Address: 282 Victoria Avenue, Remuera, Auckland | Telephone: (09) 520 0602
E-mail: [email protected] | web: www.victoriaave.com
Dear Parents
I arrived at work this morning, went to the Leadership team meeting, but prior to the meeting I had a cup of tea. I then taught the students who don’t participate in Bible. At the end of that I desperately needed another cup of tea. I came back to my desk and pulled open the Newsletter folder. I then realised that I needed to immediately file some documents I had left on my desk from last night. Finished that, back to the laptop and the Newsletter folder. I then remembered that I urgently needed to phone a colleague so straight on the phone to them. They weren’t available so the Newsletter folder was calling to me.
I opened the Newsletter folder and as I opened it I remembered that I needed to record the blurb for the Pupil of the Week for next week. I did that and what do you know, it was time to meet with a pre schooler and her mother for their pre enrolment discussion. That took no time at all, so back to the Newsletter folder. I glanced at the clock, seven minutes until playtime, definitely not enough time to get stuck into the Newsletter. Cue more filing, then upstairs for a much needed cup of tea.
Recognise this? Procrastination. We all do it. Usually, writing the Newsletter comes very easily and other days, like today, I was bereft of ideas so I procrastinated with all manner of vital (really?), urgent (hmm) matters to complete.
Does it frustrate you that your children or partner procrastinate? Does it frustrate you that your workmates / manager / staff procrastinate? I bet with a little self reflection, you’ll remember times when you just had to do some very urgent job which had to be finished before you could even think about starting the really important thing.
I spent some time looking on the net for tips to beat procrastination. I found lots of tips; ‘5 Scientific Ways to Beat Procrastination’ and ‘6 Sure Fire Ways to Overcome Procrastination’. The irony is, that I was procrastinating by reading self help articles on beating procrastination!
So what do I suggest that might help your children overcome procrastination? Well, there’s making lists, making a plan, break the task into smaller pieces, start with the easy part first…. lots of other suggestions. Personally, I think having a not negotiable deadline works every time. If you don’t pack your school bag by 8.30, I will leave without you (and of course on one occasion you just might have to leave without them – drive up your driveway, or go around the block). I guarantee that from then on that bag will get packed at 8.29 and they will be ready to leave.
Let’s just accept that a large percentage of the population will always procrastinate but will actually meet the deadline.
My deadline? Knowing that Linley will stand in my doorway and ask ‘have you finished the newsletter yet?’ That’s a scary thing, and works every time!
Janice Adamson
Speech Finals
Last week, I enjoyed listening to the twelve years 5, 6 speech finalists. There was a great variety of topics and speech techniques. Every speech was very engaging and it made the judging very difficult. Writing an engaging speech then delivering it doesn’t come easily to some children. Teachers work hard with their students, scaffolding them through the structure of a speech. Children then choose their own topic and prepare their speech ready to deliver it to the class. Nerve wracking for some but they still try really hard and they are commended for their efforts. Every time a child succeeds at something they find scary, it makes it easier to do the next time.
Congratulations to Cole Osborne, Year 6 winner and overall winner with his speech ‘What’s in a Name?’. Congratulations to Lucy Neville, Year 5 winner with her speech “What would school be like without boys?” The runners up were – Year 6: Molly O’Leary and Timothy Ravi, Year 5: Dan Brooks and Valencia Panaho.
Remuera Intermediate Enrolments
Please send your application forms in to Christine Clanfield as soon as possible.
She needs them all by Friday 25 September at the latest. Thank you.
Victoria Avenue School has the Remuera Intermediate enrolment forms at the school office.
Christine Cranfield Enrolment Officer
Remuera Intermediate School Ascot Ave, Remuera, Auckland Ph: 522 9890 | www.remint.school.nz
REMINDER MATH-A-THON MONEY
……..to be into the office by 21 September – thanks to all those who have returned their sponsorship money already.
Click Here to view our new BLOG PAGE on our website.
DRAMA/SPEECH LESSONS: Click here for information
MUSIC LESSONS: Click here for information on Musiqhub music lessons
AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES:
FOR TERM 3 2015
Click here for details on these activities.
Also:
Click here for After School and Holiday Community Based Programmes and Activities for 2015
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 2015
Term 3: Mon 20 Jul to Fri 25 Sept ’15
Term 4: Mon 12 Oct to 16 Dec ’15
~ Labour Day Mon 26 October ’15
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 for 2015
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.
PUPILS OF THE WEEK
Olivia Clausen, Bessie Su and Jayden Naran-Patel
- Room 2: Charlotte Barclay
Room 2: Polly Chisholm
Room 3: Kesia Kennard
Room 3: Maddison Prince
Room 4: Morgan Greer
Room 4: Thomas Beech
Room 5: Veve Tiatia
Room 6: Phoebe Kiyoto-Ward
Room 6: Emma Burton
Room 7: Lili Oliver
Room 8: Daniel Soldinger
Room 9: Olive Munro
- Room 10: Max Hill
Room 11: Connelly Grobler
Room 12: Hiroki Hui
Room 13: Grace McLachlan
Room 14: Frank Sullivan
Room 15: Caitlin Herrod
Room 16: Breeze McGee
Room 17: Clara Jones
Room 18: Breanna Rendell
Room 19: Edward Zang
Room 20: Fred Gilbert
Room 21: Issy Fenton
Room 22: Yuri Choi
PACIFICA MAMAS
The Pacifica Mamas are matriarchs (and patriarchs) hailing from all corners of the Pacific. They represent the cultures from the Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Fiji, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Tahiti and Hawaii. Each brings their own knowledge of Pacific Culture and Arts to Aotearoa, and their charm and enthusiasm is infectious. The Pacifica Mamas group come together to exchange traditional stories and song while effortlessly weaving, sew, make lei or tapa.
The Pacifica Mamas recount the many legends of the Pacific adapting them to suit every age group. Delivered with dramatic flair, the legend of coconut (Ina and the Eel) is one of the most popular stories – the practical demonstration of opening and scraping a coconut is popular with all ages. The Mamas also share the Legend of the drum, the story of Ohi’a & Leihua from Hawaii, Pipirima from polynesia and more.
In 2012 the Pacifica Mamas were awarded the Creative New Zealand Pacific Heritage Arts Award for their contribution to the arts and the community.
Our Years 0, 1 and 2 students were lucky enough to spend time with these wonderful people and below are recounts from several children outlining their experience. A big thank you to the Pacifica Mamas and to the parent helpers who attended the sessions.
First all the Juniors and Room 15 went into Room 7 and then the Pacifica Mamas greeted us. Then they taught us how to say hello in the Pacific Islands. Next Miss Carpenter split us into groups. The all of Room 9 and some of Room 7 and 10 came into Room 9 and we learnt how to weave. We had to remember a special story to weave. The story was that the eel went over under and turn through the seaweed. We were wearing head bands. The head bands can also be called leis. After that we went back into Room 7 and played the drums. We learnt that in the olden days the drums weren’t made for music, they were for messages to send all over the Islands.
Briea Arndt Year 2
The Pacifica Mamas came in our class last Thursday. They came to visit all the Year ones. First the mamas told us which islands they came from and theu told us how to say hello in their language. Next we went into Room 12 and made leis and we put them on our heads. Then we got a turn on the drums, my buddy was Emily. We played a beat. Finally we had a dance and a song. We had a challenge, thunder against lightning. We had a story about Sina, Eva and the eel. The mamas said thank you for having them. I thought the mamas were very talented. I felt excited because I had a turn on the drums.
Klaudia Horsfall Year 1
Yesterday the Pacifica Mamas came to V.A.S. and taught us their Pacific culture. They taught us many things.
First they greeted us in their Pacific language. The funniest one was “Bula” and the one which ends with “cheeia”. Then we split into two groups and we went back to our class. Did I tell you that we went into Room 7 and made leis there? We cut two green strips and one whit strip. One of the Pacifica Mamas told us how to do it. Over, under, turn but I couldn’t do it then another Pacifica Mama helped me but I still couldn’t do it.. Then Lucy’s mum helped me and I got the hang of it.
Then it was the drums and the dance. Everyone got a turn then we danced. There was a girl’s dance and then a boys’ dance. The gitls danced first then the boys danced then we all danced together.
Now it is the end. They told us a Pacific legend. It was nice at the starting and funny but at the end it was sad.
It was fun because I learnt many new things
Sagar Dhakal Year 2.
Register today by visiting us at www.kiwitennis.co.nz
Girls will never be bored at Guides
Being a Guide with GirlGuiding NZ is a very popular choice for girls aged 9 to 12.5 years and it is great to be able to offer the opportunity to more girls to join our unit in Newmarket on Thursday evenings.
Guiding is about learning, developing self-confidence, making new friends and, of course, having lots of fun outside school!
Our programmes are provided in a fun, safe environment and Guides get together each week with girls their own age to do lots of cool stuff like outdoor adventure, camping, sports, playing fun games and taking part in community action projects – all challenging the girls to achieve their personal goals.
If you have a 9 to 12.5 year old daughter who likes to have fun contact Louise Perryman on 021 146 9025 or [email protected] or visit www.girlguidingnz.org.nz for further information.
SHINE SPEECH AND DRAMA SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAMME
For more information CLICK HERE!
Soccer with Billy Harris
Billy is doing his classes again in the school in term 4, starting Monday 12 October. They’ll run on the school field at lunchtimes.
Billy is an ex All White, and has been coaching in schools since 1998. His classes – which are for kids of all ages and abilities – are great for your child’s confidence, coordination and ball skills, with an emphasis on skills and fun. Many of his students have attended over 100 classes, and some over 150!
To enrol or ask any questions, call, text or email Billy on 027 279 9042 or [email protected].
Only the first 16 children will be accepted.
Check out his website www.billyharris.co.nz for more information.