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Riversdale School Newsletter Term 4 Week 8

Welcome: Thomas Miller.


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.)

Year 8 Graduation


Regretfully, I have to advise that after discussion with Croydon Lodge we are no longer going there.


I now have to inform you that members of the wider community can no longer attend the Year 8 Graduation Ceremony. This is because of Covid restrictions.


We are now holding the Year 8 Graduation Ceremony in the school hall, but under Orange CFP Level it has a limited number of fifty. By the time we have our beautiful Year 8 students counted in this number they are only able to bring three whanau members each, and we are at the limit.


This reflects our new way operating as a school in these interesting times.


WOW-WHEE AND WELL DONE to KIMBERLEY HARPER, KATIE BLATCH AND KAYLA MARTIN

This team (along with the teachers) has done THE MOST AMAZING Christmas Carols video, which will be shared on Facebook and the Home and School page, as well as uploaded onto our school website. It is very professional, and Kimberley Harper did the videoing of this to an amazingly high level.


Great School Water Fight


On Thursday 16 December we will be holding our annual water fight at school. This happens during school time and children can opt out if they do not wish to be part of the water fight. Children will need to bring their togs and a towel or a change of clothes and a towel, so they have dry clothing to go home in. Children can bring water guns or containers to use during the water fight. No water balloons are allowed, as they make too much rubbish on the school grounds. There will be a senior area and a junior area for the water fight.


School Camps in 2022


Our camps are booked!


Years 5 and 6 to Bannockburn on 04 – 06 April, 2022.

Years 7 and 8 to Deep Cove on 10 – 14 April, 2022.


Reminders: You will need to have a current Police Vet and be double vaccinated to be able to attend a school camp. If you need a Police Vetting form, please text or email Pam in the school office:

027 5553534 or office@riversdale.school.nz


Board of Trustees News:


At the last meeting of the 2021 year the following matters were discussed:

  • Congratulations to Kimberley Harper and Georgia Callander for achieving their University of Canterbury Better Start Literacy Approach Microcredential. This was a considerable amount of work and a great achievement of a university level paper.

  • Our school roll is 130 lovely tamariki.

  • The Graduation Ceremony has changed venue to be in the school hall with a limit of 50 people, due to Covid restrictions under Orange Level.

  • Basic Facts Report Term 3, 2021. This was presented and discussed. Given the lockdown period in Term 3, results are pleasing.

  • The photos from the Pause, Breathe, Smile National group were shared with us. There are beautiful photos of all the tamariki who were taking part in this on the day the photographer came, and we are able to use these to update our website, which will be done in 2022. See a sample below.

  • The policies and procedures for assurance were presented by Victoria Tremaine and discussed. The ones that need updated, or actioned, are Emergency Kit and Emergency Evacuation. Reminder – all of our Policies and Procedures are on the Schooldocs site and the password is Excellence.

  • Property – the new boundary fence will be put up over the school holidays. The ground will be tidied up prior to this happening.

  • Finance – the 2022 Budget was adopted.

  • Covid – a folder with all information relating to what to do, should we get a case at school, is held on the staffroom shelf.

  • Teacher Only Day – this was well utilized by teachers in writing student reports. These have been handed to Kay, and will go home on Friday 17th December with the oldest child in each family. The 2022 class lists will be in the envelope with the reports.

  • Stationery for 2022 will be managed the same as at the beginning of this year. Packs for each year group will be held at the school office and available for pick up and payment in the week prior to school opening. This method of getting your child’s books was very easy and ‘fuss-free’.

  • Swimming Pool. This is up and running. The heat pump is (hopefully) not too far away. With fine weather the temperature should come up to a suitable level quickly. Covid regulations will require that everyone signs in (for contact tracing) as well as scans in, and numbers at any one time do not exceed 50 total.

  • The Attendance Report for Term 3 was tabled. It shows that attendance is less than the recommended 90% rate, which is an impacting factor on student achievement.

  • School Uniform Survey. The number of responses was 57 which did not meet the threshold set at the Board meeting just after the request was made. The Board will therefore not be proceeding with putting a school uniform in place at this time.

  • The school’s new ERO evaluation partner for Terms 1, 2 and 3 2022 is Suzanne Lewis. She will visit in Term 1, 2022.

  • The monthly water test was clear.

  • The school’s auditor, BDO, is doing preliminary work on the 2021 Audit on Wednesday 8th December here at school. A very big THANK YOU to PAM for all her highly efficient work in getting this so clearly and coherently set up.

  • Chairperson Sonia thanked Pam for her amazing and significant service to the Board of Trustees as minute Secretary, and financial officer. The Board is going to miss her skills terribly. This was Pam’s last meeting as Board Secretary.

Meeting closed at 9:30pm.



School Buses 2022


Go Bus is our new Ministry transport provider as from the beginning of the 2022 school year. We have had a long and very accommodating arrangement with Ritchies previously. As with anything new, changes may occur at some stage during 2022. The Ministry have signalled a review of our routes. I have been assured by Go Bus that the current routes will run for the first wee while in the new year. I will keep you informed of any changes to the current routes, should there be any, as I am informed of them next year.


School Opening Date 2022


This is now Wednesday 9 February, as Tuesday 8 February will be a Teacher Only Day.


Library books


Please ensure all Library books are returned to school ASAP if you haven’t already as the library is now closed for stock take.


Coming Up…

14 December Year 8 Graduation. School Hall.

15 December Year 8 students trip to Camp Columba.

16 December Great School Water fight.

17 December Reports sent home.

20 December Last day of school for 2021. School finishes at 12.30pm.

School buses will run at this time, and town children will be

sent home then.

2022


7 February Waitangi Day – School closed.

8 February Teacher Only Day - School closed to children.

9 February First day of school for 2022.








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