Rātā Street School Pānui
Pānui No 5 Term 2 Thursday 5 May 2022
Principal’s Message
Kia ora whānau
We have taken another step forward this week to getting back to ‘normal’ by having parents/caregivers on the school grounds and in the corridors in the mornings and afternoons for drop-offs and pick-ups. This has brought back a very important part of school life and has been an exciting development. On the whole, the transition to Orange Level has gone very smoothly for everyone, but I would like to remind whānau of the following:
· Usual bell times resume (8.50am-3.00pm). We have noticed that some of the Junior tamariki are being picked up at 2.50pm or earlier, which is more in line with Red Setting, so we ask that you please don’t pick up the children until 3.00pm.
· We strongly encourage whānau to wear a mask when onsite.
Now that we are in Orange Level, we will be reintroducing aspects of school life that had to be paused under the Red Setting. One of these being the reintroduction of school assemblies every second Friday, the first being held next Friday 13 May. I’m looking forward to having the whole school together under one roof to connect, sing songs and celebrate learning.
Term 2 is a 10-week term (Monday 2 May-Friday 8 July) and we have lots of great things planned, so please keep an eye on any information that comes home, so that you don’t miss anything.
Ngā mihi
Hamish Regan hamish.regan@ratastreet.school.nz
New Tamariki
We warmly welcome our new students and their whānau to Rātā Street School. They are: King Carroll, Niamh Fugler, Honey Hetaraka Rutene, Dakota-Rose Keepa, Psyrus-Levi Walford and MJ Walker.
New Staff
We are delighted to have Rebekah Davies and Kristen Finlayson back as part of the teaching team at Rātā Street. Rebekah and Kristen will be teaching in Ako 9 until the end of the year.
This week’s kupu:
pātai(tia): question, to ask a question
He pātai pai tēnā.
That’s a good question.
Readiness for School
Our Readiness for School programme starts next Wednesday (9am-11am). Children can start attending Readiness for School from their fourth birthday. The sessions run each Wednesday and families are welcome to stay and join us during these sessions if they would like to. Sandra Mallo is our Readiness for School teacher, and she plans a session all around getting your child ‘ready for school’. The children get to learn about school with other four year olds, before being in their actual classroom. We find that tamariki who have been through our Readiness for School Programme often settle better and know what is expected of them in a classroom, taking away some of their anxiety and making transition to school successful. We are also able to offer a drop off service back to local childcare providers after these sessions, if needed. Please contact Jean-Mari in the Office, to book in for Readiness for School.
Whānau Conferences (Goal Setting)
Now that we are in Orange Level, we are able to hold face-to-face meetings, however we ask that whānau wear a mask to the hui. Each meeting is 15 minutes long, and these can be booked using our regular electronic process. Meetings are able to be booked, cancelled or changed online, up to the day before your child’s meeting. I would like to make whānau aware that it is first in first served, so please make a booking as soon as possible to secure a time that is convenient. Follow the instructions below to make a booking:
· Go to www.schoolinterviews.co.nz · Select Booking
· Enter the following school event code: j392h
· Follow the screen instructions to book a time with the teacher
· Review your details and click finished
Toys at School Reminder
Pedal Ready
Whittaker’s Chocolate Fundraiser
Absences
Key Dates
Whānau Goal Setting (12.30pm finish)
Monday 23 May
Board of Trustees Meeting, 6pm in the staffroom
Thursday 26 May
Whānau Goal Setting
Monday 6 June
Queen’s Birthday (no school)
Monday 20 June
Board of Trustees Meeting, 6pm in the staffroom
Wednesday 22 June
Matariki Celebration, 6pm in the hall
Friday 24 June
Matariki Holiday (no school)
Friday 8 July
Last day of term - 2.00pm finish