ECS Update Term 4 week 5 (Wednesday 13 November)

ECS Update Term 4, Week 5 – Wednesday 13th November 2024

Kia ora Parents and Caregivers,

Welcome to the Term 4, Week 5 Newsletter. 

Ngā mihi nui,

Alistair

This newsletter contains information on the following:

• Important Dates
• Teacher Only Day and Show Day
• Internet Safety Parents Night – tonight
• Noho Marae Pōwhiri
• Final end of year Assembly / Prizegiving
• Parking and Gates
• School Accounts

Important Dates

Wednesday 13th November -Internet Safety Parents Night

Thursday 14th November – Teacher Only Day

Friday 15th November – Canterbury Anniversary Day – School Closed

Mon 25th – Tues 26th November – Noho Marae Year 9 & 10

Tuesday 10 December – Final Prizegiving Assembly (La Vida)

Friday 13th December – Last day of Term 4 (12pm finish)

(The School Calendar including 2024 and 2025 Term dates can be found here)

First Day for students in 2025 is Wednesday 29th January

Teacher Only Day and Show Day

Reminder that school will be closed for students on Thursday and Friday 14-15th November.

On Thursday 14th November Teaching staff will be involved in Professional Development all day.  Friday 15th is Canterbury Show day, and the Canterbury Anniversay Holiday.

Internet Safety Parents Night – Wednesday (Tonight)

Tonight – Wednesday 13th November we are hosting an important Digital Safety Presentation at Emmanuel. If you have not registered yet can we encourage you to do so.  This really is an evening not to miss. 

This event will be in the staffroom.  If you have not registered that is still ok, you are welcome to come and join this event.

It is often easy to view these events as being only suited to older children.  Can we suggest that this is very much not the case.  This event is targeted to parents of children of all ages. 

Brett Harvey is a great presenter and builds this presentation from his own personal journey and faith in Christ.

Brett from Tāima Kōrero delivers engaging, honest and sensible information
on how to talk about pornography with your child or teenager, and why these
conversations need to happen.
Backed by the latest statistics and research, Brett’s presentations draw on his first-hand knowledge of the negative effects of pornography and provide attendees with an eye-opening insight into the multi-billion dollar industry that is targeting our children. You will leave feeling well-informed and equipped to have these difficult yet essential conversations with your children.

While this is a free event, please register at: tinyurl.com/ECS-Korero

John vanAmeyde – our Emmanuel Board Chair attended one of Brett’s seminars earlier in the year.  Here is John’s reflection:

Hi all,

A strong personal recommendation for all parents to attend this !

As an IT professional I thought I had cyber safety sorted and was sceptical attending…..

Brett is a great communicator, knows his stuff, brutally honest and doesn’t mix his words.

The evolving cyber landscape out there is scary and getting worse, I learnt heaps.

Historically my skills were OK to keep my older kids safe but quickly learnt that that was no longer the case today.

Brett will encourage and equip you on how to have the awkward but necessary conversations, provide useful guidelines and direct you to proven tools and resources.

Yes, you may squirm a little in your seat but so necessary, please attend if haven’t before our kids now have access to such a dangerous world.

So beneficial to address early than deal with later.

Blessings

John    

Noho Marae Pōwhiri

We have an amazing opportunity to take advantage of as we approach the end of the year. Our Board have given permission for our Year 9 & 10 students to be able to experience a “Noho Marae” on the 25th and 26th November this year.

A Noho is like an overnight camp where everyone stays at a local Marae. It is a great way of introducing students to the heart of the Maori world and especially for them to see the way Te Rongonui (The Gospel) became the central line of thought in the Māori world early on.

It is also a required part of training for public servant careers such as teachers/education, nursing/health, social work and counseling so it is an excellent way for our students to participate in a pōwhiri (welcome) and to become familiar with the protocol of staying on a marae before then.

There is an oportunity for parents of students in other year levels to bring their children to join the pōwhiri at the start of this event.  If you would like to do this then please contact Brett Hitchens brett@emmanuelchristian.school.nz for further information.  Please be aware that if you would like to do this then you would need to bring your child(ren) and stay with them for the event before returning them to school.

Final End of Year Assembly / Prizegiving – 10 December

Our final end of year assembly will be held on Tuesday 10 December.  The assembly will start at 1pm and is held at the La Vida Centre (34a Hansons Lane, Upper Riccarton).

Students will travel to the event by bus from school.  At the end of the event they will either be able to travel home with you from La Vida, or return to school by bus.  

To allow us to plan transport and ensure that we know every students plans can we please ask you to complete this form. We need to get a response from every family, thank you for your help

Prizegiving Transport Response Form

This is a great chance to celebrate the year, if it is possible would be great to see you there.

Parking and Gates

We wanted to  remind you all of two issues which impact on safety, particularly of students.

Gates:

We have observed several times when the gates at school have been left open after use.  This particularly applies to the gate between the school and the Papanui Club carpark area.  When this gate is left open children can run directly out onto the carpark area.  This is a significant safety issue.  Can we please ask that if you use this gate, you ensure it is closed behind you. 

Papanui Club Parking:

The Papanui Club have asked us to remind you not to park in the driveway alongside the school.  When you are coming into to drop off or collect your children please park in one of the marked parks.  From there please accompany your child as they walk to the gate and help them to open and close the gate.  The club have also sent a message to their members reminding them that school students are around and asking them to slow down and take care in this area.

School Accounts

As the end of the term draws near we would like to request that all school accounts are paid in full by the end of the school year (13th December 2024).

School accounts are sent out each month by email on a document titled “Request for Payment”.  These are only sent out when you have an item owing on the account so if your account is up to date you will not have heard from us.  
The most recent Request for Payment was emailed out on 12th November.

All school accounts have a $90 Voluntary Activities Donation added at the start of each year.  This is requested by the Board of Trustees to contribute toward the cost of things like swimming, trips, activities and events which take place throughout the year.  This is a voluntary donation.  At times, additional donations are requested to contribute toward particular expenses such as the Noho Marae.  Donation receipts will be issued by email upon receipt of any voluntary payment.

Any other charges on your child’s account will either be for replacement stationery items such as exercise books which we replace on an as-needed basis (as per the Parent Handbook) or they will be amounts that will have been communicated to you in advance such as sport teams, tournaments, uniform items, special events. These charges must be paid in full by the end of the school year.

If you have any questions regarding your school account please contact Louise in the Office. office@emmanuelchristian.school.nz

If you have any questions regarding the EPT Attendance Dues and Special Character Donation please contact Desiree.  bursar@emmanuelchristian.school.nz