Tena Koutou Parents, Caregivers and Whanau.
Hello everyone,
Kia ora e hoa mä.
Mā te tuakana ka tōtika te teina, mā te teina ka tōtika te tuakana
(From the older sibling the younger learns how to do it, from the younger sibling the older learns how to be tolerant/everyone has responsibilities, both the old and the young.)
Westpac Chopper Appeal
The students enjoyed welcoming the cyclists on Friday with signs, a Mihi whakatau, and a waiata. The cyclists enjoyed the support from Riversdale School and said ‘it made their day’. We were lucky enough to have the chopper land at school for the students to look in and ask the pilot questions. You can see and hear the children performing on
Thank you students and whanau for your support with donating to the Westpac Chopper Appeal. Riversdale School raised $305.20, which was donated to the appeal. An amazing effort.
Riversdale Home and School Whittaker’s Chocolate Slab Fundraiser
Each family has been allocated one box to sell as part of our fundraiser this term. Boxes and a notice with all the information on pricing etc., will go home with eldest/only children next Monday, 17 May.
Thank you to those families who supplied food and/or their time for catering morning tea for the New Zealand Ploughing Championships earlier in the term.
Waimea Cross Country
WHEN: Thursday 27 May, 2021 (no postponement date).
WHERE: Ray and Louise Ferguson’s property, Blaikie Road, Waikaia (will be signposted from the Waikaia Bridge turn off).
START TIME: 1.00pm Sharp.
Parents/caregivers transport their child/ren up to Waikaia if possible, and teachers can transport any students who need a ride. We will have an early lunch at 12 noon and ask parents/caregivers to collect their child/ren from the front gate at 12:20pm, so you are at Waikaia prior to 1:00pm. Five year olds run first, so it is important they are at Cross Country by 12:50pm.
Please let your child’s teacher know if they need a ride to and from Cross Country. Please notify your bus driver if your child is off the bus on the afternoon of Cross Country.
Ages for competitors are as at the 31 December, 2021.
· Toilets will be open at the Museum in the township.
· It is highly recommended that competitors have a spare set of clothes to change into and a towel.
· As per Southland Primary School rules, gym shoes must be worn (no sprigs, spikes, socks or bare-feet).
If you have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher.
Teacher Only Day
Reminder: On Tuesday 8 June the school will be closed to students for a Teacher Only Day. This is the day after Queens Birthday Monday. This is because teachers and the Board of Trustees are having a professional development session with Tamsin Hanly on New Zealand History, as this will be a compulsory part of the New Zealand Curriculum
as from 2022.
Pink Shirt Day
On Friday 27 May it is Pink Shirt Day to support anti-bullying. Children come dressed in pink and bring a gold coin donation to fundraise for anti-bullying. Every dollar raised helps the Mental Health Foundation to run Pink Shirt Day, raise awareness about bullying prevention, and provide free resources to help make our schools safe and inclusive for everyone.
School Values Awards
At Riversdale School children are awarded House Points for displaying the school values of respectful, responsible and resilient. Children are working towards achieving values targets.
50 House Points = Bronze Values Award.
100 House Points = Silver Values Award.
150 House Points = Gold Values Award.
Congratulations to Hannah and Lexi who received their Bronze School Values Award last Friday for earning 50 House Points in 2021. Ka Pai!
Values Certificates
We will be acknowledging the students that received certificates for displaying the values of being respectful, resilient and responsible, at Riversdale School, in the newsletter the following week.
Ka Pai! You all displayed the school values so well last week.
Coming Up…
Friday 21 May - Pink Shirt Day. Please bring a donation to support anti-bullying.
24 and 25 May - Tess Livingstone from the Education Review Office is at school.
Thursday 27 May - Waimea Cross Country at Waikaia.
Monday 31 May - Board of Trustees meeting, 7:30pm.
Thursday 3 June - Northern Cross Country.
Thursday 3 June - Freeze your bits off busking competition. School Choir performing in Gore.
Monday 7 June - Queen’s Birthday observed – school closed.
Tuesday 8 June - Teacher Only Day. School closed to students.
Friday 18 June - Southland Cross Country at the Waimumu Field Days site.
Riversdale Lions Club are looking for sports groups or organizations to cater for their monthly meetings. For further information contact Lindsay Hall.
Board Corner
Sonia and Kay worked with School Trustees Association trainer Gigi Hollyer on Tuesday afternoon, on the Board’s Governance Manual which defines the Boards ways of working.
Sonia, Kay, and Tori worked through sections of the Education Review Office Assurance Audit document on Monday evening.
The Education Review Office (ERO) commences its review process with the school on 24th and 25th of May. Tess Livingstone will be the schools Evaluation Partner for the next three years and will be visiting the school over this period in order to assure the Ministry of Education that education is as it should be for our tamariki.
Tyler and Gavin have looked at the playground and assessed where work needs to be done e.g. soft fall put in some areas, repairs, updates to equipment etc.
The Board is working on the Strategic Plan for the next three years. They would really like your ideas for our school going forward. Later this term there will be an opportunity for you to come along and have a say. We will keep you posted about the date and time for this.
The Board of Trustees next meeting is Monday 31 May at 7.30pm in the school staffroom. Everyone is welcome to attend, just let Pam in the office know if you are coming along.
