Week 10, Term 4

We're here!!!!  The last week of school for 2016; and for some the last week of your primary education! A new chapter is about to begin and a mix of emotions is to be expected. Excitement, sadness and nervousness are the most common!!

Important notes for the last week of term....

1. Senior Prizegiving is on Thursday at 6pm - it is expected all year 7 and 8 students will be at this please. 

2.  Halswell Pool/Domain trip is on Tuesday. Please ensure you have paid. 

You need to wear comfortable mufti and a sunhat. 

Bring your togs and something warm. 

Bring a large lunch and drink. 

Please apply sunblock before leaving home and bring some with you as we'll get you to reapply it during the day. 

3. Reports will go home on Wednesday. 

4. Year 8s and leavers- please ensure your Leavers' Forms are complete and handed in. If you have anything outstanding, please find it and return it!!

5. Books and art work will come home this week - a couple of plastic bags is a great idea to help transport these things home!  Pop them in your school bag ready for when we say to start taking stuff home!

Have a great last week. We have talked a lot about your behaviour and upholding a strong sense of 'doing the right thing'. Please continue this for the remainder of the term, and finish the year being remembered for the awesome kids that you are!!

Tough Kids 2016!

On Wednesday the 30th our Senior HQ students went by bus across to South Brighton to take part in the 2016 Tough Kids event.  This was organised by Sports Canterbury.  Our school was in the first wave and everyone enjoyed taking part - especially getting wet and soapy!  Everyone was challenged with the obstacle course, mud and water and the best part was...everyone completed the course.  Special thanks to Mrs Busfield who co-ordinated this event for us.  We asked the students whether or not they'd want to take part again next year and their response was "definitely yes"!  Check out the movie to see us in action:

Week 8, Term 4

What a busy weekend for some. Congratulations to Mrs G and the student council for another successful disco. It was lots of fun despite the few tears. The quote of the night would have to be I'm so sad, *tears "See ya Monday"!!!

Yesterday was another great mountain bike trip through Bottle Lake. Thanks Mrs Moore for organising it!

Please check the calendar for what's on this week. Tough kids affects the whole HQ and is on Wednesday. Consider what you will wear - will you get with a group of friends and come in costume?  Remember a change of clothes, a towel  and a plastic bag. 

Please start returning library books and anything else you have at home that belongs to school. 

HQ 1 & 2's sailing trip is now on Monday 5 December. 

Have a great week!

Seniors at the Disco

Week 7, Term 4

Aren't the weeks just flying by, I can't believe it's Week 7 already!!

There is lots happening this week, and lots of notices that need to be returned.  Here's a summary...

Tuesday 22 November:  Elf! at Burnside High School - $2.
We will be walking there and back and could be back at school as late as 4pm. Students may go home directly from Burnside if they live on route to Avonhead but MUST have a note from parents stating this.  Students may also be collected from the Aurora Centre at approx 2:45pm. We ask that students who will go straight home from Burnside DO NOT bring bikes or scooters to school, as we cannot guarantee their safety at Burnside High School.


Thursday 24 and Friday 25 November:  Sailing at Lake Rua - $51
Thanks you to the majority of students who have returned their forms, and also to the parents who have volunteered their time to help.  If you have not returned your slip, please do so TODAY!!


Sunday 27 November: Senior HQ Mountain Bike trip to Bottle Lake and Spencer Park - see Mrs Moore for a notice if you need one.  Please let her know as soon as possible if you are coming.


Wednesday 30 November: Urban Tough Kids event - $7.80


Tuesday 13 December: Halswell Pool end of year trip - $8

Please return these forms / money as soon as possible.


Have a great week everyone :)

Week 6, Term 4

We hope everyone is OK after last night's earthquake.  No doubt everyone is super tired!

We had a great day on Thursday with our quiz day - there is some great general knowledge around the HQ.  Congratulations to our athletes as well - sounds like you had a wonderful day and your behaviour was outstanding - well done :)

This week is the Summer Tournament on Wednesday.

Yakkety Yak show is this Thursday - notices will come home today - $2.

Please return all other notices - sailing, Tough Kids and Halswell Pool.

Zone Athletics

Congratulations team - sounds like it was a great day.  The emails going round amongst the teachers suggest your behaviour was exemplary :)  Proud of you!

Term 4, Week 5

Show Week, one of my favourite times of the year!  I have fond memories of visiting the A & P Show as a kid with my grandparents and parents!  I was always allowed one ride and one sideshow - I picked the clowns!  We have kept the tradition going with our children and funnily enough they always pick the clowns as well.  A highlight for our family is always the farmyard nursery though.  Hopefully the weather is fine, and whatever you are doing for the long weekend will be heaps of fun :)

On Thursday this week, many of our students will be representing Avonhead at the Zone Athletics at Papanui High School.  We wish these students all the very best and congratulate you for being selected to attend the competition.  You will need to bring money for the bus - Mr Rodger has given you information on this.  Everyone else, we will be having an alternative day in the HQ - be prepared for FUN FUN FUN!!!!  (It 'may' involve pizza, which is optional, however if you would like to partake, please bring $2).

Other reminders for Week 5:

1. Sailing is part of our Outdoor Education programme and therefore part of the curriculum, plus it is tons of fun!!!  Please bring back your sailing notices as soon as possible so instructor numbers can be finalised.  
2. Coming out this week will be 2 more notices about end of term events - Tough Kids (30 November) and Halswell Pool (13 December) - please look out for these!
3. Burnside High School have invited us to their production of Elf.  We are in the process of deciding whether to go or not.  Many students are interested, however we are concerned at another expense for the term.  To see the musical it is $2, but to take a bus would add another $4-$5.  We could walk, but it would mean getting back to school about 3:30pm/4pm.  We are also happy just to take a smaller group.  It would be helpful if you can discuss this with your child so we can make a more informed decision on Monday!
4. If you have not returned your choir uniform, please do!
5. Mrs Moore and Mrs B's reading groups will visit the Riccarton Library on Monday - please bring your library card.

Have a great week everyone :)

Mrs B

Senior choir perform in the Music Festival

If you went to the show tonight, I'm sure you'll agree with me that it was amazing! I loved all the music and even got goosebumps during the final song 'Circle of Life'. Our students performed exceptionally well and it was a privilege for Mrs G and I to be 'helpers' this evening!  

Here's a few photos I took before and during of some of our students!

And starting the Mexican Wave which travelled around the arena at least 7 times!!!!

Term 4 Week 4

Wow, this term is flying by!  We are all very proud of our senior students for their efforts and achievements in the athletics sports during the week. We certainly have some talented athletes who excelled in their events, but the resilience and determination shown by all was what really impressed us!

The teachers are in the process of planning some exciting events for the reminder of the term.  These include sailing at Lake Rua (the letter for this has come home already - please return it as soon as possible), the Tough Kids competition out at the South Brighton Domain on November 30th and our end of term trip to the Halswell Domain and Pool on December 13th (letters about both of these will come home next week).

Mrs G and myself had the pleasure of accompanying the choir to the Horncastle Arena this morning for their rehearsal - I can't wait to be a 'helper' tonight! For those of you going, you're in for a real treat.


Reminders for next week:

1. The Otago Problem Solving Final challenge for invited students will now be next Wednesday.  Friday afternoon was never ideal, but I think we can sit it comfortably next Wednesday.
2. On Monday, we have the Science Roadshow being held in our school hall.  Some of our students will be 'roadies' and help set up the exhibits, while others have been chosen to be exhibitors - they will help explain and demonstrate the science experiments.
3. Year 8 students - please send (or bring) in your 5 year old photos for our end of year celebration - Mr Rodger has emailed your parents about this.  Also if you have any photos from your time at Avonhead, please get these in as well.
4. 12 year olds - you will have your high jump on Monday - please bring appropriate clothing and shoes.

And finally, with sadness, I need to tell you that I will be leaving Avonhead School at the end of the year.  I have a position at Prebbleton School, where my children go.  I am really excited about the job at Prebbleton, but I will desperately miss the students at Avonhead School.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Darelle / Mrs B

Term 4 Week 3

Week 3 already!!!!  We hope you enjoyed your bonus day over the weekend.  Who knows why Labour Day was introduced?  Bonus prize from Mrs B for the first three people who can add a comment down below with some information about the origins of Labour Day.

What's on this week?

1. Technology, as usual, on Tuesday morning.  Please be at school by 8:30am for the roll.
2. Athletics Day is on Wednesday and Thursday (weather permitting).  Make sure you have appropriate tops and shoes - house colours or PE tops are great!  Bring a big drink of water and a decent lunch and snacks to sustain you during the day.
3. Friday is the big day for our choir who will perform at the Horncastle Arena in the evening.  Choir, you will be out at rehearsals all morning, and the rest of the HQ will do an alternative programme for the morning.  All the best, I bet you'll be amazing!
4. Otago Problem Solving Final Challenge for incited students will be on Friday afternoon - not the most ideal time, but with Athletics and choir, there is no other time.  If Athletics is postponed, we will sit this on Thursday morning.  It is an hour test. Congratulations to Ben, Aden, Elnathan, Jacob D, Sam W, Evan, Will M, Oliver, Kayley, Callum, Tina, Mackay, Emily L and Mikayla who have been invited to sit this test.

Have a great week everyone.

Term 4 Week 2...

Welcome back to Term 4 - a great start by all the students in the HQ.  We have another busy term planned, with our focus being Healthy You! If you are in a line of work, or have a passion in this area (very broad that it is!!!) and would be happy to come in a share your knowledge with the HQ, a class, or a small group, we would love to hear from you.  Please email Darelle (dbusfield@avonhead.school.nz)

So far we have talked about Hauora / Well-Being, and thought about how we can enhance the four areas of well-being (Physical, Mental/Emotional, Social and Spiritual).  We have also started to look at the Mental Health Foundation's '5 Ways to Well-Being'.  Over the weekend an email will be sent inviting families and students to join in the Well-Being game - this simply means every day you hop on the computer and record something you have done that has used one or  more of the 5 ways to well-being.  

Follow this link to see the 5 Ways to Well Being

A big change this term has been to do with the timetable.  We will now be starting each day (apart from Tuesday, which is technology) with writing.  Every odd week, Mrs Moore and Mrs Busfield's reading group will be at 10:10am, along with Mrs G and Mr Rodger's maths groups.  After morning tea, Mrs B and Mr Rodger's other maths group will happen, with Mrs Moore and Mrs G's reading groups.  On the even weeks, this will be reversed.

What's happening this week?

1. Friday is mufti day - please bring a tin or packet of non perishable food, cleaning products or toiletries which will be donated to the City Mission.

2. Burnside High School testing catch up is on Tuesday.

3.  We will be starting Sexuality Road (puberty) on Wednesday - a notice about this went home on Thursday / Friday of Week 1.

4.  We are in full swing of athletics training now - please make sure a PE top and appropriate footwear is brought daily.

5.  There is a working bee at school on Sunday from 10-2.  Please bring a paint brush if you can.  The focus will be sprucing up the junior playground.  A sausage sizzle and bouncy castle will be provided :)

Have a great week everyone :)

Mrs B's blog

Hi have a fab last day of school everyone. We've arrived in America!! About to head down to breakfast and then off to Legoland. I've started a blog which you're welcome to check out if you want to.
http://buzzysx4.blogspot.co.nz/

Have a fab holiday.

Mrs B

Week 9 - final week of Term 3! Wahoo!

We've made it team!  After an action packed term with our inquiry celebration of the Avonhead Art Attack and our fabulously amazing Wearable Arts Show....we are in the final week of the term.  Firstly congratulations to the amazing displays you all worked on so productively - the teachers have received SO many amazing comments about the quality of your art in the exhibition and about your outfits, modelling and MC performances.  Good job you!  Watch this space for a movie of the snaps taken on the night.  Week 9 will be slightly more relaxed for us all as we wind down for the term.  Here are reminders and notices for the HQ for this week:

1)  All the best to our 6 Rotary Speech Competition finalists who are competing on Tuesday afternoon at Isleworth School - good luck to Lucy, Eliza, Will M, Skylar, Molly SD and Dakota.  We look forward to hearing how you get on!

2)  All wearable art costumes and Cantamath entries are to be out of the HQ this week......or they will be disappearing!

3)  Chorale, orchestra, music lessons etc as usual.  Remember to be there on your day and time please.

4)  We are continuing with athletics rotations so bring your PE gear for Wednesday and Friday please.

5)  The Jump Jam ice cream fundraiser is on Wednesday - forms went out Week 7.

6)  Teachers are on their planning CRT day on Wednesday planning for next term.  We welcome Mrs Ellison, Mr Young, Ms Pollard and Mrs Veer who are regularly in the HQ to work with the students on this day.

7)  We wish Mrs Busfield and family bon voyage and all the best for their adventure to the United States!  We look forward to seeing some snaps when she returns.

Finally, with this being our final post for Term 3, we wish all the students and their families a happy and safe holiday.  We look forward to seeing you all refreshed after the break!

Week 8 news

Firstly congratulations to our two chess teams who competed at the last of the many chess competitions this year. 

Our A team finished 2nd (just - they were so close to winning!!) - Ben, Nachito, Hayden and Cullen. 

Our B team played really well too and finished in the top half out of 24 teams - Elnathan, Alex, Charlie and James

What's happening this week?

The culmination of our term's hard work on our Wearable Arts and personal art works is happening on Thursday from 5-6pm in the school hall. Please come and have a look at the amazing works of art. The wearable art show will be at 530pm. 

This week is going to be very busy putting the finishing touches on our art. 

Other things to remember...

1. Staff v student netball game is on Wednesday lunchtime. 

2. Mrs Ellison will be in for Mrs G on Monday. 

3. Athletics is starting on Friday so please bring your gear. 

4.  Message for parents - please remember no parking in front of the school on Monday and Tuesday due to a number of buses dropping off students for massed choir rehearsals. We recommend using Nortons Road on these days for drop offs. 

5.  Sausage sizzle is on Friday - your orders should be in by now. 

6. Please support the jump jam fundraiser - ICE CREAM!!! You can bring in your money anytime before Wednesday 21 September. 

7.  Mrs B would like to take photos of your model wearing your group's wearable arts outfit on Tuesday. Please make sure they are ready.  The ones we saw today are looking fantastic - great team work!

Have an awesome week!

Week 7 news and events

Wow this term is certainly flying by!!!  Only 17 days until the Busfields fly out to America...exciting :)

This week we need to be working really hard on our art work and our wearable art pieces.  Start thinking about how you are going to present each piece and get those finishing touches put on!

We have talked a lot about respect recently and Mr Levings came in on Friday to talk to you about behaviour and doing the right thing.  What are you going to do this week to ensure not only you have a fantastic week, but those around you have a fantastic week too?

Things to know for this week...
1. Tim is not in on Thursday
2. Social chess tournament on Thursday - good luck to our two teams
3. Mrs Moore and Mrs Busfield are having their planning day on Thursday; Mrs Ellison and Mr Young will be in.
4. Folk dancing is being performed in assembly on Monday.
5. Staff v Students netball game is on Friday lunchtime - not this Friday, but the following Wednesday
6. Orchestra this week is on at 8:55am
7. Tuesday is the Stig Weymss show
8. Wednesday afternoon is the Paid Union Meeting.  Some of you have returned forms saying you will be going home. Others of you will remain at school with some teachers.
9. Mrs B's reading group - your Classic novels need to be chosen and collected by Wednesday please.
10. Mrs B's writing group please ensure your procedure is ready to present on Wednesday.
11. Mrs B's photography group - please bring your cameras/devices everyday this week - you never know when we might be able to slip in some photography!!


Who wrote The Hunger Games?
There will be a small edible prize for the first three people who email Mrs B the answer to this question (and therefore prove you have read this week's blog!!!)

...and because we are so excited it's SPRING.....

Have a great week everyone.

Week 7 news and events

Wow this term is certainly flying by!!!  Only 17 days until the Busfields fly out to America...exciting :)

This week we need to be working really hard on our art work and our wearable art pieces.  Start thinking about how you are going to present each piece and get those finishing touches put on!

We have talked a lot about respect recently and Mr Levings came in on Friday to talk to you about behaviour and doing the right thing.  What are you going to do this week to ensure not only you have a fantastic week, but those around you have a fantastic week too?

Things to know for this week...
1. Tim is not in on Thursday
2. Social chess tournament on Thursday - good luck to our two teams
3. Mrs Moore and Mrs Busfield are having their planning day on Thursday; Mrs Ellison and Mr Young will be in.
4. Folk dancing is being performed in assembly on Monday.
5. Staff v Students netball game is on Friday lunchtime.
6. Orchestra this week is on at 8:55am
7. Tuesday is the Stig Weymss show
8. Wednesday afternoon is the Paid Union Meeting.  Some of you have returned forms saying you will be going home. Others of you will remain at school with some teachers.
9. Mrs B's reading group - your Classic novels need to be chosen and collected by Wednesday please.
10. Mrs B's writing group please ensure your procedure is ready to present on Wednesday.


Who wrote The Hunger Games?
There will be a small edible prize for the first three people who email Mrs B the answer to this question (and therefore prove you have read this week's blog!!!)

...and because we are so excited it's SPRING.....

Have a great week everyone.

Lewis from Home Room 3 visited the Rio Olympics to support our kiwi competitiors!

Home Room 3 reading with the juniors for BOOK WEEK!

Check out our gorgeous Home Room 3 students reading with the new entrants on a sunny afternoon!  I was so impressed with the way the students interacted with the younger students, showing great leadership and tolerance at times with our little friends!  The junior school teachers were blown away with how the senior students modelled reading aloud, encouraged the younger students as they read and the new relationships that quickly formed.  Well done team!

Buddy reading for Book Week

Check out some of HQ4 reading with their room 6 buddies today! 

Week 6 - Book Week @ Avonhead School!

Hi everyone - welcome to Week 6 and the official 'Book Week' here at school!  This week the focus is on books -  we have daily reading with each home room visiting another younger class; book character dress up day on Friday (sort a costume now!); guess the number of library books competition in the library; our Year 7/8 book report competition and on Monday Mr Levings is sharing his favourite book in assembly!  Lots going on.  Here are this week's reminders:

1) Prepare for book character dress up day, including a school parade, on Friday of this week!

2) Bring along old books you've read that are still in good condition to exchange each day before or after school to get a token.  Then during Thursday lunchtime take your token and get a NEW book from the collection!

3) Homework for this week:  reading each night for at least 20 minutes, weekly spelling words to learn (make sure you have your notebook going home on a Monday or buy one if you don't have one please) and sorting things you need for wearable arts.

4) Mr Rodger is on release on Monday - Mrs Ellison is in for him.

5) Thursday is our Year 6/7 day in the HQ until lunch time.  Year 7s will be the seniors for the morning and we will welcome the Year 6s into the HQ for a 'sample day' to see what life is like in the HQ ready for 2017!  Year 8s have a fun filled, sporty morning with Mrs Ellison and Mr Thompson during this time.

6)  VERY IMPORTANT: Thursday and Friday afternoons this week we will be working on your Wearable Arts costumes.  You MUST bring along everything your group needs for their costume.  Hunt out what you have at home, visit 'Creative Junk' or a craft shop/clothing shop for what you may need.  Be organised and parents please touch base with your child to see how you can help pretty please!

7) No winter sport this week - but folk dancing continues on Monday with our final dancing session in the hall!

8) Mrs B's photography class, please have your cameras/devices here for Wednesday. 

9) Good luck to Ben, Hayden, Nachito and Cullen who are competing in the South Island chess competition in Ashburton on Wednesday. 

And that's a wrap!  See you all in the morning......

Current Events quiz results

Avonhead 2 (Spencer, Lucy and Hayden) - 8th place on 94 points (the winners got 98 points)

Avonhead 1 (Mackay, Nick and Ben) - 27th place on 85 points

Avonhead 3 (Anna, Barnaby and Jaynesh) - 31st= place on 82 points

Avonhead 4 (Sammy, Ryan and Callum) - 51st= place on 72 points 

On Monday I will show you the breakdown of the scores for each round. 

Well done guys!!

Current Events quiz

Last night 4 teams from the Senior HQ took part in the Canterbury round of the Current Events quiz. While unplaced, they are had a great time answering a variety of questions from NZ geography to world news to flags around the world. One of our teams (Spencer, Lucy and Hayden) were in the lead for a while!

We also had a team of very efficient helpers who handed out and collected in answer sheets. Thanks guys for giving up your evening.