Liberton Link December 2000BOARD OF TRUSTEESOur first year as an integrated school is nearly completed, and the role and function of the Board of Trustees is becoming clearer. It has been not too different from what we have been routinely doing in the past, but the separation of the DCSA (as proprietors), the requirements for comprehensive policies, and the need to review these with the community, has involved new responsibilities and challenges. This year Nel and Rosalin have undertaken extra tasks as part of ABEL (Assessment for Better Learning) course. This has involved regular meetings with Teachers College advisors and discussions about assessment procedures and curriculum development for the school. The process has been very helpful in getting a lot of what we have done in the past written down, while encouraging us to think about how we express our Christian character in the life of the school. The Board appreciates the willingness of the staff to do the ABEL course, which will continue next year. The parent meetings each term have provided important opportunities to learn about activities in the classroom, discuss school policies and assess curriculum goals. We will attempt to vary the format of these and make them useful for parents, but any feedback would be welcome. The diverse and stimulating educational programme at the school over the year involved outings to museums, camps, walks, visits from missionaries and others, interschool sports, as well as the more usual learning activities. As visitors have noted, small schools have many advantages and we are thankful for the way in which the teachers encourage the children to become part of a caring and supportive community at Liberton. Thanks to Phil Marshall for chairing the Board while I was away, and to members and staff for all their hard work and commitment to Christian education. Finally, we wish all parents, staff, supporters and children a blessed Christmas and a refreshing summer holiday. Please continue to uphold the school in prayer. We look forward to seeing you all in the new year. Bill Lee, Chairman DCSA COUNCILIn recent months the Council has been busy formulating and distributing a questionnaire to members of local churches. The questionnaire seeks to discover why there is not more interest in Christian primary education in Dunedin, so that we may have a better understanding of the ways in which the School ought to be promoted. As the forms are filled in pray that that this may also be an occasion where the respondents’ own thinking is challenged and that renewed interest in the School may result. The group who are keen to establish a Christian school in Mosgiel are making steady progress towards beginning in 2001, having secured a site and teaching resources. With Mrs Roslyn King (a former teacher at Liberton) and her husband Ron as key members, they are also constituting their own Association and as such have maintained their own identity, entirely separate from the DCSA. John van Dyk, Treasurer SENIOR CLASSIn July, I attended the New Zealand Association for Christian Schools’ conference in Wellington. About 200 people were present. It was encouraging to experience the growth in Christian education in New Zealand. Both Rosalin and I suffered family bereavements in the loss of a father and brother respectively. We have been touched by the sense of oneness shown in the extension of sympathy and acts of kindness by the children and wider School community. Pupils have been participating in a number of sporting competitions. In most sports team members have shown great improvements overall and encouraged each other. Special thanks to coaches who gave freely of their time: John Steenhof – miniball (and ex-pupils Conan Macklin and Antony Jurgens who stepped in after John broke his leg), Rachel Bradfield – netball, and Antje Storm – volleyball umpiring. Thanks also to parents for providing the necessary transport which made our participation possible. A visit from Rachel Pettigrew was welcomed by all at the School. We were fascinated by the tales of school life, home life and other events that happened while Rachel was in Japan. The children learned that eating with chopsticks was not that easy! It takes a lot of practice but some students did manage to eat sushi with them. More technology has arrived at school. We are very pleased to have a computer in each classroom and we look forward to making greater use of their online features. We have been corresponding with Julianne, Kim and David Hannah who are in the US this year but will return in 2001. We have learnt that the school experiences are somewhat different to here in New Zealand, especially the amount of homework they get! The Form 1 & 2s had an enjoyable ski trip in September. It had started raining as we neared Queenstown and it rained all through the first night. However it had snowed on the ski fields. Though conditions were a bit dubious at first, the ski field opened later and the children had the experience of a lifetime. Also being billeted out by various families of the Southern Lakes Christian School, was a great learning experience. We have had the privilege of hosting Mr and Mrs Burnett who were able to tell and show us many things about Papua New Guinea where they have been missionaries. Those firsthand accounts are a good way to learn more about the various countries and cultures of the world and the effect of the Gospel. Congratulations to Moselle Storm who came first in the eight year old section of the “Magical Movies” poster competition and also to Jennifer Pettigrew, Mehdi Haderbache, Rachel van Dyk and Rochelle Ferguson whose posters were selected. In conjunction with the 5+ A Day, the children enjoyed the opportunity of making their own lunches and trying out new filling combinations. A big thank you to Anita Van Rij for the tremendous effort she put into making fillings, bringing food and enthusing the children into looking at lunches differently! A related activity was the Edible Art in which the children made various models from the different fruit and vegetables they brought along. Seniors and the Juniors worked well together, were very encouraging, and produced pleasing final results. Constable Sue Young has visited the school several times and has been kept very busy. The seniors were asked to bring helmets and bicycles to school. They were shown how to fit and wear their helmets properly. Nearly all helmets needed adjusting. The children also learned what their bikes needed legally in order to be roadworthy. We have just returned from a very successful camp at Millervale, Warrington. We were joined there by ten students and two teachers from Southern Lakes Christian School in Queenstown. Highlights included going to the hydroslide on the first day before heading out to camp, climbing to the Organ Pipes on Mount Cargill, an alphabetical scavenger hunt organised by Mrs Jones, making collages, and a night-time visit to a “haunted house”. The rest of the School joined us on the last day for beach activities and an indoor (Dunedin weather!) picnic. Please continue to pray for us. Thank you for your continuing support. Nel van’t Wout, Principal JUNIOR CLASSOur Bible theme is turning towards Christmas. We have followed the travels of the children of Israel to Egypt and then to the promised land. Now our attention turns to the promise of a Saviour. During the third term, we explored what it is like to be old. At first there seemed to be a lot of advantages, such as being able to, “Stay up late and watch as much television as you like.” But we found there are sometimes disadvantages and problems as well. Some elderly people run in marathons, some others are confined to a wheelchair, and there is a wide range in between. Mrs Eva Smith came to talk to us. An ex-teacher, she has been a valued loyal helper at Liberton for many years. She was about to celebrate her eightieth birthday. She talked to the children and answered their questions. The children were set a task. They had to choose problems which elderly people might face. The task was to find a way to solve those problems. They presented their solutions with drawings and plans, models, or drama. Here are some of their ideas:
The children realised that often what an older person really wants is some company, particularly from young people. We are planning to visit Ross Home to entertain them with some music. We have had a busy few months. At the end of term three, our study of the Olympic Games culminated in our own mini-Olympics, here at school. Health and safety has been a major focus during term four, with visits from the Willowbank firemen, teaching about fire-safety, and from Constable Sue Young promoting safety when walking. On Tuesday, Mrs Young came to teach us about sneaky driveways. She came on Thursday and taught us about car rules. Today she came and we walked round the block. She brought her walkie-talkies. - Simeon Mrs Young came to teach us about traffic. I learnt to look in driveways and how to walk safely. Walk on the house side of the footpath. - Jevon A highlight of the “5+ a day” programme was the chance to make delicious and healthy sandwiches. A big “Thank you,” to Mrs van Rij, for preparing this for us, and teaching us about healthy lunches. On Wednesday the whole school did five plus a day. In the morning we made some sandwiches. In one of my sandwiches I put ham, cheese and tomato and in my other sandwich I put ham, cheese, tomato and salad. At lunch time we ate our sandwiches. At one o’clock we made lots of different models with fruit and vegetables. I made a flying saucer. - Josua I put pineapple in my sandwich. I made a prickly submarine with a potato and toothpicks. - Petra I made a sandwich. I put egg in it and I had a kebab. I had salad on it. I made a hedgehog out of a potato and toothpicks. - Thomas On Monday afternoons, Mrs Corlett is teaching a series of lessons about our senses. The children are enjoying lots of interesting learning experiences. Thank you, Mrs Corlett, for providing me with the opportunity to do some important individual testing with the children. Our class has grown with the addition of two new five-year-olds. Thomas and Petra are both the youngest children in their families, and have an older sister or brother already at the school. One of the books read to the class recently, was called, “John Patrick Norman McHennesy, the boy who was always late.” The children wrote their own unbelievable excuses for being late for school. Here are some of the shorter ones. I was late for school because a lion came to get my trousers, and a tiger came to get my lunch-box. - Cathryn One day, a one hundred headed alien took me up to Mars and that’s why I am late for school. - Timothy I was late for school because a lion came to get my trousers. - Thomas When I was going to school, I saw a lion. It chased me. I ran and ran. I ran to school, but I was late. A lion chased me, Mrs Stewart. - Esther I was holding a little bug, but it started to grow and that is why I am late for school. - Natasha and Lydia S. When I was going to school, a monkey escaped from the zoo, and I spent all my time looking for the monkey. I was late. - Rose I am late for school because an alien called Zro-Zep from the Planet Zeprer, which is the tenth planet, took me to Jupiter. I thought until twelve o’clock. Then a rocket came and took me to Franklin Street, and I went to school. - Josiah I am late because an alien from outer space came and took me into Space. I got stuck on Jupiter. I thought and thought until six-thirty. A rocket came and took me back to Earth. - Simeon Another book which encouraged some imaginative writing was called, “Click, clack, moo. Cows that type.” If animals could write letters to us, I wonder what things they would ask for… Dear Farmer Brown My kittens need a toy to play with. Please give me some wool. I am really getting tired of the flies in my sty. Can you please give me a fly swat? My kennel is too small. My puppies need a bone. My dog basket is not very nice. Can you get me another mat? Thank you to all those who have helped with the Junior class throughout the year. Your help with swimming, help in the classroom and with many other activities, has been greatly appreciated. Rosalin Stewart HOME & SCHOOL SNIPPETSAnother school year comes to a close. We are thankful for the ongoing support given to activities or fundraisers we organise. During the colder weeks we helped the Seniors with Friday-Pieday to raise funds for extra activities (e.g. camp), the profit was sponsored by us dollar for dollar, raising a total of $272. We assisted the Seniors with the sprucing up of library cushion covers, financially and in a practical way. The result – unique covers were made under the watchful eye of Mrs Jones. We’ve purchased two rubbish bins for lunch leftovers, and a blind for an office window. All honey is out of stock now until the new season’s supply arrives. We still have on sale: cards with envelopes - $3 per packet, pens - $2 each, unique school calendars at $3.50 and $5.50 each, and a selection of fragrances. These will be available at the concert evening or you can contact me. May God bless you all and grant you peace and joy during the festive season. Antje Storm, Convenor FROM THE TREASURERWe can be very thankful in that the accounts of both bodies show surpluses well in excess of expectations. However, as far as the DCSA is concerned, much of this is timing as some upgrading work planned for this year will not now take place until the new year. Very strong showings nevertheless. The School recently purchased Massey University’s Musac school accounting package to replace its existing software written for use on equipment which is now obsolete. We also gained approval from the Community Trust of Otago to apply for a $3,500 share of a pool of funding for ICT (Information and Communication Technology) projects. A register of the School’s assets is currently being compiled for insurance and accounting purposes. It is most encouraging to see how God has supplied our needs over the years, not only through usual budgetary sources but also through gifts and the fundraising efforts of willing helpers. John van Dyk MAINTENANCE REPORTThere have been no major items of work undertaken since the last report, although we have completed a long list of small jobs, some which have been outstanding for a number of years. There are some advantages in having contractual obligations to the Ministry. This work was done by Ken Stewart (Rosalin’s husband) who was working around the school for approximately two weeks. One particularly painstaking job was to replace many of the old and worn door handles. Some had to be done to comply with fire exit regulations and others we did before the old ones fell off! Although fitting new handles to old and sometimes ill fitting doors can be a trying task, Ken has made an excellent job and now all the doors open and close neatly and all lockable doors can be opened from the inside without a key. Some other items of work Ken completed were: finishing off to the third classroom extension (many people will be pleased to see that done at last), replacing the timber on the see-saw, blocking up various holes, replacing rotten boards, etc. The next major upgrading project to be undertaken will be the boundary fence. We are about to enter into a contract with a local fencing contractor who is experienced with school fencing requirements. The fence will be 1.2m high chain link with galvanised steel posts and rails. The section of fence near the end of the playing field is to be raised to stop balls from going onto the road, and more importantly stop the children from chasing after them. This, along with a few other outstanding jobs which were mentioned in the previous report, will be completed in time for the start of the new school year. Another high profile project has just got under way – Nel’s dream for the shed is finally becoming a reality. The shed is being painted in a cottage theme, historical colonial??? At the time of writing the chief designer didn’t want to get too specific. We will just have to see how things develop. The work is in the capable hands of Kyra Jones and Shiloh Taylor. I’m sure they will get plenty of helpful advice from children and parents alike! Tony Sizemore PRAYER POINTS
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