Welcome to 2015 and Room16. I have enjoyed getting to know your child over the past week and meeting some of you. We have used this week to get to know each other and establish some routines for the year. This will be continuing over the next few weeks. A huge thank you to you all for making sure your child had their stationery ready. It made it very easy to get into our routines more quickly.
For those who don’t know me, I have taught at Parkview School for the past 13 years, in the Middle and Senior school. I enjoy teaching all ages and seeing the progress each child makes over the course of their time here at Parkview. I am a member of the Leadership team in the school and the Co-ordinator for Sports and ICT.
In Week 4 we will be starting Maths interchange. Students from Rooms 10 and 16 will be interchanging into ability groups. This allows for more streamlined teaching and learning for our students. Your child will have either Mrs Merewether or myself for Maths. These sessions will run from 9.50am till 10.35am Monday to Thursday. Friday maths will be Basic Facts based in our own classrooms. Children may be regrouped for different Maths topics. We will be working on Basic Facts and Statistics in Room 16 until Maths Interchange begins.
Our main inquiry theme this year is “Switched On and Taking Off”. This Terms focus is being ‘Cyber Smart’ and how can we think smart while using the internet. We will be looking at what makes a responsible ‘Digital Citizen’, being safe on the internet and online protocols. This terms Skills for Life focus is Respectful and Responsible.
Maximo the monkey is a class Mascot for Room16. He is always trying to do his very best and so is a great role model for the students.
We are fortunate to have the services of Youthtown sport in our school this year. Each class will have 1 session each fortnight with coaches taking the group for a variety of activities. The focus this term is team building, and will be moving into more sports related activities next term. Look for photos of our first session in a future post.
Our Library time is 9.00 to 9.50 on Fridays when students will be able to borrow books for reading in class and at home. We have the Computer Suite for learning sessions on Wednesdays. Details on how to log in to StudyLadder, an on-line learning site will come home with the homework books.
In Term 2 Arts Interchange will begin. Children will be able to choose to join our Kapa Haka group or the Senior Choir. Those who do not wish to be part of these groups will have Arts based rotations around other classes where they will have the opportunity to be involved in various Music, Drama, Dance or Visual Art sessions.
I am on Road Patrol on Friday mornings from 8.30am until 9.00am. This means that the door to the classroom may be locked at this time though the cloak bay will still be open.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me. I am available before school from 8.30am and after school each day to 3.30pm, though Staff and Syndicate meetings start at 3.00pm on a Tuesday.
I am also happy for you to contact me via email. My email address is;
Also keep checking our Room16 blog which I try to update regularly. It is linked from the school website or go to http://parkviewroom16.blogspot.co.nz
I am looking forward to a busy time in 2015. Providing the Black Caps perform well in the World Cup, the Highlanders make the semi-finals in the Super rugby competition and the All Blacks beat everyone and retain the Webb Ellis Trophy we can look forward to a happy and successful year!
Yours Truly,
Murray Fox.
