Newsletter 28 February 2012

28 February 2012 Term 1 Week 5 12/4

Dear Parents & Caregivers
Kia ora koutou katoa

I am a member of the NZEI Principals’ Council - I represent the NZ Normal Schools Association.

The Council meets 4 times a year in Wellington and I have just attended the first meeting of 2012. Much of what was discussed worried me so I thought I’d relay some of the important issues to you.

The biggest concern I have is the possibility that the Government will take the role of employing the local principal away from the Board of Trustees and put it in the hands of the local Ministry of Education staff or the State Services Commission.

Board of Trustees have been in existence since 1989. They were designed by David Lange who was both PM and Minister of Education to give local communities influence over how their local school was operated.

Trustees see the appointment and oversight of their principal as one of their most important jobs. If this was taken off them they would become merely school committees with very little influence.

I see this as a regressive step for our communities. I suspect the Government do not like that principals are not covered by the State Services gagging condition - we are allowed to speak our minds and on occasion do so!

But that in itself is not a good reason to undo the current system of self governing schools. There must be more to it.

I fear that big business is working for a way to muscle in on the state education sector - we see this in the trial of so called Charter Schools, another recent government initiative. But do we want schools to operate in the marketplace? Surely our children are not to be considered economic units?!

Anyway, New Zealand education scored in the top 4 in a recent OECD report so playing around with a successful model seems foolish to me.

Kia Kaha tatou Katoa ki te tautoko o tatou tamariki, mokopuna hoki.

John McKenzie
Principal

Welcome
We welcome Haylee who has started in Room 8 and Thomas who has started in Room 11. We also welcome our new group of College of Education students who will be in the senior classes and R8 on Mondays and Tuesdays for the rest of this term.

Assembly
Assembly will be held in the hall this Friday at 2.20pm. It will be led by R8 with items by Rooms 3 and 10. Parents and caregivers are welcome to attend.

Parent/Teacher/Child Goal Setting
Appointment times for the 3 way teacher/child/parent conferences being held on Monday 5th, Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th March have been sent home today.

Smart Food School Lunches
Smart Food lunches are available on Mondays and Thursdays at NEVNS. The lunch consists of two sandwiches, a piece of fruit, a home made biscuit or muffin and a jelly or milk pudding. The cost is $3.50 or $4.50 for a larger lunch with two extra
sandwiches. Orders and money need to be in to the School Office by 9am.

Road Patrol and Road Safety
Thank you to those parents who have volunteered to help with road patrol. If you are able to assist we still have 2 vacancies in the afternoon. Parents supervising the road patrollers have asked that parents/caregivers cross at the crossing on North Road and not do U turns in front of the school.

Update Contact Details
Many thanks to those families who have updated their contact details. Please send any outstanding forms to the office if your details have changed.

Scholastic Book Club
Leaflets for Issue 1 have been sent home. Orders with money need to be into the office by next Wednesday 7 March. If paying by cheque, please make cheque payable to Scholastic NZ.

Wheels Days
The last 2 wheels days on Friday lunchtimes have been very successful so it has been decided to continue with the senior and junior classes having alternate Fridays. This Friday is the turn of the senior classes. If anyone has a bike or scooter in good working order that could be kept at school for children to use please let the office know. Children who bring their bikes will need to wear a helmet. A helmet is optional for scooters or skateboards.

Flippaball Results
On Sunday the senior Gold team lost 0 goals to 4. The junior Silver team played two games and won 4 goals to 0 and then 10 games to 0. Mrs Hesson reports that Hamish Watts played very well for the Silver team. Well done Hamish!

BOT News
The Board of Trustees held their monthly meeting last night. Board members are Steve O’Connor (Chairperson and Parent Representative), John McKenzie (Principal), Karen Sintmaartensdijk (Teacher Representative), Jesseme Jones and George O’Brien (Parent
Representatives). The board is hoping to fill another parent representative position.

At the meeting it was decided to hold a social fish and chip evening next Friday 9 March at 5pm. It will be an opportunity to meet Board members and other school families in an informal setting. Anyone interested in the work of the Board might like to discuss the role with a Board member at this occasion.

The Board were pleased to welcome Claire Spittles, Paula Watts and Janice McFarlane, 3 members from the PTA, at the start of the meeting. Steve acknowledged the valuable work of the PTA in both fundraising and in supporting the school. Both groups discussed further projects and agreed to focus on upgrading outdoor equipment, with a view to painting the playground equipment (watch this space for details of a working bee!) and to investigate new fitness or exercise equipment.

PTA News
Donation
The PTA have agreed to donate $300 to be used by Mrs Will to purchase new books and activities for visiting kindy and preschool children

Easter Raffle
Yes – we are already thinking about the Easter Raffle! It would be greatly appreciated if we could get donations to be used for the prizes again this year (non-perishable items, books, drink, etc). We will also be asking businesses to help contribute. There will be a box in the office until Tuesday 13th March for donation collection. Thank you so much for taking the time to help with this.

EZ covers
These are a selection of New Zealand designed and made re-usable book covers for school exercise books. Each cover costs $1.30 and comes in sizes to fit all NZ exercise books. You place orders online at www.ezcover.co.nz and for each cover you buy the PTA will receive 5c. If you enter our special code (XFC186) when ordering, our donation will be doubled to 10c per cover. Every order also receives 12 stick on book labels. Covers are selling fast – so be in quick!

School Banking
Banking day is each Wednesday. At the end of each term all children with active (minimum of 6 deposits per term) accounts will be mailed a Hoyts movie voucher. Banking is fun and teaches your child the merits of putting some money in the bank regularly and watching the total grow!

PTA Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 22nd March, at 3.15pm. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Community News
Further details are available on the notice board in the school office.

North Junior Football: 2012 Registration Day Saturday 3 March at Chingford Park 11am-1pm. Contact Donald Liddell 473 7226, or www.footballsouth.co.nz and look for Northern Juniors.

Rabbit Show Pet Corner: Otago Rabbit Breeders Society Autumn Rabbit Show. When: Sunday March 11th.Where: Kaikorai Valley College at 10.00am. Cost: 50 cent entry per pet rabbit. All rabbits must be kept in a sturdy cage (a cat carrier will do) on an old towel or cloth, have a water bottle and pellets. Rabbits will be inspected for good health prior to entry to the show with the entry fee paid after inspection. Prizes for longest ears, biggest feet, largest rabbit, smallest rabbit, fluffiest rabbit, and more! For more information please ring Andrea on 473-8051 or 027-466-7113.

Let's Make Music is a fun introduction to music for 5 - 7 year olds. Level 1 is for 5 - 6 year olds and focuses on general music skills - beat, rhythm, music notes, listening. Level 2 is for 6 - 7 year olds and children spend time learning instruments - 2 terms on recorder and 1 term each on violin and chime bars. LMM is run after school on Tuesdays (Mornington School), Wednesdays (Elmgrove School), Thursdays (Tainui School) and on Saturday mornings at George Street School and Bathgate Park School. Contact Justine Pierre 4727893 or justine.r.pierre@ gmail.com

Pine Hill Girls Brigade has started back. Wednesday’s 6.00-7.30pm. Juniors age 5-8 years, Seniors age 9-12 years and Pioneers 13 and above. We meet at St Marks Presbyterian Church, 304 Pine Hill Road. All welcome. Enquiries to 4730033.


NEV Normal School Banking is Proudly Sponsored by Credit Union South

NZCU SOUTH
26 Filleul Street
Dunedin 9059
Ph 03 4771473
www.nzcusouth.co.nz
email enquiries@nzcusouth.co.nz

Remember School Banking Day is Wednesday

Application forms are available at the school office