know we all have been doing over the last two weeks. We have discussed the symbolism and importance of the nation stopping today to remember and show respect for the 29 lives lost after this terrible tragedy.
The events at the Pike River Mine have brought sorrow not only to the West Coast community and New Zealanders as a whole but it has touched people across the world. It is important for us to remember on this day. Our thoughts and prayers are, in particular, with a community and the individual families who have lost those dear to them.
Many of you will have read or seen the moving tribute ‘Seventeen’ the poem Gary McCormick wrote in the aftermath of the disaster, which focuses on the youngest miner who died, seventeen year old Joseph Ray Dunbar. You may wish to take a moment to watch and listen to Gary reading his tribute.
Kind regards
Allan Short
Principal
VICTORIA AVE SCHOOL 2011 DIRECTORY ~ CHANGE OF DETAILS
If you have any change of details for the directory please let us know as soon as possible! Email Clare Brooks:
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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 4 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.
Faulty PE tops – Kowhai and Karaka
It has become apparent that there is a manufacturing fault with the first delivery of Kowhai and Karaka PE tops. Because an incorrect needle was used in sewing the garments, holes and runs are appearing at the seams.
Our Auckland-based manufacturer will replace the first batch of garments, on a size for size basis. They need to order fabric so the replacement garments may not be available before the school year ends. Delivery of the replacement garments will be made to the school prior to the new school year, and we expect to have them available in the first week of term 1. In the meantime, children will continue to wear their existing tops, which will be returned to Argyle on receipt of the replacement top.
Families who purchased tops in the first order have been contacted and advised their tops will be replaced. However there will be a few other new-entrant families who purchased tops out of our stock, and we will not know who they are. Therefore, if you have a Kowhai or Karaka top which you think has this fault, please contact Joanne in the office.
Thank you,
The Uniform Shop.
DVD of 2010 VAS Activities
Available: from office
FEATURING:
Bank note donation appreciated!!
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