St Marys School

01 December 2011

Dear Parents, Caregivers, Family and Friends

Another busy week as we race to the end of the year.

I was very proud of our students and staff when they welcomed our ERO visitors to St Mary’s. They were very impressed with the Powhiri.

Thank you to those Board of Trustees members who were able to join us.

ERO have acknowledged our many strengths and have also given guidance on how we might improve in some areas.

CORRECTIONS

I have a couple of corrections to last week’s newsletter.

Dale Julius has been at St Marys for three years not two! – doesn’t time go quickly when you are having fun!

There was also a typo in the diary dates. The last day of this term is 15 December and we finish school at 12.30pm and of course it will be the usual finish time of 2.55pm on Tuesday 31 January, the first day back at school.

We will also be finishing at 1pm on Friday 9 December after our sleep over so children and adults can catch up on the sleep they missed!

A BIG THANK YOU to

Lee who spent hours organising and then last Sunday attaching hessian to board for cloak bay displays and measured and organised the purchase of the materials for us.

CONGRATULATIONS to:

Pauline who won the autographed

All Black Doll.

ACTIVITY WEEK

We are still looking for helpers and tents and volunteers for the sleep over and parent helpers for the Rooms 1 & 2 trip to Donnelly’s Flat and the Rooms 3 & 6 bike ride to Kokotau Bridge.

QUOTE FOR THE WEEK

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.
Calvin Coolidge

Have a safe and happy weekend.

God Bless You All

Deirdre

Diary Dates – see event calendar - website

5 December – Friends meeting at 7.30pm

9 December – Ladies night fundraiser

5-9 December – ACTIVITY WEEK

12 December – XMAS DISCO 6.30pm-8pm

13/14 December – Year 8 trip

14 December – End of Year celebration

15 December – Last day of Term 4, school finishes 12.30pm

31 January 2012 – first day, Term 1

9 Feb – Parent information evening (proposed date – information to follow)

TWILIGHT HOCKEY

Please pay your subs ASAP.  Thank you to those who paid promptly.

Score from last week

4-3 loss to Kia Kaha Greytown – a close game though.

Tonight’s game is

4.00pm St Mary’s vs. Carterton Kings ST/1

SLEEP OVER NIGHT

We need to know what numbers of children are planning to sleep over on Thursday night 8 December for our planning purposes.  Please let Lisa know if your child/ren will not be staying over.

XMAS DISCO

St Mary’s School Xmas Disco

When: Monday 12 December

Time: 6.30pm till 8.00pm

Where: St Mary’s Hall

Theme: Dress for Christmas (optional)

Entry: Gold Coin

For sale: Glow Sticks and Yummy food

SOUTH WAIRARAPA ATHLETICS REPORT

Firstly, thank you so much to Lee and Mel who stayed and assisted for the day.  We had a large team attend and everyone performed very well.

A special mention Kayleigh-Rose and Joe Q who will be representing us at the Wellington Regional Athletics Event next week in Quoits and Michael who will run in the Year 5 boys 1000m race at this event.  Good luck and best wishes to you – a letter with full information and permission slip will be sent home to you.

TROPHIES

Could all those that were presented with Academic, sporting or cultural trophies in 2010 please return them to the school office?

PHOTO REQUEST

Please email or send to school photos of mothers/fathers, grandmothers/grandfathers or somebody who cares and shows love towards us, to be displayed as part of our Feast Day next week.

SCHOOL PHOTO ORDERS

If you have not placed your orders at school please deliver your order directly to Nikoliason’s Photo Centre and it will be delivered back to our school.

FINAL BOOK CLUB ORDERS

The final Scholastic book club orders for 2012 are due at school tomorrow – Friday 2 December.  If you would like to order books for Christmas presents please give the order directly to Lisa and clearly indicate that these are for gifts.  When the books arrive at school they will be held in the office and we will contact you.

FRIENDS MEETING

TUESDAY 5 DECEMBER AT 7.30PM

This Friends meeting is to finalise arrangements for the Ladies night fundraiser.

**LADIES NIGHT FUNDRAISER**

This is the Friends group final fundraiser for 2011.  The money raised will give us a good start towards helping school meet budget needs next year.  Please support us by selling and buying tickets now.

Tickets can be purchased in the mornings at the school office, Clareville Garden Centre or Simply Devine Beauty Therapy.  Invite your friends, family and neighbours.  This will be a fun night out and could be a good opportunity to purchase Christmas presents for family members.

We would appreciate a donation from each family of a plate of ‘Christmas’ finger food for the supper on the night.  Deliver this to the school office before 3.00pm on Friday 9 December please.

CALENDARS  

Orders can still be placed for these – please do so before 9.00am on Monday 5 December so that there is time for all orders to be processed.  These make very good Christmas presents.  The calendar this year is all printed in colour – you can view a sample in the school office.

LIBRARY STOCKTAKE

The library staff is looking for volunteers to help with the annual stocktake which will be started on Monday 5 December.  If you are available to help (even if it is only for one or two hours) please talk to Sandra and Maria.  This is not a difficult task and many hands make light work.  Maria and Sandra volunteer all of their time to the library every Monday so please consider coming to help them next week.

PARISH GARAGE SALE

December 3 9.00am at the church weather permitting or hall if wet.

2012 – BOARD RUN PARENT INFO EVENING. This is planned for Thursday 9 February 2012.  There will be a short survey sent home before this.  More info to follow.