Dear Parents,

I hope and trust that this finds you coping with the elements ‘extraordinaire’ and the extended precipitation, which has kept our pupils inside for longer periods than normal.  This inclement weather has not, however, dampened the initiatives or spirits of our pupils and staff.

Roll:

As indicated in our June newsletter, we have been pleased to welcome the families of: Camille Perelini, Benjamin Moore, Thomas Lightfoot, Jacky Chen and Dylan Smith to our Year Zero class, with Rachel Chon joining Year Six.  Brooklyn Muir and Kiritowha McLeod will be welcomed to our Year Zero class next Monday: August 11.

Staff:

Thank you for ensuring that Mrs Elspeth Godfrey-Chatterton has had a warm welcome to our School and as our Year Five teacher.

 

ACADEMIC 

I.C.A.S. Science:

We were thrilled to receive the 2008 I.C.A.S Science (N.S.W. University) results and to learn that our coveted High Distinction results had advanced by ‘one’ and now stood at a total of 15 over the last 8 years, mindful that our School: 

awaits the 2008 I.C.A.S. English, Mathematics and Spelling results

contests these awards from a database of ‘1.5 million entries world-wide, across Australia and in 12 countries’.

We congratulate the following:

High Distinction: (Double Principal’s Gold award and ten merit marks): George Warren (Year 4)

Distinction: (Principal’s Gold and Red awards and eight merit marks): Taylor Keys (Year 4).

Credit: (Principal’s Gold award and five merit marks):

Saskia Klinkenberg (Year 5), Simone Gale, Megan Lord  (Year 6), Nicholas Stevens (Year 4), Daniel Alexander (Year 5), Sebastian Gurobi-Hines (Year 7), Blake Morgan and 

Lucas Perelini (Year 8).

Participation: (Principal’s Red award and three merit marks): Madeline Kendrew (Year 5), Letasha Lowe, Chelsea Bundren, Millie Clifton, Priyanka Nathu (Year 6), Emma Pearson (Year 7), Courtney Clyne and Samantha Knegt (Year 8).  Alexander Howie-Smith (Year 4), Davis Gale, Aaron Li, Logan McConnel, Jesse Simkin, Freddy Wilson (Year 5), Angus Auwerda, Logan Robinson (Year 6), Kempton Haitana and Thomas Pearson (Year 8).

Otago Problem Solving:

Congratulations to Tae Joon Kim (Year 7) who  who scored 5/5 for Sets 4 and 5 and to Lucas Perelini, Callum Salt and Aaron Smith (Year 8) who scored 5/5 in Set 5 of the Otago Problem Solving competition. 

Results, with one set to go, are:

Tae Joon Kim (Year 7), Callum Salt and Aaron Smith (Year 8) 17/20 and Courtney Clyne and Florence Fournier (Year 8) 16/20.   

CULTURAL

House Music Competition:

On your behalf, I commend the following pupils, who were successful in our House Music competition held on the last day of term Two:

House Song:

1st  Averill 2nd   Harper 

3rd= Perry 3rd =Mathias

Year 0 - 4:

1st Joshua Duddy

2nd  George Warren

3rd Chelsea Yu

Year 5 - 6:

1st Robert Lee

2nd Simone Gale

3rd = Saskia Klinkenberg

3rd = Anastasia Loeffen

3rd = Jed Scott-Stafford 

Year 7 - 8:

1st Joshua Rawlinson

2nd  Samantha Knegt

3rd  = Rebekah Boyce

3rd = Te Teira Pitama

House Placings Overall:

1st Mathias 2nd=Averill 

2nd= Perry 4th Harper

Kapahaka:

Our large (40+ pupils) and talented group is being well prepared for their 19 August performance in the Christchurch Town Hall as part of the annual Cultural Festival.  Again, on your behalf, I thank Mrs Suzanne Pitama, Ms Sarah Mahoney and their support personnel for their day’s training programme during the recent holiday, and their continued attention to performance details, during their regular Wednesday practices.

Choir on ‘Praise Be’!

Our Senior Choir have been invited to sing on the ‘Praise Be’ programme to be shown on Christmas Day and will attend a filming session at St Mary’s (Merivale) - where Mr Lennox is also the Musical Director - on Wednesday 12 November.  We are indebted to Mr Lennox for ensuring that St Michael’s pupils receive these opportunities and for the standard of our choirs’ performance.

‘Kids in Town’:

Our choirs will also be singing at the Art Gallery from 12 - 12.30 pm, on Thursday 21 August.

Chess:

The Years 1 - 6 team represented our School at the Press Interschool Chess Competition at Burnside Primary School on Tuesday.  All members enjoyed at least one win and were good ambassadors for the School.  I thank Hamish Kenworthy for his organisation and training of our Chess players.  

SPORTING  ROUND-UP

Saturday morning teams:

It is always a pleasure to observe our teams playing on Saturday.  Currently our St Michael’s Blues’ hockey team is at the top of their league table with their counterparts from St Mark’s (Opawa).  The last times these two teams have met have been draws: 1 - 1 and 0 - 0.

Canterbury Hockey Development Squad:

Anastasia Loeffen has trialled and been selected in the Canterbury Girls’ Development team for 2008: Well done Anastasia.  

SPIRITUAL

Anglican Schools’ Conference:

Our Senior choir has been invited to lead one of the church services for this conference, at the Christchurch Cathedral this Thursday (7 August) at 8.20 am.  Our choir will combine with The Cathedral Grammar and Medbury School choirs for this occasion

Founders’ Service:

On your behalf, I thank all personnel for ensuring this annual event was: enjoyable, meaningful and memorable.  It was a pleasure to welcome the Reverend Mandy Neil, who was our guest preacher.

Year Eight Assembly Leaders this month have been: Kempton Haitana, Te Teira Pitama, Pippa Nicholls, Annabelle Priddy, Ashleigh Macdonald, Lucas Perelini and Taylor Alexander. 

Bible Readers at recent School masses have been: 

Courtney Clyne and Drew Mathieson. 

SYNDICATE REPORTS:

Senior Syndicate:

The Senior Syndicate have enjoyed a settled beginning to Term 3.  It is pleasing to note the level of commitment by the Senior pupils to their studies, especially when they have numerous duties and responsibilities.

In the Senior School all eyes are to the skies as we prepare for ski trips to Porters and Mt Hutt.  Unfortunately the weather last week meant the postponement of the Year 7 trip until Monday, while the Year 8’s take to the slopes of Mt Hutt tomorrow.

Another forthcoming experience is the Northern Tour to Nelson and Wellington, and we are finalising the timetable at present.

Finally, please remember to discuss with your child the activities from our Health unit: Keeping Ourselves Safe.  It is important that your conversations reinforce what is covered at School.                          

A P Kendrew

 

Middle Syndicate:

A special welcome to Elspeth Godfrey-Chatterton who has been appointed to teach in Year Five.  She has made a great start and the children in her class are settled and involved in high quality teaching.

Students in the Middle Syndicate performed really well in the recent I.C.A.S. Science.  George Warren (Year 4) earned a High Distinction, Taylor Keys (Year 4) Distinction and Nicholas Stevens (Year 4) a Credit.  

Daniel Alexander and Saskia Klinkenberg (Year 5) earned Credits and Megan Lord and Simone Gale (Year 6) also earned credits.

With the Olympics due to start, the Middle Syndicate is studying this topic.  Some of the study will require internet searches, visits to the Library to source information and looking in the newspaper.  Please ask your child what they are studying and if they need any help.

Could parents please ensure that your children have extra pens, pencils and rubbers ready in case they lose them or leave them at home.  Also with the amount of sickness around if children could also have their own tissues. 

J C Russell

Junior Syndicate:

The Junior Syndicate integrated theme for Term 3 is “Looking Back.” This will focus on the Social Sciences topic: How people used to live in New Zealand, and later in the term, on the Health topic: Change, Loss and Grief. We will also be looking at Maori Art and giving the children opportunities to experience some of these art forms. As part of the Junior School Arts Programme, we look forward to a visit from Helen Moran of Stories Alive this term. She will assist our junior children to recreate the story Tangaroa's Gift written by Mere Whaanga-Schollum.  

The children are enjoying the weekly gymnastics sessions at Olympia Gym. Teachers are noticing the increased confidence displayed by children using the gymnastics equipment. Thank you to all the parents who have helped with these sessions. Your tie and shoelace tying is very much appreciated!

T V Price

Health Issues:

Colds and Coughs:

Could parents supply those pupils, who have a sniffle, with enough tissues to last the day.  Any medication must be handed into our School office and our office team will administer any medicines treatment.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) immunisation programme update to boards, principals and education sector groups.

In early May we sent you information about the Ministry of Health’s Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Immunisation Programme that aims to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer.  The HPV vaccine will be offered to 12 year old girls (and all girls in Year 8 in school based programmes) on an ongoing basis, with a phased ‘catch up’ for 13 to 18 year old girls.

The programme starts in September 2008, with vaccinations for young women born in 1990 and 1991, through primary health care providers.  From 2009 and ongoing, vaccinations will be provided for 12 year old girls (Year 8 in schools), largely through a school-based programme.  The 

remaining girls in the catch up programme will be vaccinated during 2009 and 2010, through school-based programmes and primary care.

  

Thank you for returning the pro-formas, which accompanied the last newsletter.  Your comments will assist our Board and staff in the: reviewing of our set up and the clarification of our vision.

All the best.

Yours sincerely,

Kevin Boyce

Principal

P.T.F.A. 

COCKTAIL PARTY

SCHOOL HALL

FRIDAY 29 AUGUST

7 pm