The themes presented in Grade Nought for the second term relate mostly to the World Cup Soccer 2010.   We have learnt to name the continents of the world using methods such as the interactive board, globes and world map books for kids.  To introduce the girls to different cultures we discussed facts and displayed objects from Greece, Argentina and Japan.  The girls found this fascinating, and enthusiastically brought objects, articles, books and food for their ‘Show and Tell’ presentations.  We looked at the written language, homes, and cultures and made flags of the different countries.  Some girls even designed their own flags.  During these themes they created art work, sewed with wool around the edge of their own painting, made clothes for their paper dolls and tasted sushi!  Throughout all these activities the girls worked at their letters and numbers, playing listening games, counting with the abacus, and trying their hand at writing words next to their drawings.
 The last few weeks before the June holidays, we will discuss and enjoy activities relating to South Africa and the Fifa World Cup 2010.  The girls are proudly wearing their yellow and green t-shirts every Friday.  On Friday 21 May all the girls from Gr0 to Gr7 formed the numbers of 2010 on the big field and Mrs Dane took a photograph.  Each girl received a little SA flag and three girls per class won a little Vuvuzela.  The excitement of the World Cup Soccer is running high!  

The Mothers Day Picnic:
The Grade Nought girls printed cloths with leaves to present them to their moms as a tray cloth for Mothers’ Day.  Mrs Traynor took the cloths to Wakkerstroom to be stitched with an over-locker by a friend! The cloths were returned all neatly done and beautifully colourful.  The girls created a lovely Mothers’ Day card to add to the gift, and offered this to the moms on Friday 7 May.  The picnic was under the big Oak tree and we were all grateful for the lovely warm winter sunshine.  The mothers were treated to a presentation of a typical music lesson showing some of the skills Mrs Salgado has been teaching the girls this year.   Thank you to Mrs Salgado for the happy and joyful lesson.  The girls participated with enthusiasm and the mothers watched with delight.   The picnic continued until the end of the school day.  It was a perfect opportunity for moms to get together, have a break from their daily routine, relax and converse with each other.
The Fathers Day Braai will be on Friday 4 June from 10h00 to the end of the school day.  Around 10:30 the fathers will proceed to Mrs Salgado’s classroom to listen to their girls song presentation.  All the food will be provided, and George and Morris will prepare the fire.  The dads will be asked to help cook the boerewors and halal sausages. 

Themes for this term

Activities Programme
The activities programme lays out the weekly activities for the year. This is a tool to help your daughter refer to the day’s activities and to bring the relevant items needed for that day.  

School Times
Arrival time is at 07:45 and home time is at 12:45. As the teachers are involved in extra-mural activities after school, girls who have not been collected by 13:00 will be sent to Aftercare.
After Care
An Aftercare facility is available from 13:00 until 17:45 throughout the term outside the Gr 0B classroom. This is privately run by Jill and Rosemary. Please speak to Jill or Rosemary for further information.
Absence from school
You are asked to please inform the school if your daughter is absent from school for any reason. Please do this as early as possible in the morning. If girls need to be taken out of school before the end of the school day, please write a note to this effect. This is for security reasons.
Communication
Book Bags: These are important tools of communication, and it is important they are brought to school every day.
Class Post Box: Please make use of the class post box for any notes or payments.
Notice Board: Please check the notice board on a regular basis as this is one of the ways used to keep you up to date.
Clothing and Lunches
Grade 0 hats are compulsory.  These are available from the School Shop which is open on Monday from 07:15 to 08:00 and Wednesday from 12:30 to13:00
Please ensure that your daughter is dressed practically and comfortably. All clothes, hats and shoes must be marked.
Please send healthy lunches to school (no sweets, chips, cake or fizzy drinks).
Parent Involvement
Activities: We need volunteers to help on Thursday mornings from 07:30 to 08:30 with the following activities:  perceptual games, woodwork and skipping. This is a good opportunity to get to work with your daughter and to meet her classmates. Please place your name on the form on the outside notice board for the chosen activity.
Outings: When going on some outings we may request assistance with lifts.
Lifting: If you have arranged for someone else to collect your daughter after school, please let us know, preferably via a note placed in the class post box.
Educational Toys: Every year we try and add new and exciting educational toys to our collection. Toys for this year will be on display from Tuesday 26 January outside the classroom. Donations of these toys to the school by the parents are welcomed. Please write your name on the list next to the chosen toy and it will be added to your account at the end of the term. We are very grateful to parents for assisting in this way to expand and update our collection.
Phono-Graphix
At APPS we use the Phono-Graphix reading method to teach reading, writing and spelling. Instead of teaching children that each letter is a sound unto itself, Phono-Graphix teaches children that letters and groups of letters are “sound pictures”, each representing phonemes (sounds). For example b  oa  t is a string of “sound pictures” representing boat.
Sound of the Week
Every week your daughter will be introduced to a new sound. She is encouraged to bring an object or a picture of something that has that sound at the beginning of the word.
Show and Tell
“Show and Tell” gives girls the opportunity to practice public speaking in a way that is both fun and stress free.
Each Tuesday your daughter is encouraged to bring something of interest to them to school; something relating to the theme of the week or something she has made, found, discovered or read about.  During “Show and Tell” she will need to spend a few minutes discussing the item with the class.  It would help if your daughter were to practice her talk in advance. PLEASE no toys!

Birthdays
Should Birthday girls wish, they are very welcome to bring something to share with the class. However, we have found dividing a cake 20 ways can present quite a challenge, and that cup cakes work far better. Invitations to birthday parties will only be handed out at school if the whole class has been invited.
Private Extra-Murals
These are privately run activities which take place at APPS and should you have any queries in this regard, it is best to contact the person responsible.
Clleen Sport with Collen – Mondays or Tuesdays
Swimming with Mrs Dane – Tuesdays and Thursdays - In Summer
Ballet with Mrs Tanya Doyle - Fridays
When paying for your extra-mural activities, please put you fees in an envelope with your child’s name and the appropriate extra-mural teacher’s name and place it in the class post box. If necessary, please enquire with the relevant teacher about internet payments.
Therapist
At APPS we are in a very privileged position to have three therapists, an Occupational Therapist, a Speech Therapist and a Play Therapist working from our premises. Please direct any queries in this regard to myself.