It is great to see everyone back after the holiday break. We hope the ills and chills of winter are getting left behind. There has been a lot of illness in some classes with children away for a week or more. Please keep your child home if they have had tummy bugs and temperatures until they are well.

Our focus for the next three weeks in math is BASIC FACTS. All Junior classes sat a pretest on Monday. From this, each teacher can find out what children need to focus on in the next three weeks. To progress further, we need your support to help your child learn their facts with quick and accurate recall. Each class will send home information about what your child needs to focus on.

Room 12 put on an amazing assembly on Friday, thank you Room 12 for the great entertainment. We know much work goes into class assemblies. Next Junior assembly will be Room 7 at the end of the term.

Our Inquiry for the term is based around the theme of SIGNIFICANCE. Each class is taking their own path as they look at how we can make a difference in the world. Come and visit us to see what we have been learning. Room 8 has some fantastic superhero stories to share.

INDEPENDENCE is our school value for Term 3. We are learning how to be independent in coming to school unpacking our own bag and even carrying our bag to class ourselves. We are learning to be independent writers, readers and learners in the class.

We welcome Mrs Fran Hall into Room 11 to open our third New Entrant classroom. This class will gradually grow during the term.

We are so lucky to have had beautiful weather since school began. This means that we can eat our lunch outside in the sunshine. On the odd occasion when it is a wet day the children have to eat lunch inside. On days when children need to stay inside the children have a wide range of options to choose from. The school has invested in large Lego kits and tables recently, all classrooms have numerous board games, and the dress up boxes or toys are a popular choice. The PAL children (senior students) have set up a sports option in the hall that are running each lunchtime is also a new initiative. Classes may put on a suitable movie for the children to watch. Teachers are vigilant during wet lunchtimes ensuring that children are selecting from a range of options available to them. If we have multiple days of wet weather in a row, the teachers remove the movie option.

Upcoming events are a fun sports morning at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Friday 14th of September from 9.30 - 10.30 run by Sport Otago. A notice will go home later in the term about parent help etc.

Thanks for all your support in your child's learning.

The Junior Teachers.