Address: 282 Victoria Avenue, Remuera, Auckland | Telephone: (09) 520 0602
E-mail: [email protected] | web: www.victoriaave.com
Dear Parents
I love summer, but what a relief when daylight saving actually finishes. A relief because I don’t like the dark mornings and struggle to wake up. Seems I am not alone. One of the most common greetings in the morning over the past couple of weeks was about the dark and also about how tired people were feeling. We have certainly noticed more children appearing to be tired.
Sleep; too much, not enough, rarely just the right amount. So why are conversations about sleep so prevalent? That’s because a lack of sleep affects our lives.
Oh no, not another column about sleep. All very well to read about it, but how does that help? That is certainly my attitude. I know all about relaxing before going to bed, no heavy meals or caffeine, no TV in the bedroom. I laugh out loud at warm baths with scented candles, as if I have time for that. Reading about what to do about lack of sleep doesn’t make the slightest difference. I just carry on regardless.
However, when it comes to children’s lack of sleep, I have a completely different attitude. It is well researched and well documented that lack of sleep has enormous implication for children’s learning.
The guidelines for adequate sleep for children generally are as follows:
3 – 6 years 10 – 12 hours
7 – 10 years 10 – 11 hours
10 – 14 years 9 – 10 hours
14 – 18 years 8 – 9 hours
For a child, the risks of sleep deprivation are much more serious than simply waking up in a grumpy mood. Poor sleep makes life unpleasant. More worrying, however, are long-term behavioural, cognitive, and health problems.
Poor or inadequate sleep can lead to mood swings, behavioural problems such as hyperactivity and cognitive problems that impact on their ability to learn in school. Sleep restriction is associated with impaired memory (Hairston et al 2005), poor academic performance (Fallone et al 2005), and obesity (Lumeng et al 2007; Bell and Zimmerman 2010).
Usually it is easy to identify children with sleep problems. But parents may have trouble recognizing the signs of sleep deprivation in their children, and it appears that many children go undiagnosed. It may appear that your child is alert, but they may be suffering from behavioural insomnia in childhood (BIC –Moore et al 2007) recognised by requests for one more story, or one more drink, or one more hug. This is due to unclear or inconsistently enforced bedtime rules.
An experimental study of school-aged children has shown that even children who had no reported sleep difficulties performed better on neurobehavioral tests after they were given an extra hour of sleep (Sadeh et al 2003).
For this reason, it makes sense to examine your child’s sleep schedule, even if they don’t show obvious signs of sleep deprivation. Good sleep practices will help ensure that your child gets the sleep they need.
I can tell you that sleep has a huge impact on academic performance and behaviour but I can’t tell you how you can get your children to bed earlier; that’s your problem!
Kind regards
Janice Adamson
HOUSEKEEPING
1. UPDATING YOUR CONTACT DETAILS:
Thank you to all who have returned these forms … please return by TOMORROW – Friday.
Our Board of Trustees elections are fast approaching and we need to check we have your correct contact details. You would have found a sheet containing your family’s contact details this time last week …. can you please check this record and return to the school office by 1 April. If there are no changes please put NO CHANGE on the top of your sheet. Many thanks.
2. ICAS for Years 4, 5 and 6
– REGISTRATION CLOSES 5 APRIL – NO LATE REGISTRATIONS
– Reminder to register your child if you wish them to participate. CLICK HERE for the registration form and payment details.
3. SCHOOL INTERVIEWS – 14 April
- Rooms 15 and 9 are not having interviews on 14 April and will be staying at school.
- All other students will need to be picked up from school at 2:00pm
The link to book your interviews was sent to you via email today – Thursday 31 March. If you have any issues booking your interviews please email [email protected]
4. SCHOOL DONATIONS:
… Last chance today to pay before the end of the financial year. Payment can be made via the school shop.
//victoriaave.com/product-category/vas-online-shop/expenses-contributions/
Receipts will be distributed next week.
5. SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB
As many of you will be aware there have been serious problems at Scholastic and there have been delays in processing orders. Please CLICK HERE for an update of what is happening at Scholastic.
6. SUSHI TRUCK LUNCH ORDERS
Sad news ….. The Sushi Truck can no longer provide lunches for the school. We would like to thank Motokuni Yamasaki for the service he has provided to the school – we have enjoyed his sushi. He will continue delivering until the end of this term.
Please note EzLunch has a sushi option in their extensive menu. They deliver to the school on Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays.
We are also negotiating for a new lunch provider to provide another option for Thursdays. Watch this space.
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.
A big thank you!
Thank-you so much to all those generous parents and pupils who donated to Orphans Aid International last Thursday. Together we managed to raise a whopping $750.00!!! Well done!
Term 2 Miniball (basketball) Yr 3/4
Yr 3/4 Wednesday nights – 4:30-6pm 11th May- 29th June
Parents of Yr 3-6 students – Gymnastics Team HELP required please.
31 March: School Donations – last day for payment this financial year
1 April : Sausage Sizzle
1 April: 7:15am Baradene courts, Year 6 netball trial
5 April – Senior Summer Field Day – Years 5/6
14 April – Parent Interviews –
- Rooms 15 and 9 are not having interviews on 14 April and will be staying at school.
- All other students will need to be picked up from school at 2:00pm
15 April: Last day of Term 1 – School finishes at 3:00pm
SAVE THE DATE!!!!
VIVA LAS VAGAS NIGHT
SATURDAY 18 JUNE
Entertainment Books – All eldest/only students will receive one – you can opt out
Entertainment Books are going home next Tuesday (5 April) to all eldest students who have not opted out of this fundraiser
If you do not wish to receive an entertainment book on Tuesday please email Karen Smith giving her your eldest child’s name and room number.
Her email address is: karen_smith
YUMMY STICKER PROMOTION
Shine has school holiday programmes at Victoria Avenue School hall in the second week of the April school holidays:
Shine School Holiday Programmes:
Young Nature Adventurer School Holiday Programme – Thursday 28 & Friday 29 April
A magical adventure full of fun and games where children learn about the wonderful world of nature
through acting, dance and play. Become a Nature Hero…act out stories, dance and make a native bird puppet that you can take home.
Thursday 28 & Friday 29 April 9am – 3pm
Victoria Avenue School Hall
5-9 year olds.
Two Days $150, One Day $75
Enrol by emailing [email protected]
Aspiring Screen Actors Holiday Workshop – Tuesday 26 April
Professional actor, teacher and acting coach Nina Burchett will develop the craft and confidence of aspiring young actors.
Covering character development, USA and British accent, a film scene, a monologue and a voice over.
Victoria Avenue School Hall
Tuesday 26 April
One Day $150
9am – 4pm
8 – 12 years
Enrol here: www.shine.school.nz/enrol-school-holiday-programmes
Here is what people are saying…
It has been an invaluable experience for Max. He absolutely loves it! I can’t thank the Shine staff enough for their patience, experience and enthusiasm. We can’t wait for 2016! Clare
Our two boys (aged 6 and 10) have thoroughly enjoyed their speech & drama lessons. They look forward to them each week and tell me all about them afterwards. The skills Nina teaches are so important. I can’t recommend Shine enough. Janette
Come along to the Cluny Kindergarten Gala on Saturday 9th April from 10am to 2pm at 74 Victoria Ave, Remuera. Fun for everyone – games, food, crafts, cake stall, White Elephant stalls, raffles and auctions. Please join us for a great day to support this wonderful kindy. Live auction at 12pm: auction items include Eden Park Corporate Box, My Food Bag voucher, art works, builder for a day, Black Caps signed cricket bat, Panasonic wireless speaker system and more.