Address: 282 Victoria Avenue, Remuera, Auckland | Telephone: (09) 520 0602
E-mail: [email protected] | web: www.victoriaave.com
Dear Parents
Just this week, a parent said to me that she thought we didn’t teach values at Victoria Avenue School. It was part of a general conversation and rather than be upset by that assertion I thought that it would be better if I explained to all parents the very important role the values, skills and learning behaviours have in our teaching and learning programmes.
Every week in assemblies I give out Principal’s Awards and celebrate Pupils of the Week. If you listen to the reasons children are chosen for these awards you will hear the language of values and learning behaviours coming through very strongly.
Our long term inquiry planning includes values and we have learning intentions based around these values. Our topic overview for every year has an overarching value which is threaded throughout the learning. Last year it was excellence and this year it is integrity. Over the past 12 months, teachers have been looking closely at learning behaviours, inquiry skills and values. We have delved deeply into the place of these in our teaching and learning, not just our inquiry topics.
So, what is the difference between these? Here are a few (but not all!) examples:
Skills: analysing information, locating keywords, summarising main ideas, evaluating, sorting, comparing, presenting, planning, classifying, interpreting, skimming and scanning text.
Learning behaviours: participating, persevering, persisting, contributing, listening, managing self, thinking, being inquisitive, sharing information, being enthusiastic, motivated, reflective, taking risks
Values: empathy, respect, honesty, integrity, kindness, caring, being responsible, excellence, courage, fairness, sharing
We have the values in the VAS Charter: Kindness, honesty, respect, love of learning, our best always, consideration and co-operations, manners. The NZ Curriculum lists values: excellence; innovation, inquiry and curiosity; diversity; equity; community and participation; ecological sustainability; integrity; respect
Every family has a set of values by which they live. Every family also has a set of behaviours that they expect their children to live by. Every family has a set of skills that they work towards all the family learning and knowing. The VAS family is no different. We have identified skills, learning behaviours and values which are important for all of us to ‘live by’ in the school. The children and teachers have identified a few key ones which we believe cover many aspects. Of course we learn and live by a whole raft of values, skills and behaviours but these are our core ones.
Victoria Avenue School Children are: Responsible Caring Honest
These core values cover so many aspects of our lives – we are responsible for ourselves, for our choices, for our behaviours, for our environment, for our learning. We care about ourselves, others, our family, our friends, people less fortunate, the environment, the future of our environment, animals. We are honest about ourselves, our behaviours, in the way we talk and act with others.
Victoria Avenue School Learners are: Curious Collaborative Risk Takers Creative Reflective
These learning behaviours are just a few key behaviours our children use as they do their best always.
Everything we do here is based on sound values and learning behaviours. We love that what we value at VAS sits alongside the values and behaviours that our parents expect of their families.
Nut Allergies
We have children at Victoria Avenue School who have an allergy to nuts. If they eat any nuts they could have trouble breathing, require an adrenalin injection quickly and have to be hospitalised. To avoid such an emergency, we are asking for your help.
We recognise that many children love nuts, peanut butter and Nutella. However, we ask that, whenever possible, you would limit the amount of nuts, peanut butter and Nutella you send to school with your child.
We would be very grateful if all students washed their hands after eating, so that any residual nuts on hands is not accidentally transferred to items in the classroom causing accidental exposure. Also, if your child has eaten nuts/peanut butter/Nutella before going to school, we ask that you ensure that your child’s hands and face have been thoroughly washed prior to leaving the house.
If you ever bring any treats to school to share with the class, please ensure that it does not contain nuts or nut based products.
Thank you for helping to keep all our children safe.
Ski Teams for 2016
I know it is early in the year but we are thinking about the VAS ski teams. If your child is a very able skier and you would like to be involved with the ski championships held later in the year, we are holding a meeting for interested parents on Wednesday 9 March at 8am. Trials will be held later in the year. This meeting is to discuss organisation, accommodation and personnel.
Kind regards
Janice Adamson
Second-hand uniform sale – Friday 11 March, 8.45-9.30am
Please donate your clean, good-quality uniform to our sale.
Items may be dropped in the shop on Friday morning before school, or left at the office.
Click Here to view our BLOG PAGE.
DRAMA/SPEECH LESSONS: Click here for information
MUSIC LESSONS: Click here for information on Musiqhub music lessons
AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES:
FOR TERM 1 2016
Click here for details on these activities.
Also:
Click here for After School and Holiday Community Based Programmes and Activities for 2016
What’s Ahead?
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR ONLINE CALENDAR
IMPORTANT DATES AND TIMES
School Times
School starts: 8.50am
Interval: 10.30-10.50am
Lunch: 12.30-1.25pm
School finishes: 3.00pm
Term Dates for 2016
Term 1: Wednesday 3 Feb to Friday 15 April ’16
~ Waitangi Day Mon 8 Feb and Easter Holiday Friday 25 March – Tuesday 29 March’16 (During school term)
Term 2: Monday 2 May to Friday 8 July ’16
~ Anzac Day Mon 25 April and Queen’s Birthday Monday 6 June ’16
Term 3: Monday 25 July to Friday 23 Sept ’16
Term 4: Monday 10 October to Friday 16 December ’16
~ Labour Day Mon 24 October ’16
Stationery Sales
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 8.30-8.45am
Uniform Shop
– half way up dragon drive in the old dental clinic
OPEN FRIDAYS only: 8.15-8.45am
Orders and payments for uniform can be made online on our website ~ Click here
Lunch Orders
1. ezLUNCH: Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays
Join ezlunch today to take advantage of this promotion. and Place an order
2. Subway: Wed and Fri
Register to order online at www.subwayrialto.co.nz
3. Sushi on Thursdays
Click Here for order forms/instructions
School Dental Service
8b Ngaio St Orakei Ph5200603.
The dental team will be posting letters to all new entrants to our school as required.
Remember to ‘like’ Victoria Avenue School on Facebook.
NIT NIGHT TONIGHT!!
PLEASE, PLEASE CHECK FOR NITS – a number of classes have reported nits and if your infected child is not treated then many others will be!
Here is a link from NZ Health for info and treatment.
http://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/conditions-and-treatments/diseases-and-illnesses/head-lice
Reminder school Banking is on every Wednesday
To join go to the ASB display/banking box in the foyer.
To download the app for free on iPhone or Android click this link.
Entertainment Book Fundraiser 2016
The Victoria Avenue School PTA are happy to offer all our families the opportunity to purchase a new 2016/17 Entertainment Book or Digital Membership again this year. The new Memberships will be available in the first week of April, but if you pre-order before March 24th, you’ll qualify for a bonus set of vouchers from 6 businesses new to the Book including The Flying Moa, The Library Café, Uptown Bounce and Murder Burger. Each Entertainment Book or Digital Membership is still just $65, with 20% of each sale being retained by the school to help with our fundraising for the refurbishment of Rooms 9 and 20. There are plenty of offers from local businesses such Banque Oyster Bar and Eatery, Remuera Local Café, Upland Café, Laneway and family favourites such as Lone Star, The Flying Buritto Brothers and Mamma Mia. With new offers from The Maple Room, The Attic, TriBeca and many more, this is the best Entertainment Book yet. Pre-order yours today and support the school by visiting https://www.entertainmentbook.co.nz/orderbooks/941c58
URGENT FIJI FOOD DRIVE.

8 March: Years 5 and 6 Swimming Sports.
9 March: Ski Team Meeting
11 March: Uniform Sale
24 March: Mufti Day – Fundraiser for Orphans of the World.
16 March: Year 4 netball muster, lunchtime
17 March: Year 5 – netball demonstration, lunchtime
18 March: 7:15am at school, Year 5 netball practice session
25 to 29 March: Easter Break – No School for Friday through to Tuesday – return to school on Wednesday 30 March
31 March: Sausage Sizzle
31 March: 7:15am Baradene courts, Year 6 netball trial
1 April: 7:15am Baradene courts, Year 6 netball trial
5 April – Senior Summer Field Day – Years 5/6
15 April: Last day of Term 1 – School finishes at 3:00pm
NOTE NETBALL TRIALS COMING UP – GO TO //victoriaave.com/latest-sports-news/ for more information and registration.
Room 1: Thomas Madgwick Room 1: Kate Beuvink-Bruce Room 2: Noah Hutchinson Room 2 Leo Seguin Sanchez Room 3: Fiona Ng Room 3: Dominic Turnbull Room 4: Bianca Pennington Room 4: Olivia Judd Room 5: Jonty Mackintosh Room 5: Leo Cormack Room 6: Isabella Rothwell Room 6: Lucy Print Room 7: George Boyden | Room 8: Crystal Tan Room 9: Sam Mace Room 10: Dulcie Snelgrove Room 11: Grace Harnett Room 12: Layla Penhearow Room 13: Caitlin Herrod Room 14: Lucas Yao Room 16: Harper McIntyre Room 17: Serena Shao Room 18: Mia Gadnai Room 19: Huanran Qin Room 20: Sam Bashford Room 21: Christie Blair |