| | | | | | IMPORTANT DATES
TERM 4
Week 2
Monday 21st to Wednesday 30th October - Calendar Artwork is displayed in the hall
Wednesday 23rd October - Queenstown Polyfest - Senior Kapahaka to perform
Friday 25th October - Powhiri to welcome Eugenie Sage - 12.15pm
Friday 25th October - Pod 4 Assembly - 2.15pm - School Hall
Week 3
Monday 28th October - Labour Day - School Closed
Tuesday 29th October - School Photos
Wednesday 30th October - PTA Meeting - 7pm School Staffroom
Wednesday 30th - Thursday 31st October - Rms 17 & 18 - Year 3 School Camp
Thursday 31st - Friday 1st November - Rms 15 & 16 - Year 3 School Camp
Week 4
Pod 3 Swimming Week
Monday 4th November - Board of Trustees Meeting - 5pm - School Staffroom
Monday 4th - Wednesday 6th November - Pod 8 - Yr 5 - Camp Columba
Wednesday 6th - Friday 8th November - Pods 6 & 7 - Yr 5 - Camp Columba
Monday 4th - Friday 8th November - Pod 7 - Yr 6 - Camp Waiora
Monday 4th - Tuesday 5th November - Rms 21 & 23 - Yr 4 - Camp Bannockburn
Tuesday 5th - Wednesday 6th November - Rms 22 & 24 - Yr 4 - Camp Bannockburn
Wednesday 6th - Thursday 7th November - Rm 19 - Yr 4 - Camp Bannockburn
Thursday 7th - Friday 8th November - Rm 20 - Yr 4 - Camp Bannockburn
Week 5
Pod 2 Swimming Week
Monday 11th - Friday 15th November - Pod 8 - Year 6 - Camp Tirohanga
Friday 15th November - Pod 3 Assembly - 2.15pm - School Hall
Week 6
Pod 1 (Rooms 3 & 4) Swimming Week
Friday 22nd November - Pod 2 Assembly - 2.15pm - School Hall
Week 10
Wednesday 18th December - Last day of school for 2019 - 3pm finish
2020
Monday 3rd February - School commences for 2020
IMPORTANT NOTICES Camp Fees Overdue A reminder to please pay camp fees which are now overdue.
School Photos - Sibling Photos School Photos will be taken on Tuesday 29th October - please ensure students come to school tidy and correct school uniform (navy tops preferred). Sibling photos will be taken in the afternoon - please remind children to listen out for the sibling photo announcement and make their way to the hall.
Scholastic NZ Book Orders The latest Scholastic NZ brochure is available from classrooms. If you wish to place an order please use Option 1 - Credit Card - on the inside back cover.
No cash/orders are received at the office.
If you wish your order to be a GIFT - please tick GIFT option and advise Katrina also as a backup, otherwise all orders will be handed out to students.
Orders close Wednesday 30th October at 3pm. |
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Eugenie Sage Visiting Wanaka Primary this Friday This Friday, the 25th October, the Minister for Conservation, Eugenie Sage, will be visiting Wanaka Primary School. She is coming to visit in response to an invitation by Room 9 in Pod 3, who wrote letters to the Minister regarding their concerns about our local longfin eels.
Pod 3 (Year One and Two children) were investigating the Bullock Creek habitat as part of their deep learning inquiry. The day that the pod visited the area down by the lakefront, the eels under the wharf were putting on a great show in the clear waters. The children were captivated and wanted to know more about them. As we looked into finding out more, the incredible story of these remarkable creatures unfolded. Did you know that they can live for up to 100 years? Near the end of their life they migrate down the Clutha river and travel all the way to deep ocean trenches near Tonga to spawn and then die. The return journey for the young, through the ocean currents and back up the Clutha river is fraught with dangers and obstacles. They cannot get over the Clutha and Roxburgh dams without intervention. Currently, Contact Energy catch the elvers and transport them over the dams. The migrating eels have an even slimmer chance of leaving as they need to be caught in a net and lifted over the dam to even have a chance. This has only started happening very recently and only a few make it. The eels you see under our jetty at the lakefront are probably pre-dam eels. They will be migrating soon and then what? They will disappear.
Part of Pod 3s deep learning focus is how can we make a difference? After having the environmental officer from Contact Energy come to visit and explain what they currently do, the children designed fish passes, created signs and posters. They have also contacted the QLDC to see if some permanent signage can be installed at the jetty to tell the remarkable story of the eels. Room 9 has two major concerns and wanted to take it further. Why are a threatened species still able to be commercially fished and is it possible to build a fish pass for the eels to migrate naturally over the dams? They wrote to Eugenie Sage with their concerns and she is coming to discuss this with them on Friday.
This is a great example of work being done throughout our school which has led to our recent Enviroschools bronze award. The award is going to be presented to the school on Friday.
QLDC and Wastebusters jointly fund two Enviroschools facilitators, Damian Foster and Nicky Gray, who work with all schools and many early childhood learning centres across the district. |
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Smart Watches at School We are seeing more children wearing smart watches to school. This is a great way to stay connected with your child by voice and SMS but we don't want them to become a distraction in class or to be damaged or lost. Please ensure you have discussed clear guidelines for the use of these watches with your child. Thanks for your support. |
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Artwork for Calendars, Cards, Diaries and Note Books
Students have produced some glorious artwork which can be turned into 2020 calendars, diaries, greeting cards and note books. The time for viewing and placing order is as follows: - The artwork is displayed in the school hall.
- You can order online - via google form - click here.
- Or, if you would prefer to order manually visit the office for an order form.
- The deadline for orders and payment is MONDAY 4TH NOVEMBER at 3pm. No orders will be accepted after this date.
- Delivery date is expected to be late November.
- Please place your orders as soon as possible.
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Mount Aspiring College Year 7 Students 2020 Information Evening for Parents of Incoming Year 7 students
North Block, Mount Aspiring College
Wednesday 6th November - 7pm
Clare Scurr, Year 7 Dean, will speak to all the Upper Clutha parents of incoming Year 7 students attending Mount Aspiring college in 2020. There will be a school tour at the end of the meeting. Parents are invited to come along and hear more about Mount Aspiring College.
Orientation Morning for Year 6 Students Friday 29th November - 9.30am - 12.30pm
Staff at Mount Aspiring College will run a orientation program during the morning starting at 9.15am. The school canteen will be open during morning interval - 10.45-11.20am! |
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 Volunteers wanted for our Garden to Table programme Our school has joined the Garden to Table programme. This is a unique and inspiring programme teaching our children how to grow and harvest produce grown in the school garden, which will then be prepared and shared in the school kitchen.
This project relies on the support of volunteers to work with children. This term, during lunchtimes we need help in the garden, growing produce that we can use later in the kitchen.
You don’t have to be an expert! You just need to be interested in helping children learn about growing food and enjoy working with children.
Have we talked you into it? We’d love to hear from you!
Please email Jo Roberts - jor@wanaka.school.nz. |
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School Community Herb Garden We are looking for herb seedlings for the school community herb garden that is being established in one of the raised gardens between Pods 5 and 6. Once the garden is flourishing the school community is welcome to come and help themselves to the fresh herbs. |
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| Scholastic Book Fair Monday 25th - Friday 29th November The Scholastic Book Fair is back for the whole week starting Monday 25th November in our school library. Last year our school had the second highest sales in NZ!!!! That means that we got a huge rebate from Scholastic to put back into books for our school. THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME PRE-CHRISTMAS SHOPPING
Mark it on your calendars now! |
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 ePlatform by Wheelers Books We now have an eBook library using the ePlatform from Wheelers books. This is available to all children from Wanaka Primary School and can be downloaded onto any device including Kobo and Kindle as long as they have a browser. This is available through this term and the extended summer break. Dyslexic font can be applied which is a huge bonus. Please see below for instructions and if you want more detailed instructions either come into the library or email: melissaa@wanaka.school.nz.
Installing ePlatform on Tablet/Ipad/Phone Go to Playstore, Itunes or Appstore and download the app: ePlatform by Wheelers.
Find your Library: Search for Wanaka Primary School Library in the search bar.
You will need to sign in before you can borrow. Use your school email and password.
Accessing ePlatform on Chromebook/Laptop/eReader In your browser type in: wpslibrary.wheelers.co
This will bring up the Wanaka Primary School E-books.
Save this to your bookmarks bar.
Click on the “sign in” at the top right, then click on the blue “sign in” using your school email and password - then you will be ready to browse the e-library. |
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Aspiring Gymsports - Movie Fundraiser - A Second Chance |
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Wanaka Kids Club - Bike Club |
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Central Otago Touch Mixed Tournaments |
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MORE FM Kids Duathlon with GJ Gardner Homes It's that time of of year again - the MORE FM Kids Duathlon with GJ Gardner Homes is back for another series! The Kids Duathlon provides a fun, safe and supportive environment for those aged under 14 years to compete in an individual or team event.
Get these dates locked into your calendars: - 10th November - Lake Hayes Pavilion Queenstown
- 17th November - Alexandra Netball Courts
- 24th November - Wanaka Lakefront
- 1st December - Anderson Park Cromwell
Entries are open now - http://kidsduathlon.co.nz/
Each entrant receives a Race Day T-shirt.
Registration opens at 9.30am on Race Day - race briefing begins at 10.45am. |
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Oranga Tamariki - Need More Caregivers |
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Wanaka Artisan Market - Fundraising Opportunities |
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Labour Weekend Art Exhibition & Sale |
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Kahu Youth's Great Cardboard Boat Race |
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Halloween Dress Up Dance Party |
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One NZ Eco Fair Sunday 3rd November - 10am - 1pm Connect with your sustainable community, find out about solar energy, back yard trapping, enviroschools, million metres and more. Eat a delicious, sustainable lunch prepared by Soul Food and some Good Roots raw treats. Test E- Bikes, EV’s, look at worm farms, make shopping bags, watch cooking demonstrations, meet the holistic nutritionist, talk gardening with Dr Compost and many others at this family event. See onenewzealand.co.nz/one summit for more details. |
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Upper Clutha Angling Club Take A Kid Fishing Day Sunday 3rd November The annual “TAKE A KID FISHING” day is coming up again on Sunday 3rd November 2019 (if weather permits, otherwise it will be postponed and held on Sunday 10th November).
This annual event is organized by the Upper Clutha Angling Club together with Fish and Game Otago. This year we have use of a large dam near Cromwell that has recently been stocked with several hundred hungry trout. This is a fun day that includes supervised fishing, games, a BBQ, competitions and play. Everything is organised by the Club although assistance with transport would be appreciated. We have some great give a ways and prizes for the casting competitions. To date we have always been able to catch fish!! Parents are welcome to come along and help. There is no cost involved. The event is closely supervised and there is a Health and Safety Plan. This is an event for Primary School age children with a minimum age of 7 years.
We will be targeting trout and perch with very experienced fishermen providing guidance. Please bring sunglasses, sun hat, sun protection and a brightly coloured top to assist in monitoring the children.
Enrolment and Authorization Forms are available here or from the school or by request from the Secretary Upper Clutha Angling Club by emailing: johnbinney@iinet.net.au
Completed authorization forms must be returned to the school office or scanned to the club secretary at the above e-mail address prior to Monday 28th October.
Please note a limit of 30 children has been set and enrolments are on a first-come first served basis until the limit is reached. |
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21 Day Nutrition Challenge |
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Wanaka Library - Conversations in English |
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Food Lovers Masterclass with Kate Meads |
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| Delicious, nutritious and popular with kids, Subway delivers school lunches every Friday. Order online at subwayexpress.co.nz by 9am. |
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