Newsletter Term 1 Week 10

2022 Term 1 Week 10

Kia ora koutou,

This term is the first time I have felt like it has taken an absolute lifetime to get across the finish line. There are so many memes and gifs I could use to depict the feeling! 

This morning I met with Katy Aldcroft, our Board Chairperson and we have made the decision to move the school to online learning this coming Friday, Monday, and Tuesday with a review for Wednesday and Thursday pending.  We will decide about Wednesday and Thursday by Monday 3 pm at the latest. 

I know you know all of the reasons why and that we have tried our absolute best to avoid this.  I am sad.

I have spoken with all ‘well’ staff and we will open up 1 junior hub essential workers class and 1 senior hub essential workers class under a supervisory type status. The teacher I have in these roles will support your child to access online learning. If you need this service please respond to the google form I email out to you so that we can make a plan. 

We had a brief staff meeting this morning to explain the situation to staff. Teachers have set aside time this afternoon to explain to their students how best to access online learning and go through it with them.  The junior hub’s use of Seesaw is proving to work very well in terms of regular communication.  Senior students have been less likely to engage, but they do have options and teachers are easily contactable via: email to support them. 

And in other news:

BSSG – We had our first meeting in…2 or 3 years! We have a small but dedicated team of parents ready to sink their teeth into some fundraising ideas as well as some fun activities for our students. We will share the plan with you next term. The tabloid sports fun day will be postponed which we hope means we can have all of our students present rather than a small percentage of them.  

CALFĒ – This will stay closed until Term 2. We absolutely love the service this provides and so it will be a priority for us in Term 2.

FRUIT CUTTING – Please precut any fruit rather than sending students along with knives – we have noticed a few children have them in their lunch boxes and they don’t always stay in there!

OFFERS OF HELP – Thank you so much, we are making the cleaning situation work. I always knew that we would never be able to hold ourselves up to Rob’s high standards, but we are all trying our best!

 Noho ora mai, Kim Gordon, Tumuaki

Whole School Moves to Online Learning

Friday 8th April

Monday 11th April

Tuesday 12th April

Decisions about Wednesday 13th & Thursday 14th will be made by 3pm Monday and emailed to whānau.  

Whānau who will struggle to make this work due to working circumstances, may send their tamariki and we will organise supervision. They will be supervised in one of the 2 hubs and supported to access online learning.  

Please complete the online google form, which will be with you by the end of the day, if you need to access this supervision. No explanation is necessary, we get it I promise you. This will help me to organise staff/supervision and alter our lunch orders to avoid waste.   

Happy Easter Break everyone – see you back (hopefully that’s all of you) on Monday 2nd May! Everything crossed!

This weeks KIND KID is: Beckett

TUARONGO

During our online learning period your child is able to access the following learning: 

POU TĀHŪ

Firstly, we just want to say a massive thank you to our amazing tauira and their whånau. Thank you for your patience and support, as we battle through the best we can! I am so impressed with how well our fabulous tauira have coped in such trying circumstances. In Pou Tāhū have been working on developing our self managing skills and our PRIDE values as we have been learning how to complete our “must dos” and “can dos” (activities in Literacy and Numeracy). You may have seen some of these activities coming through on Seesaw- practising our heart words, word work, reading to self, handwriting, fine motor skills and number knowledge. We are really looking forward to a more settled term 2 and getting stuck into some really gutsy learning! Footsteps was certainly a highlight this week, what a privilege to have them come out to our kura. Another highlight was earning ANOTHER Tiki Reward!! (This is the most tiki rewards I’ve ever had in a single term!) Pou Tāhū really are an incredible group of students who have been great at showing our PRIDE values! Take care, have a restful Easter. Ngā Mihi Whaea Amie, Whaea Jen & Whaea Sarah.

TOKOMANAWA

Tokomanawa had an amazing week 9. They had a lot of fun participating in the footsteps programme and enjoyed making and eating kale chips as part of our interest groups.

Could you do with some help with navigating the effects of COVID on your family and their welfare?  Karen from Bulls Medical Centre dropped in some cards with contact numbers for welfare support as well as information about how to report a positive RAT test.  We also have a carton of RAT tests if anyone would like us to send some home. 

The welfare support number is: 08002272494

If you find head lice or eggs – you need to treat them. Repeat the treatment: 7–10 days later for chemical treatments and every day for wet combing if you can manage it, but at least every 2 to 3 days.

For more information, talk to your pharmacist, doctor or nurse.

If you have any second-hand uniform you would like to donate we would greatly appreciate it.

Please drop off at the office. Thank you.

Term Dates 2022

Term One Mon 2nd Feb to Thur 14th April

Term Two Mon 2nd May to Fri 8th July

Term Three Mon 25th July to Fri 30th Sep

Term Four Mon 17th Oct to Fri 16th Dec (TBC)