GRETA VALLEY SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
Phone 314 3800 - fax 314 3809 - E-Mail:
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4 NOVEMBER 2015
GRETA VALLEY SCHOOL
A dynamic rural School empowering students with skills to be future focussed culturally aware and creative thinkers.
We build SKILLS for SUCCESS!
Dear Parents/Caregivers
SCIENCE ROAD SHOW
Our senior students attended the National Science Road Show workshop at Amuri Area School where they learned in a teacher directed session about the properties of water, electricity, the weather and the importance of conservation. They then had the opportunity to visit the various activities set up to challenge their thinking about other scientific skills especially designed around the nature of science which requires them to experiment and inquire. This was a great morning and we were able to take our Year 3 students with us.
PET DAY
With the introduction of some Agrikids activities, Pet Day had another added dimension. The electric fence erection, naming and use of farming tools, ear tagging and tailing techniques and the house competition for building a pen proved to be very popular. Thanks to all who contributed to pet day, especially to our judges and parents/ caregivers who brought animals along and the Friends of the School for providing the barbeque at lunchtime.
PRINCIPALS AWARD
Congratulations to Amber and Anika who received Principal’s Awards for their wonderful organisation of Halloween Day last week. These two girls who are President and Vice President of the Student Council and attended Leadership Camp this year have certainly put all their leadership skills into practice on this project. We had a wonderful day and it just so happened that it was World Teachers’ Day. We were excited about what they’ve learned and then their application of those skills. Well done girls we were impressed.
Happy Birthday to Flynn, Tristyn and Manon who have all had birthdays in the past three weeks since our last newsletter. We hope you had a great day.
CPIT VISIT
Our Year 7 students visited the CPIT last week and learned a new sport related to sports and fitness careers and then spent the second session learning a Maori Haka and what careers were associated with Maori and Pasifika Studies. Both were challenging activities. We are very lucky to have this avenue for our student career programme.
SWIMMING POOL
The swimming pool hopefully will be up and running the week after Anniversary Weekend. The photo voltaic panels will be installed today and the new 21 kilowatt heat pump has already been installed. The last part of the project will be repainting the hand rails, fitting the new pool cover and then filling the pool. Dave and Philippa have done a fantastic job here both in fundraising, designing and liaising with contractors to complete the job. Gail Grant and others have also contributed with fundraising to replace the pool cover. We’re looking forward to a great swimming season in a warmer pool.
LOCAL SWIMMING LESSONS
Shelly Ashford is a qualified swim instructor who has been teaching in Cheviot in recent years and she is willing to travel to Greta Valley to give lessons during the lunch hour once a week.
There will be time for two lessons of 25 mins each. Spaces are limited to 4 juniors in one class and 4 to 6 seniors in the other class.The cost is $8 per lesson per child.
Lessons are entirely optional with families paying the lesson fees directly to the instructor.
Please call Philippa asap on 3143 454 to. This is a great opportunity for our kids to improve their water safety skills above and beyond what the school offers, without having to travel!
SCHOOL PHOTOS
School Photos were sent out yesterday. Please note that the order due date is 16th November and that there is an identification photo and number on the payment slip which must not be removed as this is the reference and identification photo for the photographer. Class photos are on display in the office window. If you wish to order one of these please come along and view them and add them to your order amount.
ATHLETICS
Our inter school athletics with Waikari School was very well organised and run. Thank you to all our wonderful supportive parents who came along to transport the students and observe the proceedings. We hope that you enjoyed the day. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to interact with others and we have noted that new friendships are already being established which is one of the main purposes of getting out and mixing with others.
PRIZEGIVING CUPS
We’re getting to that time of year when the end is fast approaching and it becomes very busy for staff. We need to organise our end of year prize giving and please ask that if you have any cups or trophies that they be returned to school now. We would appreciate you cleaning them before returning them. Some Brasso or Silvo does a great job and doesn’t take long to do.
THANKS TO FRIENDS OF THE SCHOOL
We would like to acknowledge the huge support that the Friends Of The School have contributed to our school this year. They had their AGMyesterday and in the financial report it was noted that they have contributed $19,000.00 to the school this year. They have bought 5 new I Pads, all the new furniture in the junior room and paid for our wonderful teacher aide in the junior room. It is to be noted that the achievement levels in the junior room have been enhanced by the addition of a full time teacher aide.
We encourage all to become involved with the Friends of the School in their fundraising ventures as all children benefit from these. They have a Facebook Page, ‘Greta Valley Friends Of The School.’ Request to join and keep a track of what’s happening and how you can help.
ABACUS FUNDRAISER
A reminder to get all Abacus orders back to school by this Friday 6 November.
JOKE OF THE WEEK
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude – Maya Angelou
TERM DATES FOR 2015
Term 4 12th Oct – 17th Dec
UPCOMING EVENTS
10 Zone Athletics Cheviot
11 Zone Athletics PPD
11 Fields of Remembrance Amberley
13 Anniversary Day
20 Assembly
25 Newsletter
Dec
4 Assembly
9 Newsletter
14 End of Year Prize Giving
16 Learn to Surf Day Waikuku
17 Last day of school for the yearSenior Room
Room 2 Camp will be in the first week of Term 1 2016 at Hanmer Springs.
Have a great week
Malin, Sue, Jo, Megan, Yo and Lou
**COMMUNITY NOTICES **
HURUNUI TIMEBANK
Candle-making for Christmas
Time: 10am – 12pm, Saturday 28 November, Leithfield Community Centre. Cost: $5 suggested or 2 time-bank credits, plus $5 materials cost.
This is your chance to make some special candles for gifts, or to add a sparkle to your Christmas table. Lynnette will show you how to create colourful, shapely candles using scented dipping wax. This is a family-fun event brought to you by TimeBank Hurunui’s Learning Exchange. Our last class for the year!
Register on 3143406 or
MOBILE PHONE RECYCLING
It’s that time again to rummage around in your drawers and toy boxes and bring into School any unwanted mobile phones you may have at home.
It is estimated that each year up to three million phones become obsolete in NZ, of those only 2% are recycled.
Phones collected help our School gain valuable rewards and the environment benefits as well keeping our landfills free of mobile phones and their array of hazardous toxic substances.
Please drop any unwanted mobile phones you may have in the collection box in the school office.
AIR FORCE MUSEUM HOLIDAY PROGRAMME
Bookings are now open for the Air Force Museum’s December 2015 and January 2016 OSCAR-endorsed school holiday programmes!
December ‘Christmas Truce’ - 17-23 December
Following the story of Snoopy, children will fight off the Red Baron through some fun, active missions and then explore aspects of the Christmas truce in World War One as alluded to in the song, “Snoopy’s Christmas”.
January ‘Dig for Victory’ –18-29 January
Explore all the aspects of life on the home front and abroad during World War Two through a huge variety of missions, challenges, construction and games.
Ages: 5 -12
Cost: Half day: $25, Full day: $35, Full week: $170
Bookings Essential: Please contact the Public Programmes Team on 03 343 9504 or email
Phone 314 3800 - fax 314 3809 - E-Mail:
Please support our sponsors
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PET DAY 2015
Phone 314 3800 - fax 314 3809 - E-Mail:
Please support our sponsors
2