Phone 04 528 3094 Email admin@maidstone.school.nz Website www.maidstone.school.nz

PARENT/CHILD/TEACHER INTERVIEWS – TUESDAY 17 MARCH AND THURSDAY 19 MARCH. SCHOOL WILL FINISH AT 2.00 PM ON 17 MARCH AND 3PM ON 19 MARCH

Dear parents, caregivers, students and friends of the school. Tena koutou katoa Nga mihi nui ki a koutou katoa It is very pleasing to see how quickly and confidently the Year 7 students have settled into Maidstone. Teachers are commenting on how settled and ready to learn the classes are. It’s been an exciting two weeks with students heading away on camp – some with trepidation but most just excited. I’ve been up to visit each camp and am impressed with both students and staff. The students are getting involved enthusiastically with all the activities and many are showing true leadership potential. Staff make a huge commitment to taking classes on camp and their ability and enthusiasm is truly appreciated. Elizabeth Morris (DP) has done a fantastic job of organising these events. It was wonderful to see so many families at the Meet the Teacher evening. I hope you feel welcomed and know a bit more about who’s who and how things are done. It’s an enormous advantage to your child’s learning when they see the interest you take. I look forward to seeing you here again for Parent Interviews March 17 & 19. I’d like to give a huge thank you to Paul Skinner and Kaye Kearns for their work on the PTA. Paul has been involved with the PTA for many years (since his children were here in fact) and has been chair in recent times. He will be missed. The events and fundraising the PTA organises enhances life at Maidstone in a variety of ways and we are very grateful to the time and commitment that Paul and Kaye have given. Looking forward to another camp visit today so had better be on my way. Nga mihi Mary O’Regan Principal

Up-Coming Events 24 February Board Meeting 7.00 pm 2 March School Photos 4 March Athletics Day at Trentham Memorial Park 6 March Athletics Postponement Day 9-12 March Everyday Theatre at school 17 March 2pm finish for Parent/Child/Teach Inter. 17 March Interschool Athletics 19 March 2.55 pm finish for Parent/Child/Teach Interviews 19 March pp date for Interschool Athletics 30 March Boys Football Tournament 31 March Girls Football Tournament 2 April 2.55 pm last day of Term 1

List of Staff, Syndicates and Rooms Classroom Teachers

1 Ms Winiata Syndicate Leader Purple

2 Mrs Freemantle

3 Mrs Small

4 Mr Harris Gold

5 Miss Edwards 6 Michelle Pilcher Syndicate Leader

7 Steve Whitfield

8 Miss McIlroy Blue

9 Miss Crowther

10 Mrs Heka 11 Mrs Moka Syndicate Leader

12 Miss Finnigan Red 13 Mrs Parry Syndicate Leader

14 Mr Love

16 Mrs Sanderson

17 Ms Killen Green

18 Mr McKay Syndicate Leader

19 Ms Cooze

20 Mrs Dee

Ms O’Regan Principal

Mrs Baines DP

Mrs Morris DP

Mr Livesey Hard Materials

Ms Delaney Foods Mr Solia Design Technology

Mrs McRae Performing Arts Syndicate Leader

Mrs Vickerman Visual Arts Mr Andre Kneepkens ICT Specialist Senior Leader

Maidstone Intermediate Newsletter

No

.1 T

1

New

Issue No.2Term 1 2015

Message from the

Principal

Gold/Red Camp

Parent Interviews

First week photos

Staff details

Help Requests

Parent Tutor Reading

help wanted Community Notices and Sponsors details appear

on the back page.

Staff Continued:

Support Staff

Miss Corbett PA to Principal

Mrs Smith Finance

Mrs Harker

Mrs Asprey Librarian

Mrs Brilleman Counsellor Mrs Kneepkens ORS teacher

Mr Addley Caretaker

Mrs Mitchell Teacher Aide/ESOL

Mrs Blackwell Teacher Aide

Mrs Reale-Key Teacher Aide Mrs Roche Teacher Aide

Urgently Required Managers for Unihoc (Floor Ball) teams. (no unihoc skills necessary). To express your interest in helping out please e-mail jo.dee@maidstone.school.nz.

Newsletter Sponsorship We are looking for businesses to come on board with our newsletter and “Wheel of Fortune” sponsorship for 2015. For a reasonable annual amount your business will reach almost 600 homes on a fortnightly basis for the year. Your money will also be used to fund prizes for the “Wheel of Fortune”, which is spun at Assembly every week to reward students who are showing our school values. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact our school office on 528 3094

Parent Request – video of prizegiving If anyone filmed the end of year prize giving at Lane Park in December could they please ring the school office and let us know. We have a parent who would like a copy. Thank you.

Are you interested in becoming a member of the PTA? If so, come along to the first meeting of the year,

at 7.00 pm on Monday 23 February. Everyone welcome. Help needed for DISCOs, Fundraising, and Projects etc. If you cannot attend the meeting please register your interest by e-mailing andre.kneekens@maidstone.school.nz Thank you.

W A N T E D

CAREGIVERS WHO ENJOY READING

Can you spare one morning per week?

Become Parent Tutor in Reading

One morning per week for 90 minutes, working one-to-one with students who need a confidence boost with their reading.

Do you want to make a difference?

We have many students, past and present, who

have benefited greatly from this reading support. You will receive training, and be supported by

our co-ordinators. INTERESTED ?

Phone the School Office leaving your name and number, or email Heather Harker heather.harker@maidstone.school.nz

Daily Notices and Events Calendars On the home page of our school website, www.maidstone.school.nz , you will find two Google calendars. The daily notices (all the same colour) are notices that are

shared with the students daily at approx 10:25. These notices are usually relevant to the daily running of the school informing students of meeting times and venues, cancellations, rosters, practices etc. The other is our school wide events calendar which is more

long term and shows schoolwide events that are often planned well in advance. We do our best to update the events calendar as and when dates come to hand. As it is a shared calendar with staff, some events are relevant only to teachers. If in doubt as to whether an event pertains to you or your child you are welcome to contact the school office for further detail. We hope you and your child will find these calendars a handy source of information when planning family activities etc.

Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews As mentioned above, these are being held on Tuesday 17 March and Thursday 19 March. On Tuesday only, school

will finish at the earlier time of 2.00 pm. Buses will be organised to leave at this time. There will therefore be no 3.00 pm buses on Tuesday 17 March. You will be able to book on-line for a teacher interview – full details on how to do this will be advised on Wednesday 25 February. If you do not have a computer or need help to make a booking you will be able to do this through the school office. Child minding, by school staff, will be available in the school library for siblings. This will enable you to have a hazzle free interview.

Do you want to help with a Research Study – if so read below:

Gold and Red Year 8 Camp Gold and Red Year 8 camp exhausted us and even all the teachers!! Over all we had a great time together. The favourite activity (by far) was the waterslide even though some people fell off. Bedtime wasn’t the best because all the teachers were kept up very late. In the morning the punishment for cabins 5 and 6 was cleaning the toilets and extra fitness. That taught us to be quiet for the next night. On the second day we were tired but that didn’t stop us. That night we did a newspaper fashion show and made a heap of new friends. Some of us were born to be models. Everyone had loads of fun climbing the ropes at Adrenaline forest. Some people were skilled enough to make it to level 6, the highest level. The bus rides seemed to take centuries and the sun was beating down on us which wasn’t much help. By Kaitlin Kirk, Tuuaari Topp and Zara Morris

Gold Syndicate – a day at camp YAY!!! Camp was finally here! Everyone was really excited to be going up to Palm Grove camp and catch up with all our year 8 friends. It seemed like it was going to be a really long day but it went so quickly because we were busy pretty much the entire day. We did lots of activities but the one’s we loved the best were the pool and the confidence course. When it came to the pool everyone raced down and jumped in. It was very cold. The confidence course was awesome; the best bit was abseiling down at the end! We had such a great day up at camp that we now can’t wait to go next year. By Brooke Millar and Leticia Parsons

Photos from the first week of school 2015

Thank you to the following firms for sponsoring this Newsletter

and the Maidstone Gold Ticket “Wheel of Fortune

0274 416931

526 2274

526 2275

Get your sKETCHERS School Shoes here

Associated Computers

Malcolm Wheeler

027 4474 222

Country Lane

Silverstream

Phone 527 8389

2 Geange Street, Upper Hutt

Phone/Fax (04) 529 7342

Ph. 0800 634 572 Fax 236 0174 nzcoach@xtra.co.nz w E

David Haswell 027 440 6534 04 526 6602

Ask about our party bus

Testing and treatment for dyslexia and reading disorders,

www.cellfield.com Call 528 7707

Catering

Equipment

Services

We service and repair all brands of cooking and warewashing equipment.

Mark Edwards,

Director

021 568 487 or

0800 90 60 30

mark@cesw.co.nz

Dr Ashwin Magan (BDS)

CALL TODAY (04)5277914 or 021408955

Level 3, CBD Towers Upper Hutt,

www.ashwinmagandentalsurgery.co.nz

Community Notices

Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon is coming to Wellington! Date: Sunday 28

th March 2015

Venue: Kilbirnie Park, Wellington Time: Park opens at 7am – registration closes 8.15am How to Register – Parents, go on-line and enter details at: try.weetbix.co.nz Then find the parent ‘drop down’ box and follow the instructions to enter your child. Note: On-line registrations close 25

th March 2015

Any further queries, please contact Maidstone’s Sports Coordinator Jo Dee at: jo.dee@maidstone.school.nz

CIGNA KIDS WATERFRONT FUN RUN Come and be a part of the Cigna Kids Waterfront Fun Run on Tuesday 16 December at Frank Kitts Park. Personalised race bibs, certificates, coloured wristbands, spot prizes and a Cigna Carnival including a free BBQ. Races for all primary, intermediate and college age kids. First race starts at 4.30pm. Only $7 to enter at www.athleticshub.co.nz or contact Jo Murray for more info atjo@athleticswellington.org.nz. Enter before 7 December for your personalised bib and certificate. HIBS (Hutt International Boys' School) Parent Support Association proudly presents the Heretaunga Home and Garden Tour on Sunday 15th March 2015.We would like to invite the local community to this event. Tickets are on sale now and selling fast. www.homeandgarden.hibs.school.nz.

Kids Domain Xmas 2014-2015 Holiday Programme, Stokes Valley and Lower Hutt. Online

Bookings open now – go to our website to book www.kidsdomain.biz $25 – $36 per day/child; winz subsidies available - fun phone: 027 4749753 or email: kidsdomain@slingshot.co.nz

Wheel of Fortune

Prize Winners The spin of the wheel will start once the full school attends assembly.