Phone 04 528 3094 Email admin@maidstone.school.nz Website www.maidstone.school.nz

23 November – Term 4, Issue 3

Mufti Day - Friday, 8 November – Gold coin donation End of Year Prizegiving

Lane Park, Lane Street - Friday, 15 December, 12.30 – 2.30pm (more details inside the newsletter)

Dear parents, caregivers, students and friends of the school Nga mihi nui ki a koutou katoa

Music is “wafting” from the hall at various times throughout the day so the end of year must be coming up, with our Year 8’s enthusiastically learning Social Dancing. There’s always some trepidation in the first week of Social Dancing but as they get underway a sense of fun develops which always makes me smile! Ms Dee is doing an outstanding job ensuring timing and moves are just right and that everyone (that’s practically the whole school) shares the sound of the music!

There’s a lot to look forward to with the Pool Party coming up, end of year trips underway, and the Prizegiving planning in progress. Make a note of the change in time for the Prizegiving - Friday 15 December, 12.30pm. You are all warmly invited to enjoy this celebration as we acknowledge the achievements of our wonderful students.

Maidstone Intermediate has an ERO review next week. The ERO team will be in the school Monday to Thursday. The results of this review will be shared with the community in due course.

A reminder of the changes to the uniform for 2018. There will be 3 different colours for the polo shirts - white, black and grey. Students have the choice of which they wear. Socks have changed to white or black ankle socks.

We wish the students in our EPro8 teams all the very best next week as they compete in the finals against other intermediate schools in our region. Nga mihi nui Mary O’Regan Principal/Tumuaki

2018 Camps Camps for 2018 are currently being planned for Term 1. If your child is in Year 7 you may like to begin an Automatic Payment for the cost to take the pressure off that January/February period. The cost is $150 per student. Please clearly reference any payments as ‘2018 Camp’ and your child’s name.

MUFTI DAY – 8 DECEMBER This Mufti Day is being held to raise funds for a school focus and the SRC have decided that the money should go towards Basketball Uniforms. A gold coin donation is required to wear mufti. This multi day has a theme “Sports Hero”. Students are asked wear clothes appropriate for school activities and bring their PE gear. We hope that you will all support this venture.

2018 TERM DATES Term 1 1 February to 13 April Term 2 30 April – 6 July Term 3 23 July – 28 September Term 4 15 October – 19 December

There will also be 2 Teacher Only Days – Friday 19 October plus one more to be decided.

Maidstone Intermediate Newsletter

UPCOMING EVENTS 29 Nov – EPRO8 Semi-finals

4 Dec – Immunisation Catch-up

6 Dec – Pool Party H20

8 Dec – Mufti Day (Sports Hero

theme)

See other end of year dates

inside the newsletter.

OTHER Dates to remember 13 December – Class Placement Open Afternoon – 3.00-7.00 pm 15 December – End of Year Prizegiving – Lane Park 12.30 – 2.30 pm – students are bussed to the venue 15 December – Reports go home. 18 December – Year 8 Social 7 – 9.30pm 19 December – Last day for 2017 – 12 noon finish. Buses are organised for the earlier time.

2017 End of Year Prizegiving - please mark your calendars: Date: Friday 15th December, Time: 12.30pm; Venue: Lane Park, Lane Street, Wallaceville. Upper Hutt We will be celebrating the successes of our amazing students. We are very proud of their many and varied achievements and would like to invite whanau, friends and community to come along and join in the celebration. We will be starting promptly in order to have all students back to school in time to catch their transport home afterwards. We look forward to seeing you there.

POOL PARTY The 2017 Maidstone Pool Party is almost upon us. This is an opportunity to celebrate a successful year with 400 of our students who consistently display the positive values that make Maidstone such a special school to be at. Students will be notified of their invitation this week and tickets will be on sale for $1 from Wednesday lunchtime in the Library Quad. The Pool Party runs from 7pm to 9pm on Wednesday 6th December at H2O Extreme. We will not able to enter the pool until 7pm and ask that a parent or guardian is there to pick them up from inside the pool at 9pm. No students will be allowed to leave without an adult. The Pool Party is always lots of fun. There will be races, the slides open, inflatables, competitions, prizes and lots of music. The Cafeteria will also be open on the night. Can't wait!

Sum-R-Reading

Heretaunga College Library Year 8 Maidstone students who are attending Heretaunga College next year have been invited to take

part in their Summer Reading Programme. If you are interested please pick up a pamphlet from Ms

McCracken at our school library.

Often over the Summer Break our children’s reading can slip

back and it takes a long time to get up to speed again. So

again this year we are offering to our present Year 7s the

chance to increase or expand their reading over the holidays.

With the support of their parents or carers they may take

home books from the school library to enjoy. A letter will go

home with those children who are interested in Week 8

and there will be a book selection day on Tuesday 13

December for them to select their books.

Outstanding Maidstone Citizens We have some brilliant students at Maidstone, who regularly do the right thing and live our values. One example of this came to light last week. A small junior student from Fraser Crescent was quite upset and about to walk home alone. Joel B and Zaybein W noticed the boy, and took action. They comforted him and supported him in returning to Fraser Crescent safely. Thanks for being outstanding Maidstone students beyond our school community.

Red trip to Kaitoke

On Wednesday, 15 November, students from Red syndicate went for a trip to Kaitoke. We split into 4 groups and did a rotation in the morning. We had a treasure hunt for magic rocks, leaves and living creatures, a visit to Rivendell, where Lord of the Rings was made, a bush walk and a time to evaluate all the work we have done this year with Forest and Bird and our local Upper Hutt conservationists. Then we made our lunch on the barbeques and played some sports games. We were lucky to get the big double decker bus for our trip back. That was pretty exciting, especially passing low trees. Thanks to the parents, teachers and the local Upper Hutt, rangers and conservationists, who all helped us learn things. It was a fun day.

ROOM 14 H20 TRIP On Wednesday 8 November, Room 14 headed to H20 for an extreme day of snorkelling, kayaking, boat safety and swimming. We spent an hour and a half learning about water safety and how to use water gear such as snorkels and life jackets correctly. Here are a sample of comments from the day: ALEX: It was something different. It wasn't boring - we had a lot of fun. It was good to actually do what we were learning. I

found the snorkelling challenging. I really had to practice the breathing. GRACE: I thought it was really fun and a good experience. I liked kayaking because it wasn't something you would normally do. It

was challenging but then became easier. THOMAS: I enjoyed the kayaking. I've never done it in the pool before. We got to do different challenges like keeping a rubber duck

on the end. ANGUS: I thought the kayaks were interesting. I was able to compare it with kayaking in the sea. It was much harder!

LEARN TO PLAY TENNIS Holiday Programme for Children From 5 years-13 years. Supported by HVTA Dates: Thursday 25 and Friday 26 January, 2018. (wet or fine)

Venue: Mitchell Park (Mitchell Street, Lower Hutt) If wet the programme will be held in the squash courts. Timetable: 9.00am-10.00 am- Girls from 5-8 years old; 10.00am-11.00 am- Boys from 5-8 years old 11.00am-12.00 noon- Girls from 9 years +; 1.00pm-2.00 pm- Boys from 9 years + Cost: $22-00 for the 2 days. Money to be paid on the first day. Registration: Contact Gary Nelson –Ph. 5897178 or Email - a.nelson@xtra.co.nz Note: Enrolments must be received by-Thursday 11 January, 2018. EARLY ENROLMENT is advised as this programme is very popular and the first 12 enrolments in each age group will be accepted.

GOLD TICKET SPIN OF THE WHEEL The most recent winner of the Spin of the Wheel was: Nelson from Room 1. Who received his Gold Ticket for Kawenga – Responsibility, and Whakaute – Respect. His prize was sponsored by Wheelers Shoes. Well done.

i

Thank you to the following firms for sponsoring this Newsletter and

the Maidstone Gold Ticket “Wheel of Fortune”

Ph. 0800 634 572 Fax 236 0174 nzcoach@xtra.co.nz

David Haswell 027 440 6534 04 526 6602 Ask about our party bus

Ryan Thomas Custom Construction

For a quote please call

Ryan Smith 0273467235 Or Email: ryanthomascc@gmail.com

Ground Floor, The Mall, Upper Hutt

Phone/Fax (04) 529 7342

Get your sKETCHERS School Shoes here – 2 Geange Street Upper Hutt