Matapu School Newsletter
Term 2, Week 8, 5th June 2020
Calendar - Please note some new dates added & further information for events will be sent home closer to the date if required.
- Monday 22nd June - BOT Meeting, 6pm.
- Wednesday & Thursday 24th & 25th June - Whanau leaning conferences.
Principal's Weekly Update
Term 2 Week 8
RAISE Goal: to make an effort to include others in activities and games
Te reo phrase of the week: Kua reri? (Are you ready)
Kia ora,
Wow what a turn out for the Kai Kitchen Pyjama Day! Thank you for getting on board and supporting their cause. As someone who has worked in a variety of different schools, I know that a full belly goes a long way to helping kids learn. Check out some of the fantastic outfits later on in the newsletter.
Whanau Learning Conferences
On the 24th and 25th of June we will be holding whanau learning conferences. On Wednesday 24th our teachers will be available from 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm, while on Thursday 25th they will be available between 2:30 - 7 pm. Please click on the following link to make an appointment: www.schoolinterviews.co.nz/code?code=wxwut Each slot will be 10 minutes long. Your child’s teacher will give you a written report and discuss your child’s progress and current goals. We believe that effective partnerships between home and school are incredibly important and strongly encourage you to make an appointment to support your child’s learning.
School will be finishing and the buses running at 2pm on these days.
Community Survey
Thank you to those of you who have already completed our survey. If you haven’t done so, please click on the link below to let us know your thoughts on Covid-19, the school donation scheme, and school camps.
https://forms.gle/7xpABnLJ875o8tGcA
Contact tracing QR Code
As many of you are aware the government has introduced a new contact tracing app, where you can scan a QR code to note where you have been. From Monday next week, the QR code for our school will be displayed on our gates and in the office window. Unfortunately this does not replace our registers so you will still need to sign in at the school office when you enter our site. With the talk of moving to alert level 1 sooner rather than later, we will send out updated guidelines when we have more information next week.
Keeping safe online
With the considerable use of devices over the lockdown period and the ever increasing amount of information available to our young people online, I feel it is important to share some information, pointers, and resources with you. The first thing that many parents/caregivers are unaware of is that Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and Ticktok all have an age restriction of 13 years or older, which excludes most of the students at our school. The following are Netsafe’s 7 steps to help you out at home:
Understand: Read about the potential online risks, challenges and sometimes illegal behaviour young people face to understand what may happen
Learn: Ask your child about what they do, how they use devices and who they talk to learn about their activities. Check in regularly to see what has changed
Explore: Take the time yourself to explore the sites, apps and technologies your child uses to improve your knowledge and understand their experience
Agree: Create a family code with your child to agree on what they can do online including sites to visit, appropriate behaviours, privacy settings and limits
Teach: Recognise each child has unique needs, but some online safety concepts are universal. Start by teaching yours the Five tips to help your child thrive
Model: Be a good example to your child. Make sure you role model the sort of behaviours you want to see your child use online and offline
Plan: Make a plan so everybody knows what to do if something goes wrong and where you will be able to get advice and support in challenging times
Resources
https://www.netsafe.org.nz/online-safety-for-parents/
Office Administrators
As part of our year 7 and 8 leadership programme we have organised for selected students to take calls during lunch time. The students are all super friendly and have been briefed about taking messages and phone numbers for our staff to ring them back as soon as they’re available.
Ngå mihi nui
James Willson
Pyjama Day!!
Room 1
Pyjama Day was a hit today. It is fabulous seeing so many kids getting behind helping other kiwi kids.
Room 2
Room 3
In Room 3 this week, we have been working hard at getting back into our daily activity routine. Lots of us are reading chapter books for the pizza reading challenge and in our writing we are using lots of interesting words to make our stories come alive for the reader. This week everyone has managed to find and share some great words in our weekly word find boggle. We are having a competition to see which table group can earn the most points. Last week’s winners totalled 684 points!
Here are Amber, Hunni, Savannah, Dallas, Dakota, Bryleigh and Andie hunting for the biggest words!
Room 4
Room 5
Room 6
We have welcomed Katelyn Cripps to Room 6 this week- Katelyn has come from Coastal Taranaki School and she has already settled happily into Matapu. Thank you to all the kind and caring Matapu kids who have made her feel so welcome!
This week we have focused on being great ‘Learner Agents’. We have revisited routines that help make our class run smoothly - like practicing settling in to work quickly and working quietly, then making sure we date and put our work in the right place in our book. Also completing daily skill activities the right way so our brains get some benefit and others can get theirs done too, then choosing an independent activity and sharing it successfully with others.
These are really important skills on our journey to being independent learners who can make some learning choices for ourselves and we will keep practicing!
Junior Values Awards
Room 5 - Khorus for an amazing effort in reading.
Room 6 - Mosese for showing kindness ad giving compliments!
Senior Values Awards
Room 1 - Jordan for being an awesome leader and consistently demonstrating our school values.
Room 3 - Chante for persevering with challenging work and taking an active part in your learning by managing your time well. Tino Pai!
Whakatauki
he aroha puta mai.
If kindness is sown,
then kindness you shall receive.
Matapu School Parents Association
Orders and payments to be returned to the office or Angela by Tuesday 16th June.
The SPA are in need of families to take on slink calf runs, the more runs done by school families means more funds raised for our school and students.
If you are able to help or would like more information please contact Amanda on 021 521 841.
Reminders
- If you have brought back pie orders please make payment to the office or into the SPA bank account by Thursday 16th June.
- If your child isn't going to be on the bus please let us know.
- If your contact details need to be updated please let the office know.
Community Oral Health Service
Now that we are in Level 2, DCNZ have advised we may see more children, providing we adhere to new restrictions which affects the number of children which may be seen each day. In order to comply with these restrictions, as well as ensure we are able to provide care to those who need it the most, we have had to prioritise children according to their clinical need. This means that we will be continuing to see those who were under treatment before lockdown and those who have teeth that are sore or need treatment. Unfortunately for the time being we will not be able to complete routine exams (check-ups).
As soon we are able, we will be contacting parents and caregivers to offer appointments for exams, but until then our teams are working very hard to care for the children who need dental treatment to manage pain and infection. However if any child has any dental pain or concerns, parents should phone 0800 825 583, and they will be able to speak to someone who can help them.
Future Provision for Education in South Taranaki
The Ministry of Education is currently working on plans for future schooling in Hawera and the wider South Taranaki area.
The survey will be open until Sunday 21st June and information and the survey link can be accessed here: https://www.dandgconsulting.co.nz/hawera-and-wider-south-taranaki
There are also paper copies of the survey available in the office.
Sponsors
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
Mark Joblin Concepts & Construction Ltd, Sanfords Rural Carriers, Taranaki By Products, McDonald Real Estate, Eltham Vet Services, ANZCO, Power Farming, Corrigan Electrical, Matapu Bulk Transport, CRV Ambreed, FMG, Mack Transport, Blastways, Nevada, Ballance, JP Refrigeration, & BCCL (Burgess Crowley Civil Limited) Carrfields Livestock, Rosemount Charolais - Dairy Bull Specialists, PGG Wrightson Livestock, Jack Gray Ltd, Hawera Auto Court. Bruce Parry Livestock, Kelsen's Glass & Glazing, Tommo's Tyres Ltd, Chris Perrett Electrical Solutions, Holdem Contracting Ltd, STE (South Taranaki Electrical)
PLEASE SUPPORT THOSE THAT SUPPORT US
Matapu School
Email: admin@matapu.school.nz
Website: matapu.school.nz
Location: 495 Hastings Road, Matapu, New Zealand
Phone: (06) 272 6764