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Waitaki Valley School 
Newsletter
10 February  2016


 
Kia Ora Koutou,
I hope that you enjoyed the long weekend and are now ready for our 'full weeks' again for a while (until the end of March!)

(I'll start with an apology - for those of you reading this on a mobile device the number of photos that we have used this week have distorted the mobile version.  For best reading please read this on a computer).

I hope that you have the Meet the Teacher evening on Thursday in your diary.  Our teachers are looking forward to outlining their programmes with you, and how you can support them in ensuring we are giving your children the best deal. See below for the times for each hub.

I met with our Year 8s this morning to get some feedback from them as to the things that are going well in our school and the areas that they think we could improve in or plan for over the year. They are a pretty happy group of students who recognise that this is a great place to be going to school at!  

Have you chatted with you chid lately about how their year has started?  Our 'Going Places' theme for the year -  has us starting with 'Aiming High' as our focus.  Teachers will be working with children to help them identify how best they learn, how to build their capability to learn in other ways, how to work with others, and how to work effectively by themselves.  Chat with your child/ren about what they have learnt about themselves as a learner - it could be quite insightful!

Thank you to all those who have returned sports notices.  We have certainly hit the floor running but it is great to see children taking up these opportunities.

We are fortunate to have so many support people who work with us, to provide opportunities for our children.  Today we have had the 3 professional cricket coaches from North Otago working with our Yr 5 & 6 students and next week we start back with our Youthtown Sports Activator Sessions.  We have committed to this for the year - meaning that all classes will get 4 sessions a term, of specialised coaching in a wide range of areas.

Our children have all certainly settled back into the routine of school life. which is credit to the routines that you must have them in at home - thank you!



 
Reducing the Summer Slide!
Well done to EVERYONE who took part in our reading activities over the holidays.  Mrs Powell had 20 children attend each of the Book Club days in the library.  This is a fantastic turn out and shows just how much our Waitaki Valley children enjoy their reading.
We also had a large number of students completing the Reading  Bingo card over the holidays as well as significant number of these people who carried out the extra 'Reading Challenges'!
Everyone who completed the Reading Bingo card received a special 'WVS Reading' pencil and went into the draw for book vouchers.  Those carrying out the challenges were added to a second draw!  
Congratulations to Cameron, Ryan and Scott who won these.
Thanks to Danielle for her work in these initiatives - especially in holiday time!
Holiday Book Club with Mrs Powell
YEAR 7 & 8 TECHNOLOGY
 
We welcomed Whaea Jamaya Fisilau last Friday to Waitaki Valley.  Jamaya is working with our Yr 7 & 8 students this term in Hard Materials.  The Year 8s had their first session with her and worked with acrylic to make some very cute keyrings.  No doubt some of these are already being used!
 
Thank you to those who have returned touch forms.  Mrs Senior is just finalising the teams and will get information out later this week.
A reminder that the first game is next Tuesday (16th February).
TUAKANA BIKE TRIP
All Tuakana children will take part in a bike ride on Friday 19th February.  All children will require a bike that is road worthy and also a helmet.  We will bike from school to the winery and back.  Children will need to have their bikes delivered to school and picked up in the afternoon.  We require parent helpers for this activity. If you are available to ride with us please contact one of us by Friday.
Regards Pip and Susan
Thank you to those of you who supply ANZCO in their cow/calf scheme.  Through your nomination of us as a school you have collectively earned us $450.50.  This will go towards new ICT equipment that we will be installing over the next few weeks.
Thank you!
EARBUDS

Tuakana students are asked to have ear buds (as the ones pictured) that can stay at school each day.  These are for sale in the School Office for $5 (Usual retail $10.95).
 
We have a lot of cricket opportunities going on at the moment!
A few reminders . . .
  • Anyone wanting to play Saturday cricket (any age) can join the club cricket practice this afternoon (3pm).
  • Girls wanting to play in the interschool game should be at practice this afternoon and next Wednesday (17th) with Stephan Grobler - one of North Otago's coaches.  The game date has changed and a new date is yet to be confirmed.  Information will come home to the girls once we know of the new date.
  • Our boys team (joined with Duntroon) will be playing against Weston at SKC from 12pm on Tuesday 16th February.  The team for this game will be confirmed later in the week.  Good luck to these boys!  
We welcomed Anna Keno to our Waitaki Valley Community last week.  There has been an overwhelming response to Anna's Speech and Drama classes - so much so that there are only limited places left for anyone still wanting to enrol their child.  Contact Anna directly should you be interested.  (Link here)
Here you can see Anna working with a group of Year 3 and 4 girls - Meg, Alex, Rachel, Ellie and Maddy - working on correct posture for public speaking (and you thought the books were for them to work IN!)
DATES FOR YOUR CALENDAR
Thursday Feb 11:         Meet the teacher evening
                                     Supper 6.40,
                                     Tuakana Hub 7pm 
                                     Teina Hub 7.30pm                        
Tuesday Feb 16           NZ Post Cricket Cup (boys) vs Weston in Oamaru
                                     Touch Starts (Yrs 4-8)
Thursday Feb 25:         School Swimming Sports
Tuesday March 1:        School Open Morning
Wednesday March 2:    Festival of Cricket Compeition (Yr 5-6)
Friday March 4:             Zone Swimming Sports (@ WVS)
Wednesday March 16: North Otago Swimming Sports
Friday March 18:          Year 8 Day - Papakaio
Monday March 21:       Otago Anniversary Day. School closed.
Friday March 25 - Tuesday March 29:
                                     Easter holiday.  School closed
Friday April 15:            Last day of term
Waitaki Valley School
1 Settlement Road
KUROW
Principal: Deidre Senior

Important numbers: 
School phone: 03 4360 660
Absences: School Mobile Text: 0277142774
School Bank Account: 02 0900 0000532 00
 
office@waitakivalley.school.nz