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Newsletter Term 4 No 6 - 1 December 2011 |
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Term 4 No 6 - 1 December 2011
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Dear Parents
What an incredible place our school is; just when you think it can’t get any busier you realise that it can!
As I look out of my office window I can see a hive of activity as staff and children are preparing for perhaps the most frantic two weeks of the year. There are cycles around (preparation for the triathlon in Week 8); I see large wooden animal shaped boards being carried across the playground (heading to Room 4 for painting before being released into the wild forest!); music stands and instruments are heading to the hall (carol service rehearsal); staff are surreptitiously placing reports onto my desk ready for checking (only 530 left to go). I haven’t yet mentioned the Transition Day or KBB performance and finally the Year 6 programme including Waterwise, an Activity Day, the Leavers Dinner, Leavers Assembly and of course Prize Giving for the whole School…phewww!
Each year we think “…how can we possibly squeeze everything left in before the final day of term?” – but of course we do, and what fun we have along the way!
Alongside the above events staff are also working hard to complete your child’s end of year reports. We hope to have them ready for you to collect as early in Week 8 as possible. The school office will send an email to families when they are ready. If anyone is unable to collect their child’s report they will be posted home at the end of term.
Tomorrow evening we have one of our major highlights of the year, the Carol Service at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell. Parents and friends, past and present are invited to attend. We will have the chance to celebrate the wonderful year we have had at Victoria Avenue School.
The Cathedral is a wonderful venue for our Carol Service each year and traditionally we have taken a collection, which has been donated to the Cathedral to help cover their annual costs. After discussion earlier this term the Cathedral have agreed to waive their hire charges, which were introduced in the last couple of years, as this is a school service. For this we are most grateful, I do however wish to show our appreciation and so all your donations will go directly towards covering the not inconsiderable costs of running the cathedral, so please give generously.
Magnificent Musicians
On Saturday the VAS Ukulele Group, together with staff and parents, went to the Trusts Stadium in Henderson to take part in the Ukulele Festival. They were part of a group of 2500 children all playing ukulele at the same time. If you have never experienced being a part of something that large it is quite difficult to imagine the ‘buzz’ that you get performing in such an arena. What a fantastic experience for all of our young people.
Miss Laxon told me that - “We started off parading around the track acknowledging the cheers of all our fans and then we made our way into the stands to get ready to play. Once we were all in place we then played 18 songs to the crowd on the field. We sounded pretty amazing and we were lucky enough to have Kirsten Morrell sing with us on “Maybe Tomorrow.” We’re already looking forward to next year. “
It is hard to overestimate the confidence and self-esteem such opportunities can give our children. I wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to Alison and to the other VAS staff who give up their time on a weekly basis to provide this wonderful experience to so many of our boys and girls.
Congratulations
Last Friday in assembly we had visitors from IPENZ and Transpower to present certificates to Room 4 and 6 students, and a cheque for $1000 to the school, in recognition of their joint IBL project The Marvellous Makeover. As has been mentioned previously, the children won a Merit Award in this year’s Transpower Neighbourhood Engineers Awards.
These children also showed the rest of the school the wonderful and colourful wooden animal characters that they are making to inhabit the forest area beneath the decks…it is going to be such a fun place to play for our Juniors.
A group of parents then spent the morning with staff and year six beginning the large planting project around the deck area in preparation for the new steps, which we hope to have constructed over the summer joining the decks to the boardwalk.
Thank you Rooms 4 and 6, on behalf of the school, for all the hard work that you have put in on your project this year, and also thanks to Mr Davy for his help with the wooden animals and our parents who gave their time to help with the planting last week.
It really is quite amazing, given the right problems, motivation and support just what our children are capable of achieving. My thanks as ever to all of the staff and parents for their commitment to providing such challenges and opportunities for our young people to rise to.
Parents Survey
A reminder to all parents that the last day to participate in the 2011 Parents Survey is today. Thank you to everyone who has already taken the time to respond (159 parents). Around 16% of the surveys currently logged have only been partially completed so please take the time to return to it and complete the questions if possible.
We really do appreciate your feedback and particularly the specific comments which individuals add. If you have yet to participate and wish to please do so today. You can complete it here - 2011 VAS Parent Survey
Kind regards
Allan Short
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HOLIDAY PROGRAMMES ETC
Community based groups have approached us to inform parents of various activities available locally.
- we also have a range of options offered by local providers in the foyer of the administration area of the school.These are available to view :
http://victoriaave.com/our-people/our-community
What is Ahead!?:
FRIDAY 2 Dec
• VAS Carol Service @ 7.00pm @ Holy Trinity Cathedral
TUESDAY 6 Dec
• PTS Meeting
THURSDAY 8 Dec
• Yr 6 Leavers Dinner
MONDAY 12 Dec
• BOT Meeting
• Transition Day - Students will spend part of the morning in their 2012 classroom.
Tues 13 Dec
• Athletics Club Triathalon
THURSDAY 8 Dec
• Yr 6 Leavers Dinner
THURSDAY 15 Dec
• Leavers Assembly
FRIDAY 15 Dec
• Whole School Prizegiving at Baradene at 11.am
• School Closes for 2011 at 12.30pm
School calendar is
on: http://victoriaave.com/school-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
ezLUNCH: Mondays only - more info at end of newsletter - missed out last week - then taste test this week!!!!
French Lunches: Tues only
Subway: Wed and Fri
Sushi: Thurs only
School Banking Wednesdays before school in Room 4 at 8.30am
Term Dates 2011
Term 4 Tues 25 Oct to Fri 16 Dec 2011 at 12.30pm
Term Dates 2012
Term 1 Thur 2 Feb to Thur 5 Apr 2012
Term 2 Mon 23 Apr to Fri 29 Jun 2012
Term 3 Mon 16 Jul to Fri 28 Sept 2012
Term 4 Mon 15 Oct to Tues 18 Dec 2012
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LOST PROPERTY WILL BE DISPLAYED ON THE LIBRARY STEPS FROM 2.30PM ON TUESDAY 6 DECEMBER
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DIRECTORY CHANGES - please email
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2012 Directory Business Oportunity: Click Here to download a printer friendly version.
or contact Karen via
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