Maths and Reading Groups

 The maths groups that Mr Bach takes have been progressing extremely well this term. He takes some of the Batmen Groups for maths, Hulks Group and the Ironmen Group. All these groups now have a sound knowledge of place value in our base-ten number system and are using this understanding to add and double-digit numbers. Ironmen have been working with three-digit numbers. Here are some videos.

 

Weekly Notices, Term 1, Week 9

 

Sunday, 27 March 2022

Weekly Notices, Term 1 Week 9

 Kia Ora Kāhikatea whānau

Wow, Week 9 already! The term is flying by.  It's been a different kind of week with many children in our classes away. The children have impressed us by the resilience shown, both by those isolating and learning from home, as well as those at school where they have had to adapt to new routines and changes. Thank you for your continued support in keeping your child home if they are sick and testing if they show any symptoms. Hopefully, we are through the peak of covid in Kahikatea.

Swimming

We are swimming this week.  Please bring your togs every day.

Library

Tuesday: Room 15

Wednesday: Room 17 & Room 16

Roller Skating

Fridays at lunchtime if your child wishes to attend. Bring your own skates and helmets. 

We have noticed during learning through play that children are playing and interacting with different groups and making friends with those they don't usually play with. Fort building is still a favourite even on wet days as well as the blocks which have been used to create army bases, a kingdom, a castle and even a school.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

David Bach and Team Kahikatea

Dress-ups and Play Acting

The children have really been enjoying the new dress-up suits and have been play-acting scenarios for the last couple of weeks. They are being very inventive with their stories and have even come up with music and lyrics for some performances.

 

Weekly Notices, Term 1, Week 8

 

Sunday, 20th March 2022

Weekly Notices Term 1, Week 8

Welcome to Week 8 of a very unique first term 2022. We hope all those families affected by covid-19 are holding up well and the children and caregivers who have contracted it recover quickly. We are all praying for you in class. Children are now returning to school from isolation mostly reporting only mild symptoms. We are one of the least affected schools in Rotorua, last week our roll was still at 75% with only a couple of teachers affected. Many schools in Rotorua have temporarily closed.  We continue to follow strict Omicron protocols at school to ensure that we have as little spread as is possible, including:

• Good ventilation in classrooms and any place that children and staff are 

• Sanitising when we enter school and buildings

• Cleaning surfaces in classrooms during the day

• Social distancing where practicable

Mrs Dobson and Mrs Mines are busy in their role as DRSs. Thanks to them for organising the Bread and Water Morning Tea last week when the children were asked to think of those around the world who only have bread and water to eat every day, and also for the St Joseph’s Liturgy. This week on Friday we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord. The liturgies will be run in classrooms.

Coming up this week: 

• No swimming this week for Middle School, Kahikatea.
• Wednesday - Library. 
  
• Friday - Feast of the Annunciation Liturgy in classes.
• Roller Skating at lunchtime on Friday

Have a great week.

David Bach and

Team Kahikatea

Maths Whizz and Science Provocations

 

The children have been continuing to enjoy science. Last week we made up and talked about a body organ puzzle. Children did well on Maths Whizz last week. Everybody is enjoying the programme and getting their green tick for the week.

Weekly Notices, Term 1, Week 7

 

Welcome to Week 7 Term 1

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Kia ora, 

We hope you are enjoying the sunshine and have had a fantastic weekend so far. 

Thank you for supporting our fundraiser on Friday, we managed to raise $522 which will be sent to Unicef for Ukraine. 

Last week we started our Structured Literacy programme in the afternoons. Having had a taste of Structured Literacy last year, the children adjusted to the new routine well. We are looking forward to seeing the benefits this programme will have for reading and writing.

We are after some tin cans for a provocation this week. If you have any spares, please send them in with your children. 

Please bring togs again this week as we are swimming every day.

Coming up this week: 

• Monday - Friday is swimming.
• Monday - Thursday is the Ice Block fundraiser (see below). 
• Wednesday - Library. 
  
• Thursday - Rice Day. 
  

Messages from Mr MacMillan

Rest assured that we are doing our very best to follow the Covid protocols that the Ministry of Education has set down for us. This includes good ventilation in classrooms and any place that children and staff are. We are sanitising when we enter school and buildings and children Years 4 and up wearing masks indoors. Cleaning surfaces is happening in classrooms during the day and social distancing is applied where practicable. 

Have a lovely Sunday, 

Sophie and the Kahikatea Team. 

Swimming with Henk

We are once again lucky to have Henk in our school, giving professional swimming instruction to our children. All Year 3 children have really enjoyed their sessions with Henk, which for some of our young ones is as much about learning to listen carefully and follow instructions as it is about improving swimming techniques.

Weekly Notices, Term 1, Week 6

 

Sunday, 6 March 2022

Weekly Notices - Term 1 Week 6

 Kia ora and welcome to week 6.  

We had a lovely two days swimming with Henk last week.  We are so fortunate to benefit from his expertise.  We will be swimming every day for the next three weeks.  Please remember to bring your swimming gear every day.

We are impressed with the independence shown by many of our students in completing their "must do's" across the week.  Keep up the good work.  Quite a number are doing a bit of Maths-Whizz at home every day and have got 4 progressions or more for the week. 

Our library days are as follows:
Rm 15 - Tuesdays
Rm 17 and Rm 16 - Wednesdays

Class Mass:  This week it is Room 16's turn to attend weekly Mass in the Church at 12pm on Wednesday.  Room 17 will have their turn next Wednesday.

News from Mr Macmillan:

Covid -   If your child tests positive you need to let the school know ( even if the child had already been isolating or away from school). You need to let Mr Macmillan, Mrs Cato, or the School Office know, please.  If your child is unwell please keep them at home.

Updates are being sent via the School App  - general updates go to all and more specific ones to classes when there is a positive case. Please make sure you have subscribed to alert notifications for your class. 

On Friday the Young Vinnies want to have a Mufti Day for Ukraine. Children are to wear the colours of the Ukraine flag (blue and yellow) or their national flower, the sunflower, to show our support for the people of Ukraine.  Gold coin donation please.

We are looking forward to another action-packed week of learning.

Stay safe, healthy and positive.
God bless
David Bach and Team Kahikatea

Shrove Tuesday

 

Tuesday, 1 March 2022

Shrove Tuesday

Today is Shrove Tuesday.  It is the day before Ash Wednesday. 

Long ago, after people went to church to confess their sins on Shrove Tuesday, they often returned home to have a feast.  They would use up all the "fat foods" or treats in preparation for fasting during Lent.

One of the dishes that was often made was pancakes. And that tradition has continued to this day. Some people make rolled-up paper-thin pancakes called crèpes with yummy fillings.

In many places around the world,  people enjoy eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday.

That’s why it’s sometimes known as Pancake Tuesday or Pancake Day. 

Rooms 17, 16 and 15 had fun making pancakes as a play provocation.  There was a group of mathematicians who worked out how many pancakes we would need for all three classes.  We then shared a pancake picnic together on the field at morning tea time.  Here are some photos of our preparation and picnic.