Term 3 Week 6

Term 3 Week 6

Swimming

Now that we have had the permission slips come back we can confirm the cost of swimming and the timetable. 

It would be great if each class could have 2-3 parents go on the bus with us but if you are unable to come on the bus you are always more than welcome to join us at Pioneer. This year, Timatanga and Tuakana will both be taking part in Swim Safe lessons at Pioneer and will be sharing a bus. Because of the large number of children on the bus, we cannot have preschool siblings on the bus.

We have set up a Google Doc to collect swimming helpers. Please look carefully to make sure you sign up with the correct Home Base. 

We only need to know if you are coming on the bus

Sign Up Here

Book Week 

Te Wiki O Te reo Maori

Look out for some fun and exciting events for Maori Language Week next week including colouring in competitions and our Whanau Hangi day on Thursday. 

Coming Up in Week 7:

• Te Wiki O Te Reo Maori
• Monday: Timatanga Cricket Sessions
• Tuesday: Library
• Thursday: Hangi Lunch Day

Coming Up in Week 8:

• Book Week
• Tuesday: Library
• Wednesday: Sushi Day
• Friday: Whole School Assembly

Term 3 Week 5

Week 5

Skiffle Band Show 

We had a wonderful time at the show last week. Some of us got to be part of the skiffle band on stage, some of us did a workshop with Dave after the show but we all learnt about some new instruments that were created from things around the house like the washboard.

Touch Rugby

Below is the registration link for Thorrington pupils for touch rugby at Centennial park on Thursdays from 4pm for Term 4, 2018. Registrations will be open until Friday 14th September. Please make sure that you include your child's team name from last year as we will keep existing teams together if your child wishes to play in that team. The cost for the season for playing is approx $20, and if you need a t shirt with team name and number on it is $20, this will be added to your school account.  You will need to fill in one form per player. The grades are: Year1/2, Year 3/4, Year 5/6, mixed and boys

https://goo.gl/forms/SE5b9XLg8q4aS1CG2 

Mufti Day

Book Week

This will be in Week 8, Monday 10 - Friday 14 September. The theme is ‘Spring Fling’. Please help your child get the following things ready for this (these are optional):

• Book Parade: Dress as your favourite Book Character. Your challenge is to relate it to Spring!
• ‘Oh, the Places we Read’ Competition: Take a photo of your child reading somewhere creative. The more imaginative, the better!
• Poem Competition: Any type of ‘Spring’ poems will be accepted. Haikus, acrostic, limericks, etc.

Coming Up in Week 6:

• Tuesday - Murray Gadd visiting (Year 2 Teachers will be out of the class for the first block                      
• Tuesday Evening - Murray Gadd presenting to parents, 7pm in Year 2 Space
• Wednesday - Mrs Rodda will be on a course, Keith Hamilton will be in L2
• Friday - Mufti Day (Optional animal dress up)

Coming Up in Week 7:

• Monday - Timatanga Cricket sessions
• Thursday - School Hangi Day

Term 3, Week 4

Term 3 Week 4

Art Attack Week! 

We had a great time doing our Calendar Art this week. We looked at an artist called Gérard Dansereau from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He includes cats in a lot of his art works. 

You can check out our art in the red folders in our Year 2 Space.

Strike Day

The Year 2 teachers joined the 3,000 other Christchurch teachers in Cathedral Square on Wednesday to strike for better pay and conditions. If you have any questions about the teacher strike or would like any more information about our negotiations please ask one of us anytime.

Coming Up in Week 5:

• Monday: Songwriters Workshop 
• Tuesday: Library
• Wednesday: Carl Scurr on release - Olivia Grantham in L1

Coming Up in Week 6:

• Dr Murray Gadd visiting Thorrington School 
• Tuesday: Parent Evening - Dr Murray presenting about writing (please RSVP to office)
• Tuesday: Library 

Reminder: Please send back expressions of interest for Timatanga Swimming

Term 3, Week 3

Term 3 Week 3

Calendar Art

Every year the PTA run the Calendar Art fundraiser. We will be creating some art next week that will be turned into a calendar, notebook, diary or mousepad for you to purchase. Once we have completed our art it will be available for you to look at in our Year 2 space. More information about purchasing and order forms will be sent home later in the term. In order to get this artwork completed, we will not be running our reading programme next week and no reading books will come home. 

Coming up in Week 4:

• Tuesday - library day
• Wednesday - school closed
• Friday - PTA Scared Scriptless Night 
• No reading books home (see above)

Coming up in Week 5:

• Monday - songwriting and performing workshops (see digital permission email)
• Tuesday - library day
• Wednesday - Mr Scurr on release, Olivia Grantham in L1

Teacher Strike Day

Thorrington School will be closed for instruction on Wednesday 15th August.

Please see notice from our BOT below:

Important information regarding planned strike and school closure on 15 August

Primary teachers and principals – who are members of the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) – have voted to undertake a full day strike on Wednesday 15 August.

The Board has carefully considered whether it is viable for Thorrington School to remain open on the day of the strike. The conclusion is that it would not be possible to access the required staffing to provide normal teaching services or to meet child supervision requirements during the strike. On this basis, we have decided to close the school.

We understand that this may cause inconvenience for our parent community and students, but we must put student safety and wellbeing first. It is important that parents make alternative arrangements for the care of your children on the day of the strike.

We iterate that the school will be closed and will not be providing any supervision for children on Wednesday 15 August.

Last term NZEI called for teachers and principals to attend union meetings to further contract negotiations with the Ministry of Education. As an outcome of the union meetings, the Ministry presented an offer which NZEI members felt did not address the workload issue, the need for extra learning support or ways to stem the growing crisis in recruiting and retaining teachers.

The Thorrington Board of Trustees is supportive of our teachers and principal (and all New Zealand primary teachers and principals) who are taking this stand. The importance of attracting and keeping high-quality teachers and ensuring conditions where they can deliver the very best education to our students cannot be overstated. We are incredibly fortunate to have excellent leaders, teachers and support staff at Thorrington, who always have our students’ best interests at heart. We know they have not taken the decision to strike lightly.

Negotiation between the Ministry of Education and NZEI are ongoing. If anything changes before 15 August, we will let you know.

For more information see the NZEI information below.

• Outline of "It's Time" campaign 
  
• Understanding Strikes
• Ministry's recent offer

Nga mihi nui,
Mel AtkinsonBoard of Trustees Chairperson

Timatanga Assembly

L3 will be hosting Timatanga Assembly this week. 

Assembly is at 12pm on Friday in the school hall. We hope to see you there!

Term 3 Week 2

Week 2

What a week we had in Year 2 this week. We had some visitors from Ecan come and talk to us about storm water and keeping our waterways clean. It is part of our Inquiry this term. Check out our learning wall to keep with what we are doing and learning.

Important Dates for Week 3:

Tuesday: Library day

Important Dates for Week 4:

Wednesday: Teacher's on Strike (more information to come)

Friday: PTA Scared Scriptless Night