Ruma Whitu start of year letter 2014

Friday 7 February 2014

Ramere 7 o Hui-Tanguru 2014

Kia ora whanau of Ruma Whitu 2014,

I welcome you and your child/ren to our akonga (class) this year.  I can’t quite believe how quickly the holidays went and that Week 1 is already over.  This is my third year at Burnham and am very excited to have Year 4’s this year.  

A bit about me -

I have been a teacher for the last 17 years and have taught in various schools in Christchurch, Taranaki and in London.  I live in town and I am passionate about sport - golf, triathlon, league and the Highlanders being my main interests. I love teaching at Burnham and look forward to having a busy and productive year with your child.

Our inquiry focus for this term is CALL ME LOYAL - which will look at many aspects of what it is to be a New Zealander and the concept of Kiwiana.  We need any old CDs, DVDs you have for a class display.  

This term will also be packed with various other events including -

• Swimming – Weeks 2 – 4 (1-2pm), finishing with our school

swimming sports on Tuesday 25th February.

• Math – focusing on place value with money, graphing and mapping

• Writing – Recounts and Instructions - we will be writing our

autobiography

• Reading – vocabulary and retelling / sequencing

• PAT and STAR testing is happening along with running records

and other testing to find your child’s needs in order to provide

the best learning programme.

Please make sure that your child’s hat and vest is at school everyday.

All Year 4, 5 and 6 children will be on camp at Woodend on the 31st March - 2nd April.  This is an excellent opportunity to get to know each other and work co-operatively. The cost of this camp will be $91 as the Red Cross have given a grant of $20 per child and those who sold raffle tickets will have this deducted.  Further information will be out in two weeks time, however if there are any parents who are interested in helping on this camp please feel free to email me with your expression of interest.

I expect your child to do some learning at home.  Basic facts, spelling and their choice of 10-15mins of nightly reading are the basic expectations.  There may be other things that come home as well to be completed.

There is a link on the school website to complete your 3 wishes for 2014.  It would be marvellous if you could fill this in over the next week.  :)

Please make sure you keep up to date about what is happening at school through our newsletter.  If you are not receiving it from your child, please visit our school website: www.burnham.school.nz or our blog http://burnhamrm7.blogspot.co.nz/

I look forward to meeting all families in the next few weeks; alternatively you can contact me via email on samwalker@burnham.school.nz

Hei kona

Sam Walker