Thursday April 26 2012

Greetings and welcome to Term Two.

The children have returned looking very smart in their winter uniforms and have settled back into the groove most impressively.

Winter Sport

We are fielding nine netball teams, five miniball teams and a hockey team from Years Seven and Eight this winter. Following on from six touch teams and a futsal team it is good to see so much participation. I realise many more children are also playing rugby and soccer for clubs as well as any number of children involved in gymnastics, judo, dance, orienteering, golf, tennis, badminton, speech and all manner of musical activities. Please do not hesitate to share highlights from any of these areas with us for celebration.

Please reinforce to the children the need to find out themselves when games are and to attend practices diligently. Many of our teams are coached by senior students (we simply couldn’t field teams without their help every year) so please be positive in your dealings with them.

Vision Testing

Vision testing for all Year Seven children will take place on Thursday May 17 in the College library. Those Year Eight children missed last year will be tested also (we have the names). If for any reason you do not wish your child to be tested please alert the office.

ICAS

The University of New South Wales runs the ICAS (International Competitions and Assessments for Schools) annually. Later in the year we also have the Australian Mathematics Competition (different, and the one we have usually promoted). The ICAS series provides opportunities in Mathematics, Science, English, Spelling and Writing. The entry fee for all except Writing is $7.50 and the Writing is $17.50. Entries close on May 7 at the bursar.

Parent Education

Later in the term I will advise you of a date for our Parent Education evening. Topics for discussion will include Mathematics, Religious Education, Health and an introduction to social media (facebook, cyber matters). At the same time we will host a social for the Y7/8 children.

Best regards

Mike Campbell and the Year 7/8 Teachers

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Years Seven and Eight Department Information

Week One 2012

Kia Ora,

Welcome to all new and returning parents. Thank you for entrusting us with your child’s education. I am sure together we can provide them with an excellent start to the next stage of their journey. The children gathered on Wednesday looking refreshed and all wore their uniform very tidily indeed. They have settled into work quickly and have set a high standard for the year ahead.

This year we have four classes in Year Seven. The Year Seven teachers are Mrs Pam O’Callaghan, Mrs Lyn Osten, Miss Nina Railton and Miss Erin Jones. Mrs O’Callaghan is the Year Seven Dean.

There are five Year Eight classes this year and there have been some changes of personnel. Miss Tsukigawa has a Year Eight tutor class as does Mr O’Callaghan and new teachers to Kavanagh Mr Shaun Haig and Mr Andrew Sutton. Mr Mike Campbell has the remaining class and is the Year Eight Dean.

Mr Campbell is the Head of the Year Seven and Eight Department and has overall responsibility for curriculum delivery and the pastoral care of the children in Years Seven and Eight.

Communication to Parents

Our information tells us that almost all families at Kavanagh College have access to email. This will allow teachers to keep parents up to date with their class programme generally, and will also permit individual contact for those whose performance needs a little more attention.

Please fill in your email address on the back page for your child’s teacher to store.

The College produces a newsletter every week that is on the website www.kavanagh.school.nz from Thursdays.

Teacher Contact

It is a little different at a larger school to ‘pop in’ to the classroom to see a teacher unannounced. Most teachers are required at daily operations briefings before class and after-school commitments can mean the teacher leaves the classroom promptly. Discussing your child’s education takes priority over all this however so please make contact via the following methods;

1. 1.The College Homework Diary (due next week due to production difficulties in Chch)– make a note in it and get your child to give it to the teacher who will respond
2. 2.The College telephone system – ring the office and you will be put through to the teacher’s voicemail
3. 3.Email – this is the most effective method if you have access. Emails are cleared regularly and responses can be made smartly. All teachers have their email address on the College website and they will be written in the children’s diary.

When contact needs to be made urgently with your child or their teacher, a runner can get a message to them from the main office.

Your child’s teacher has received plenty of information from the children’s previous year’s teacher about their strengths and areas for improvement this year. If there have been recent emerging issues that you believe your child’s teacher should be aware of please contact them.

Expectations

We expect every child to reach their fullest positive potential and to allow others to do the same. We want everyone to do as well as they possibly can in a range of pursuits. It is important that where possible children participate in activities beyond the classroom if they wish like sport, learning a musical instrument, doing speech or participating in the College Musical. The children will be notified when these opportunities arise so they need to pay attention to the notices.

Absences

Every morning and then every period during the day we take a roll of every class in the College. Parents will be contacted via text to advise any unexplained absences of their child. Before school starts you may ring in to the College phone system, which will be cleared before the texting of parents begins. It is important to ring each day so there is no confusion. It is also good form to explain an absence to the class teacher via the Diary as well as advising the office. We are very strict with children leaving the premises during the school day so any off-site arrangements require a signed and dated note from home please.

Canteen

The College has a well-stocked Canteen with an increasing range of very healthy food. In fact the Canteen won a national award for its healthy fare. Children may place their lunch orders in the mornings so they do not need to line up with the bigger pupils. Simply place the order in an envelope with the child’s name and food ordered – change can be given when the orders are delivered to the Mercy Yard at lunchtime. There is a slot in the Canteen door and orders need to be in by 11am. The Canteen also stocks some drinks and confectionery. A pricelist will come home in the next day or two.

Very occasionally some children need reminding that it is never appropriate to ask other children for money. Any instances of this should be reported to teachers immediately and without exception. Likewise any unusually large wads of money being handed over at the Canteen may prompt follow-up.

Cell Phones

Kavanagh has a pragmatic approach to cellphones. Children in Year Seven and Eight who have them may have them at school but they should be turned off and out of sight in all classes. Very occasionally dramas can occur involving texting outside of school time. If these issues disrupt the equilibrium at school parents will be promptly advised.

Homework

The day at Kavanagh is longer than many have experienced before so any homework will be relevant, directed and not designed to be time-consuming. Our preference is that children learn the self-management of their time in pursuit of after-school activities such as sports practices, music lessons, climbing tress, riding bikes and paper runs. We do recognise that children doing schoolwork at home includes parents in the learning process however.

Homework is not meant to be the source of tension at home. This tension can cause feelings of alienation about school and none of us want that. If parents feel an honest attempt has been made, or other activities preclude its completion, please note this for the teacher.

Behaviour

We are proud of the tone the children create in the Years Seven and Eight Department but as always it needs reminder and reinforcement. It is critical that the children do the best learning that they can and always present their very best work. It is equally important that they allow others to do the same.

We expect the children to always use names when addressing their peers and their teachers and we discourage pointing (it is usually aggressive). Obviously swearing is unacceptable and the words ‘gay’ and ‘shame’ in the context that young people use them (generally a put-down) are not permitted. Any form of blasphemy is also on the banned list. Reinforcement from home is always helpful of course.

Important Dates Term One 2012 for the kitchen calendar

(ALL these events will be preceded by more detail)

• Meet the Teacher…(3.30 pm until 5pm).Thursday, February 16

• Kavanagh College Athletics Sports…Tuesday, February 21

• Timetabled Interviews………Thursday March 29 (A-I),                 Wednesday April 4 (J-Z)

• Term One ends……………………….………..Thursday April 5
• Term Two begins………………….……………Monday, April 23

Best regards,

Mike Campbell and the Years Seven and Eight Teachers

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Please return this bit ON MONDAY

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Notice sighted, read and acknowledged_____________________

Child’s Name…………………………………………   Tutor Class……………………….

Email Address………………………………………………………………………………………..