Welcome to a New Year

12th February 2016

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Just a note to let you know how things are progressing in class and some organisational reminders.

General

The class has settled very well into the various routines of class life and there is a happy and 

 contented feel to the place. Can I take the opportunity now to express my thanks to Mrs. Victoria Lindley for her efforts with the group over the first two weeks of my absence. My son Reuben is recuperating well after his back operation-something that neither he nor I would want to go through again. Thanks again for your good wishes and patience. 

Camp

Camp this year will at the Waipara Riverside Park, with Rooms 14 and 16.  The dates are 13-15 of April. The cost will be around the $145 mark, it sounds expensive but it includes all activities, instructors and catered food.  If you wish to “drip-feed” some of this amount off that’s fine. If you wish to come on camp please make yourself known to me in the next couple of weeks. 

Homework

Please check and sign your child’s homework notebook sometime during the week (because of my two week delay we will start this the week after next, 29/2).  This book also has reminders and general class information in it, so it is important that you sight it. Chores and activities after school also count as homework e.g. swimming or music lessons or even helping with the evening’s meal.  These you can list on the “homework and reminders” page.

Your child will have a list of spelling words and a family of number facts to learn by Friday.  These lists are issued on Monday and re-tested on Friday. Your child will also be expected to read for 20 minutes each evening and watch at least 3 news broadcasts during the week or read one of the locally delivered newspapers or read www.kiwikidsnews.co.nz.

In addition to this the children will have various activities to complete which involves the web-site - www.studyladder.co.nz. It is not my intention for homework to be an onerous activity for families but something that extends learning which is already happening in the classroom. More information will be given on this at the three-way conferences next month.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any queries or concerns. www.gary.pinker@parkview.school.nz.

Best Regards

Gary Pinker

Classroom Teacher

Room 15