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Preparatory School Newsletter

Thursday 4 May 2023

Term 2

Welcome back to the new school term. The children seem very pleased to be back with their friends. In saying this, the break was much anticipated and needed after a demanding 10 weeks.

I extend a very warm welcome to the new children and their families who started on Tuesday.

As winter approaches, please be careful when driving north along Normans Road; the low sun creates hazardous conditions, with poor visibility – please be extremely mindful of the Kea crossing and be ready to stop.

The traffic is heavy at peak times. Please do not try and turn right onto Normans Road when leaving the drop-off zone when the Kea crossing is operating (30 minutes before school starts and 15 minutes from when school concludes).

With winter approaching and the associated sicknesses, please do not send your child to school if they are unwell.

Cross Country 

 Years 4–8 Cross Country Monday 15 May, 10.40am–12.45pm.

 

 

Regards

 

Jonathan Bierwirth
Principal of Preparatory School
Deputy for Rector

JB

Preparatory School Clubs

In Terms 2 and 3, the Preparatory School Pastoral team is organising the following lunchtime clubs. These will be overseen by a teacher with support from our senior students and Preparatory School student leaders. Club options will change from term to term depending on interest and staff availability.

On offer in Term 2 (week 2 start) are the following:  

Minecraft Club – Wednesday (Years 4/5 in Room 1, Year 6-8 Science Room)
Preparatory School Minecraft Club will run each Wednesday lunchtime for Terms 2 and 3 in the Preparatory School Science Room. There will be laptops with Minecraft Education Edition installed and ready for students. Students in Years 4–8 all have Minecraft Education accounts that may be used. The focus for the club is to provide a safe and happy environment to create and build.

Games Club – Friday (Years 3-8)
Games Club will run on Friday lunchtimes and is a chance to come and play board games or card games with your friends. Open to students in Years 3-8 and operating in Mrs Fenton’s RE room. Games Club will be run by Mrs Fenton and Mrs Pettit

Chess Club - Thursday (Years 3-8)
Chess club will run on Thursday lunchtimes. Students will have the opportunity to play against other keen chess players from across the Preparatory School. Open to students in Year 3-8 and operating in the downstairs learning hallway. Chess Club will be run by Mrs Gilray.

Art Club - Tuesday/Thursday (Years 4-8)
Art club will run Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Preparatory School Art Room. The initial focus will be on using modelling clay to design and create. Open to students in Years 4-8, Art Club will be run by Mrs Meyers. Numbers limited to 12, please choose only one day.

Stitch Club - Friday (Years 4-8)
Stitch club will run Fridays in the upstairs learning hallway. The initial focus will be on using a cross stich kit to complete a finished design. Open to students in Years 4-8, Cross Stich Club will be run by Mrs Cronan. Numbers limited to 12.

To sign-up for any of these clubs, click here: https://stac.nz/PrepClubsSignup

Eco Action Native Tree Planting

Please join us, Eco Action, to help our students plant 5000 native trees and plants they have grown at Atlantis St, in the Christchurch Red Zone. Great atmosphere with heaps of fellow student and parent enthusiasts. Please bring some drinking water, solid footwear, and your favourite spade if you have one. There will be 450 spades on site, so everyone can help. The more the merrier.

Help our city help itself by developing this community asset that will last for generations to come. The grown forest will provide habitat and food for native birds and lizards as well as sequester carbon to help with global climate change. It's also quite fun to plant a few plants.

This is the first of four plantings that will see 20,000 locally sourced, student grown, native plants and trees in the ground at 50 Atlantis Street on 14 May, 18 June, 30 July, 3 September.

Eco Action Nursery Trust https://www.facebook.com/groups/1023474951364807/
Website http://eco-action.co.nz/

Hope to see you there on Sunday 14 May from 10.00am–12.00pm. Parking is available off Atlantis St, off Travis Rd. 

eco action

Holiday Basketball Tournament

During the first week of the school holidays the Preparatory School Girls A basketball team competed in the South Island Primary School tournament in Rangiora. This was the first time St Andrew’s have entered a team into the competition, so development and experience were the priorities. Without playing a game, the girls were promoted to the A grade, traditionally for representative and highly competitive club teams. We took the opportunity as a challenge and competed to the final whistle in each game. We finished the tournament with a couple of wins, and a hugely valuable experience. To cap it all off the girls were awarded the SIPT Spirit award, awarded to a team with exceptional attitudes, team culture and team performance. The tournament was a great success and has set the team up nicely ahead of their weekly competition.

Agrikids

The Secondary School Agriculture Student Committee and Fuel the Future club are running an Agrikids club for Year 3–8 students. The club will meet Wednesday lunch time in Weeks 4, 6 and 8 of Term 2 and Term 3. 

The secondary students will run fun Agriculture/Horticulture based activities during this time such as making microgreen kits, learning animal anatomy and making edible soil structures. Students also have the opportunity to complete Science Badges (Years 7–10), Science Explorer Badges (Years 4–6) and Science Activity Challenge certificates (Years 3–4). Please email Teacher in Charge, Natasha Cloughley Nortje NCY@stac.school.nz if you would like more information regarding the Science Awards.

Sign Up Form >

Future Problem Solving

Future Problem Solving (FPS) teaches a unique six-step problem solving process which can be applied in the real world, in local and global communities, as well as in future societies. This six-step model teaches critical and creative thinking, problem solving, and decision making. This term our topic is Digital Realities.

The St Andrew’s FPS teams competed in a Term 1 Challenge around the Topic of E-Waste (Electronic Waste). Students had to apply the problem-solving process to solve futuristic issues around E-Waste.

The students are given a reading which will set the scene of the future problem. The challenge is to apply the problem solving process across 16 different categories, such as Health, Law and Justice, Economics, etc. Each step is awarded points for originality and the ability to identify possible future challenges.

Results:

  • Year 6 team – 3rd: Aneel Bartlett, Rhys Seath, Ben McKendry, Yunze Li;
  • Year 7 team – 1st: Benjamin Edward, Emmett Lawler, Louis Hyland-Cook, Zilong (Cong) Chen;
  • Year 7b team – 1st: Hudson Blyde, Joy Zuo, Tasmin Wingfield, Benjamin Yu;
  • Year 7c team – 3rd: Baizhen (Tony) Chen, Alice Glover, Chelsea Li, Juno Park;
  • Individual Qualifying – 2nd: Genevieve Bainbridge-Smith.

Student Successes

Rhythmic Gymnastics

Kalisa Zhang (year 8) competed at the Autumn Glory of Canterbury Competition held last weekend. Kalisa placed first in free, second in ball, club and hoop and placed second overall. 

 

Ballroom Dancing

Holly Hembry (Year 8) competed in the 2023 Kiwi Classic Championships in Auckland over the Easter weekend, winning six events against competitors from Auckland and Australia, including Pro/Am events, while being partnered by Enrique Johns from Dancing with the Stars. Holly was also crowned Juvenile Princess for being the most outstanding female juvenile competitor over the weekend.

Highland Dancing

 Adelyn, Iaera and Nayana Abrahamson (Year 5, Year 3 and Year 1) all achieved brilliantly at the Hastings Highland Games, with Nayana winning Runner-up Most Points in the 6 and Under age category. Nayana also won the Novice Highland Fling at the Caledonian competition in Christchurch at the end of the holidays! 

Highland Dancing

Georgia Gregg (Year 6) entered the Fairlie Show Competiton at Easter Weekend and came first in the U12 Sword Dance Merit award and second in the U14 Sailors Hornpipe.