Dear Parents

I was at a Gifted and Talented session this morning and I had to pay a not inconsiderable amount of money to park there. I paid so much, I was entitled to stay there until 8.30pm tonight! As I left mid morning I noticed a woman looking a little stressed. I asked her if she needed a parking ticket and she said yes but she was late for her appointment and couldn’t find the machine. I offered her my ticket as I was leaving as it seemed a shame for it to go to waste. I was very surprised at the level of the woman’s gratitude. For me it was just a small thing, but to her, it was huge and she was very thankful, indeed she said I was an angel. Well, I’ve been called many things, but not often an angel! Driving back to school I was reflecting on how such a small and seemingly insignificant choice on my part, made what seemed to be a significant difference to the way that woman was feeling at that moment.

We talk with children about making good or appropriate choices, usually in the context of their behaviour, but making choices is so much more than the everyday choices around behaviour or what to cook for dinner, what to watch on TV. These choices are focussed on making ourselves feel good. But what if, just once a day, we made a choice that made someone else feel better?

How often do we actively make a choice to make someone else feel good? I wrote earlier last term about the concept of ‘who did you help today?’ Making a choice to ‘pay it forward’ immediately makes another person feel good. It also has the spinoff of making ourselves feel good, hopefully not because we feel important, but because we have made another human being happy.

We prefer the restorative approach to sorting out children’s behaviour choices. We ask the children about the choice they have made and ask if they can think of a different choice which wouldn’t have a negative impact on another. When asked that question, they can always come up with a more positive choice. This is what the restorative approach is centred around; helping children to understand the consequences of ‘bad’ choices and refocuses them onto ‘good’ choices.

Ask your children to tell you about a great choice they made today. Ask them whether their choice made anyone else feel good. Encourage the ‘pay it forward’ gestures as a way to foster and boost their self esteem through feeling good that they made a choice that made someone else happy.

Welcome and Farewell

We are pleased to welcome Kate Cope and Mirren Fredrickson who are job sharing in room 19. We also welcome Mary Pithey who opens the new entrant room on Monday.

Michael Davy, our caretaker who has been at Victoria Avenue School for the past 9 years has retired and is going to really enjoy not driving down from Matakana each day. We wish him lots of fun in his retirement.

Winter Uniform

Just a reminder about the colour of tights and socks. The uniform colours are navy, black or white, not pink and white striped or with pink hearts, bright yellow (and that’s just what I have seen today!) or other non uniform colours! Please ensure that your child comes to school with the correct uniform.

Parent Mathematics Information Evening

Wondering how we teach maths in schools today? Like to see the way children are taught to work problems out? We are delighted to welcome back Lucie Cheesman who led a maths evening at VAS a couple of years ago. Following Lucie’s presentation, teachers will have maths stations around the hall so you can see and participate in maths activities.

Health Concern

There has been an incident of Strep throat at school recently. This is a timely reminder that sore throats can be serious.

CROSS COUNTRY 6 September

Please see below information about the day’s events!

SECOND HAND UNIFORM SALE! – Friday 19 August 8:30am – 9:15am

Due to the second-hand sale, the uniform shop hours on 19 August will change to 8.30-9.15.

Please donate your clean, good-quality uniform to our sale. Items may be left at the office.

Due to the second-hand sale, the uniform shop hours on 19 August will change to 8.30-9.15.