Welcome to Term 4
Kia ora Parents and Caregivers,
Term 3 was certainly a full on term. I'm glad I've got a chance in the holidays to have a rest because term 4 will be another big term!
Our speeches in term 3 were a great success. Siu and Solomon came first and second equal in the Year 2 speech competition, while Saffron came first in the Year 1 speech competition. An excellent result for Room 8. The rest of the class also performed very well.
Nikau Syndicate spent Thursday afternoons in Term 3 practising gymnastics in our new hall. The children had a fabulous time and learnt many new skills. Thanks to our Year 6 helpers Bradley and Baeley who helped us every week. In term 4 several of the children in the Nikau Syndicate will display their new gymnastics skills at a school assembly. In term 4 we will be concentrating on small ball skills and athletics for PE. Athletics Day (Friday November 12th) is one of my favourite days of the year. I know Room 8 will be practising hard for their relay race against Room 7 and Room 9.
Our inquiry for term 4 will be based around pirates. On the first Wednesday of term 4 we will be having 'Pirate Day' where we will immerse the children in pirate related activities. It would be helpful if you could spend some time in the holidays helping your child find a pirate costume to wear. On Tuesday of week 3 the students will be watching a performance from 'Molly the Pirate'. There will be a small fee for this performance, a notice will come home about it at the beginning of term 4. Our concept for this term is 'Dare to Imagine'. As well as our pirate inquiry, we will be concentrating on art, dance, and music.
On Tuesday of week 2 (19th October) Room 8 will be going planting with Room 20 as part of the Twin Streams Project. Please let me know if you could come and help us. The more helpers we have, the better. As usual, children will require a change of clothes to stop their uniforms getting dirty.A reminder notice will come home about this at the beginning of Term 4.
Sunnyvale's 50th Jubilee will be held at the end of week 2 (Labour weekend). There will be a 'mix-and-mingle' on the Friday night and the official opening of the hall on the Saturday. The classrooms will all be open on the Saturday for people to have a walk through. We encourage you and your children to take this opportunity to come down and visit.
Room 8 is very lucky to have the lovely Miss Luke, a student teacher, in class with us for the first five weeks of the term. She will Room 8's main teacher for the majority of this time. Miss Luke is originally from England. She has worked as an accountant and also in Japan as an English teacher. She is very active and participates in many different sports. I know the children in Room 8 will love having her as a teacher. I will still be in the classroom helping out and you are still able to direct any inquiries to me.
I am continuing to update our writing page with samples of our writing. This term our focus is on poetic writing. Please take the time to look at our writing pages to see what we have been writing about.
As you may be aware there is a big focus on national standards going on throughout New Zealand. Sunnyvale is currently endeavouring to align its reporting and assessment with the expectations of the national standards. The impact in years 1 - 3 will be bigger than for the older students, as assessment in the first three years needs to occur on the anniversary of the date that each child starts school. From year 4 onwards assessment and reporting occurs at the middle and end of the year, which is the traditional way of assessing and reporting. If you are concerned about your child's progress, or would like to discuss national standards in more detail, please come and have a chat with me.
Jenny Keber
Contact times: I am available to meet with parents on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday mornings from 8:15am onwards. On Wednesday mornings I have traffic duty and on Friday mornings I have a senior teacher meeting. I have meetings after school on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. However, if you let me know I can change the time of my meetings. Otherwise you are able to leave a message for me at the office or email me at jennyk@sunnyvale.school.nz.
Morning Routines: School starts at 8.55 am. Your child is allowed in the classroom from 8.15 am. It is important that they arrive at school in time to put away their bags, have a little play and have a chance to settle in so they are ready for the day ahead.
Book Bag: Your child will bring a book home with them every night (as long as they have their book bag with them). Please take time to read and discuss with them the book they have brought home. Please fill out their reading journal.
LEARNING AREAS
Writing: The major writing focus for the term will be poetic writing. Children will be learning to add poetic language, such as adjectives, adverbs, similes and rhyming words to their writing.
Maths: The main focus for this term will be on multiplication and division. Our strand focus will be on meansurement.
Reading: Group reading will start back in the first week. Students will read with me or Miss Luke 3 - 5 times per week (depending on which group they are in). On the days students read with me they will bring home the book that they have read. On other days they will bring home a book from their choosing box. They can only take home books if they have brought their book bag to school.
Please come and see me if reading at home with your child is causing problems or stress. We may be able to sort out a better and happier system!
Concept: Dare to Imagine
PE: Small Ball Skills and Athletics
