Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Year 8 students are currently visiting the annual open days at the local secondary schools to help them to decide which school they would like to enroll in for next year.  

We are conducting fire and earthquake drills at the moment. It may be a good opportunity to discuss what to do... (more.)

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Welcome to term 3, already! We have welcomed several new families to our community and look forward to getting to know you over the coming weeks.  As always, please do not hesitate to come and see us if you have any questions, concerns or ideas.

During our professional learning day in the holidays, we explored the type of data that we can collect for assessing progress over time in reading, writing and numeracy.  One of the features of Carterton School is the determination of the staff to continually improve teaching methods.

Due to Alison’s Sabbatical leave there are some changes in staff this term... (more)

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Huge congratulations go from all of us to Barbara Whitburn, who married her lovely partner Paul at the weekend. Barbara and Paul managed to surprise their friends who had thought they were attending a birthday party! To follow the ceremony Barbara and Paul have announced that they are expecting a baby in December. This is such wonderful news. We are all so happy for them.

The winter term is not always our favourite here at school. In class we... (more)

GO THE ALL WHITES!

Cross Country – Congratulations to the students who took part in the Cross Country at Kahutara last week.  We have 5 people going to the Regional Race in Waikanae.  Go Carterton School!

Parent Teacher Interviews – We look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday or Thursday after school.  Your appointment times (...more)

CHANGE OF DATE – Due to poor ground conditions the South Wairarapa Cross Country event has been POSTPONED until Friday 18th June.

It must be cross country week – the weather has turned very wintery! Congratulations to the students who are representing our school at the cross country at Kahutara on Friday. We wish you all well – make sure you take plenty of clothes to keep you warm! Our school cross country event last week ran so smoothly – thanks to all involved. Several students entered the ‘muddiest person’ competition I think!

Another special visit is taking place on Thursday this week when our kapa haka group is going ‘on tour’... (more)

I hope you all had an enjoyable long weekend – even though the weather was not very kind.

Report files will be coming home on Friday 18 June (next Friday). They will include a variety of work samples and graphs / charts which will let you know how your child is doing with some key aspects of learning. While the files will give you a lot of information it can not replace the importance of a face to face discussion with your child’s teacher. The week after the files come home we will have parent teacher interviews... (more)

Winter weather has certainly arrived! While curling up in front of the fire at home is lovely, wet playtimes are not much fun for students or teachers! We provide a range of activities in classrooms suitable for wet days, but if you have any old games / lego etc you would like to donate to school to help amuse the children please drop them off at the office (it does not matter if they are too old or young for your child’s class – we will find a suitable home for them!) Thank you.

Science Road Show opportunity.

The Fonterra Science Road show is coming to the Wairarapa in August / September. There are a range of over 60 hands-on interactive exhibits and two new demonstrations this year. The admission price is $6 per student (supervising adults are free). We are unable to offer this as a whole class / learning team opportunity but I am happy to co-ordinate individual students to attend. Parent transport / supervisors will be required. Teachers will not be attending. If you are interested in taking up this opportunity please return the slip below with $6 per child to me by Friday 28 June (This week!). Places are already filling fast! Please note there are three options – indicate which you are interested in.

Parent – Teacher interviews this term.  (more...)

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Congratulations to our new Board of Trustee members!  Many thanks to those who put their name forward for the role, and to everyone who took the time to vote in the election. Thanks also to Ronny Tankersley, our efficient returning officer.  Our first meeting of the new BOT is next Tuesday 25 May, 7pm in the staffroom.

Board of Trustees Election – Declaration of Parent and Staff Election results.
Parent Representatives’ votes:
Debbie Fryer – 108    Jim Green – 121        Debra Julian – 108
Sarah Smith – 128    Helen Waldron – 63    Thomas Westgarth – 86
Tracey Wilson – 68
I hereby declare the following duly elected:
Debbie Fryer, Jim Green, Debra Julian, Sarah Smith, Thomas Westgarth

Staff representative:  At the close of nominations, as there was only one valid nomination received, I hereby declare:  Barbara Whitburn duly elected.
Signed, Ronny Tankersley, Returning Officer

Autumn is finally here... (more)

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Last week I wrote about the concerns we have with some behaviour in school. Last Friday we had a visitor from another school to observe our assembly. Their feedback was wonderful, as they saw a group of well over 300 students paying attention to each other with respect and celebrating their own and others successes. In the last week there...

Dear Parents and Caregivers

This year we have a wonderful group of students at Carterton School who have the potential to have an amazingly successful year in all areas.

Many students are making a huge contribution to us achieving our first school community goal: ‘To develop a positive learning culture which will produce students who are enthusiastic, contributing members of society.’ (Carterton School Strategic Plan)

Unfortunately over the past few weeks we have become aware of some behaviours which are hindering the development of the ‘positive learning culture’...

BOT election special!

We have had seven nominations for places on the Board of Trustees (5 places are available). All voting papers have been posted home. If you do not get yours please contact Ronny Tankersley, returning officer, on 3797351.

The candidates have been asked to provide a short statement about themselves to give you an idea of who is standing for election, and you can view them here.

The ballot box is next to the school office. Closing date for voting is 7 May 2010.

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Welcome to Term 2 at Carterton School! We have welcomed several new families to our community and look forward to getting to know you all over the coming weeks. We currently have a roll of 329 students – a very healthy number. As always please do not hesitate to come and see us if you have any questions, concerns or ideas.

Last week the teachers all attended some inspiring seminars....

BOT nominations are due in soon. Have you thought about becoming a member of the Carterton school Board of Trustees?

Training is provided and existing BOT members will provide support for new trustees. If you have skills...

We are fast approaching the end of term 1. It has been a short term – but a lot has happened. We have had success in a range of sporting events, swimming sports and rugby. The harriers event is this Sunday so good luck to all of our runners. Academically all class teachers have been working on getting to know your children in as much detail as possible. We have used some new assessment tools...

Our school gala certainly started in dramatic style with the severe wind and rain and black clouds! Thank you so much to the people who stuck it out and contributed to what was still a fun evening. We are selling cakes and sweets at lunchtimes which are left over from the gala. It is such a pity that we did not have the numbers here after all the magnificent organisation. Special thanks to Kirsty Hull and Andrea Beckett for the hours of work they put in before the day and to all of our sponsors.

I have had a wonderful start to the day – and it reflects most days here at Carterton School for me. I have been part of an 8am meeting with teachers to discuss admin issues, everyone was working together to get things ironed out for whole school events and finding practical solutions for problems. A couple of parents have contacted me by phone or in person, two to pass on good news and one asking for help.

Then I walked past the classrooms...

Our school picnic is on Thursday this week! Bring your dinner to school on Thursday from 5.30pm – maybe a picnic or fish and chips or buy some sausages from the PTA sausage sizzle. We will be having a relaxed family time. Some organised races and games will be running for the children – adults are welcome to join in and help! Sorry that the pool will not be open this time. Please note that the school grounds are ‘smoke free’ at all times. Teachers will be introduced at about 6pm so you can put a face to the name (and they will be wearing name badges). We look forward to seeing you.

The school year has...

What a fabulous start to 2010 we have had! The classes have quickly settled down to positive and effective learning and the teachers and students are reporting that they are enjoying being back at school. Our new students have been welcomed to the school and seem very happy. Don’t forget to contact your child's teacher as soon as possible if you have any questions or concerns at all.

It feels as if Wendy (Room 4 and DP) and Brent (Room 1 and team leader) have been here for a lot longer than a couple of weeks! The attendance of all of the teachers...

We are pleased to announce that we have appointed two new members of staff from 2010.

The new deputy principal will be Wendy Taylor. Wendy is currently acting principal at Clinton School.

Our new Year 7&8 team leader is Brent Ballantyne. Brent is teaching at Huntly School at the moment.

We are looking forward to welcoming Wendy and Brent to the Carterton School community!