Kia ora Koutou,

Halfway through Term 1 despite the challenges we are facing, programmes are well up and running, children are engaged in learning, enjoying their play, kapa haka, garden to table, using the bush, zoom assemblies and we are still swimming!! Please keep the togs in the bags as the water is still warm, we use the cover each night to ensure it keeps warmer.  We hope to swim until the end of the term if the weather permits.

Focus in this week’s newsletter.

A fresh pot of honey
It now needs a label!!!

• Covid Update
• New Signage
• Sponsorship and School Donations.
• Honey

WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING

Covid Updates – Thank you everyone for keeping us informed of your family status, as either actually testing positive for Covid or being a close contact. We still have to report numbers to the Ministry of Education to enable the Ministry to track trends in schools across New Zealand.  Data: This week we have 4% of our students that are positive and another 13% that are isolating as they are close contacts.

If there is a positive case actually in your child’s classroom or on the bus we will inform you in order for you to keep a more vigilant eye on your own child. Full recognition of confidentiality is enforced at all times in terms of family names etc.

The Ministry of Education guided by the Ministry of Health only requires the household contacts to isolate. This is for 10 days with a return to school on day 11. Testing using a RAT test is needed on day 3 and day 10 of the isolation. Please inform us when the test is negative, if you don’t mind. Please ring us if you are confused about testing and days of isolation, we can help with this information.

There is a combination of online learning and or hard packs for children to use at home. The information can be gained from the classroom teacher or it is on the school website: https://wainui.school.nz/distance-learning

New signage; Massive thank you to ABC photo signs

The Reid family business is owned by Glen and Heather Reid, parents of Harper and Austyn Reid (New Entrants), for our new signs for all our learning spaces, offices, and shared spaces. Thank you to Sarah Bell (mother of Oliver & Nina Bell) for the artwork. We love the signs.  When the school reopens to everyone to come in fully, you will see the new signs outside every door. Thank you both families for your generosity. Meanwhile here is my fabulous new door sign!!

Sponsorship and School Donations – We do welcome sponsorship in any form for the school, we have achieved so much over the years with the generous support of the parents and wider community in Wainui. If you have an idea please do not hesitate to contact me. Already we have received confirmation of our sponsor Simone du Bernard of Harcourts Cooper and Co.

The School Donation is set at $200 per child and a maximum of $375 per family. This extra school donation enables us to also achieve so many things each year that the Wainui Board put on the wish list. As a Board, we are able to keep the swimming pool going, upgrade playgrounds, have more Teacher Aides, keep a great level of iPad and Chrome books in the classes to use, the list is endless. We will share in the next few weeks the budget focus of the Wainui School Board. But if you have forgotten to contribute your school donation, please do so as we really do need your support. This can be done on Kindo, internet banking, or even cash.

FINALLY

The local curriculum is an area as a school we are very well focused on, it is a focus of the New Zealand Curriculum as well. Having bees on our site is a very localised learning experience. What a thrill after what has been a five-year journey to have our first honey!!!

We can’t thank Jenna and Jason Marshall of SJA honey enough for their support and continuation of this “dream” we have had to keep our own bees, learn about bees and produce honey!! I came back after a day’s leave to find a pot of honey, I couldn’t be more proud and thrilled to see.

Sebastian, Violet, Ashton, Zane, and Andy, mixing honey to pot.

The Year 8’s with Miss Stevenson are all going to be involved in beekeeping this year. A wonderful day experienced on Friday.

Ka kite ano,

Gillian Bray

FOR YOUR CALENDAR

• Wednesday 9th March – HPV & Boostrix
• Monday 14th March – Friday 18th March – Swimming at Northern Arena – Postponed at this stage and new date TBC
• Tuesday 15th March – BOT Meeting – 6.30pm via ZOOM
• Wednesday 16th March – FOWS Meeting – 7.00pm via ZOOM
• Monday 21st March – Friday 25th March – Swimming at Northern Arena – Postponed at this stage and new date TBC
• Friday 25th March – Whole School Assembly – 2.00pm – ZOOM
• Monday 28th March – Dance Curriculum (whole school)
• Tuesday 5th April -Vision and Hearing Testing – 9.30am – New Entrants who have not had a B4 School Hearing and Vision test at Pre-school
  11.00am – All Year 7 students “Children do not need to be tested if they have completed the B4 School Check”
• Tuesday 5th April – BOT Meeting – 6.30pm via ZOOM
• Friday 8th April – Whole School Assembly – 2.00pm – ZOOM
• Tuesday 12th April – Bike A Thon – More information to follow
• Thursday 14th April – End of Term 1
• Friday 15th April – Good Friday – Public Holiday

OTHER

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