Welcome To Room 9

Kia Ora, Guten Tag & G’Day,

Welcome to Room 9. My name is Matthew Cameron. After spending 6 years teaching the PYP in Germany, it is a pleasure to be in my second year here at Berkley. I am looking forward to a successful partnership between home and school to ensure maximum learning and progress. 

Here are few things you might like to know to get the year off to a good start.

ICT

- We have a class blog (http://room9bnms2016.blogspot.co.nz/ - Please don’t forget to bookmark this) which students can access from home and school to enrich learning. This will have links to learning and useful resources as well as important notices / information and more. Parents are able to access this too and are encouraged to do so regularly in order to keep up to date with their child’s learning. Alternatively our site can be located from the Berkley Normal Middle School website under the section “Class blogs”.

- Students are each individually provided with a Google account within our domain in which they can create and share documents, slideshows, spreadsheets, and more. Using their Google Drive, students will be able to access their work from both inside and outside of the school, in fact from anywhere with Internet access. For most students this will become their digital backpack and they should expect to use this a lot through the course of the year. If you have a device such as a tablet or laptop that you are happy for your child to use in class, then by all means send them along. Just make sure you have signed and returned a BYOD agreement.

* I will discuss the use of ICT in our class in greater depth at the 'Meet The Teacher' evening *

Being Prepared

- It is essential that students are prepared for the school day. This includes having the correct uniform, stationery (including agenda book) and PE gear every day. Please clearly name all uniforms, stationery and personal items. Your child needs to have their PE gear every day for class PE / fitness, promotions and teaming times. It is also expected that students wear the school hat when outside in terms 1 and 4.

Camp

- Our Camp will be in Term 2. The dates are Tuesday 17th - Friday 20th May 2016. We will be staying in the Kaimai ranges, at the Aongatete Lodge, a facility that Berkley has had a longtime connection with.  More information including costs and parent helper notices will be shared shortly, so keep an eye out for this.

Home Learning

- All tasks will be placed on the class blog each week http://room9bnms2016.blogspot.co.nz/ and it is recommended that parents and students check this regularly.

- Home Learning will be an extension of the classroom programme; your child may bring home uncompleted class work or extra tasks to consolidate learning of a new skill. We welcome parent encouragement,  rather than involvement with this.

- Room 9 students will also have access to Wonderopolis (login details yet to be given to students). This is a fun and enjoyable site to support students’ learning and build their inquiry skills. 

Daily Agenda

- Communication is crucial in ensuring that your child has the maximum opportunities throughout this year.  In order to enhance this communication, we operate an Agenda book daily, including Friday’s.  This is where homework requirements, reminders and alerts to notices going home are written in.  The daily agenda is also posted daily on the class blog at http://room9bnms2016.blogspot.co.nz/search/label/DailyAgenda

- For the month of February it is expected that someone from home will also sign the agenda book daily.

- As I am well aware, some notices can get lost between school and home. Should you wish to find out what notices are being delivered to students at school each day, please feel free to access this via our school website: http://www.berkley.school.nz/whats-on/daily-informer/ .

Teaming & Tech / Arts

- Your child will also be involved in our technology/art specialist programme. They will participate in these classes 2-3 times weekly.  The make-up for these classes are grouped from across our team of four classes, Te Aroha. This cross grouping also will apply when your child is involved in PE, languages (German) and skill classes relating to our IB programme. 

- During the PE sessions, your child is allowed to wear mufti clothing which is appropriate to a range of physical activities. School uniform items are not to be worn with PE gear. At all other times, including when arriving and leaving our school,  they are required to wear the correct school uniform.

- It is also an expectation that students will wear a hat when outside during terms 1 and 4. The only hat permissible are the regulation uniform hats.  Please ensure that all clothing is clearly named.

Absences and Notes

- If possible please send notes (inside their agenda book) with your child explaining why they are without  PE gear or wearing incorrect uniform, reasons for any absences etc. You can also email me if your child is going to be absent mcameron@berkley.school.nz Alternatively you can ring the office. Achievement is strongly linked with attendance so it is essential that students are at school as much as possible.

Upcoming Events

- Thursday 18th February - Meet the teacher evening (Te Aroha)

Feel free to book some time to see me if you have anything you wish to discuss or contact me at: mcameron@berkley.school.nz

I look forward to getting to know you and your child as we embark on an exciting year ahead.

Kind regards,

Matthew Cameron