Kia ora Whānau – Greetings everyone.

Welcome back to Term 4 at St Martins School. This is a slightly shorter term with a great deal being packed into it, and we know that it will be a busy and exciting one.

As you will be aware, sun hats are required to be worn from the start of Term 4. Sun safety is once again a focus as we move towards summer. It is important to start sun-safe behaviours now so that the habits of sun safety are as natural as clicking on a seat belt when we get into a car.  Start with sunscreen applications in the morning and make sure that your child, especially those with fair skin, have a supply of lotion in their bags for application during the day. (Emergency supplies are held in most classrooms and the office)

Teachers will begin making general reminders about ‘application’ at break times and there will also be ‘whole school’ reminders via the intercom on those days when there is the greatest risk. It is important that we work together, home and school, to make sure that the habits of keeping sun-safe are well learned. (We are hoping for more regular sun!)

Class placements 2017:

We are now beginning our process for organising the school and pods for 2017. As was the case for the start of 2016 most children will remain in the same pod. However, there may be some movement of students within or across pods in each of the year groups. We now extend an invitation for you to make us aware of, or to discuss any information that might be relevant to placement. If you would like to offer information that would help support this process please email classplacements@stmartins.school.nz . Bernadette May will then collate this information. Please ensure you email us any information by Friday 4th November at the latest.

As part of our class placement process, it is also important for us to know of any students who will not be returning in 2017. (We do not need to know about our current Year 8 students). Please inform the office by phone or by emailing admin@stmartins.school.nz as soon as possible.

Kind regards

Rob Callaghan

Principal