Week 5, Term 2

Hi Everyone,

Thank you to those who came to our School Mass yesterday, and to those who emailed apologies. We were aware that it was a busy morning with some of you having sports at that time too.  
It was great to see some of our senior students being commissioned to the Young Vinnies Society and to welcome our new students and families with their Bibles. 

This week's activities:

Monday - Kapa haka and Mrs Eastwood taking CRT.
Tuesday - Ukulele and Swimming
Wednesday - Strike Day-please make other arrangements for your children.
Thursday - Swimming and NZ Playhouse Theatre
Friday - Assembly 9.10am led by Room 6!!

Last week I went to a very worthwhile course on Spelling about a method that we are running alongside our Spelling Alive programme. They stressed the importance of reviewing spelling words EVERY day and learning them in a variety of ways. 

A few ideas for home are: 
-singing the letters in the word
-make with playdough, lego or magnetic letters.
-write ten times using different coloured pens
-write in the sandpit
-write with chalk on the concrete

It is really important that students are tooling the sounds with their fingers when recording the words. It is an expectation at St Gerards, that your child revises and records their 5 words every night in their Homework Book so they know them for a test on Friday. Sadly many children are not doing this and it is reflected in the poor results most Fridays. Let's make a real effort over the next 6 weeks to make this a focus each night please. 

On the upside, the course leader was very pleased to hear that we have regular Handwriting lessons and that many students now have their pen licence! This has motivated many children to take more care and pride in their written work. 

A reminder also, that the children are to record what they are reading each night in their diary. These will be checked on Friday morning and they will receive 4 dojo points if this is done. Children may read their own chapter book or a journal story.

Have a great week.

Thank you
Neroli Laidlaw