Term 1, Week 6, 2019 (Wednesday 13 March)
He mihi mahana ki a koutou katoa - Warm greetings to all!

School Fair Sunday 24th March 2019 11 - 2pm

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who is helping out with the fair! We are all getting very excited about the big day coming up in only a week and a half! Student stalls are well underway and there will only need to be a few parent helpers with each of these groups. You will hear from your teachers this week about the support they need. You are welcome to sign up for the other stalls where we have still have a few gaps where we need your help...

If you can help with selling any of this food for an hour and a half please let us know :

• Cake stall (12.30 - 2pm, 2 people)

• Candy floss (2 people 11 - 12.30 and 2 people 12.30 - 2)

• Indian food sales (11.00 - 12.30)

• Plants (2 people 11 - 12.30 and 2 people 12.30 - 2)

• Silent Auction (2 people 12.30 - 2)

• Trampoline (one person collecting a koha 11 - 12.30 and one at 12.30 - 2)

• Pony ride (one person 11 - 12.30 and one from 12.30 - 2)

• Bouncy castle (one person 11 - 12.30 and two people from 12.30 - 2)

We still need:

• Preloved children's toys, clothing and books to sell at the fair - these can be dropped off at:

• • 135 Mornington Rd (directly across from the main school gate) before 8:30 pm. Please knock and check if they're home and if they're not home, please leave donations inside the gate.

  • 35 Moffit St, Vogeltown between 3-7pm. Please leave them outside the garage or inside the front gate

  • 9 Laurent Place, Kingston between 5-8pm. Outside front door thanks.

  • 115 Farnham St, Mornington for plants! Can be left in the front yard.

  • 8 Travers Street, Vogeltown

• Chocolate donations for Tombola - Donations of chocolate would be gratefully accepted for the Tombola stall. Anything from a box of chocolate to a small chocolate bar would be a great help. A labelled box for donations will be left at the office.

• Cake stall donations - the cake stall relies on each family making something to sell on the day. Think cakes, slices, muffins, cupcakes or homemade sweets like fudge and coconut ice or toffee apples!! Next week we will send home a plate with your child to pop your home baking on. Drop it off to the school just before the fair starts so the team can price the items up and aim for a banger profit for the school and all our kids this year.

• Gazebos for stalls.

• Jars of Fun - we would love each family to please get a jar together and drop into the office.

• Donations for the plant stall - please drop plant stall donations off to Becks at 115 Farnham Street (inside the front gate). Donations of seeds, pots, plates for under pots, worm wee, produce, tools, potting mix, plants, seedlings, gardening books or gardening magazines would be great.

Please email sue@ridgway.school.nz if you can help! We really appreciate all the fabulous parents (and grandparents) who are involved with this!

Year 1 - 4 Scooter Safety Training

We are lucky to have a team coming to teach scooter safety this week with our Year 1-4 students. Year 1 - 2 are on Thursday and Year 3 - 4 are on Friday this week. Students can bring their own scooters and helmets but these will be supplied if children don't have their own.

Movin' March Parent Photo Competition

Snap a photo of your family's journey to school during Movin' March & win! It might highlight a small adventure or wonder discovered along the way, or simply capture a moment in your journey. Post your photo publicly on Facebook or Instagram with #movinmarch. All entries will go in the daily draw to win a family pass to a fun destination in the Wellington region.

NZEI - Paid Union Meetings next week

In the week starting 18 March, primary teachers and principals around the country who are NZEI Te Riu Roa members are heading to meetings to vote on whether to accept or reject the latest collective agreement offers from the government. They will also be voting on whether to take strike action should the offers be rejected.

Teachers at Ridgway School will attend meetings on the afternoons of Tuesday 19 March or Thursday 21 March. The school will NOT be closed and there is no need for you to collect your children early as we will provide alternative programmes for those afternoons.

These meetings are a crucial part of the 'Kua Tae Te Wā - It's Time' campaign. They're an opportunity for teachers and principals to come together to discuss the offer and decide next steps.

We want to ensure teaching is an attractive profession for people to join and stay in, and we have asked that the government provide for better staffing to reduce class sizes and give us more time to teach and time to lead.

The offers received are only minimally different from what was offered (and rejected) last year. This is because the government has refused to increase the amount of money available.

Already, many schools are having to make sacrifices because of the difficulty in recruiting teachers and relievers, and we must take bold steps to turn this around.

We really appreciate your continued support. If these offers are rejected, it is the voices of parents and the wider public that will be key to forcing the government to listen as we continue our campaign to ensure every child gets the best possible education.

For more information, please go to http://campaigns.nzei.org.nz/time/ or talk with your child's teacher.

Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon - Wellington

Sunday, 17 March 2019

Kilbirnie Park, Wellington

This is a great event and children can compete as individuals or make up a team. If your son or daughter would like to complete, sign them up under our school name on this the link

Interested in becoming a board member?

More information about our own board elections will be sent out in due course. If you are interested in finding our more about what board members do remember the NZ School Trustees event hosted by Wellington High School on 1 April 2019. Please RSVP using this link if you are attending:

Ngā mihi

Sarah Taylor