Matariki 

Our Junior classes, B1, B2 and B3 have been learning about Matariki, ( The Maori New Year) and this Thursday, June 28 they are having a special day to celebrate. As part of Matariki is sharing, they will start the day sharing healthy food, (provided by the Junior teachers).
As Matariki is a night time event, children are encouraged to wear their pyjamas.

All other classes are welcome to join in with Matariki celebrations and wear their
pyjamas as well. There is a gold coin donation for those wearing pyjamas.

End of Term Assembly
Our end of term assembly and certificate presentation is occurring at 2:00pm on
Friday 6th July in the church. It would be great to see you there. If your child has some awards or trophies at home, can they come back this week please.

Illness at school

Thanks very much to the families who are keeping their child home when they are sick – it does help. Please remember when your child vomits or has diarrhoea that they need to have 24 hours with NO symptoms before they are allowed back at school.

 

 

Grounds Crew

We have a need for a small team of people to help us once a fortnight with odd jobs here at our St Matthew’s site.
Do you know anyone who would love to give us a couple of hours once a fortnight with a few others? It would make such a difference to us here.
This is a great opportunity for you to get to know other families of our school community!
Can you let Mike know in the office;
admin@ourplace.school.nz

Netball
The netball season is well under way and the teams seem to be having a great time. The players have lifted their own skill levels and this is great to see. Year 7 and 8’s head off to a tournament on Wednesday against other year 7 and 8 school teams in Onekawa. They are leaving at 8:30am so they need to be at school early on Wednesday.

Rippa Rugby
The Year 7 and 8 team are playing today and the Year 5 and 6s played on Friday. What a great day it was and I was really impressed with the effort and tenacity shown by the players.

Canteen
There has been a new product added to the Canteen menu– hot noodles. There is beef or chicken and sell for $2.00 each. Unfortunately we have had to increase prices on some items as the prices to us have increased. We encourage you to try the macaroni cheese again as we now have the heating all sorted and they are yum!

 

 

  Breakfast Club

We are very fortunate to have Breakfast Club running every school morning from the Parish Hall. We are extremely grateful to have a small dedicated team that support the club from the school and the parish, but we need a few more. Are you able to spare an hour or two once a fortnight and give us a hand ? We need a few more volunteer's to spread the load. Let Mike know in the school office know if you can help. 

   School Car Parking

The school has been working hard with both the Parish and Waiapu Kids on the carparking, drop off and pick ups during the week. We have tried to make the drop– off in the morning and pick up in the afternoon better. Here are some ideas to make this busy time better...

· Please make sure you use a car park if you are picking up from inside the church grounds—please don’t stop in the driveway.

· If you are walking from somewhere else, please use another gate with your child—not the driveway.

· Consider parking a little further away and walking to meet your child.

· Meet your child at the library.

· Encourage your child to bike or scooter to school—maybe form work or a friends place if it is closer than your house.

· (AND PLEASE don’t honk your horn as you wait for your child!)

We are trying to reduce the walking traffic through the carpark and driveway before and
after school. Your help would be appreciated.

Sugary Drinks

 Just a reminder that only water and the school milk are available for children to drink at school and at school activities.

Other types of drink need to have no sugar or sweetener added to be allowed at school.

Naming Clothing

Thank you SO MUCH to the people that have checked that their child’s uniform is named.

Please please please please please please name your child’s gear—sandals, shorts pinafore, skirt, blouse, shoes, hat,
jersey.

Name it in a place where your child knows to look. Make them responsible for checking they have the right clothing each day, but check it with them.
We can only return articles of clothing if they are NAMED!

 School Fees

We have two types of school fees here at St Matthew’s:

1) Attendance Dues $400.00
($100 per term).

(Paid to The Anglican Diocese of Waiapu) 

These are paid directly to the
Diocese. The fee is set by our
Proprietors and our school has no part in setting it.  This is a compulsory fee that must paid. This fee meets the capital costs of
alterations to school buildings and grounds (plus the building of our Waiapu block), and does not pay for resources.

2) Activity Fees/Voluntary Donation $275.00 paid to the school.  ($68.75 per term).

There is a reduction for multiple children as well, please check with Mr Coyle.
This is split into compulsory fees, e.g. to cover bussing to swimming at Flaxmere Waterworld ( for four weeks per year), also the likes of Technology at Heretaunga.
The voluntary  part covers the extra cost of resources that the Ministry do not fund us for and for the likes of local trips etc. If you have any questions about the School Fees, please talk to Mr Coyle in the office.

 Breakfast Club

Breakfast club is up and running, in the Hall from 8.10 until 8.45 every morning.  All pupils welcome for Weetbix and toast. We are looking for more volunteers to help us in the morning—if you had a spare hour it would be most welcome!

 Term dates for 2018

 They are as follows:

A reminder please that if you are dropping off your child to school after 9:00am, make sure they come in via the office to sign in.
It would be best if you accompany them.

If you are picking up your child
early from school or for an appointment, please do this from the office as well.

Your child will meet you in the school office.

It is not OK to just meet them in the carpark, you need to let the office know.