Newsletter T2W2
Tuesday 10 May - Term 2 Week 2 2022
Talofa lava (hello in Samoan)
We hope you had a wonderful time with your children over the holidays.
Firstly, we would like to acknowledge the support we have from you, our wonderful whānau, while under the Covid Red and now Orange Traffic Light system. Your children have been amazing at stepping up and becoming independent, especially at drop off and pick up times. This ties in nicely with our goal of becoming Self-Managing Learners, so thank you!
Welcome to our three new entrants starting their school journey in Room 5, and to our other new students arriving in the first few weeks of term from different areas in Blenheim, New Zealand and the world.
Our curriculum focus this term continues around the theme Cultural and Diversity, 'Ka Mua, Ka Muri - Walking Backwards into the Future' which links with Aotearoa NZ Histories and our local context. There will also be a variety of PE skills taught at different levels. Keep an eye out for Learning Hub Newsletters which will outline the learning programmes in more detail.
Josh Reidie - School Community Police Officer
Josh Reidie has been our School Community Police Officer over the last five years. We have highly valued the support he has given Whitney Street School to run a variety of programmes such as Keeping Ourselves Safe and Road Safety, as well as having a positive ‘on-the-ground’ presence during the school year. Josh has made the difficult decision to step away from this role and explore other options. We are truly appreciative of his time, support and the care he has given us over the years. He will be missed.
Healthy School Lunches (Ka Ora, Ka Ako)
The hot lunches this term have been met with great excitement. Hot lunches will be provided at least three times per week throughout Term Two. There is a four-week menu cycle offering 15 different meals throughout the term, including; Butter chicken, meatballs, mac and cheese, pizza, cottage pie. These can be viewed on Libelle’s website under the Menu tab - https://www.lunchbylibelle.co.nz/current-menu.html
Attendance
We are aware of the disruptive nature of Covid affecting attendance last term. We hope this term will be more settled. Teachers will be in contact for support and/or information should your child be away for any unspecified length of time or is regularly absent.
Being away from school impacts hugely on their achievement.
Please note that if you are unsure of whether your child is sick and you decide to send
them to school, that we will always call you if we feel they need to go home again.
Arrival Time at School and End of Day Leaving Time
It is also timely to remind parents/whānau that any child arriving before 8:30am needs to
wait seated on the hall deck outside the school kitchen area as children are not allowed in
classrooms until 8:30am.
After school, children should only be staying at school after 3:00pm or playing if a parent or whānau are there to directly supervise. This is all in aid of student safety and wellbeing. Teachers are preparing for the day and often have meetings before and after school so are not available to supervise.
Suggestion Box
We are always trying to improve learning for our students and appreciate any feedback and suggestions you can give us. A suggestion box is in the office foyer where you can submit your ideas, or alternatively you can email Cheryl or your child’s teacher. As well as suggestions to improve, we love receiving feedback of a positive nature. Please feel free to offer your ideas so that we can move forward together as a community, to help ensure the best outcomes for all our tamariki. There is also a link below if you wish to send us something through digitally.
Disco - Save the date
Our lovely PSG will be hosting the annual School Disco on Friday 17 June so please ‘Save The Date’. We would LOVE some additional help in running the disco so please feel free to pop along to the planning meeting on Wednesday 25 May, 6:00pm in the staffroom.
PSG - Your help is needed
Our long serving Parent Support Group is changing as key members have stood down after several years supporting the school. It is now time for new parents/caregivers to join our team.
In particular, we are on the hunt for someone to help with the financial side of things. We are able to ‘train you up’ and have you shadow our current volunteer in this role, Alysha. Our main fundraising event that the PSG organises is Lights Over Marlborough and we have very effective systems in place around this, so just need people to help with the organisation. It’s a very satisfying role and many hands make light work, so please consider coming along yourself or getting a couple of friends together and supporting the school. Please let Cheryl or Christee know if you are keen. Our next meeting is Wednesday 25 May at 6:00pm in the Staffroom.
Reporting/Learning Progress Meetings will be taking place in Week 10 on Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th July. More information will be sent home closer to the time.
Toki sio (see you later - in Tongan)
Whitney Street Staff
Milo Mornings - Drop for Youth
To help raise funds to enable them to do 'the drop' there will be 50c mugs of Milo available to purchase before school in Weeks 1,2, and 3. They have been hugely popular so far, thanks for your support.
You are most welcome to also support them on their Givealittle page.
New Playhouse
We are extremely grateful to Debbie Webster from Mike Pero Real Estate and the neighbours (Glenn & Brenda), who kindly donated a playhouse to the school for the juniors to use when the house was sold. Debbie kindly organised and paid for it to be moved. A big thanks also to Dan and the team from Hydralift Crane and Hiab who supported the school as well.
Whakataukī
Whakataukī
Whitney Street School Student Success!
- Played 15 competition games
- Won all 15 competition games
- Points for = 110
- Points against = 23
Well done!
Whitney Street School Board 3 May 2022 Meeting Summary
Kia ora koutou katoa,
My name is Tracy van der Velden and I am one of the parent representatives on the Board. The Board did not formally meet this month, instead we attended online training and conducted any urgent business by email. I am pleased to provide you with a summary of this. Full Board Meeting Minutes are available for everyone to read on the school’s website.
School Boards have four primary objectives under the Education and Training Act 2020. One of these is to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi). With this in mind, we attended Workshop 1 of “Giving Effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi” run by NZSTA (New Zealand Schools Trustee Association).
It was interesting to learn that although Waitangi Day is celebrated nationally on 6 February, 17 June is important locally as that is when the Treaty was signed here. We are all looking forward to Workshop 2, in addition to formally meeting, next month.
Cheryl circulated her Principal’s Report by email. The base for the All-Weather Surface was prepared over the holidays and the Board approved the expenditure to have the tyres removed.
The 2021 Financial Statements (the formal year-end accounts) were circulated by email and approved. These have been sent to the auditors and once the audit is complete, will be uploaded to the school’s website.
He waka eke noa.
We are all in this together.
Our school calendar is often filled with trips and events and sometimes the dates and details change. The BEST place to keep an eye on what is happening is on the school App in the calendar section.
Download our school App
We encourage all parents to download our school app from the Playstore or Apple Store, as we find this the most effective way of sending out Alerts to parents/caregivers. You can also access a wealth of information from the app as it has links to the school calendar, newsletters, etc.
Please subscribe to Alerts from the classes/groups that your child belongs to. If you want to subscribe to groups later on, you can do this via the ‘Alerts Subscriptions’ which is in the Menu (top left). Please do this to ensure you are subscribed to the classes and Teams that your child or children are in for the 2021 school year.
This is also the way we would like you to inform us of absences. This system streamlines the morning routine for Tanya and Michelle so that they can easily see who is away and why.
Please click here to download the School App.
Hero
Suggestions Box
Bread Tags for Wheelchairs
In line with sustainability, the Wairau Hub will continue to collect bread tags to help support the Bread Tags for Wheelchairs initiative. Save them up, bring them into Room 1 and we will arrange for them to get to where they need to go.
This cool idea supports The United Nations Sustainability Goals of;
* Goal 1: No Poverty donate what we don't use
* Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing
* Goal 10: Reduced inequalities
Automatic Payment Option
The Whitney Street School BOT bank details are: 03 0599 0305934 00
Pretty Things Embroidery
Contact Us
Email: principal@whitneystreet.school.nz
Website: https://whitneystreet.school.nz
Location: Whitney Street, Blenheim, New Zealand
Phone: +64 3 578 3028
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WhitneyStreetSchool/
Community Notices
Covid support for whānau
Kia ora whānau
Ko Fionna Hughes toku ingoa.
As Covid is about in our community, we wanted to make sure whanau are aware there is support available whilst in self-isolation.
We are mindful that a large number of whanau not accessing the supports available, as the information is only sent to them via the DHB, if their positive RATS test has been registered.
Maataa Waka can support whanau with:
- Picking up and delivering online grocery orders
- Picking up and delivering prescriptions/medications
- Picking up and delivering school work/devices for children
- Picking up and delivering RATS tests
We can also support whanau who are struggling financially, if isolation has affected their income:
- Kai parcels
- Home and self-hygiene packs
- Internet costs (for connecting to school/working from home)
The support is not limited to the above, and will be assessed on a case by case basis.
Whanau can self-refer to these services by:
- completing the online form on the Work and Income website - https://workandincome.govt.nz/covid-19/self-isolation-forms/ask-community-support.html and selecting Maataa Waka ki Te Tau Ihu Trust. This referral comes directly to us and we will make contact with the whanau to assess their needs.
- If they don’t have access to a computer or internet, they can call the MSD Covid Support Line – 0800 512 337 or Maataa Waka Community Connectors on 0800 6282 9252
We also offer longer term support for rangitahi, individuals and whanau that have been impacted by Covid. This may be loss of employment, financial hardship, inability to complete study due to lockdowns, social isolation and health issues.
Whanau can access this service by:
- completing the attached referral (see button below) for and sending to admin@maataawaka.co.nz (whanau can self-refer or be referred by you with their consent)
Our support is free-of-charge and available to anyone in our community.
We would really appreciate if you could extend this information to your whanau networks/add to your newsletters.
Any questions, queries or otherwise, please feel free to contact me directly.
Nga mihi nui
Fionna Hughes
Whanau Tuhono | Community Connector
P 03 577 9256 | C 027 576 9717
Maataa Waka Ki Te Tau Ihu Trust
P.O Box 1016 | 56 Main Street | Blenheim 7240
Nga mihi nui
Fionna Hughes
Kaitohutohu Putea | Financial Mentor
P 03 577 9256 | C 027 576 9717
Maataa Waka Ki Te Tau Ihu Trust
P.O Box 1016 | 56 Main Street | Blenheim 7240
Scottish Country Dancing
Heart KIds would like to extend an invitation to you and your clients/students to attend the 2022 Kids Day Out Variety Show. Show Dates below.
This is free to you and fully funded by the local business community. We have a great line up this year including magic, acrobatics, stunts and juggling.
See our full line up here: https://www.kidsdayoutvariety.co.nz/entertainment-line-up/
To order your free tickets or if you have any questions please email helen.weller@pds.org.nz