Term 1 2012
Dear Parents and Caregivers
Welcome back to school! Hopefully everyone had a very relaxing and
enjoyable holiday. The teachers have been hard at work preparing for the year
and we are all looking forward to what 2012 will bring.
The team consists of:
Deane McKay –Room 12 (Year 5/6)
Murray McMillan
–Room 11 (Year 5/6)
Raihania
Chadwick –Room 13 (Year 5/6)
Kirsten Berry –Room 14 (Year 5/6)
Sally Velvin is another valuable
member of our team. She will be teaching on Fridays and every second Thursday
in Room 12. Ruth Hooke is continuing to
run the schools Performing Arts programme throughout the school and will be
working with the Y5/6 classes in preparation for camp skits.
Parent
Interviews
Thank you to
everyone who attended these interviews last week. It was fantastic to catch up
with you to discuss your children. All the teachers have come away with
valuable information which will assist in meeting the needs of your children.
Camp 2011
Forest Lakes (6th -9th March)
Our major focus
for the beginning of the year is camp at Forest Lakes. This takes place in week 5 of this term.
There is a cost involved with coming to camp; it will cost
$220 per child. This covers every eventuality that may arise. We ask that you
pay before going to camp. If there are any problems with this please contact
your classroom teacher. It would be appreciated if you completed and returned the
forms that were sent home last week.
It is important
that gear is being organised so that we are ready for Tuesday in Week 5. Let us
know if you are having any difficulties as we can help you borrow gear. A gear
check takes place at school in the morning before boarding the bus and you will
be contacted if there are any major items missing. It is important that
students are aware of what they have in their bags. Encourage them to take
responsibility for checking their gear list and packing. This will be their
responsibility while at camp.
If your child requires medicine to be given while on camp
please make sure that it comes to school on Tuesday 6th March (or
earlier if possible) in a named plastic bag and is given to the class teacher.
We are holding
a meeting at 6.30pm on Wednesday 29th February in the library for parents
coming to camp for the full week. We will be discussing routines and also your
responsibilities while at camp. It is important that you attend if you are
coming to camp as a full timer. We hope it will take only about 30- 45 minutes.
If your circumstances have changed please let me know.
Curriculum
Topics
Our big idea
for the year is ‘Make it Happen’. We
will be forming our major units of work to fit round this throughout the year.
This is a school wide theme and we are adapting it to best meet the needs of
the students in our area of the school.
Homework
We have decided
to wait until after camp to officially start homework so students can enjoy the
sunshine and prepare for Camp. However we will be expecting that the students
are reading for 15 minutes every night. Your
child will need to record what they have read in a reading log. We will then ease into spelling homework.
Your child should have between 8-10 spelling words to learn at home during the
week. They will then be tested on these words on Friday. These words may be
from the Essential Spelling Lists if your child has not already mastered them
or from the De Arth spelling programme. After camp, information will be sent home outlining
expectations for homework.
Maths
Cross grouping
will start after we get back from camp. Until then we will start the term
looking at Number Knowledge, such as exploring place value and basic facts.
Writing
We are
beginning the year focusing on recounts. The experiences of camp will be valuable in
supporting the learning of the students.
Topic/Inquiry
We will start
the term with an inquiry unit based upon the problem:
How can we
adapt and improve a playing environment to provide a safe yet challenging
experience for all.
This unit fits
nicely alongside the camp experience.
Visual Art
Students will
be learning about various concepts of shading and tones. Students will be involved an arts week later
this term using ‘Van Gogh’ as inspiration.
Stationery
Please ensure that stationery is at
school as soon as possible so written work can start promptly. If you are
covering books with duraseal please ensure that you have put labels on the
front for the names, as it is very time consuming finding the owners of unnamed
books. Names written in vivid pens are easily rubbed off. Labels are the
best option.
Daily Reminders
Please help
your child remember to check they have everything they need each morning and
they are at school in time for the first bell at 8.40. Students should see that
being organised is part of growing up and an important life skill to be developing.
They will need
a water bottle (named) to keep hydrated during the day. It helps with
concentration and learning. Ensure that it comes home regularly for a wash.
All students
are expected to wear a wide brimmed sunhat during all outside activities. The
hat needs to be kept at school for easy access.
Swimming
Swimming has
started. Every class will be swimming everyday so please ensure that your child
has their swimming gear ready. The gear should be named and in a suitable bag.
We are lucky enough to have the assistance of a qualified swimming instructor
for the first two weeks.
Sport
This year the year 5 and 6 students
will have many opportunities to be involved in a range of sporting events.
These sports range from netball and soccer to cricket and hockey. There will
also be zone and inter - zone events such as swimming, cross-country and
athletics. Parent support and transport at these events is much appreciated and
it is also a wonderful opportunity to come along and see your child in action.
Blogs
We will be continuing the success of
classroom blogging. These blogs can be accessed through the school website. It
is worthwhile visiting regularly and checking out the updates. It really is a
fantastic way to see the learning that is occurring in the classroom. We
encourage you to leave the comments for your children or the class – they
really get a buzz out of it!
If you need to contact your child’s
classroom teacher please feel free to drop by the classroom before or after
school or make an appointment for an interview at the office. The easiest way
to touch base with us is email e.g. teacher’s surname@muritai.school.nz
Thank you again
for your support
Deane McKay
Year 5 and 6
Team Leader.
