Monday 27 February 2017

Monarch Butterfly Enclosure

Mr Bach has constructed a butterfly enclosure out behind Ruma Weta, with the help of some Ruma Weta children and some environment leaders. We have lots of plants to feed our caterpillars, thanks to the seeds planted by Ruma Weta children last year. We can begin tagging our hatching Monarch butterflies from this Wednesday 1st March.

Children working hard on their Monarch presentations.

Sunday 26 February 2017

Weekly Notices Week 5 Term 1 2016

Week 5

This is a BUSY week so please read carefully!

Can I just say that Mr Bach and myself are really enjoying working with your child!
What a neat group of students!

We have had to remind the class a few times about the importance of being careful with the chrome books. Students need to understand the value of these learning tools and to take good care of them at all times. This includes where in the class they work on them, how they move around with them when the device is not in use and where and how they store them away.
Please can you remind them of this also. Thanks.

Ruma Weta are swimming this week so togs everyday please.
Spelling Notebooks back to school each day.
Home Reading Books back on Friday and issued on Monday.
All students to take a book home each night from their group reading box on the shelf by the door.
Maths Whiz each night.

Monday

  • Promise Ceremony at 1:30 in the hall
Tuesday
  • Swimming Sports at the Aquatic Centre. Please drop your child at the aquatic centre by 8:30 and collected from 2:30 that day.
  • Water bottle
  • Sunscreen
  • Towels and togs
  • Lunch and morning tea
  • House colours
  • Hat

Wednesday
  • Ash Wednesday Service at 9:00am in the church.

Thursday
  • School Gala 4:00pm-7:00pm
Friday
  • World Day of Prayer service in the church at 10:30-11:30.
2nd March 2017!!!!!!!!!

Gala Items. Points for house groups. Thank you for your generosity!! Our school Gala is on Thursday the 2nd of March.                                      



Monday-Books, Toys
Tuesday-Tinned goods, Sweets
Wednesday-Grocery, Fresh fruit
Thursday-Cakes, Biscuits, Sweets
Thanks for your kind support!!!

Ash Wednesday at 9:00 in the church. We are now moving into one of the most important times in the Liturgical calendar.
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. 
Ask your child what they are learning about Lent. 
Image result for image of lent ashes


Swimming Sports Day 28th March 
Years 3, 4, 5, and 6
Aquatic Centre-Tarewa Road
8:45-2:30pm
Students to be dropped off at aquatic centre and picked up from 2:30pm no later than 3:00pm.
Parents welcome to stay or come for part of the day.
2:20pm bus children to meet Mr Volschenk by the gate and depart at 2:30pm.
Students to wear house colours.
Bring water, morning tea, lunch, togs, towels, hat, sunscreen.
Teacher in Charge: Sheryl Todd.
If cancelled info on website by 7:30am and twitter, face book, and phone app.
Image result for image of swimming in pool racesSee you there!

Lovely Learning in week 4!!
Our Self Portraits-we are artists!
Can you guess which children these portraits belong to?




 Maths Whizz time in Ruma Weta looks like this.....




Image result for image of birthday cake
Happy Birthday YURI!!!!!
(and Jacob-we missed you Friday!!!)

Tuesday 21 February 2017

Silent Reading


Silent reading has properly started in Ruma Weta this week. It is an important part of our classroom reading programme and it is important that the children actually do read silently during this time. The children were first given the opportunity in the first week to self manage by choosing an appropriate book and settling done by themselves. Only some children took this opportunity, so now children need to read a book from their reading box only and silence is enforced. Responsible children who have proved themselves will soon be issued with chapter book licences. 

Monday 20 February 2017

Logging on to Maths Whizz

Learning is well under way in Ruma Weta this year. Children have all completed maths whizz assessments and the programme is running. Children can access maths whizz at home.
Children's homework should consist of reading, maths whizz and spelling words. This week we have also started doing work from our Team Kahikatea Google Site and children will be taking home their first spelling words and home reading books.

Sunday 19 February 2017

Weekly Notices Week 4 Term 1

Week 4, Term 1 -


These weekly notices are to be more closely tailored to what Room 16 and 17 (Ruma Weta) are doing within the Middle School. Some weeks we may share the same notices.
Although Rooms 16 and 17 will have separate blogs this year, we are essentially operating as one class, as was the case last year, for the majority of the time. This is important preparation for the eventual move to a Middle School modern learning environment based on the collaborative teaching model, in the near future.
Both Mrs Hall and I think that teaching and learning is progressing well so far within the Ruma Weta collaborative environment. This is Mrs Hall’s first year in a collaborative setting.

Ruma Weta is NOT swimming this week.


Mr Macmillan is happy to organise an inter-house tug of war this Friday. It will be a Golden Time activity. We will be following a tight time schedule due to the Leaders’ Commissioning Ceremony at 2.05pm.


We would like to remind parents again about our phone app. This week we will be notifying parents on how to receive notifications from the phone app.
Apple - St Mary's Catholic Primary School


Young Vinnie’s are having a lunchtime disco on Tuesday. Please see the poster below.


Thanks to Mrs Hall and the three children who attended the Commissioning Mass at the Mount. It was a lovely Mass and it is always great to mingle with colleagues from other Catholic Schools in the area.


A reminder below of what to bring for the Gala each day should be helpful to parents. The gala day countdown is for this week;


Monday 20/02 Tinned goods, bags of sweets - e.g. beetroot, fruit, baked beans, peaches, Mackintosh’s, jet planes, licorice allsorts.  Any preloved baskets or platters you no longer require would be gratefully accepted for the quick fire raffle
Tuesday 21/02 Nacho Day - Corn chips, tinned tomatoes, chilli or kidney beans, onions, nacho mince recipe sachets
Wednesday 22/02 Bathroom / Toiletries Day - Soap, hand wash, tissues, shampoo, conditioner, toilet tissue, hand creams, bubble bath etc
Thursday 23/02 Books / Packet / Boxes day – Bring a packet or box of something e.g. biscuits, cereal, flour, crackers, chips, sultanas, cornflakes, breadcrumbs, Handee towels, jelly, pretzels etc.  Plastic bags appreciated
Friday 24/02 Bottle Day - Please bring a bottle or jar of something e.g. shampoo, sauce, condiment / relish, perfume, jam, cooking oil etc. Please note no alcohol is allowed to be brought to school by children
Monday 27/02 Books, toys and Baby Elephant - Board games, children’s sporting equipment, CD's, DVD's, play station games, jigsaws, corn chips, tinned tomatoes
CHILDREN'S PRELOVED CLEAN QUALITY CLOTHING


MONDAY 20TH FEBRUARY. GALA;Tinned goods, bags of sweets - e.g. beetroot, fruit, baked beans, peaches, Mackintosh’s, jet planes, licorice allsorts.  Any preloved baskets or platters you no longer require would be gratefully accepted for the quick fire raffles.
3.20 pm Team Meetings


TUESDAY 21ST FEBRUARY. GALA: Nacho Day - Corn chips, tinned tomatoes, chilli or kidney beans, onions, nacho mince recipe sachets.
Learning to Grow. Bevan and Leon.
8.15 am   Staff Prayer. Susan N.
12.30 pm Lunchtime Disc. Raising money for St John’s Parishioners.

WEDNESDAY 22ND FEBRUARY. GALA: Bathroom / Toiletries Day - Soap, hand wash, tissues, shampoo, conditioner, toilet tissue, hand creams, bubble bath etc
8.45am School Singing


THURSDAY 23RD FEBRUARY. GALA: Books / Packet / Boxes day – Bring a packet or box of something e.g. biscuits, cereal, flour, crackers, chips, sultanas, cornflakes, breadcrumbs, Handee towels, jelly, pretzels etc.  Plastic bags appreciated.


FRIDAY 24TH FEBRUARY. GALA: Bottle Day - Please bring a bottle or jar of something e.g. shampoo, sauce, condiment / relish, perfume, jam, cooking oil etc. Please note no alcohol is allowed to be brought to school by children.
10.30 am Practice for chn involved in CWL World Prayer Day Liturgy. 11.00 am Pasifika Practice
11.45 am Band practice
1.30 pm   Inter-house Tug of War. ‘Golden Time’.
2.05 pm   Assembly. Commissioning of Leaders.


MONDAY 27TH FEBRUARY. GALA: Books, toys and Baby Elephant - Board games, children’s sporting equipment, CD's, DVD's, play station games, jigsaws, corn chips, tinned tomatoes
CHILDREN'S PRELOVED CLEAN QUALITY CLOTHING

Tuesday 14 February 2017

Swimming time with Ruma Weta! What a great start!

Room 16 and 17 are swimming as Ruma Weta in two groups over one hour on odd weeks. Mrs Hall and Mr Bach will take one week at a time and give the children the benefit of their knowledge and try to improve their general skills and freestyle stroke.

Sunday 12 February 2017

Weekly Notices Week 3 Term 1 2017

Week 3, Term 1 -

Homework -  Middle School children are expected to read a book at their level every evening (some will need parent guidance) and do a little bit of maths whizz and/ or spelling each day, if possible. Children have their maths whizz passwords and spelling assessments are happening now. Parents and caregivers may also read to a child if he or she is too tired or is really resisting reading. Children who like it and have the time may want to do a little journal writing or story writing at home. All children now have logins to Google - G Suite and can access their learning site and Google Drive from home. Homework should not be a stressful time or too long as this may put kids off learning or doing certain tasks, especially at this young age. Each family has to make their own decision about how busy they are and how much homework is possible.

Chromebook user agreements need to be returned ASAP from children who are new to chromebooks or those who have been asked to complete a form. Children who have not had this form filled out and signed cannot go onto the school network.

If you are able to help out at the school in any way it would be most sincerely appreciated. We have an active PTA who are at the moment organising the school gala and are in need of as many helping hands as possible. We also have working bees, school gardens to maintain and a host of other things going on throughout the year, which require volunteers. Please enquire at the school office if you are able to assist in any way.

On Thursday the Diocese have their Commissioning Mass at St Thomas More at Mt. Maunganui. There will be school staff and children from schools from the Bay of Plenty present. Mass is at 6.00pm.

Thanks to Bernie and her team for a great ‘Opening Mass’. Thanks also to Margot for the music. I think the children did very well for their first Mass for the year.

Thanks to all those parents who made themselves available for the ‘Meet the Teacher’ last Thursday afternoon.

The Bike to School Day was a hit. Thanks Mrs Todd for organising this and also to staff who supported this event. Children and parents enjoyed participating in the bike ride.

Our school app had a few issues which have now been sorted. Parents will be able to access blogs, newsletters, draws, school calendar, book school interviews, order Pita lunch, buy school uniform from our shop, and submit a child’s absence using the App. Please download the app from the android or apple store..

Android : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nz.school.stmarysrotorua
Apple - St Mary's Catholic Primary School
https://appsto.re/nz/xbD6eb.i

Our school facebook page is going along very well. Photos are often posted on this page.
Parents and caregivers will love seeing photos of the children so check it out.

Thanks to Mrs Cato, Mr James and Mr Volschenk for getting blogs, devices, maths whizz etc up and running and also to Mrs Tabuteau who is looking after the setting up of Reading Eggs. We place a lot of importance in Maths Whizz and will be using this programme consistently in class. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to access these programmes at home. If your child can’t remember the login please see the class teacher concerned. Children should do 60-90 minutes per week on tutor in maths whizz but can do more if they go into replay. If your child isn’t doing a minimum of 60 minutes in class per week they should make up the difference at home.

Our school leaders have been selected for the year. Thanks to the teachers who have offered to help with the leadership programme. It is interesting to see which former students have been appointed as  School Leaders at Secondary level.  Head Girl, at JPC  Theresa McLean and Deputy Head Girl, Anna Piebenga, Rotorua Girls’ High Head Girl, Pareunuora Pene and King’s College Auckland Head Girl Rita Shasha.

MONDAY 13TH FEBRUARY.
9.00-11.00am Dynamos Leadership Training for 20 Yr 6s. Hall.
3.15pm Team Mtgs.

TUESDAY 14TH FEBRUARY.
8.15am Staff Prayer - Mrs Nieuwboer
3.20pm Staff Meeting. Maths PD

WEDNESDAY 15TH FEBRUARY.
8.45am School Singing.

THURSDAY 16TH FEBRUARY.
6.00pm Commissioning Mass at St Thomas More, Mount Maunganui.

FRIDAY 17TH FEBRUARY.
11.00am School band
11.45am Pasifika group practice

2.05pm School Assembly. Room 1.

Saturday 11 February 2017

Destin with Butterfly Friend

Destin brought in an Admiral Butterfly to show the class and he took a liking to her, resting on her nose. These butterflies are a lot smaller and rarer than Monarch Butterflies, and they also have distinct beautiful markings.

Tuesday 7 February 2017

Chromebook learning with Mrs Cato


Mrs Cato came into Ruma Weta today to introduce the children to the rules and responsibilities of using a chromebook and using Google - G suite at St Mary's.

Monday 6 February 2017

Weekly Notices Week 2 Term 1

Week 2 Term 1

Sorry to those parents who were given the wrong information about the swimming roster. Initially room 16 and 17 were swimming together in even weeks, but in the end to stay together we needed to change our week to odd weeks. This happened on the first day.


We hope all St Mary’s families passed an excellent Waitangi Day on Monday, enjoying the lovely weather but also remembering the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 and what this means for us.
We think Team Kahikatea (Middle School) has had an excellent first week and all teachers reported a positive start to the year. Our children seem to have settled in well and parents are happy to have their children back at school.


We have a school app that parents and caregivers are being encouraged to download. Parents will be able to access blogs, newsletters, draws, school calendar, book school interview, order Pita lunch, buy school uniform from our shop, and submit a child’s absence using the App. Parents will need to download the app from the android or apple store.
Android : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nz.school.stmarysrotorua
Apple - St Mary's Catholic Primary School
https://appsto.re/nz/xbD6eb.i


Thanks goes to Mrs Hall for organising the Liturgies we had llast week. They have been great and I know they require a lot of organisation and set up.


St Mary’s Catholic School has a facebook page and photos are often posted on this page. We have 647 likes so far and would appreciate more. We encourage whanau to check out our facebook page and like what they see.


Parent-Teacher interviews are this week. The purpose of these interviews is to hear from parents and caregivers about the aspirations that you have for your child and also anything else you might want to say about your child. Interviews are 5 minutes as these are only introductory meetings. If you need to talk in a little more detail to your child’s teacher about important issues please book a separate meeting with the teacher concerned.
Parent Interviews : Thursday 9 February: 3.15pm to 6.00pm
To book an interview with your child's teacher please follow this process
* www.schoolinterviews.co.nz
* parent/teacher interview school bookings
* event code 6w7hp


A group of Mandarin Language Assistants are visiting our school as part of their orientation to the Rotorua area. They will be with us from 9.00 Thursday and leaving us after morning tea. We will make them feel very welcome.


Thursday is our ‘Bike to School Day”.
You can bike from home, or for students from outside the area, please get dropped off outside the Arawa Bowling club in Lytton street between 8 and 8.20.  Students will be able to cycle or scoot from there to school.  You MUST have a helmet.
Upon arrival, senior students will put their bikes in the Mary Garden area beside Room 1.  Middle school students will put their bikes around the back of Rooms 16/17 and Junior school students will keep their bikes by their classes.




MONDAY 6TH FEBRUARY.
Waitangi Day.


TUESDAY 7TH FEBRUARY.


8.15am Teacher Prayer, Staffroom. Mrs Todd.
8.30am Senior School Assembly
3.20pm Staff mtg: Sue Winters.


WEDNESDAY 8TH FEBRUARY.
8.30am Totara (Senior School) Assembly.
8.45am School Singing


THURSDAY 9TH FEBRUARY.
8.30am Bike to School Day. Poster from Sheryl.
When students have arrived at school bikes are to be stored in the following places:
Totara (Senior School). In behind Mary garden
Kahikatea (Middle) Behind Room 17
Manuka (Year 2)- outside their classrooms.


9.00-11.00am MLAs’ Orientation visit. Morning tea will be provided. We will meet our MLA,  Bethany Lu Wenyu. School tour and a class observation.
3.15-6.00pm Parent Interviews.
The interview is 5 minutes in duration.


FRIDAY 10TH FEBRUARY.
9.00am Opening School Mass
11.00am School Band (Margot). Hall
11.45am Pasifika Performing group (Mrs Wallbank). Hall
NO Assembly.


Thursday 2 February 2017

Birthday girls Billie and Lilly 1st February first day of school

Lucky Billie and Lilly got to have their first day back at school in wonderful Ruma Weta and celebrate their birthdays on February 1st.

Wednesday 1 February 2017

Class photo with birthday girls standing up

The first day of school for 2017 in Ruma Weta, Room 16 and 17. We had two birthday girls today. See the girl's photo together on the next post.