Individual Learners' Blogs

Wednesday, 12 August 2015

Week 4, Term 3


Dear Parents, Caregivers and Friends

Please enjoy the following from Board Chair, David Townsend.

It was great to have so many of you at our parent meeting last week to hear about the Feuerstein programme in our school, and to hear about our future. 2015 is a very exciting time to be involved in Mahurangi Christian School.

At the Talent Show at school camp earlier this year, I was really impressed with how our children have built a strong community of support and encouragement for each other.  It is clear that with right culture in our school, great things grow. Confidence grows in our children, learning grows in our children and faith grows in our children.

As a board and staff members, we too believe that if we get our culture right as a community, good things will also grow in and around the school.

Lots and lots is happening right now - I would be so bold as to say that, in this area and around our school God has a plan, and God is on the move.

Below I’ve addressed some Frequently Asked Questions regarding changes coming up:

Will MCS be a satellite school of Kingsway?
No. It will be entirely separate, with a separate BOT, separate staff etc. Decisions such as curriculum, uniform and attendance dues are not connected to KingsWay School, and KingsWay Trust is fully supportive of the leadership of current board and management.

What is happening about the change of proprietorship?
The process is going really well but the sale can’t be completed until the council have subdivided the site between the church and the school. In order to subdivide the school needs a new toilet block which is in the process of being planned for.

What else is the board doing?
We are investing back into the school. Extra funds being spent on teachers, on classroom refits and new furniture.
We are investing in marketing. We want to make sure that the community and surrounding area knows about us.

What is happening about the school name?
Around two years ago the BOT started talking about the importance of making a statement to the community and to ourselves that speaks of a new season that is coming to the school. Whilst honouring the foundations that have been laid in the past, we believe that we are now being led forward to another level at the school.
We have been discussing the idea of changing the school name to something fresh that reflected who we are and where we are going.
Dozens of names have been discussed at length over the last two years, with dozens of taglines to better express the name, but eventually we have rounded them down to a single name that we would like to now put forward to you all as a proposal for how we will proceed moving forward.

HORIZON SCHOOL
Loving Life, Living Faith, Looking Forward

Horizon speaks of the journey we are taking children on. The journey of learning, of growing and of faith. It speaks of numerous possibilities, spreading out before our students as they step into the world. And it speaks of preparing students for a journey that they cannot yet see in it’s entirety, to not only teach our classes facts and information, but also to teach them how to learn, and give them the building blocks they need to solve problems in their lives that they currently don’t even know they are going to face.

Loving Life - We are called to live a loving life “Love one another as you love yourselves” and to be people each day that are “loving life”

Living Faith - We are called to have a living faith as well as to live faith (and not just talk about it).

Looking forward - As a school we need to be looking forward into the future to best prepare the students for what lies ahead of them. We also want our students to be ‘looking forward’ to tomorrow with faith and enthusiasm, in the way a child is ‘looking forward’ to School Camp or Christmas morning.

What has the response been from parents at the meeting?
At the conclusion of the meeting, parents were invited to respond to this name proposal. The response was overwhelmingly in favour of the name change and tagline. The Board will meet to discuss this further and consider the comments of parents who had comments or suggestions.

David Townsend
Board of Trustee Chairperson

School News                                                                            

Parent Group

Minute to Win it - What a night!

Thank you to everyone who came to support this fundraiser
which was a huge success.
We trust you all had a great evening of fun with family and friends.

The overall winners for the night were the The Bees Knees (Boaz Carstensen's family),followed by The Crew of Awesomeness (Hunter Worthington's family)
and then The Meafous (Praise and Volaki's family).

We are still tallying up the funds raised so we will update everyone next week.

Friday lunches will start next Friday - August 14th.

Pajama Day

This Friday (14th August) the Year 7 & 8 students are organizing a Pajama Day for all the students.  All students can come to school in their Pajama’s.  Please bring a gold coin donation.

Policy for Sick Children
We have had a number of children sick with Strep throat recently.  Strep throat is highly contagious and must be treated with antibiotics.  If your child catches strep throat they need to remain at home until they are no longer contagious.  We ask that this happens to protect the other members of the school and to contain the spread of the infection.

It is also school policy that students stay home if they have a tummy bug.  Students need to be kept at home till they have been clear of vomiting for at least 24 hours.


Hockey
The hockey draw this week is:

MCS Rockets vs Snells Beach– 9.20am, Field 2
SB Strikers vs SB Snapdragons  – 10.10am Field 1 /2


Assembly
This Friday, Room 3 & 4 will be taking assembly.  We will be hearing some of the Year 4-8 speeches.  Parents, caregivers and friends are all welcome to attend.

Lyn Williams Parent Group
The next parent discussion evening will be on:
Wednesday 26th August 7 – 8pm
Topic: Homework 


Wanted
We are in need of some older people or mums to listen to children reading on a rostered basis. Can you, or someone you know help once or twice a week for 30 minutes to half an hour? Please contact Helen.

Community Notices                                                                  

Wired to Connect – a Fresh Look at Behaviour and Learning
Internationally renowned Canadian Developmental Psychologist – Dr Gordon Neufeld will be speaking to parents and professionals on the latest in attachment science.  He will be speaking at either The Parenting Place or Laidlaw College from Monday 9th November – Friday 13 November.

Further details can be found at www.gordonneufeld.co.nz, and tickets can be purchased from www.iticket.co.nz


Children’s writing competition
This is the term of the Children’s Writing Competition! It’s a great chance for your students to see their work in print. All those whose writing is selected for publication will receive a free copy of the book, Kids in Print 2014. There are other prizes too and $50 for the winner of the Val Shearer trophy.
The closing date for the competition is Friday 11th September. Students can send in one piece of writing or they can enter in all three categories: fiction, non-fiction and poetry. The entry fee is $5, however many pieces are submitted.
Further information is available on our website www.HibiscusCoastWriters.weebly.com or you can email  g.k.henderson777@gmail.com.
Parenting Evening
Westminster School is running a parent evening with quest speaker Yvonne Godfrey, on Thursday 10th September 7.30pm – 9pm. 

Yvonne Godfrey is the author of Parenting Yadults.  The meeting will be held at Westminster School  - 31 Westminster Gardens, Unsworth Heights.  Gold coin donation.  Further details can be found at www.parentingyadults.com


Blue Light
The local Bluelight Organisation is organizing a trip to Rainsbows End for Year 7 & 8 students on Sunday 13st September.  Cost is $35 and includes, entry, transport and a sausage.  Enquires to the Blue Light Office on (09) 423 8545.


Spring Flower Show
The Snells Beach Garden Circle are having a Sping Flower Show on Saturday 5th September, at Mahurangi East Community Centre.  Doors open at 1pm.



Current Home Builders Courses:

Arthur Hopkins Pruning for Beginners
From learning how to select and buy quality trees to pruning mature trees this workshop takes you through the fundamentals of pruning and caring for your trees.
Date: Friday 14th August 9.30-12.30 Warkworth

Chris Pedersen’s Innovative ways to prepare vegetables
Come along to a practical workshop that inspires the use of vegetables to enhance your main meal of the day.  
Date:  Friday 21st August 9.30am - 12.30 am. Warkworth

Chris Pederson’s Baking Course
Baking ideas that will help top up those lunch boxes and bring home treats into the cake and biscuit tin. 
Date: Friday 18th of September 9.30-12.30 Warkworth

Free child minding is also provided if notified on enrollment
To enroll or join our email list contact us on Homebuilders.courses@hotmail.com, or phone 09 4257048, or text 0276226809.




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