TERM 1 / WEEK 4 NEWSLETTER - 23 February 2017 LINCOLN PRIMARY SCHOOL A SCHOOL FOR HEROES Kia Ora Koutou Week four has nearly passed by, however the term feels much longer due to so many events happening in such a short period of time. It is great that the warm sunny days mean our pool is being fully utilised, with our surplus solar heating the junior pool to a warmer 23 degrees. This is allowing our less confident swimmers, to remain in the water longer, which is evident in their increased water confidence. Syndicates 2, 3 and 4 have all held their swimming sports now, where they were able to showcase their swimming skills. 40 children in Years 5-8 will be representing us at Ellesmere Zone swimming sports next week. Congratulations to you all and good luck next Wednesday. As a result of some complications relating to our senior swimming sports last week, the staff engaged in a full review of the planning and organisation. It has become evident that our school has grown too big for these sports to be held on one day. Next year we will be holding two days of competition. The first day will be championship length events, which are used for Zones selection. The second day, which will run after the Zone championship day will be for our swimmers who are confident doing non-championship events. We are very aware of the lack of shade surrounding our pool. We have purchased two portable gazebos which will be erected at the pool next year on sports days. We have also been discussing permanent shade sails for the pool following the very successful Spring Fair last year. This is an urgent priority. Hopefully decisions will be finalised and shade sails or similar ordered at the PTA meeting on 6 March. It is our intention that a review of all of our sports days will be held immediately following the event, with improvement suggestions being recorded and incorporated into the following year. 3-Way Conferences These are very important conversations about your child/ren’s learning and we would appreciate all families booking conferences with their child/ren’s pastoral care teacher/team. Information on how to book your conferences has been sent home recently by email. New School For Lincoln The Ministry of Education visited our recent board meeting to update us on progress towards the new school. This is a summary of the points made: The Ministry proposes a Year 1-8 school on a site located in the south of Lincoln, to be known initially as Lincoln South School. Work on acquisition of the proposed site is well underway. The new school is proposed to open in January 2019. The school is proposed to be a separate school with its own board of trustees. The outcome of the community engagement undertaken showed that this was the preferred option for 77% of respondents. Once the Minister has formally approved the new school, an Establishment Board of Trustees will be formed. An Establishment Board of Trustees is appointed rather than elected. During March, the Ministry will advertise for people to express interest in being appointed to the new board. Once the new board is formed (likely to be in May), communication about the new school progress will come directly from the Lincoln South Establishment Board of Trustees. The Ministry anticipates that an enrolment home zone will be put in place around the new school, meaning amendment to the current Lincoln Primary School zone from 2019. The Boards of the new school and Lincoln Primary will work together with the Ministry to decide on these zone changes. There will be community consultation on the draft enrolment schemes; this is likely to take place from July 2017. Any enrolment zone changes for Lincoln Primary School will not affect the right of enrolment at Lincoln Primary School of all siblings of Lincoln Primary school students enrolled in 2018, regardless of which zone families live in. This right will be written into the enrolment scheme and applies to all future siblings from the same address. Year 7 and 8 Technology education will continue to be provided by Lincoln Primary School. Kind regards Viv Butcher Principal FROM THE PRINCIPAL Feb 24 Parent-Teacher Information and Contact Update forms due back at school. 24 Full School Assemby 9:15am, All Welcome 24 Uniform Shop Open 2:45-3:15pm 26 Weetbix Tryathlon (Sunday) 28 School Closes 12:30pm for 3-Way Conferences 28 3-Way Goal Setting Conferences (1:00-8:00pm Mar 1 3-Way Goal Setting Conferences (2:50-5:30pm) 3 Uniform Shop Open 2:45-3:15pm 6 PTA AGM 7:00pm - All Welcome 10 Uniform Shop Open 2:45-3:15pm 16 Board of Trustees Meeting. 7:30pm 23 No High School Busses (pm) April 3 PTA Meeting 7:30pm - All Welcome 13 Last day of Term 1 13 Board of Trustees Meeting. 7:30pm May 1 Teacher Only Day (School closed) 2 Term 2 Commences June 6 Queen’s Birthday (School Closed) July 7 Last day of Term 2 24 Term 3 Commences Sept 29 Last Day of Term 3 Oct 16 Term 4 Commences 23 Labour Day - School Closed Nov 17 Canterbury Anniversary - School Closed Dec 15 Last Day of Term 4 CALENDAR OF EVENTS http://lincolnprimary.ultranet.school.nz/WebSpace/148/