Kia ora Koutou,

A very warm welcome back to Term 4 despite being in Level 3.  Yesterday we got the news we are here for two more weeks at least, despite us all feeling frustrated we know the vaccination rates are rising to the levels needed to get to the next level and enable us all to come back, be safe and resume a more normal routine. I have included a little information here on how being at school works in the “Bubbles” and what at home you should expect.

Home/ Distance Learning – Every school is different in their expectations – some it is very little teacher contact, no online / ZOOM meets and other schools are very much like us, it is a daily online session with the teacher and like us some extra teaching and learning groups with either the Teacher Aide or the Teacher.

So to help you get through at least the next two weeks all teachers have sent out information in the holidays to outline the programme, resend the Google Meet or ZOOM links, and to revisit the online etiquette expected by your child. We also do understand there are days you can’t connect to technology, or it is hard. Please let us know how we can help you. I am here every day as are many of the teachers taking both bubbles at school and their online classes.

1. At least one daily class “Meet / ZOOM”.
2. Some small groups with Teacher Aides or the Teacher to help support by arrangement – not for everyone as per need, (just like at school).
3. Your child to be ready on time for their Meet / ZOOM and to use all their values from school e.g respect and being resourceful.
4. Some core learning activities and most classes have what we call a “Fun Friday” a different programme, not based solely on the core subjects, but integrated fun activities. This week it is in place of what was to be Ag Day and I know many of you are making sand saucers etc.
5. If you need a device, please still let us know and we can lend you one.

Bubble School – For parents that need to work.

1. We now have 4 bubbles with 10 children in and a 5th one needing to start.
2. Two teachers are assigned to the bubble and the bubbles do not cross.
3. Drop-off and Pick-up: Please stay in your cars and do this at the top of the roundabout. If you need a teacher to help your child and one of us is not there between 8:30 and 9:00 please ring and we will come and get you. The number will be on the sign and on the gate.
4. The gate is shut so any change to pick-up time must be arranged earlier.
5. All students from Years 5-8 must bring their own device and have them charged and ready to go.
6. All younger students if they don’t have a device will be provided with one and all students still join their classes for their daily online lesson.
7. No child at a full primary school needs to wear a mask, but if they are 12 years or above they can choose to.
8. Despite all the rules and the social distancing we have lots of fun and can now use the playgrounds.

Vaccinations and COVID testing

1. All staff on site are following the strict Ministry of Education guidelines. All staff had a negative COVID test before they came back on Monday morning and all have been fully vaccinated and a register has begun.
2. When we return this mandate for all staff to be fully vaccinated is required by January 1st 2022. All staff will need to provide a negative COVID test before they return, and if not vaccinated a negative COVID test will be required weekly.
3. All contractors coming on-site are required to produce a negative COVID test (I am finding so far all are vaccinated).
4. Students over 12 years of age will be required to be fully vaccinated, I am checking out the exact rules around this and will inform you after Friday’s announcements by Minister Hipkins.

Other News

Ag Day – FOWS – (Friends of Wainui School) – We have continued to meet and are meeting this week. Sadly Ag Day is not to be.  This has made us all so sad as it is probably always our best day of the year whereby we celebrate our traditions of being a rural primary school, have fun, see all the animals and admire all the work that animal carers have done and the exhibits show. This long-held tradition will, in fact be kept alive this year by the classes incorporating some activities that celebrate and are a part of Ag Day. We are going to put together visual records of this to share online.

Animal Rearers –  I want to thank you for all your hard work and the endless feeding, grooming and training that goes into rearing your lamb, goat, calf or chicken. We suggest you put them in the paddock or the area you keep them if you feel you have had enough, BUT, we hope to at some stage this term have a day where we can bring the animals, have some form of showing. Your pet will still come to you weeks later so don’t worry.

Young Farmer – We also hope to be able to at some stage later in the term have our traditional Young Farmer competition.  Lastly, a huge thank you to Wendy Taylor for all her work and preparation over the year for this event.  Mrs Taylor began her organisation back in Term One.

FOR YOUR CALENDAR

• Wednesday 20th October  – FOWS Meeting – 7.00pm (ONLINE ZOOM)
• Friday 22nd October – Ag Day – CANCELLED
• Monday 25th October  – Labour Day – PUBLIC HOLIDAY (No School Today)
• Tuesday 26th October – BOT Meeting – 6.30pm (ONLINE ZOOM)
• Wednesday 27th October – Whole School Dance Curriculum (ONLINE ZOOM) 
• Thursday 28th October – Great NZ Shakeout (ONLINE ZOOM)
• Friday 29th October – Young Farmer – Years 5 – 8  (TBC AT A LATER DATE)
• Monday 1st November – Takahe Team – EOTC Trip to Goat Island (TO BE MOVED OR MAY HAVE TO BE CANCELLED)
• Friday 5th November – Group Day
• Friday 12th November – Year 8 Immunisations – 9am
• Tuesday 9th November – Senior School Athletics Day at school
• Wednesday 10th & Thursday 11th November – MasterChef Heats
• Monday 15th November – Kaipara Schools Athletics Day
• Monday 15th – Wednesday 17th November – Year 5 & 6 Camp
• Thursday 18th & Friday 19th November – MasterChef Semi-Finals
• Tuesday 23rd November – BOT Meeting – 6.30pm – Staffroom
• Wednesday 24th November – FOWS Meeting – Staffroom – 7.00pm
• Thursday 25th November – Junior Athletics Running Heats
• Thursday 25th November – MasterChef Finals
• Friday 26th November – Young Farmer – Years 1 – 4
• Friday 26th November – Junior Athletics
• Tuesday 30th November – Graduation Dinner for Year 8
• Friday 3rd December – Final Whole School Assembly – 2.00pm
• Wednesday 8th December – Music & Cultural Performance
• Thursday 9th December – Christmas in the Country
• Friday 10th December  – Winter, Spring & Summer Sports Prizegiving
• Tuesday 14th December – Wainui School Prizegiving
• Wednesday 15th December – Farewell Assembly & Last day of school for 2021!
• Thursday 16th December – Teachers Only Day

OTHER