Newsletter Week 7 Term 3 2014

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Friends,

One of the challenges of parenting, I find, is helping our children to be confident ‘in the world’ while at the same time thinking through the dominant ‘stories’ our world is telling us, and not buying into everything around us.

We live within a culture. We can’t avoid it. We are all affected by the culture of our times, the culture of our church, the culture of our school. Some of this is good. Increasing awareness of the needs to treat people equally and to treat the environment with greater respect are some examples that come to mind.

Some aspects of our culture are neutral.  Some aspects must be questioned.

Again this week, I quote from James K. A. Smith:

Today children face a barrage of what Jamie Smith calls “cultural liturgies”.  Whether in the form of Instagram or Twitter, the movie theatre, the mall, television, smartphones, texting, the supermarket magazine aisle, or any other idols of our time, children have never faced so many competing interests that desire a piece of their heart. These liturgies seductively and subversively tell our children that they will be fully alive and loved if they “own this” or “do this” or “look this way.” Sadly, many children and adults cannot resist the message.”

At Mahurangi Christian School, we want to inspire our children to “Live Life to the Full as Agents of God’s Love”. We want them to have a sense of God’s work in the world, and in their lives. We want to equip them with the tools to engage and connect with others and be leaders in culture-forming - in making our country, and our world a better place.

Helen Pearson

Parent-Teacher-Learner Conferences

On Monday 22 September 2014, we are having Three Way Conferences with Parents, Teachers and Learners. We would like to meet with all parents to discuss their children's progress, and to work together on the Learning Goals for Term 4. 

School will finish at 1.30pm to enable appointments to be made.  Please complete the form here. If you would like to speak with the teacher on your own as well as with your child, please indicate in the form or on the hardcopy slip sent home with your child.

Appointments can be made between 1.30 and 6.30.

Disaster Plasters

Thanks to all our MCS Families who gave one last effort of selling on the weekend.  I have been hearing some great stories from parents how their children have really taken ownership of the sales and got out there and done their best.  Everyone should be extremely proud of their efforts.

We now need to get the remainder money and plasters back to the school.  Thank you to everyone who has already done this.  If you have any plasters or money that hasn’t been returned then please get this done today. We want to do the final tally on Wednesday.

We would like to give out the prizes at assembly this Friday but we can only do this if everyone has everything returned.

So far we have raised over $1000.00 which is just amazing.

Well done MCS families.  This has been a great fundraising effort for our children.

  

PTA Meeting-  Everyone welcome

We will be meeting this Wednesday 3 September at 3pm in the staffroom.  We have a few more drives for the remainder of the year and would love some extra hands to help out.

If you are unable to make the meeting but would like to help then please let Isabelle Franks or Carol Chessum know.

Library Working Bee - Change of Date

A small job for many but a large job for a few. Let’s make it a small job.

Due to a hockey tournament we are changing the date for our Library Working Bee. The new date is 20 Sept 9.00 – 11.00.

Please join us on Sat Sep 20, 2014 9.00 – 11.00. Let us know you are able to help by filling in this form.

School Photos

Our school photos will be taken by Photolife on the first Tuesday of Term 3.  Photos are prepaid. Notices and envelopes will be sent home by the end of next week.

Uniform/Dress

Generally the uniforms are looking great!  Students are expected and encouraged to take a pride in their general appearance. Please ensure that children are not wearing non-uniform sweatshirts or shoes.

The uniform is available from the school office. Second hand uniform items may also be available from the office.

Ear studs are the only items of jewellery permitted at school.

The consequences of breaching the dress code are determined by the situation and may include a warning, a letter home, or a Red Card.

Prepare for Hats

From the beginning of term four we will be implementing our health and safety policy concerning sunhats.

 This states: “require students to wear hats which protect the face, neck and ears, whenever they are outside and involved in school activities. Students at school without a hat must remain in an allocated shaded area or inside at break times. Hats must be broad-brimmed (min 7.5cm), or legionnaire/bucket hats (min 6cm brim, deep crown). These hats provide significant protection to the eyes”.

Sunhats will be available from the uniform shop from the beginning of term 4.

Before and After School Supervision

We appreciate parents' efforts in getting students to school at a good time in the morning. Arriving late is disruptive for the child, and for the class and teacher. Arriving between 8:35 and 8:50 gives the student plenty of time to catch up with friends, hang up their school bag, hand in any notices, and be in class ready to start at 8:55.

Note: For your child's safety, please make sure that they arrive at school after 8:30 and have left the school grounds by 3:15 pm. We cannot guarantee supervision at school outside those times.

Advance Notice – Camp is coming

Early next year we will be going to camp. Last year’s family camp was so successful that once again families will have the opportunity to join with us.

We are well aware that camp early in the year can create a financial burden. If you would like to put aside a little a week from now on we are hoping the burden will be eased. If you would like to set up an automatic payment to the school the ac no is 123105 0014453 00 and please use the reference “camp”.

Yummy Apple Stickers

Thank you our great team of sticker collectors.

We collect the stickers or labels off the bags from Yummy Apples each year. At the end of Term Three these sticker collections are sent to the company and we receive sports gear as a reward.

Last year we received $237 worth of sportsgear and this year we are hoping for more as some collectors have wisely continued to collect year round.

If you have been collecting stickers for us please hand the sheets, whether full or partial, into the office by Friday 19^th September so we can send them off by the end of the term. If you need sticker collection sheets please ask at the office

Friday Lunches are back!
MCS Parent Group will provide a selection of Pies (Butter Chicken, Mince and Cheese, Apple), Pizzas, Sausage Rolls and Moosies (Chocolate, Strawberry and Lime).

Order forms will be sent home today. Please return order forms and payment in a sealed envelope to your child's teacher before School Assembly on Friday.

What do you think of ERO’s parent booklets?

The Education Review Office (ERO) publishes a series of five booklets for parents and caregivers.

We want to find out how useful the information is to parents, how the booklets can be improved, and if parents would prefer to receive the information in a different way.

We’re starting with a survey of How is my child doing? To take part in the survey go to www.ero.govt.nz – Featured Publications. The survey runs until the end of September and only takes a few minutes to complete.

Meanwhile if you would like a copy of one of the booklets email  info@ero.govt.nz

Upcoming Events:             

3 Sept                                     PTA Meeting

9 Sept                                     Relationship Evening (Yr 7)

10 Sept                                   Relationship Evening (Yr 8)

10 Sept                                   Touch/Netball

16 Sept                                   Relationship Evening (Yr 7)

16 Sept                                   Interschool Hockey

18 Sept                                   Ripper Rugby

20 Sept                                   Library Working Bee

22 Sept                                   3 way conferences

23 Sept                                   Interschool Speeches

26 Sept                                   End of Term Three

13 Oct                                     Beginning of Term Four

14 Oct                                     Photolife – School Photos

 

Community Notices

Holiday Programme “Mission Rescue”

Theme     Spies

Who        Years 1-6

Where     Mahurangi Presbyterian

When       Monday  Sept 29-Friday Oct 3, from  9.15-12.30

Pre-enrolments are  preferable. Suggested donation is $2 per day per child. Forms and  more  information  available from Ann Cates  at ann.cates @roke.co.nz or phone  425 0966.

Mahurangi Mixed Junior Touch Module

 Get your team together for touch starting Thu 16 Oct 14.  Mixed Year 1/2, Year 3/4, Year 5/6, Year 7/8. Boys Year 7/8 & Girls Year 7/8 (if enough teams enter).

Team registration day Thu 11 Sep 3:30pm - 5:30pm at the Mahurangi Rugby Club Rooms.  For more details go to www.mahurangirugbyclub.co.nz

Children’s Flower Arranging Competition

Spring Flower Show 6^th September 2014

5 years and under Sandposies

6-8 year olds make a design of flower petals on a small vaselined plate (17cm)

9-12 year olds make a picture using flower petals on a larger vaselined plate (23cm)

If plates or sand are required phone Ann – 425 5717

Write the child’s name underneath the plate. Bring the entries to Mahurangi Community Centre, Snells Beach on Friday 5^th September between 3 and 4pm or at 9am on 6^th September. Entries should be picked up 3-3.45pm 6^th September.

Trivia Night – 70’s theme

Annual Snells Beach Kindergarten Fundraiser.

12 September 7.30pm

Phone 09 425 6330