Kia ora koutou! Room 13 is fortunate enough to be the first newsletter entry for 2023! As with all of our Silverdale classes, we have been learning all about Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi.

Nau mai, haere mai, welcome to 2023 at Silverdale Normal School! It has been wonderful to see so many happy faces, both familiar and new, enjoying being back at school after the summer holidays.

Footsteps have joined us for this term and today was the first dance lesson for our middle school students.

With significant changes to the New Zealand Curriculum this year, the Ministry of Education is requiring schools to take Teacher Only Days to enable staff opportunities to engage in Professional Learning and Development.

We would love to hear from you! Please make sure you have booked your conversation time with your child's teacher.

This year, these two events will be combined. Due to be held on Thursday, 9 March.

Here at Silverdale Normal School we are lucky to still have a PTG that makes a real positive difference to our school. The PTG provides events and supports learners with projects, outings, as well as learning and play materials that otherwise would not be able to be provided. We are a small group and we really need new members to help us continue with this great work. Every year members leave once their children have moved onto their next schools and our member numbers are getting smaller. You do not have to be involved in every meeting or event, just when your schedule allows would be greatly appreciated. We would love to meet you! We hold two meetings each term at 7.00pm; some are held in person in the staff room and some are on zoom to accommodate all, these meetings go for around an hour. We discuss upcoming events and items that the school would love to bring to our Tamariki, to make their Silverdale experience the best we can, please consider joining us.

After School Drama Club for Middle / Senior school students.

We are now accepting enrolments from out of zone to start from Term 2, 2023 and have the following spaces available: New Entrant - up to three places Junior School - up to two places Senior School - up to two places.

Please note the term dates for 2023.

If you have not already done so, can you please download our school app to your phone. This can be downloaded from either the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

Attached is a summary of different sports clubs or teams your child could join this year.

A letter was sent home on Monday with the children. To enable union members to attend this meeting, our school will be closed for instruction from 12.30pm on 1st March. We will need all children to be picked up from school by 12.30pm on this day.

We would like to remind you that in Terms 1 and 4 of each year, children need to wear a named hat at morning tea, lunchtime and during any outdoor activities. Can you please remember to pack a hat in your child's bag each day.

We are nearly there! Week 4 will see our pool finally open!

Our pre-school Jumpstart Programme will be held on a Tuesday afternoon, Room 3, from 2.00pm to 2.45pm. Our first Jumpstart session of the year will take place on Tuesday, 14th February.

We have been granted some Ministry of Education funding again this year to subsidise these music lessons.

If you are interested in your child learning piano/keyboard, guitar or drums here at school this year, please contact Music House, phone 07 8080235 or email sulee@musichouse.co.nz to indicate your interest for 2023.

Do you feel informed about events and school information? We have several ways we reach out to our families and pass on information:

To help is keep all student safe at school, it is important that we are notified before 9.00am each day if your child is not going to be at school. Your support here is important.

Launchpad Champions (formerly Bible in School) is an opt-in Christian Values Education programme. The Launchpad Champions programme is a fun 30-minute lesson that presents tamariki with positive values like being a good friend, respect, making good choices and helping others.

Can you please ensure you have a change of clothing packed in your child's school bag as we prefer not to have to disturb you for a change of clothing if needed during the school day.

We have two options for ordering a lunch at school.

First Credit Union's school banking programme has resumed again this year! It's such a great way for students to learn about saving. There is a secure banking box at the School Office. Bank books are collected from the Office early on a Wednesday morning and are returned to school at the end of the week. If you wish to open an account for your child, please ask for an application pack from our School Office.

A HUGE thank you to all the awesome families that collected Yummy Apple stickers throughout the 2022 school year. Because of your combined efforts last year, we were able to receive extra PE equipment at no cost to the school.

I am teaching recorder, clarinet, saxophone and music theory on Wednesdays after school at Hillcrest Normal. If you are interested in your child learning one of these instruments or music theory with me, please fill out the form below. - Dr Catherine Wallace

The YMCA operate an 'Out of School Care' programme that provides Before and After School Care in Rooms 19 and 20 at our school.

Bricks4Kids are offering an after school enrichment programme at our school again this year

Free trial lessons for students aged 9 and aboveare available to learn how to programme technology through CODINGNZ. See attachment for further details.