Term 4 Updates 3.11.22

Kia ora koutou,

We trust you have been enjoying the gloriously sunny weather we have been experiencing.

Our athletics day for middle and senior school students was fantastic. It was great to see our tamariki competing and enjoying the events. A big thank you to Linda Ewen and the team for their amazing organisation. It was lovely to see whānau onsite supporting their tamariki. Thanks to our Caretaker Dean Coburn for his groundwork preparation leading up to the day.

Congratulations to our senior choir who performed in the Te Ara Puoro Sounds of New Zealand Festival last night. We were very proud of our tamariki who sang out with pure enjoyment. Thank you to Jenny-Marie Evans and Linda Ewen for their work over the year with our choir and their work leading up to the event.

There is a paid NEZI union meeting for teachers on Thursday 17 November from 2 pm. A number of our teaching staff who are part of the union will be attending this meeting. To minimise disruption we will stay open. Where possible, a reliever will be in classrooms for those attending the union meeting, in some instances, some classes will buddy up for the afternoon.

This is a reminder that school is closed on Friday 11th November for Canterbury Anniversary and Monday 14th November for Teachers Only Day. Thank you for your continued support during our Teachers Only Day these days are invaluable for our Staff, however, we recognise and appreciate the impact these days have on you as a whānau.

Ngā mihi nui

Belinda Kennedy and the Ilam School Team

Please find the following information in this Update:

• 2023 Classroom Organisation

• Children Leaving Ilam?

• PTA Updates

• Assemblies for Term 4

• Term Dates 2023

• Policy and Procedures Review

• 2023 Term dates - a reminder for your information.

• Weetbix TRYathlon

• The Middle School's visit to The Groynes

• The Senior Choir performance

• Book Club

• Hall Hire

• Term 4 Term Dates

I am happy to let you know that we have finalised what rooms and at what level our teachers will teach in 2023. Please be aware that this can change for a variety of reasons, however, next year’s class organisation is currently as follows:

You will notice that there are some minor changes to classrooms next year.

Jenny-Marie Evans moves from teaching in Room 6 in the Middle School, to teaching in Room 20 in the Senior School. Mick Withers moves from teaching in our English Language Learners Department to teaching in Room 6 in the Middle School.

We farewell Amy Sugrue (Room 16) who has accepted a teaching position at Selwyn House School from the start of 2023. We congratulate Amy on this appointment and thank her for her 8 years of service at Ilam. We wish her all the very best with the next stage of her career. We also farewell Richard Oakly (Room 13) who has been working at Ilam School for 16 years. We thank Richard for his service at Ilam. During his time Richard has worked in the middle and junior areas of the school. We wish Richard all the very best with the next stage of his career. We also farewell Krithika Yogeeswaran (Room 9) who has been employed on a short-term contract this year.

A big congratulations to Andrea Dykstra who will be on study leave for the majority of Term 1 and all of Term 2, while she completes her Masters In Education. Andrea will begin the year in Room 7 before handing over to Sarah Briscoe. Sarah Briscoe is a well-known reliever in our school and an excellent teacher. We are thrilled to have Sarah join our team while Andrea is on study leave. Rebecca Playle will step into the Team Leader role during Andrea’s absence.

We would also like to express congratulations to Kirsten Aaron who will be our Deputy Principal from 2023. We are thrilled to have someone with Kirsten's passion for education and care for our tamariki and community as part of our senior leadership team.

If any parents know that their children who are currently in Year 0-5 children are not going to be attending Ilam in 2023, it would be most helpful to know this information. Please contact the office (admin@ilam.school.nz) as soon as possible if this is the case.

We are thrilled to be able to meet again as a whole school whānau for our assemblies. This term we have assemblies planned to celebrate leaders in our school. Please note the time and dates of the following assemblies. You are most welcome to join us. At the assemblies, leaders of the groups outlined below will be recognised for their achievements/contributions to our Kura.

Week 4 - Room 20 & 10 Leading Assembly on Wednesday 9 November at 2.15 pm

• Certificates - Librarians, Enviro Team, Creative Writers - please email Andrea Dyskstra andrea.dykstra@ilam.school.nz if you know your child has been published or won a competition for writing as part of our creative writing programme this year.

Week 6 - Rooms 4 & 8 Leading Assembly on Wednesday 23 November at 2.15 pm

• Certificates - Road Patrol, Peer tutors

Week 8 - Cultural Leaders Leading Assembly on Wednesday 7 December at 2.15 pm

• Cultural leaders, Student Council, House Captains

Week 9 - Excellence and Leadership Assembly on Tuesday 13 December at 2 pm

At this assembly, we will acknowledge the following:

• ICAS Distinction/High Distinction

• Music Excellence

• Maths Excellence

• Literacy Excellence

• Arts Excellence

• Sports Excellence

• Citizen Excellence

Our Middle School Choir will perform.

Week 9 - FINAL Assembly on Thursday 15 December at 11 am

At this assembly we will acknowledge the following:

• The Winning House for 2022

• Orchestra - Most improved

• Excellence in Orchestra

• Choir Cup

• Language Support Cup

• Sports Achiever Cup

• Sportsmanship Cup

• Literature Cup

• Maths Cup

• Arts Cup

• Citizenship Cup

• Academic Cup

Our Kapa Haka group will perform and Year 6 team will showcase their Dance.

We will also do a final roll call for our Year 6 leavers.

The Ilam School Senior Choir performed at The Lions Christchurch Schools' Music Festival at the Town Hall last night. The evening was just wonderful and our talented choir sung beautifully.

The Music Festival has been running in the South Island for eight decades, it is dedicated to developing young vocal and instrumental talent. The Festival inspires the children of Canterbury while bringing our community together.

Book club issue 7 closes on the 10 November.

In the past our hall has been fairly heavily booked in the evenings due to groups that hire the hall on a regular weekly basis. This year we have had two groups that have left and our hall is now available for regular hire on Monday, Tuesday and Saturday evenings. If you know of any groups looking to hire a venue (for example, martial arts, dance etc) please ask them to contact the school office.

Please check our Parent Calendar to keep up to date with events at our school. Find the link here

• PTA Meeting Tuesday 8 November 7.30 pm School Staffroom

• Canterbury Anniversary Day Friday 11 November - School closed

• Teacher Only Day Monday 14 November - School closed

• Junior school trip Tuesday 15 & Wednesday 16 November

• PTA Disco Friday 18 November

• Ilam School Connect Thursday 24 November 2-4 pm -information to come

• Senior Beach Education 28-29 November

• Senior Day Camp 5-6 December

• Student Learning Conferences 7-8 December

• Year 6 Leavers Night Tuesday 13 December

• Last day of Term 4 - Thursday 15 December 12.30 pm finishing that day