Term 4 Class Newsletter

Dear Parent/Guardian                          12 October 2015

One more term to go and it’s the final lap. The good weather is on its way (I hope) and this term we have lots to look forward to. I trust that your son/daughter has had a good break and returned to school ready for a new term.

What’s happening in Term4

Indoor displays & Ag day

For the Year Level Section, students complete their displays at school, on Tuesday 13th October. Open items are to be made at home and brought to school on Tuesday morning. Judging will occur after school on Tuesday and the items will then be on display on Wednesday 14th October till 2pm.(Agriculture Day)

Year 5 – 6 students 1) Miniature garden in a shoebox lid

(lined with tinfoil, no plastic or toys. Any structures must be made by the student from, card, match or ice-block sticks or modelling clay)

Sand provided at school

2) Flowers in an unusual container (1, 3, 5 or 7 flowers plus greenery)

3) Vegetable Creation made from vegetables or fruit joined by toothpicks

Open Section

a) Wild Flower arrangement (can be just greenery or dried wild flowers)

b) Nature’s Creatures (creatures made from shells, nuts, wood, leaves,     twigs, berries etc. must be organic with glue or blue tac to stick it                together)

c) Baking: 3 iced or decorated cupcakes or biscuits

• All students must bring to school items (flowers, saucers, shoebox lids etc) to complete the item or items listed for each year level section on the morning of Tuesday 13th October.
• Students who have an animal for Agriculture day do not need to select an item from the Open Section.
• All other students can choose one item from the Open Section (a, b or c) to make at home and bring to school on the morning of  Tuesday the 13th October.

Camp

The overnight camp for Yr5/6 takes place at Lake Karapiro departing school on Tuesday the 3rd November and returning on Thursday the 5th . By now you should have received all the information and forms for camp. A reminder that the cost is $170.Camp fees need to be paid in full at least 2 week prior to departure. Please do let us know if you need to make other arrangements.

Class Release Time (CRT)

Class Release Time is time entitled to staff. Teachers are released from their class for planning, implementation, assessment, evaluation and reporting of a sequential programme for their class. Staff on CRT will be replaced by either a reliever or colleague. Please note that there will be times this term when I will be on CRT out of class as in the past.

Blogs

Please note that our class will be updating our class blog regularly this term to inform parents of our learning and update them on upcoming events so please watch this space.

                                                                                                                            

Genius Hour

This term, we will be introducing Genius Hour in our classroom in the afternoons. Genius Hour allows students to explore their own passions and encourages creativity in the classroom.  It provides students a choice in what they learn during a set period of time during school.  

For more information watch the following clip: What is Genius Hour?

Extension Writing                   

Some students of Room6 will work with Valerie Millington in the mornings, Monday to Wednesdays.

Clothing                                                                              

Term 4 is our sunsafe awareness time.  All students need to have a hat to wear every day.  The best hats are ones that have a brim or a flap that will protect their ears and neck. Students also need to have their shoulders covered i.e. no singlet style tops.

Absences

If children are absent from school, parents MUST phone the absentee line at the school and leave the child’s name, class number, reason for absence and expected date of return to school. Parents delivering or removing children during school time must sign in and out at the office.

Water Bottles

Why should students drink in class? Water lost each day through breathing, sweating and going to the toilet needs to be replaced and adequate fluid intake is essential to good health. Not drinking enough fluid causes dehydration leading to mental and physical effects such as loss of concentration, headaches and irritability. By the time a person is thirsty they are becoming dehydrated. Children rarely drink enough during break times at school and often forget to drink unless reminded. Allowing and reminding students to drink water in class and allowing water bottles in the classroom increases the likelihood that they will drink more and stay hydrated. Please note, only water (no sugar drinks) are allowed at school.

Life Education Trust

The Life Education Mobile Classroom will be at our school from 18th to 24th November and Room6 will be learning why it is important to show empathy towards others and how the choices I make online affect myself and others.

Upcoming Events for this term:

When?	What?	Where?
Tues 13 October	Indoor Displays	School
Wed 14 October	Ag day	School
Fri 23 October	Group Day	Nghinapouri School
Mon 2 November	Ohaupo School Athletics	School
Tues 3,4,5 November	Yr5/6 Camp	Lake Karapiro
Fri 13 November	Lower Waipa Athletics	Te Awamutu
18-24 November	Harold and the Life Education Mobile Classroom	School
Wednesday 16 December	Prize Giving/School Disco	School
Thursday 17 December	End of year (last day of term)	School

If you have any concerns regarding your child’s learning, please feel free to contact me before or after school or contact me via email: bmitchell@ohaupo.school.nz

Kind Regards

Bruce Mitchell

Room 6 Class Teacher