Junior Jottings - November 2015

Dear Parents and Caregivers,
It's amazing that already we are half way through the term and that Christmas is just around the corner. We have had a great term of learning so far and I am very pleased that the children have been working so well together and trying hard to achieve their individual learning steps. They were superb audience members when we had the 'Rapunzel' show visit and when they went to the 'Musical Stars' performance in Lower Hutt. For some of our children this was their first school trip and experience on a bus and they were remarkable. Both these shows were paid for from the activity fee.

We welcomed Miss Sally Ingram back to our staff. She is teaching in room 3 on Thursdays and Fridays until the end of the term. We also have Ms Imogen Wallace working in our Junior School along with Nina. 

Our new Library
Friday was so exciting as the culmination of eight long years has finally come to fruition. The new library was officially opened at 2 p.m. after a rousing powhiri, speeches and blessing. We are so proud of George Saunderson, who being our youngest boy to start school joined Hannah Moffat, our oldest girl and our wonderful librarian, Sue Fieldes to officially cut the ribbon. We then went in and had a look around. There is a kiva, a meeting room, kitchen, computer area and lots of space for the children to use for reading and researching. It looks amazing and will be a fabulous asset to our school. It is also a great lesson in perseverance as finally after solving many different issues we have a wonderful learning space to be proud of. Thank you so much to all the parents and caregivers who have supported the library project over the years. We will also be able to have parent meetings there as well so please pop in and have a look. For the next five weeks it will be used as a classroom for one of our year 5 and 6 classes while the old library becomes refurbished into a classroom for them along with further building work including a deck along the outside.

New Junior Classroom
On Monday we are finally starting our next new entrant classroom. Mrs Liz Sullivan will be teaching the newest students in room 16 once she has altered the room around to accommodate the new five year olds. Pre school visits on Thursdays will be in room 16 till the end of the year. Over the past few weeks Mrs Ryan and Mrs Sullivan have taught together in room 1 which has been great for the children to have more individual teaching time. Five of those children will move with Mrs Sullivan to room 16. 

Parent Conferences 
Next Monday November 24th and Tuesday November 25th we will be having parent conferences for all children in years 1 and 2. At these conferences you will receive your child's report and we will discuss with you how your child is achieving against the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Appointments will be open from tomorrow (Monday November 17th) so please go online and book a time with your child's teacher.

On your child's report you will notice that there is National Standards information. Please read this in conjunction with the comments and the placement of the ticks to get a full picture of your child's learning. Some children will get an Anniversary Report and some children will get a Progress report. The criteria that your child is assessed against inside both report forms is the same apart from the National Standards box. 

The National Standard for Year 1 children, who have been at school for one year, are placed according to after one year at school so they will get an anniversary report while those in Year 2 are placed according to after two years at school and will also get an anniversary report. An anniversary report will be given to your child in Year 2 if they have been at school for three years. As children start school at different times throughout the year, the National Standard placement is based on the level they were at when they turned either six or seven. 

If your child has been at school either six months, eighteen months or for thirty months they will get a progress report which is based on where they will be according to the National Standards if they continue with the same rate of current progress. Most of our children are working at or above the National Standards and those that are below are only just. e.g. in reading, when your child turns six to be 'at' the standard they need to be reading at Level 12 or more. A few of our children are at Level 11 so are just below so would get below the standard.  

With the tick system to gain 'always' your child must be consistently doing that aspect. Some children will get marked in 'not yet' or 'at times' often because they are not at that stage as yet or are just beginning that stage in their learning. The report is also graded according to development. For example in mathematics the children move through each of the stages from solving problems using materials, then solving problems without materials to being able to count on or count back to solve problems. This process takes the children two years or more to work through Level 1 of the curriculum.

Throughout the year, each child as near to their sixth birthday as possible is tested on a range of literacy tasks called the Observational Survey. I have met with most parents throughout the year to share your child's results with you. If your child has turned six and you have not met with me can you please email me so I can arrange a suitable time with you before the end of the term?

Room 1 will be having 'A Celebration of Learning' time between 3 p.m and 6 p.m on Monday November 24th. As most of the children have not been at school long they will not be getting a written report at this stage. The 'Celebration of Learning' is a time where you come to the classroom and your child shares their learning with you. Mrs Ryan has some six week conferences that she will book independently with you if it applies. 

'Celebration of Learning" afternoon
On Thursday December 4th, the rest of the school will be holding a 'Celebration of Learning" from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in your child's classroom. Please come along and hear your child explain what they have learnt and what they are currently working on. They will share their 'Collections' folder with you also.

"Starting School at Five" Information Evening 
On Wednesday November 26th, there will an Information evening for parents of pre -schoolers to come along and discuss the transition process from preschool to school and find out what a typical day at school for a five year old involves. It is an opportunity to have your questions answered. If you have friends or a neighbour, who have preschool children could you please let them know about this evening? It will be 7 p.m in room 3.  

Swimming 
Next week the Eastbourne Pool will be open for the summer. We have booked some times and hope that the weather improves so that it is warm enough for the children to go. The water in the pool is warm but if the weather is too cold, too windy or wet, we will not be going on our allotted times. We will decide when the children get to school. We have to share the pool times with other schools at this time of year and with Education outside the Classroom activities e.g. we will not be using the pool on Wednesday December 3rd but we will on Friday December 5th. Please ensure your child has their named swimming suits and towels in a separate plastic bag or swim bag and that they wear suitable footwear on their allotted days. The days and times are as follows -

Room 1 and 16 - Tuesday at 11.45 a.m. and Wednesday at 1.45 p.m.
Rooms 2 and 3 - Monday at 1.45 p.m.and Wednesday at 11.45 a.m.
Room 4 Tuesday at 9.45 a.m. and Thursday at 9.45 a.m.
Room 5 Tuesday at 1.45 p.m. and Thursday at 11.45 a.m. 
Room 6 Monday at 9.45 a.m. and Wednesday at 9.45 a.m.

As we are an island nation and we spend a great deal of time at the beach, in pools and rivers it is very important that the children can be confident in and around water and build on their water skills. All children are expected to go swimming but if your child is not to go swimming for any reason can you please let your child's teacher know and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask.

Carnival
The children are really looking forward to this special event next Sunday November 23rd. It is an amazing day and we are very grateful to all the parents and caregivers who have given their time both before the day, on Saturday and on Sunday. We are relying on your support to make it a successful fundraising event. If you have not volunteered for anything as yet please do so and don't worry if you have not done it before you will have support and it is lots of fun. 

'Blue Day'
Thank you so much for supporting the ' Blue Day' on Friday. The children looked fantastic in their outfits and created a sea of blue at assembly and at the library opening. We raised over $500 for this cause. We also had the Diabetes nurse come along and give a presentation of what Diabetes Type 1 is and how it affects some people. She gave a very informative talk, answered the children's questions and dispelled the myths around diabetes. 

Assembly 
We will be having a full school assembly on Friday November 28th at 1.30 p.m in the hall. You are cordially invited to attend. 

'Education Outside the Classroom' Week
We have planned a wide variety of learning experiences for this week. It will be held in week 8 from Monday December 1st to 5th. I will be sending further details home about this shortly. In the mean time can you please email me and let me know if your child is scared of any animals or birds or have allergies associated with animals? 

Planning for 2015
Organisation for next year is well underway. As yet, we have not finalised staffing and when we do making up of class lists will occur. If you are considering keeping your child longer in year 0, 1 or 2 can you please email me to let me know so that I can meet with you to discuss this if I have not already done so? If you are leaving the area at the end of the year could you also email me to let me know as soon as possible? 
The enormous task of sorting out the class placements for 2015 for every one of our 455 children will begin shortly. This is an extremely difficult job as you can appreciate and involves serious consideration of the individual learning needs of every single child. This coupled with trying to create each class with a balance of boys and girls containing a range of abilities, from children who are sporty or creative, to children who work well together or not to the constraints of low class numbers and enough physical classrooms to actually put the children in is huge. I consult the children's current and former teachers and spend many hours talking and observing the children, both inside and outside of their classrooms before the final list is collated and sent home. 
I try to ensure each child has some of their friends in their new class, however, sometimes this is not always possible. Children, sometimes, are split from some of their friends because their learning is being impeded while others are split as they need to branch out and make more new friends. I do listen to parent requests but the process of placing each child has to be on the learning needs of every child and how best to meet them and this may, however, at times, not be the same as the parent request. If there is information that you think is important and that I need to know please do not hesitate to email me as soon as possible so I can meet you to discuss this. 

Diary Dates
November 23rd  - CARNIVAL
November 24th -  Parent conferences
November 24th -  'Celebration of Learning' in room 1
November 24th -  Swimming starts
November 25th -  Parent conferences
November 26th -  'Starting School at five' information evening
November 28th -  Full School Assembly
December 1 - 5 -  Junior School 'Education outside the Classroom' week
December 4th -   'Celebration of Learning' in rooms 2,3,4,5,6 and 16 
December 11th -  Annual Junior School Christmas concert and afternoon tea
December 15th -  Visits to classrooms of 2015 
December 18th -  Last day of the school year 
February 2nd  -    School starts for 2015

If you have any questions about your child and their learning please do not hesitate to contact your child's teacher. 
Looking forward to seeing you all at the Carnival.

Kind regards
Maureen Buckley
Deputy Principal