Copy of the first newsletter for 2012

Dear Parents,

Welcome to Term 1. I am looking forward to working with your child and aim to provide them with the best possible chance to fulfil their potential at Hilltop school. If you would like to make an appointment at any stage to meet with me please contact me at the office and I will phone you to arrange a time.

Term one is always a very busy term with a lot of things happening! I will always display any reminders on the whiteboard and I encourage the children to use their diary each day to note down any important information.

I have set up a class blog which is available to view online at the following address – www.room14hilltop.blogspot.co.nz and I will work toward putting any important dates on here as well for those parents who choose to access it online,

Classroom Management

Hilltop School has a school wide Discipline Policy. We expect children to be working in their rooms respecting everyone’s right to learn and for students to obey instructions promptly. If they choose not to do so, their name will be recorded on the board. For a further offence a cross is placed by their name and they have time out in class. You will receive a letter from your child if they offend again in the same day.

Our Inquiry topics for 2012 are:

Term 1 – Co-operative learning and Pureora Forest Camp

Term 2 – Wonderful Wai

Term 3 – Parachutes and the Olympic Games

Term 4 – Biz Kids

Homework

In accordance with our school/policy statement on homework, your child’s homework will consist of a weekly spelling list, maths and personal reading. Children will also receive the occasional research project based around topics we are covering at school.

Spelling lists will come home on a Monday in your child’s spelling notebook, and they will be tested on a Friday. Children can use the following website to practise their words during the week – www.spellingcity.com

The maths section of homework will be focused around Basic Facts and whichever maths strand we are focusing on at school. Maths can be sourced and practiced using the following websites – www.mathletics.co.nz or www.tutpup.com.

If your child has a Mathletics account, the weekly task is changed on a weekly basis by me. This task will also relate to our current Maths Unit and objective,

Sample Folders

These are available, in the classroom, for your viewing throughout the year to see our planned work and your child’s assessment samples and test results.

Mathematics

This term we are focusing on Addition and Subtraction.

Reading

As part of our reading programme I require each child to provide a novel or chapter book to read for pleasure at school. This can be obtained from home, the classroom or the library.

Writing

Our focus for writing this term is Personal Experience. There are examples of writing at this level from 1 – 4 on a display in the classroom if you would like to see what is expected at each level. Children will receive written feedback on all writing, and a level and written feedback and feed forward on sample pieces of writing.

Physical Education

This term we are focusing on Summer Sports related skills and Triathlon training. Swimming lessons, taken by qualified instructors from the AC Baths will begin for Team 4 on Monday 20^th February for two weeks. Please provide a note if your child is unable to participate in PE due to illness or injury.

Camp

This term all of the Team 4 classes will be going on a three day camp to Pureora Forest. The dates for Room 14 are – Wednesday March 28^th – Friday March 30^th, which is in week 9. More information will be sent home very soon about this – so stay tuned J

A spot of homework for the parents…

I wonder if you may be able to take five minutes to compose a short letter to me about your child. Their interests, friends, family hobbies, their disposition? This gives me a different insight into your child’s life and allows me to get a better understanding of what is happening for them outside of school. If you can, please send this along to school with your child or email me at rachel@hilltop.org.nz – this would be much appreciated and is valuable information for me to have.

I am positive that this is going to be a fantastic year. I look forward to meeting you all.

Kind Regards, Rachel Allen