ECS Update Week 6 – Friday 10 March 2023

ECS Update Week 6 – Friday 10 March 2023

Kia ora Parents and Caregivers,

Welcome to the Term 1, Week 6 Newsletter.

As you read this weeks notices we would like to particularly highlight the notice with regards to School being closed for instruction on Thursday 16th March.

Thank you for your ongoing prayers and support.

May I encourage you with these words from:

John 8: 12

Jesus said … I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.

This newsletter contains information on the following:

• Important Dates
• School Closed – Thursday 16th March
• Early finish Tuesday 21 March
• Esther – The Musical
• The Lions Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival 2023

Important Dates

Thursday 16 March: School Closed for Instruction (please see note that follows)

Tuesday 21 March – Early finish at 2:25pm (all teachers are involved in professional development working with other schools).

Wednesday 29th – Friday 31st March Year 7 & 8 Camp in Hanmer

Thursday 6th April Last day of Term 1

Monday 24th April Teacher Only Day 

Tuesday 25th April ANZAC Day Public Holiday

Wednesday 26th April First Day of Term 2 for students

Monday 1st May – Wednesday 3rd May Year 5 & 6 Camp at Woodend

School Closed – Thursday 16th March 

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Firstly, quick update and introduction. The Emmanuel Christian School Board has been very blessed in having Gregg Le Roux serving on the board and in recent years as board chairman (now called Presiding Member…).  As of our February meeting Gregg has stepped down as chair, however,  will still be board member for a period to assist myself in this new roll and made sure we transition well.   We will do this more formally when the time comes but take this opportunity to hugely thank Gregg for his heart and service to our school.   The ECS School Board is the employer of ECS staff so my first official duty is to notify you all the following strike actions which I’m sure you are already aware of via media.    

Since May 2022 NZEI Te Rui Roa the union which represents Primary School Teachers and Principals has been in negotiation with the government with regards to the Area School Teachers’ Collective agreement (‘ASTCA’) and the Area School Principals’ Collective Agreement (‘ASPCA’).  As of today, there is no offer on the table with regards to the ASTCA.

Members of NZEI across the country covered by these two collectives have been balloted with regards to taking strike action.  Both groups have independently voted in favour of taking strike action.  NZEI have provided a preliminary strike notice to Boards of Trustees indicating that members covered by these two collective agreements will be on strike for the entire day of Thursday 16^th March. Independently teachers and principals at primary schools and teachers at secondary schools have voted to take similar industrial action.  We are expecting to receive a formal strike notice on Monday (it is required to be provided 3 days before the commencement of the strike).

Given the impact of this on Emmanuel Christian School we wanted to give you an indication of our plans for this day.  Most of our teaching staff are members of the union and will not be available to teach their classes on the day of the strike.

Due to this if the strike goes ahead on Thursday 16^th March, Emmanuel Christian School will be closed for instruction for the day.   We would ask you to make arrangements to have your children looked after away from school.

We are aware that for some families finding appropriate care for your child(ren) may be impossible.  We will have a small number of non-union staff on site and will be able to provide supervision to support you if required.  If you are in this situation, please complete this form so that we can plan and ensure we have appropriate supervision in place. 

Supervision Form

We will keep you advised of any changes as these become known.  As a school we are very blessed with the mix of awesome people currently on staff and serving on our boards, which is something I’m now especially extra thankful for!  We continue to covet your prayers for the school and the team currently serving our families so well.

Regards
John van Ameyde
Board of Trustees, Presiding Member (Chair)

Early Finish – Tuesday 21st MArch

As in 2022, each term we have a staff meeting with staff from across the Christian Schools in Christchurch.  These meetings run from 3:00-5:00pm at different schools across the city.  The Ministry of Education is introducing a full New Zealand Curriculum refresh with three big learning areas documents coming out in 2023.  There is significant work to ensure we understand refreshed curriculum documents well.  These meetings allow us to connect with staff from other Christian schools as we work on this significant adjustment together, with a shared commitment to our Christian special character.

Please arrange to collect your children at the earlier time of 2:25pm on Tuesday 21st March to enable staff time to travel to these important meetings.

We are very aware that this meeting now falls only a few days after the strike closure. For those parents unable to collect your children early on the 21st we will have some supervision available until their regular finishing time.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

Esther – the Musical

EMMANUEL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL PRESENTS:
ESTHER – THE MUSICAL

• Friday 5th May (Week 2, Term 2)
• Matinee Performance – 1.30 
• Evening Performance – 7pm
• Christchurch Community Church (Christchurch Chinese Church) – 286 Greers Road, Bryndwr.

Students are working hard to memorise Music, Words, Lines and Dances for a spectacular performance of the Biblical Story of Esther, acted by the Senior Students in Year 9 and 10.

 120 ECS students are involved from Year 3 upward, either singing in the Choir, playing an instrument in the School Orchestra (which is accompanying the Production) or dancing. Practices are occurring within school time but we may require some students to attend an afternoon practice in the school holidays.

There will be 2 Performances on Friday the 5th of May:

 Matinee ‘Dress Rehearsal’ which the rest of the school will attend (they will be bussed to and from the venue). Grandparents are welcome to join us for this Performance – 1.30 – 2.30 but seating will be very limited. We will provide transport to the venue for this Dress Rehearsal.  

Evening Performance: 7pm – 8pm.  Year 9 and 10 performing students need to arrive at 5.30, the Choir and Orchestra at 6pm. We need to be on the stage and ready to start by 6.40. (Note: Instruments and Music can be left at the church after the matinee performance, the church will be locked in between, so instruments are secure.)

 Cost: $5 per person
Tickets will be available from the school office from Monday the 20th of March.

 There will be more information about the Musical sent out over the remainder of the term.
Any questions can be directed to:

 naomi@emmanuelchristian.school.nz  or  mark@emmanuelchristian.school.nz

The Lions Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival 2023

7.00pm
31st October – 3rd November, 2023
Christchurch Town Hall

This is an exciting opportunity for any Year 5 – 8 students at Emmanuel.  Students who choose to join our school choir will perform on one of these evenings in the Town Hall with hundreds of other students from other schools. Over the period of 4 nights, there will be approximately 4000 students performing! It is certainly a memorable event!

I have space for 25 students to join this Festival choir (which is a separate choir from the Emmanuel Junior and Senior Choir). Students will need to audition for the school Festival choir and we will begin rehearsing the songs in Term 3. The theme this year is ‘Galaxies’.

There is also a unique opportunity for any interested students to join a Representative group – Junior Choir (Year 5 and 6), Senior Choir (Year 7 and 8), Orchestra (standard approx. Grade 3 and above), or Concert Band.
This is a big commitment and requires many hours of rehearsals on Saturday afternoons late in Term 3 and rehearsals in the September/October holidays, involving one full week. Students in these Representative Groups are expected to perform every night of the Festival (Oct 31 – Nov 3rd).

To be selected through a rigorous audition for these Representative Groups is the Musical equivalent of representing Canterbury in Sport.

We have had many students from Emmanuel selected for the different groups over the years. I am sure that they would tell you that joining these groups would have been one of the highlights of their schooling – the friends that they made through being involved in this are friends for life! I can personally attest to the fact that students who have been involved in any of these groups significantly benefit in terms of skill and performance confidence!

All details about the commitment and the audition process are on their website: https://musicfestival.school.nz/
The applications for these Representative Groups close at the end of Term 1, so please get your applications in if you are interested. I will go through the audition process with all students who apply so that they are well aware of what the expectations are before the day of audition! On the day of audition parents will be required to transport their children to and from the venue if it is outside of school hours. If the auditions are in school hours and I am available, I will take the students in the school van.

Students in Year 5 – 8 who wish to be a part of the school choir performing on one of the nights, will need to attend an afternoon area rehearsal in Term 3 at Avonhead Primary School. We will take a bus from Emmanuel to and from the venue. On the morning of our school choir’s performance in November, students will attend a dress rehearsal at the Town Hall, transported to and from the venue by bus.
Tickets are available on their website once the date of our school choir performance night is confirmed.

If you have any queries, please contact me: naomi@emmanuelchristian.school.nz