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Riverdale School Newsletter
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Newsletter - Week 4 Term 1 2024
Friday 23rd February 2024
Kia Ora
It is fantastic to see the sun still shining and the warmer weather continue. It was great seeing a lot of parents and extended family at school last week for our Community Night. Thank you to all of our staff and PTA for your organisation behind the scenes and to our community who support us with initiatives that strengthen participation and wider community involvement. The parent netball tournament and duathlon race was fantastic. It was great to see parents set a fantastic example of fun and ‘giving things a go’ for our tamariki.
Our Kaiako (Teachers) are well underway setting routines ready for our first school wide Science Inquiry. Our focus is on ‘thinking like a scientist’ through the Material World of the Science Curriculum. This involves critical thinking, how to effectively approach a problem or investigation and lots of experiments. This is a great time for your whānau to discuss science topics and concepts and support learning at home.
New Ministry requirements have come into effect including no cell phones in schools. We support this initiative but understand that these tools are used for communication and safety in some special circumstances. This policy will be shared with the community by the end of the term so guidelines are clear.
Have a fantastic weekend!
Ngā mihi
Jared Bron
Welcome
To our new students: We wish you happy days at Riverdale School
Piako Tahi - Pippa King and Elizabeth Davis
Out of Zone Ballot - New Enrolments
Riverdale School BoT invites all out-of-zone applications for enrolment in Term 2, 3 and 4 2024. Ballot applications will close on Tuesday 19th March. The ballot will be held on Wednesday 20th March if required, with outcomes advised on Friday 22nd March 2024.
If any current students that live out of zone and have siblings looking to enrol during 2024 please ensure you complete a ballot application.
Any questions please contact the office
No Dogs on School Grounds
Please be advised that Riverdale School is a dog free zone. No dogs allowed on the school grounds at all times.
Poua Hurricanes Visit
Last Friday, representatives of the Hurricanes Poua team came to Riverdale to work with our keen girl rugby players. The girls enjoyed working on skills and drills with the Poua players as well as a Q&A session. Some of the participants were given supporters flags and a few lucky players received Hurricanes Poua t-shirts
Communications Team 2024
It's a new year! Which means there is a new Comms Team! The Comms Team is a group of kids who organize Assemblies, Right Choice Days, and welcome special guests, and they also learn about leadership skills and how to be a leader! Whaea Selina will be supporting and leading us this year. When you are a Year Six, you can apply for this job, but you have to send in a very good application because it's a really big job! Sometimes the Comms Team goes on a trip out of school grounds to develop our leadership skills! Isn’t that awesome!? It's an amazing opportunity you get when you're a Year Six. Riverdale School is so amazing for all the opportunities we get! Not just for Year Sixes, but for everybody! This is our new Comms Team for 2024. By Aria, Comms Team Member.
HERO App Tips
Please ensure you check your HERO notifications regularly as we will be sending all written communication via the App. Should your child be involved in a trip for an extracurricular activity, the teacher in charge will attach a permission slip via HERO.
Community Night
It was wonderful to see the community come together to enjoy a fabulous evening last week. It was a fun filled night with Face painting, Fire engine, Police Car, Duathlon, Book Fair, Food, Netball games, and Parent race to name a few. Congratulations to all those who participated in the Duathlon. Thank you to the PTA for supporting this event with spot prizes. It was great to see our local emergency services, Police and Fire, getting behind the school and being apart of our wider community group. Many books were sold through the Book Fair and a portion of that comes back to the school for us to buy books for our tamariki to enjoy in the Library. Special thank you to all those who came along and supported the school.
Kelly Sports Swim Safety
Our Year 1-3 students have been enjoying extra swimming lessons from Kelly Sports. This Swimming Programme is a progressive swim programme designed to increase water confidence and teach water survival. This is also designed to be Professional Development for the teachers.
New Turf
A big thank you to our Riverdale School PTA and Board of Trustees for the amazing new turf. Our Tamariki have loved making use of this new space. We celebrated the opening of the Turf at our Community Duathlon Evening. It was fantastic to see so many parents take part in the mini fast five netball tournament.
Reminders
Sunhats are compulsory this term. Please ensure your child has theirs at school. Should they need a new one, hats are available to purchase from the office.
With the hot weather we are having, we would also like all children to bring their water bottles to school. Should they need topping up throughout the day, the teachers will assist your child to do this.
Maori Focus Ropu
Principals Awards
Piako Tahi
Ryker James - for putting a high level of effort into his learning
Haidee Tu'ipulotu - for her growing confidence in class
Piako Rimu
Ezra Johnston - for incredible reading skills and attitude towards learning
Harper Sara - for stricing for excellence in all that she does in Piako Rimu
Piako Rata
Asher Pettersen - for putting he best effort into all areas of learning
Miu Martizano - for outstanding confidence and leadership in Piako Rata
Pae Ake
Azra Cicek - for being kind, caring and helpful
Grace Ewart - for her incredible attitude towards Maths
Daisy Allison - for giving 100% in all her school work
Remy Hiscox - for her detailed story writing
Poutama
Bailey Gibson - for being a creative writer
Ailbhe Prince - for being such a kind Aronui to her classmates
Celine Mata - for an amazing improvement in her writing
Pounamu Atawhai
Brax Hohipa - for being resourceful and using his initiative in Pounamu Atawhai
Joel Nicol - for showing leadership and being a kind tuakana to our junior students
Kupa Tuhaka - for working hard to complete all his mahi in class
Calendar
TERM THREE
Week 6
Wed 6th March - School Swimming Sports (Y4-6)
Week 7
Wed 13th March - Interschool Triathlon
Week 8
Tues 19th March - Weetbix Tryathlon
Week 9
Mon 25th March - Interschool Swimming
Fri 29th March - Good Friday, School CLOSED
Week 10
Mon 1st April - Easter Monday, School CLOSED
Tues 2nd April - Easter Tuesday , School CLOSED
Thurs 4th April - Rippa Rugby Tournament
Week 11
Tuesday 9th April - Striders Road Race
Fri 12th April - Right Choice Day & Last Day of Term 1
TERM TWO
Mon 29th April - First day of Term 2
After School Events and Activities
We have a couple of our Smash Cricket programmes starting in a few weeks.
Smash Play - New to cricket programme targeted at Years 1-4.
http://www.mca.org.nz/smash-cricket/smash-play
Smash It! - For those that have been part of Smash Play or played some cricket already for those in Years 3-5
http://www.mca.org.nz/smash-cricket/smash-it
More information is available on Smash Cricket check out our website http://www.mca.org.nz/smash-cricket/smash-cricket
AA Insurance $10,000 Sports Grant - Nominate Riverdale School
Head to AA insurance on FaceBook to enter Riverdale School
Our Big Little Sponsorship celebrates our partnership with Eden Park by championing grassroots sports in schools and giving back to the community. For the fifth year, we’re calling for nominations for two deserving primary schools (one in the North Island and one in the South Island) to each win a $10,000 sports grant.
The lucky winning schools will celebrate in style with a visit from former All Black and rugby legend, Keven Mealamu.
We also have a $2,000 and $1,000 sports grant to giveaway to our second and third place schools for each island.
We know how important sport is to Kiwi kids. It teaches fair play, teamwork, builds confidence and keeps them active, but getting the little ones match ready can be expensive.
Nominate your favourite New Zealand primary school today to help them play a little freer!