We have been learning about the Hamilton East School toolkit. We found out why we come to school. Here are our ideas about what learning looks like.

Our school was selected to participate in the Community Swim programme through the John Walker 'Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation'.

 The goal is to enable the children to develop the basic life skill of swimming and water safety. We have been having so much fun working with the Swimgym Swim School instructors.
Swimgym is working with the Hillcrest Amateur Swimming Club.
www.swim@hillcrestasc.co.nz

We are learning to get along with each other in Room 4 -

We are working co-operatively.

We are helping each other learn on the computers.

We are being creative with the mobilo.

We are learning to take turns and share.



We are learning new words.

The sunflowers in the Butterfly Garden are beautiful. We enjoyed sketching them.

Our Kowhai Team Newsletter

Kowhai Team Newsletter, February 2016.

Kia ora and welcome.

My name is Maggie Frost, the children call me Whaea Maggie and I look forward to getting to know your child this year.

The first two weeks of the year are spent getting to know each other, developing class routines and expectations. In this time stationery needs to be purchased and organised. Book bags and reading books will come home once this process is completed.

Swimming begins immediately as we have only a short window of warm weather in which to swim and it is compulsory. Kowhai children swim each day. Please send named togs and towel in a plastic bag. Togs can stay at school if this suits you.

Sunhats are compulsory and are purchased with stationery.  You can collect your child’s from their room and take home for a wash if needed.

School Lunches Lunch eating is supervised to ensure all children do eat. Hamilton East School is part of Project Energize and supports healthy food choices. Suitable lunches consist of sandwiches, fruit and other healthy snack food. If your child is used to eating rice or other prepared food then send this along in a container.  Packaged sugary snacks and chips are discouraged and sugary drinks are not permitted.   We also respectfully ask parents not to send yogurt to school. Although a healthy food it is so easily spilled and has ruined many books and book bags. Please save for an after school snack.

As an Enviro school we encourage the use of lunch paper and reusable containers rather than plastic wrap. Children are encouraged to drink water and can access their water bottle in the classroom at any time.

Home Readers After teachers have established students reading levels and stationery is organised, book bags will begin to come home.  They will contain a reading book or reading activity to be shared at home with parents. This reading time should be short (10 mins) and enjoyable. If your child is unable to read the material then read it with them.

Home books will begin to come home on Fridays in place of a reading book. They are a reading resource of poems and stories your child has written.

Book bags need to come to school each day and Home books returned on Mondays.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask. We look forward to meeting everyone at the Family Picnic and Goal Setting Conferences later in the term.

Keep in touch with what is happening in your child’s class by visiting the class blog via the school website www.hameast.school.nz

Maggie Frost

Kowhai Team, Hamilton East School

Kia Ora, and welcome to 2016 and a new school year.

Here are a few notices that will answer some questions you may have -

We will be swimming each day. Please send named togs and towels in a plastic bag. Togs can stay at school if this suits you.

Stationery lists are available from class. Book bags and readers will come home when the stationery process is completed.

A class newsletter will be sent home this week. 

We are looking forward to sharing our learning with you on our class blog.