Toko School Newsletter
19th May 2022
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
Kia ora koutou,
With Term 2 underway, we’re looking ahead to what might come next – not just from COVID-19 but the upcoming winter season and illnesses that may come with it. With New Zealanders mostly sheltered from exposure to flu in the last two years, health experts are concerned about our lower immunity to flu. This winter there is the very real possibility of getting the flu and COVID-19 within a short space of time.
There is further information about the symptoms and danger signs for flu on the Ministry of Health website: Flu symptoms – Ministry of Health
As always, we want to keep our ākonga and kaiako as safe as possible from the harms from illness and to have as many ākonga learning on site as we can. All those good actions we already have in place to reduce the risk of harm from COVID-19 will also help to prevent seasonal illnesses including:
- staying away if unwell and seeking advice about getting tested
- regularly washing hands
- using well-ventilated spaces
- cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces regularly
- covering coughs and sneezes
You can do the same at home and hopefully together, we will keep our community healthy this winter.
Ngā mihi,
Kim Waite
Principal
HERO and Seesaw Learning Posts
Over the last couple of years teachers and students have been sharing learning via Seesaw. This year the seniors will be sharing learning via HERO while the rest of the school continues to use Seesaw.
Based on research and community feedback we have decided to share less better. This means that you will only be shared posts that relate to your child's specific learning in reading, writing, maths and learner agency. Teachers and students will share 1 post per subject over the course of the first two terms, and then again during Term 3 and 4. This type of real-time reporting helps connect parents and whānau with their children in more timely and on-demand ways. It focuses on successes as well as informing you of your child's ‘next steps’ in learning.
Be on the lookout for these learning posts in HERO or Seesaw as teachers and students will be sharing these posts between now and the end of term.
OUR CURRICULUM - COMMUNITY SURVEY
LAVENDER
A FEW REMINDERS
Teacher Only Day - Friday 3 June
Queens Birthday - Monday 6 June
Matariki Public Holiday - Friday 24 June
School Accounts
I only receive bank statements once a month, so payments made during the month will not be credited and show on your Hero account until the next month. If you have any quries about payments/charges on your account please call the office and I can help you. Many Thanks Annette
Scholastic Book Club
These have been sent home with the children today. They need to be back to school by 20th June 2022.
School Answer Machine
If your after school plans change and you need to contact the school please leave a message if we don't answer the phone.
We always check the school answer machine at 3.15 before the duty teacher meets with the bus children. If you leave a message we will get it!
Please do not contact your child's classroom teacher about changes to plans. They will be teaching and will not respond to your message.
Cancellations to Practices
Please do not call the office and ask if a practice is cancelled. As soon as we find out we will place the cancellation via the HERO school app only.
Please discuss with your child/children what happens if their practice is cancelled e.g they go to the bus shelter and catch the bus.
Pink Gumboot Kindness day
This Friday (tomorrow)we will be holding a pink gumboot kindness day. We are encouraging everyone to wear pink as well as their gumboots ( the gumboots don't need to be pink). This day we will focus on acts of kindness to promote anti bullying. There will be gumboot and kindness based activities run by the student leadership team - including an optional jazz your gumboot competition (done at home-judged at school). This is a fundraiser for the gumboot foundation which provides free counselling for school aged children. Please bring a gold coin donation.
SPORTS UPDATE
PCT - This Friday we have 4 teams competing in the PCT challenge at TSB Stadium in New Plymouth. This is a replica of the physical test that the Police Officers have to do in their training. The teams will work together to get through a range of obstacles in the quickest time possible. Thanks to the parents that have offered transport - the confirmed transport list will be sent out via the school app. Parents that are not taking transport are still more than welcome to come and support the children. Good luck to everyone involved.
Coaches - Later in the term we have the Y5/6 Crowley Cup (Week 8) and the Y5-8 Jones Cup (Week 9) to look forward to. We are busy putting together teams for these and will be looking for coaches that can help coach/manage on the day, and if possible run a couple of practices in the weeks upcoming to the tournaments (possibly 2.30-3.10pm Friday Week 6 & 7 - 10th and 17th June and Wednesday week 8 - 22nd June). If you are interested in putting your hand up for any of the following roles please let Shelley know at shelley.fuller@toko.school.nz.
Y7&8 Netball- ( Jones Cup)
Y7&8 Rugby- ( Jones Cup)
Combined Y5-8 Rippa ( Jones Cup)
Year 5& 6 Hockey ( Crowley Cup)
Year 5&6 Netball ( Crowley Cup)
Year 5&6 Rugby ( Crowley Cup)
WANTED
ENVIRO UPDATE
1.5 Litre Plastic Soft Drink Bottles
The bottle house at school is in need of some fixing due to the deterioration of the plastic bottles. If you have any 1.5 litre plastic soft drink bottles at home that you would like to recycle, could you please send them to school. The bottles need to be washed out and the labels removed.
Enviro Stall
We currently have the following items for sale on the enviro stall:
Honey - $8.00 per jar
Rhubarb, Apple and Ginger Jam - $3.00 per jar
Marrow Chutney - $4.00 per jar
Lavender Bags $5.00 each
COMMUNITY NOTICES
Targa Rally NZ Friday 27th May - Douglas Section
The plan will be to start opening the road from Wawiri Rd end from approx 3:10pm.
The road should be completely open by 3:30pm and this will enable the school bus to go through.
This may be later should there be any safety issues on the stage (crash).
If this was to happen then they will work to have the road open as soon as possible, not unlike if there was an accident on the open road.
The school will be contacted if the road will not be open in time.
Puanga 2022 - Design a Flag competition-Stratford District Council
I hope you had an enjoyable break over the holidays and Term two is off to a great start. Preparations for Puanga 2022 in Stratford are in full swing with the launch of our Design a Flag competition this week.
Each year we have such incredible engagement from our school community and would again love our tamariki and rangatahi to be involved.
This will be the fourth year we’ve run our Puanga flag competition and would love to see more schools participating. The winning flag(s) will be used to celebrate Puanga 2022 in Stratford and will be on display down Broadway. After the flags have flown, we present each of the winners with one of their own street flags to use at home or school for future Puanga celebrations
Entries close Friday 27 May and can be emailed to myself akingston@stratford.govt.nz or dropped in to Council reception/Stratford Library and i-Site.
Please see entry form attached.
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