Welcome Back to School

We hope you all had a great break and are ready for another term of fun learning!

At the end of term 1 we said goodbye to Charlie, Declan, Dane, Mackenzie, Raiden, Mya and Sophie who have moved to Rata Toru and Emily who has moved to Rata Rua.

A great big happy birthday and welcome to Aiden and Sorcha who joined Rata Tahi at the end of Term 1.

...so what's happening in Term 2

Inquiry: Our topic is the Material World: investigating how certain materials change. The children will be telling us all about what they already know and asking lots of questions about what they want to find out.

Maths: Number, Geometry and Measurement

Oral Language: Expanding children’s vocabulary, think, ask questions, and turn taking.

Written Language: Conveying a clear message to an audience.

Reading: Reading for meaning, to point to each word as we read and to look carefully at the initial letter of an unknown word.

Please remember to read with your child every night and sign their reading log at the back of the communication book.

Be sure to question your child about their book as this will help them develop their comprehension skills. Readers will be sent home Monday to Thursday and poetry books on Friday.  It is important that the readers are brought back to school daily.  

From time to time notices are put in the front of the Communication book so please check regularly to keep up to date with the happenings in Rata Block.

Reading Eggs: http://readingeggs.co.nz/login-fb/   Children have  a username and password in the front of their communication book. Please make time at least twice a week to use reading eggs programme with your child.

Health Education: Personal hygiene and well-being, washing hands, blowing noses, wearing the appropriate clothing for the season.

We will also be having a visit from the Life Education Caravan.

Physical Education: Gymnastics.

Maori Language: Greetings, counting in Te Reo and the Days of the week.

Library: Our library day is Tuesday so library books and bag must be returned no later than Tuesday morning.


A reminder that in Rata Block we are always working on developing the key competency 
"Managing Self"

You can help by encouraging your child to:

• complete homework
• carry their own school bag
• remember book bag from home and packing their bags themselves
• put their own belongings away e.g. books and book bag
• trying to do their own shoelaces

Lastly, as wet and cold days become more frequent, it is essential that children are wearing correct clothing.  Could you please ensure you keep a raincoat or jacket in their school bag so they can go outside to get some fresh air and expend some energy. 

A spare set of clothing is also useful at this time of year.

Class Blog: Please visit our blog regularly and look at all the wonderful learning we are doing and please add a comment. http://www.ps2015rata1.blogspot.co.nz/  

We check our blog most days and love reading the comments.

Email:

You can also email us if you have any questions or concerns..  mary@papakowhai.school.nz  barbara@papakowhai.school.nz

As you will appreciate we can only read emails before and after school.

Urgent communications need to be directed through the school office.

Thank you for your continued support,                                                

Barbara and Mary.