Working Bee:
Thanks to parents, students and staff who came after school to help with school grounds on Friday and especially to Charlotte Oborne who did a lot of organisation for the working bee. Lots of great work was done, including shifting the raised bed so the students can plant in autumn and clearing dead flax leaves from the end of the pool to help keep it clean. Thanks too for the yummy kai. 

Volunteers:
We would like to remind volunteers that timetable changes may affect classroom volunteers. Anyone who has put their name down to volunteer will be contacted by Deb Lean in the next few days to confirm arrangements. 

BP Swimming Sports Friday 1 March
Please see attached letter regarding BP swimming sports on Friday (Year 5-8). All welcome! There will be a Sausage Sizzle by the Gym. There will be $2 sausages and baking. We would appreciate some parents volunteering to run the sausage sizzle. Please email lhyland@akaroa.school.nz. 

Emailing the office
If you want emails to get to office staff please use email address aasoffice@akaroa.school.nz. The .kiwi address is not regularly monitored.

We have a busy day tomorrow with the year 1-4 swimming showcase, the year 7-8 rock pools trip to Le Bons and the working bee/family BBQ. All the info on these events is on our website under Events and Reminders. Tomorrow is also mufti day, please see our website calendar for all upcoming events including mufti days.

Music Lessons
Expressions of interest are being sought for violin or piano lesion for 2019. These are offered through the Itinerant Music Service both online and onsite and the cost is $60 for the year.

We have been asked to pass on the following.

Lost Goggles
A student has lost his goggles as per the photo below. Can you please let the office know if you have seen them.

School Working Bee and BBQ
To celebrate the beginning of the year and to get our school looking fabulous, we are organising a Working Bee for Friday 22 February. We will begin at 1.30 with students to do jobs around the school and then continue after school until 6.00pm with any students and parents who are able to join in.
Parents are able to come any time from 1.30 until 6.00 to lend a hand. We would also like to take this opportunity to welcome new staff members and parents and thought a BBQ at the end of the Working Bee would be a good time to relax and meet new people or catch up with ‘old ones.
The format is as follows:
Date:  Friday 22 February
Time:  1.30 – 6.00pm Parents to come any time they are able
Food: The School will provide Sausages, Salad and Bread. Please feel free to bring your own food if you so wish and refreshments.
What to Bring: Gardening equipment, Wheelbarrows (if you have them)
If you are able to help out, could you please let the Office know so we can get a rough indication of numbers for catering (include your children and anyone else you can rope in).

Senior House athletics for Y7-13
Our house athletics have been postponed to Tuesday 19 Feb.

We have been asked to pass on the following.

Gaiety Players
Please see the attached notice from Brigid Rennell and Lesley Meguid. 

Student Art Workshops
Please see the attached flyer for after school art workshops for ages 7-12 Years. Eight 2 hour workshops covering; painting, mixed media, pottery and papier mache. Maximum of 6 students per class so early bookings essential.

Senior school house swimming championships (years 7-13)
House swimming championships take place tomorrow, Thursday in the school pool. All welcome. Please bring water bottle, change of clothes, sunscreen. 

Start of year information 
· An outline of important dates and information (January mail out newsletter)
· Stationery lists (Junior and Senior)
· Uniform list
· Course Contributions for 2019 (years 7-13)
· Updated parent handbook
· General notes for years 7-13

All of the above information is also available on the website under Events/Start of Year.
Student accounts will be finalised and sent out by the start of next week.

Start of Year Details 
The start of year form needs to be completed for each student by the end of this week. It is a long form covering medical and contact details and we use this as the basis for our trips and camps later throughout the year. 
Start of year form: https://goo.gl/forms/02FN9sqMgvTzUSi52
Forms for Seniors
If any of these forms are relevant to your child and you haven’t already completed them, please fill in as appropriate:

• Parent of Year 13 –  Dress Code: https://goo.gl/forms/HlgoPV6JF0GEGkbC2
• Parent of Student driver: https://goo.gl/forms/p975GVf783MWSEPE3
• Parent of Passenger: https://goo.gl/forms/WwO7uiE1iaIXMQYz2
• Parent of Distance Learning Student: https://goo.gl/forms/m45p3faG0PtHA72x1

Distance learning students will also need to complete this form: 
• Distance Learning Student: https://goo.gl/forms/N1TRPZPzk4SfwUe53

All of these links are also available on the website under Events/Start of Year

Camps
Links to information about camps (years 1-10) and forms for these are also on the website (Events/ camps).
http://akaroa.school.nz/camps/
Camps are optional so please complete forms for students attending camps and make payment to the office. If your son/daughter is acting as peer mentor on a camp please complete the same form as students attending the camp. 

Uniform
Hats are on sale at the office. Cost is $10 each. We have limited supply of PE uniforms available ($30 for top or shorts). The old PE uniform is being phased out by the end of February so everyone should have the new uniform by then. We will put in an order at the end of next week (8 Feb) so if you want a set ordered for your child please let us know. We have various sizes here to try on if you are not sure of size. 

Waitangi Day
Just a reminder that Wednesday 6 February is Waitangi day. School will be closed. 

We have been asked to pass on the following information: 

Uniform for sale
Second hand uniform for sale:  3 x navy school shorts, size 12,  $20, in good condition.
Ph Suzi 0211208605

Library Survey
In Spring 2019 the Akaroa Community and School Library is due for refurbishment as part of the Christchurch City Council upgrade. This will include fresh interior paint, new carpet tiles, some new furniture and changes to the library lay-out.
The intention is to give the library a refreshed and updated feel, and for the first time since the introduction of self-service into the library, will reconfigure the public and staff spaces to properly integrate this way of working and provide a more flexible space for community use.
We invite you to contribute your ideas on how to make the library spaces meet your needs by filling this survey:
 https://goo.gl/forms/se8kNhBfAGbl6ihY2
Survey closes at the end of this week so have your say now.

PE uniform and school jacket orders
Please place PE uniform orders by the end of this week. We will place an order for school jackets (optional) at the end of the month . Please let us know if you would like to order one cost is $85 plus postage (depending on number ordered). 

Swimming showcase Years 1-4 Friday 22 Feb
Please see attached letter which gives details of the BP Swimming Showcase Years 1-4.
We are asking for parents/whanau of students in Years 1-4 to please organise a sausage sizzle on Friday February 22 between 10-12:30 for the Banks Peninsula Schools Swimming Showcase. If you are able to volunteer your time to organise the fundraiser, we would really appreciate your support. Please email: lhyland@akaroa.school.nz (Junior Sports Co-ordinator).

House athletics
This was due to take place on Thursday but has now been postponed to Tuesday 19 Feb.