1. education
2. school

Nau mai haere mai, Talofa lava, Malo e lelei, Bula Vinaka!
Growing Excellence Together
Piki ake te tihi ngātahi
Newsletter 13 November 2014
Important Notes
Things to note…
►Nov 14 Show Day-School
Closed
►Nov 14 BOT Electionvoting closes at noon.
►Nov 21 Nasda performs
for school, 11.30am, hall,
$2
►Nov 21 School Disco
►Nov 24– Dec 5 Team 1 at
Kings Swim School
►Nov 24– Dec 5 Team 3 &
4 at Canterbury Swim
School
►Nov 25 Parent Evening—
Collaborative Teaching &
Learning
Nov 28 Final Whanau
meeting for the year at
6pm.
►Dec 17 Senior PrizeGiving at 6pm.
►Dec 18 School finishes at
12.30pm
Just a reminder that as tomorrow is Canterbury Anniversary Day the school is
closed tomorrow and will re-open on Monday, 17th November.
Staff leaving: Congratulations to Kylie Bedford who is currently working in Room
23 who has a position at Spreydon next year. Monique O’Sullivan who is currently
part-teaching in Room 6, has a full-time job in Waimairi, next year. Thanks to both
of you ladies. We have loved having you here at Avonhead and all the best for
your new positions.
The weather is still very chilly so we have delayed opening the pool. We will
however open it on Monday 17th November and keys will once again be only
available to parents of children attending Avonhead School. The limited
number of keys will go on sale from Monday 17th Nov and will be given out on ‘first
-come, first-served’ basis. Once again, you will be asked to sign a contract and the
cost will be $85 with $10 refund on the return of the key.
We have to restrict the number of keys we issue as there is the potential for the
pool to be over-crowded on a hot day.
Please note that if you still have a key left over from last year, it will not fit the lock
for this year so please return last year’s key to the office.
Deciles:
The news-media is clamouring for information on the decile of each school and we
have been served a request under the Official Information Act so it’s best that you
know first before reading it in the newspaper.
Our decile has been lowered from 9 to 7.
Deciles are not precise instruments of measuring the compositions of communities,
particularly in Christchurch as there are so many variables. The earthquakes have
displaced families across the city but the implications of us having a slightly lower
decile means we receive more money in our operational grant!
Neighbouring schools in the area have also received lower deciles and it is
reflective of the change in demographics as families have been relocated across
Christchurch.
Finally, in my notes to parents about ‘Avonhead School and Beyond’, I
mentioned there was going to be a parent information meeting on our visionary
learning journey and you are all invited to the meeting in the hall on 25th
November at 7pm.
If you have any question that you would like answered at this evening, please
email Hilary at the office; admin@avonhead.school.nz and we will ensure that they
are addressed on the evening.
Charles Levings
Principal
We need more plastic bags
please! To the office.
Contact Us
Term Activity Fees; Thanks
to those who have paid.
Due to the impending
change to our Student
Management system it
would be appreciated if all
invoices were paid by
Thursday, 20th of
November.
Address: 55 Avonhead Road, Christchurch 8042 Phone: 03 348-7361
E-Mail: admin@avonhead.school.nz
Website: http://avonhead.school.nz
Awards Students
▲Awesome students recently awarded certificates for showing Excellence and
having the Avonhead Attitude in everything they say and do!
Well done!
◄Our Outstanding
Mathematicians receive Top
Awards!
The Problem Solving Final
Challenge.
The Otago Problem Challenge
took place over the year, with
students from Extension Maths
sitting five tests of 5 questions
each. Based on their results
thirteen students were invited to
take part in the Final Challenge.
Congratulations to Alan Li and
Aislinn Rogers who received a
Distinction in this
challenge. They were placed
11th= and 25th= respectively in
New Zealand - a fantastic effort!
‘Girl In Da Hoodie’
Team 5/6's Production for 2014 - Little Red Hoodie
On Wednesday 5th November and Thursday 6th Team 5/6 presented their well
organised production for 2014, a modern version of Little Red Riding Hood. It was a big
success and on the Thursday night the tickets were all sold out!
Over the past 6 weeks we all worked so hard painting, rehearsing and dancing to make
this year’s performance the biggest success possible. We would like to thank our
wonderful director, Amanda Thornbury, and Michelle Robinson who have organised
the actors/actress's and costumes.
Cast - Little Red Hoodie - Johanna Robson, Mrs Riding Hoodie - Lucy Ruge, Little Red
Hoodie's Aunt - Alyssa Murphy, Mr Wolf - Jonathan Manning ,Woodcutter - William
MacKenzie, Grandma - Lexus Hansen, Mafia - Spencer Wilson & Mitchell Barrett,
Speedy Joe - Senta Yamamoto, Little Pete - Dakota Coleman Hoodies 1 - 6 - Ainslee
Paulsen, Molly Stretch- Davidson, Skylar Hands, Avon Agsornwong, Grace Oh , Eliza
McIntosh, Tanna Yung.
Written By Lucy Ruge and Alyssa Murphy
Raffle winners are; Kayley Johnson,
Lexus Hanson family
Karen Honeybone, Hayden, Rachel Wilson,
Johanna Robson
Neve’s Mum.
Celebrations etc!
Jordan Worrall was the ball runner for
Canterbury Rugby in the game against
Southland on September 28th. He won
this in a radio competition and got to
place the ball in the middle of the pitch
before the game and he also won a
Canterbury Rugby jersey. He was
interviewed and told Sky TV he went to
Avonhead School and when he grows up
he wants to play for Canterbury! ►
▲Our amazing Year 3/4 Jump
Jam Team came third in the
South Island Jump Jam
Championships Novice
Section. They also won
certificates for excellence in
Creativity, Sportsmanship and
Costume. Congratulations to
our awesome students and
our incredible teachers: Ms
Vickers and Mrs Todd for all
the work in behind the scenes.
We are all very proud. Another
Avonhead Success!
From rear; Chloe, Isabella,
Sofia, Annalise, front; Mikayla,
Ella, Amy, Julia, Lucy, Holly
(crouching).►
Community Notices
…
Nor’West Brass Open Day and Concert
Do you want to learn to play a brass instrument but don’t know where to start?
Do you want to learn and play in a friendly and supportive environment with other people
who are learning alongside you?
If the answer to either of those questions is “YES!” then come along to the Nor’West
Brass Open Day and Concert at Papanui High School on Thursday 20 November at 6.30
pm to try out some instruments, chat to the tutors and listen to the band playing from 7.30
pm.
If you have any questions please e-mail us at norwestbrass@gmail.com or give Bill Vail a call on 029-7774233.
Our very own Alyssa Murphy, one of the stars
of Little Red Hoodie, is to appear in this show.
AIR FORCE MUSEUM Holiday
Programmes, December 2014 &
January 2015
The Air Force Museum is currently
taking preliminary bookings for our
Holiday Programmes.
‘The Christmas Flight Mission’ is
running from the 15th -19th of
December and some of the activities
include baking, making your own
presents & Christmas decorations,
summer sports and Santa’s flight
mission!
‘Wigram’s Inventors’. Do you have
what it takes to be an inventor?
Running from the 19th – 23rd and 26th
-30th of January 2015. ‘Wigram’s
Inventors’ involves some of the
following: exploring things that fly,
glide and move, invent your own toys
that zoom, overcoming obstacles,
and explorations.
You can book half days, full days or a
full week. Our programme is OSCARendorsed and our times are from
8:30am-12:30pm ($25) or 8:30am3:00pm ($35). A full week is
$170.00.
Bookings are essential, so please
contact the Public Programmes team
on (03) 343 9504 or visit our
website; www.airforcemuseum.co.nz.