LAWRENCE AREA SCHOOL

Community Newsletter
13 September 2012 No 12

There have been many excellent activities happening at school in the last few weeks. Circulating classes it is amazing to see the quality of learning, the positive engagement of students the excellent imput of teachers and the attractive environment the classrooms are. Room 1, our five year olds, have a very special after lunch activity that I would like to share with you. I was absolutely amazed when I walked into their room scarcely thirty seconds after bell. Students were already engaged. They were listening to classical music and were drawing - completing works of art. This is a routine that they love. They arrive in class, set up the music, set up their tables and are busy by the time the teacher arrives. Just amazing. For our seniors this is a critical time of the year. In the first instance they are busy completing internal units, as well as beginning to prepare for externals - exams. From now until the end of NCEA exams they will need to be studying at school and at home everyday. Parents you can help out in many ways * help your student establish study routines after school/in the evening, a set time of 1 1/2 - 2 hours every day * monitor your childs study - show a real interest * know what exams, and what papers your student is studying for * provide a quiet space where your student can study * reward your student, brain food, a cup of milo etc We will help from the school end by * providing a report which outlines work/study your student needs to focus on * providing after school study opportunities, supported by subject teachers at school * providing, or making available study guides which help focus study * discussing study techniques with students * revising in class Whilst your student may not currently appreciate your request that they study each day, they will when their NCEA results arrive. Kind Regards
John Auld

Lawrence Area Schools Dance Night

Parents and community members are cordially invited to LAS Dance Night - Thursday 13th September - Simpson Park Gym 7.00pm Start This will be a most enjoyable evening. Please come along

Holly Watt

Dear Parents and Friends of the School On 1 September we have 126 students as school, which mirrors Ministry of Educations predictions. With a number of new entrants still to arrive we, pleasingly, will experience a small role growth this year. This is important for future funding and staffing.

Holly Wilson

Te Ao Maori Afternoon.....
What a busy time this was. With a fair portion of the afternoon being given to the Otago Rescue Helicopter, groups had to work really hard to work towards completion in; Food - a focus on kumura; Flax - a focus on wasp nests and decorative fish; Arts - a focus on kowhaiwhai patterns and Music a focus on action songs, rakau and poi.

Good Luck to our girls basketball team. They have made the BGrade Otago final, to be played on Friday Night at the Edgar Centre. Opponents East Otago HighSchool will be very hard to beat!

otAGo rEsCuE HElICoPtEr

Otago Rescue Helicopter Our students, Waitahuna students, parents and many community members all enjoyed an opportunity to view the Rescue Helicopter last Friday. They also appreciated the donation of $35,000, raised at Stars in Their Eyes, from the local Lawrence Lions in association with Bill Bazley.

ODT Secondary Scene

You may have noticed Lawrence Area School pupils articles in a recent ODT paper. Holly Shaw, Autumn Forbes, Eden Wilson and Cheyanne Robertson are to be congratulated for their fine writing and art work. It is great to have our school profiled through this at a provincial level. Thank you is extended to Mrs Holgate for her valued imput. Today we feature and share Edens article on Marmite.

Are You a Real New Zealander? Everyone is aware of the worldwide shortages like money, food, freedom but there is one shortage, greater then all that, which has really hit our country hard. What is it you ask? Its the shortage of marmite. Imagine this. Beep! Beep! Beep! You wake up to the sound of your alarm, not wanting to get up you pull your cover over your face. Your tummy starts to rumble, you spring up and think YEA TOAST!! You go to the kitchen put your toast in the slot, push down the levers and watch it glow, the wires get hot, and you get toast. Then you go to get your favourite spread, mouth watering you open up the cupboard, reach in to get it from its usual spot, and its not there! Thats what marmite fanatics now have to face every day. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It kick starts your metabolism and it is what gives you the energy to get through your day. For some, not having your favourite spread means no breakfast. It is a proven fact, skipping breakfast results in poor ability at school or work, so no breakfast is not good. What makes a New Zealander a true kiwi? I will tell you what, jandals, pavlova, No 8 wire, the silver fern, our accent, our famous shell be right, and our can do attitude. Yes all of those things make you a kiwi, but a true kiwi is only complete when they can spread Marmite on their toast! So how many of you are true kiwis? From day one marmite has been in most kiwis life - it is true blue kiwiana, just like pavlova. Vegemite eaters are traitors. I want you disloyal vegemite eaters to take a real hard long look at yourself. Do you have a duvet or a doona on your bed? Do you carry a chilly bin or an esky? Do you wear black jersey or the yellow jersey? Eating vegemite is like wearing the yellow jersey not cool. We should be using and supporting our own nations products, if we dont then we will have a serious national money shortage - and this is the last thing we need. If you eat Australias vegemite you are giving them a better chance to win the ongoing fight of which country is better. They have been stealing our countries products for ages. Seriously - Pharlap, pavlova and pineapple lumps are ours, so keep your dirty mitts off them! We are not koala and crocodile people we are tuatara and kiwi people, so lets stick by it! But you know, the thing that frustrates me the most, are those people who jus have marmite sitting in their cupboard, neglected. What a waste! USE IT FOR GOOD NESS SAKE! I mean its basically sitting their saying eat me eat me. Those people should feel lucky because there are some people out there who love marmite and just cant get their hands on it. I save my last words for Sanatorium, that well established, prominent New Zealand company and producers of excellent culinary products - could you please get your act together and make more, magnificent marmite! Eden Wilson

* Senior School Uniform. We ask parents to please ensure that their child comes to school correctly attired. It is frustrating for teachers to have to address uniform issues. Please help out.
Alana Langley

UNIFORM

Drawings

sEnIor parents need to be aware of Art two aspects that

by Year 9 & 10

* Junior School Uniform. We are currently gathering the various items of the proposed new junior school uniform. We will invite parents to view,
Reon Wilson

comment as soon as we have all items in place.

Cellina Cabuyao

FurnIturE soutH IslAnD nEtBAll CHAmPs

Andrew

Blackmore

This year our team competed in the C grade section and played a selection of teams from throughout the South Island. Preparation had been thorough with regular skills coaching from Sue Wither and fitness coaching care of Kate Anderson. Each day, Monday to Thursday the team played two games. vs Taieri Invitation - won vs Apirima - lost vs East Otago - lost vs Otago Girls invitation - lost vs Waiau - won vs Northern Southland - lost vs Hurinui - won vs Northern Southland - lost Sometimes the bounce of the ball is not with you. Three, one point losses is pretty tough to take. Credit to our girls they finished the week strongly playing better netball with each game played. There were many brilliant individual efforts but more importantly consistently good team effort, team support and team spirit. Emma, Kelly, Rhea, Holly Wilson, Leaha, Sarah, Holly Shaw, Merran, Kylie, Hannah and Eloise would like to thank their coach Sue, manager Kate, camp mum Judy, waterboys Mark and Paul, parents who supported them, sponsors and all those who have helped out with fundraising.

Kendra Crawford

Brooke Cameron

Blackmore