Toko School Newsletter
Thursday 3rd June 2021
Kura Tuatahi Toko
Quality learning for all in a caring community.
Kounga ako mo katoa i roto i te taiao e atawhai ana.
Dear parents and friends of our school Kia Ora/Bora Da/Konichi Wa/Hello
Tena Koutou Katoa
Many of you may have heard by now that Mrs Fergus has had an accident and has broken both her elbows. Thank you so much to those families that have offered to assist with the meal roster over the next two weeks. There are still a couple of slots left if others would like to help out. We are unsure of her return to work and we wish her all the best for a speedy recovery.
This weeks newsletter has some updated information about our schools Responsible Use of Digital Technologies and some information about an Online Safety workshop coming up before the end of the term. So I thought I would prompt you with some reminders about what we should think about before posting online. This is also a great topic for discussion with your children at home.
How we behave online has a lot to do with our perception of the "internet" and how we utilize it. What we choose to allow, concerning online behavior, sets the standard for the current/future users.
Almost everyone has a "common sense filter" (in some capacity) that we use in our everyday publicly-interactive lives. Just like we choose our words before we speak them in a face-to-face conversation, we should also think about what we are "saying" online. This includes words (Texts, Messages, Chats, Posts, Comments, and Emails), but also includes actions (Rating, Liking), and how those interactions will be perceived.
We are noticing that a number of our Year 7 and 8 children and some even younger than this are logged into social media apps and using these apps with many many friends/followers. We do ask that you check in:
- On the apps your children are using.
- On the recommended age to be using these apps.
- That they personally know the friends/followers they have.
- On the privacy settings - these can be different for different apps.
When children first start using social media apps we recommend:
- That they have a few friends/followers.
- That parents download the app as well and find out about it.
- That parents must be a friend/follower.
- That you have lots of conversations about how they act and behave in these apps. Our children need this coaching.
- That parents go into their children accounts with their child and check up on activity and talk with their child about this.
- They need to know that you are there guiding them and learning with them.
- That you will help them with the conversations they have online and that when conversations get tricky you can work out together what to say or not to say.
As always we are really happy to provide further advise and guidance in this space and we have some really good resources we can lend out to parents. Pop in and see us if you want to discuss this further.
Ngā mihi
Kim Waite
WELCOME TO TOKO SCHOOL . . .
Katelyn in Room 5, Jackson in Room 2 and Mason in Room 6.
Explaining the Learning Stars
Each newsletter we are sharing one of the updated Learning Stars. This week we are showcasing our Learning to Learn Star. Below is an explanation of this Star and some photos of our kids displaying the Learning to Learn Star values.
Room 2 has been having a great time learning new hockey skills this week. We are learning to keep our sticks down and how to control the ball as we push it along the ground.
During STEAM with Room 5 & 6 we are developing an open mind and creativity when exploring our new equipment such as creating and coding a robot using Lego Spike.
LEARNING JOURNEY INTERVIEWS - PARENT/CHILD/TEACHER
Our Learning Journey Portfolios will be emailed home on Friday 11th June via our schools student management system for all children.
Learning Journey Conferences which include whanau, child and teacher will take place the following week from Monday 14th June through to Tuesday 15th June.
Information about how we report to whanau can be found on our school app - Class Notices and here: 2021 Reporting to Whanau
Interviews start at 1.00pm. If you are in a position to be able to pick your child up from school at this time we would appreciate it.
Booking your interviews:
Each interview is 15 minutes long. Please ensure you arrive on time to each interview.
1. Go to https://www.schoolinterviews.co.nz/book/step1?z=k3CTTy Please enter event code
Event code:edf4t
PAID UNION MEETING - 24TH JUNE 2021
NZEI Te Riu Roa members at our school have been invitied to a paid union meeting on Thursday 24th June 2021 so that we can plan and discuss the campaign and their upcoming collective agreement negotiations. Our school will therefore be open but closed for instruction from 12:30 - 3:00pm on this day. This means that some support staff will be at school to supervise children, but if you are able to collect your children at 12:30pm that would be greatly appreciated.
If you intend to leave your child at school, where they will be supervised, can you please let the office know. email office@toko.school.nz.
FRIENDS OF TOKO SCHOOL AGM - 8TH JUNE 7.00PM - TOKO SCHOOL STAFFROOM
A FEW REMINDERS
If your child is absent from school can you please make sure you contact the school office. You can do this via the school app, phoning the school or emailing: office@toko.school.nz. All absentees should go through the school office not the classroom teacher.
Dropping of children at school
Unless you are coming into the school you MUST drop your children off at the bus turnaround.
This is a safety issue and we have too many parents pulling into school, in front of the school hall, to drop off children and then leaving. We have not had any really bad accidents, and we want to keep it that way, but we have had plently of near misses. Your assistance in this matter is appreciated.
Lucky Book Club
BOARD OF TRUSTEES UPDATE
Nag 5 - Health & Safety - This policy has been reviewed and updated. We have worked hard to make our policies easier to read and find information. This is the first policy with a new look and hyperlinks to make it easier to navigate the policy. This can be found on our website - Our People - Board of Trustees
Annual Community Meeting - This will be held on Tuesday 29th June. Please note this is a change of date. A flyer about this will be posted in our next newsletter.
Attendance - This was discussed at our Board Meeting. Staff review child attendance every term and the Ministry of Education provide attendance reports to schools as well.
‘Regular’ attendance is defined for statistical purposes as 90% or higher. However, Ministry of Education analysis shows every day has a cumulative impact on a child’s learning and there is no ‘safe’ level of non-attendance. Every day matters.
RESPONSIBLE USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AGREEMENT
RESPONSIBLE USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AGREEMENT
One form needs to be completed for each individual child.
FROM THE SPORTS DESK
Jones Cup & Crowley Cup
In the next few weeks we have 2 big sports days on our calendar.
- On the 1st of July we will be hosting our Rural Cluster Jones Cup ( Yr5-8) competition at Toko School.
- On the 7th of July the Crowley Cup Tournament (Y5 &6) will be held in Opunake.
Jones Cup is a tackle rugby, possible rippa rugby and netball tournament that has a focus on every child from Year 5-8 participating in a team. All teams will be equal and mixed ability and all children in Year 5-8 are expected to take part even if they do not play weekend rugby or netball. Teams will be sorted for this within the next week.
Crowley Cup is a competitive Year 5 & 6 tournament. We have entered a 10 aside rugby team, a 6 aside netball team and a 6 a side hockey team.
We are looking for coaches for both of these tournaments with practices (if possible) taking part for the next 3 weeks.
Jones Cup - Week 6, 7 & 8 on a Friday from 2.30-3.15.
Crowley Cup - Week 7, 8 & 9 on a Wednesday 2.30-3.15.
These days are flexible if needed but it makes it easier for classroom teachers if all practices are at the same time. If you are able to assist any of these teams please complete the linked form or email me on Shelley.fuller@toko.school.nz by Tuesday 8th June.
COMMUNITY NOTICES
Toko School
Email: office@toko.school.nz
Website: www.toko.school.nz
Location: 1057 East Road, Toko, New Zealand
Phone: 06 7622849
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TokoSchool/?ref=bookmarks