GSNS newsletter.Term 1

 

Term 1, Week 1, 4 February 2021

Editorial Kia ora, Bula Vinaka, Selamat siang, Privet, Talofa, Chào, 您好 Welcome to our 2021 school year!   As luck would have it, summer has finally arrived in Dunedin making it so much harder to get back into routines!   However, we do hope that somewhere over the break, you managed to find the time to create some new ‘summer memories’ with your children and that you are still able to enjoy our famously long summer evenings.   This term we warmly welcome a number of new and returning staff members in our school.  They are as follows: Jess Lovell - releasing our Middle Team Leader, Megan Greer, on Wednesdays and working in Room 11 Sandra Gordon - releasing our Junior Team Leader, Michele Dakers, on Wednesdays and working in Kindle 1 Rob Wigley - our specialist music teacher Grace Dore - returning from parental leave - working in Room 18 Sarah Mackenzie - returning from parental leave - working in Room 4 Nichola Ferguson - working in Room 4 Shannon Eathorne - working in Model 1B Lee Phillips - working in Model 1A and Room 9  Helen Spain - releasing our Assistant Principal/Senior Team Leader, Keith Mulholland, on Wednesdays and Thursdays in Room 8. As a Normal School, we also have the wonderful privilege of hosting a number of third year student teachers and, accordingly, we welcome:  Kiri Walters, Mikayla Thorn, Maddy Robertson-Wood, Holly Munro, Phoebe Miller, Logan Franks, Rebekah Edh, Lucy Doorey, Zoe Carpenter, Quinn Mackay and  Edward Maclean. On Thursday morning we formally greeted a large number of new students and their families on to ‘our place’ by holding a mihi whakatau.  They were welcomed with a haka and waiata and this was a special time of celebration by coming together as a ‘school family’.  We trust our new families will quickly develop a sense of belonging here at GSNS.   Thank you to all of you who turned up to our first ever Open Day held on Wednesday.  This proved to be a wonderful day and many people commented on how they appreciated the opportunity to begin school in such a relaxed and meaningful way.   Finally, a friendly reminder that school is closed on Monday 7 February 2021 due to Waitangi Day being Monday-ised.  We wish you a wonderful ‘long weekend’ and hope you have the opportunity to celebrate Waitangi Day in some meaningful way.   Ideas for this might be to go to a Waitangi Day ceremony or event, start tracing your whakapapa or family history, go along to a local library or museum to find out more about New Zealand’s history, or simply do a Google search to find out about Waitangi, the place.  Ngā mihi nui Robyn and the Team

Welcome and Notices Welcome Welcome to  Deeksha, Ivri, Yusef, Yuchen, Chloe, Hussain, Sylvie, Phoebe (Kindle 1), Andrew, Eleanor, Silas, Muhammad Hadeed, Dori, Frida, Isla, (Kindle 2), Angela, Gaebriel, Connor, (M1B) who began at our school recently.  We also welcome Xavier, Shiara (R6), Abdul, Jackson (R10), Maya (R11), Tim, Armani (R16), Frost (R17),  Aotea, Grace (M1A), Ness (M2A), Shaffira and Adam (M2B).  Communications This year we are aiming to streamline our communications.  All communications relating to classes, teams and school-wide matters will be made via our email system called 'Mailchimp' and the smartphone app called 'Skool Loop'.  The aim of this is to make it easier for you to keep in touch with the things that are happening in our school by having two primary sources of communication.  Individual classes will still be using learning platforms such as Dojo and Seesaw to develop the home-school partnership and the sharing of learning, however, reminders, class notices, etc., will now be sent through Mailchimp and Skool Loop.  If you have not already done so, can we please encourage you to download the free Skool Loop app on your mobile device as this will give you push notifications of when things have been sent out from the school. Sports Hopefully you have already received notifications regarding a number of summer sports being open for registrations.  If your child would like to participate in a summer sport, please check the sports page on our school website and click on the link shown on this page.  This will lead you to a dedicated GSNS sports site and all the details you need about the sports on offer can be found there.  Please also remember that for some of these sports the close-off dates for registrations is within the next couple of days.  Kaitiaki Plea Seeking any unwanted gardening tools, plants, old planter boxes, pots and seeds to donate to our Kaitiaki Club.  This club is about enabling children to take on more responsibility and pride in their school grounds. We are also happy to receive any enthusiasm from parents wanting to contribute their ideas or time.    You can drop off items at the school office or M2A/M2B or contact:  Claire Spencer - claire@georgestreet.school.nz   or  Jo Henderson - joanne@georgestreet.school.nz Help Urgently Needed We currently have a number of vacancies for volunteers in our school.  If you are interested in helping out with any of the following, please contact Leanne Stanton (leanne@georgestreet.school.nz) and she will be happy to chat further about what is involved.  We really appreciate our volunteers as we simply can’t do it without you! Road patrol Ring-in:  in the morning, phoning parents regarding children who have not arrived at school Book club Is Your Child Interested in Piano Lessons?   We have piano lessons available in our school during school time.  Brenda Stirling (Stirling Music) is taking on more students.  If you are interested, please phone Brenda on 03 489 3032I or 020 4001 6743.  If there is no reply, please leave a message or, alternatively, you can phone Dianne Officer on 0275 049 450.   Drum Lessons   Welcome to drum lessons in 2021 at GSNS with Andrew Harray.  Andrew has been teaching drums full time for nine years, and loves to pass on his passion and skills to anyone who is eager to learn.  Private drum lessons happen during school hours on Wednesdays, or come along to the school hall on Wednesday at lunchtime to try it out for free!!    30-minute individual:  $30 (per lesson) 20-minute individual:  $20 (per lesson) Free group lessons:  A taster for beginners To find out more, send Andrew an email (drumajh@gmail.com) or phone him on 027 271 8525. GSNS Value of the Term:  Responsibility - Kawenga This term we are focusing on the value of Responsibility / Kawenga.  In our school we believe responsibility means: A willingness to be trustworthy.   Part of being trustworthy is being reliable.  For our children this could look like arriving at school on time, coming in from break times on time, or simply doing what they say they will do.  Over the course of this term, children will be given lots of different opportunities to continue to learn about this important value. Diary Dates @ George Street Normal School Friday 5 February - School Photos Monday 8 February - Waitangi Day observed - school closed Tuesday 9 February - PTA meeting 7.30pm, Staffroom Friday 12 February - Welcome Assembly 2.00pm, School Hall Tuesday 16 February - Board meeting 6.30pm, Staffroom Wednesday 17 February - Camp Helpers meeting 5.30pm, School Hall Monday 22 February - Year 6 Camp / Year 5 Outdoor Activity Week Term Dates for 2021: Term 1 - Wednesday 3 February to Thursday 15 April Term 2 - Monday 3 May to Friday 9 July Term 3 - Monday 26 July to Thursday 30 September Term 4 - Monday 18 October to Thursday 16 December Teacher Only Days for 2021: Friday 16 April 2021     Friday 4 June 2021 Friday 1 October 2021 Holidays for 2021: Waitangi Day - Monday 8 February Otago Anniversary Day - Monday 22 March Good Friday - Friday 2 April Easter Monday - Monday 5 April  Easter Tuesday - Tuesday 6 April (ANZAC Day occurs in the April school holidays) Queen's Birthday - Monday 7 June Labour Day - Monday 25 October Community Notices Moana Nui Festival Experience the cultures of the Pacific - Concert / Food / Arts and Crafts / Community - at Forsyth Barr Stadium on 13 February from 10am to 5pm.  Koha entry. Music & Drama Lessons Bedford School of Music Entertainment has lessons available in:  Singing, Guitar, Piano, Bass, Drama, Harmonica, School of Rock, Song writing & Music Madness (a group class with different subject/instrument each week).  For further information, visit  www.thebedfordschoolofmusic.webs.com, phone 027 418 2136, or email tbsom@live.com  Fencing Classes The Claymore Swords Club runs beginners' courses in fencing and classes for school students from 8 years of age.  A five-week adult and children's beginners' course starts on Wednesday 17 February from 5.30pm – 6.30pm.  The course costs $80.00 and all equipment is provided.  It is a great introduction to this exciting sport.  For more information email claymoreswordsclub@gmail.com Denise Henderson Studio of Tap, Jazz and Musical Theatre Coming soon to Roslyn! Mini Musical Theatre Stars (5-7 years) Primary Musical Theatre (8-11 years) Tap classes Boys' Dance too! Venue:  Saint John's Church, Roslyn, 371 Highgate, Kaikorai, Dunedin 9010 Enquire today:  denisehenderson.roslyn@gmail.com  Website:  http://denisehenderson.co.nz Aerobics Classes  Queens Aerobics is now accepting enrolments for their term 1 sport aerobics classes for primary (year 4+), intermediate, and secondary aged students.  For further information email queensaerobics@gmail.com Diving Ōtākou Would you like to have a go at diving?  Want to try before you sign-up for a term of lessons?  Register for one of the free, no obligation 'Have a Go' days: Children - Wednesdays, 4pm-5pm Children - Saturdays, 1pm-2pm Adults - Wednesdays, 6pm-7pm If you can swim in deep water, you can have a go - give it a try!  To register with Coach Aimee:  Text 022 406 4865 or email divingotakou@gmail.com. website:  divingotakou.org.nz   989 George Street, Dunedin 9016 Telephone:  474 0825    Fax:  474 0826 Dental Therapist (Community Oral Health Service): 476 9835 Email:  office@georgestreet.school.nz Website:  www.georgestreet.school.nz Want to change how you receive these emails? 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