25th March update 2020
Tauranga Primary School Newsletter
Principal's Message
Tēnā koutou katoa
Ngā mihi nui, kia koutou katoa - Warm greetings to you all.
25th March 2020
Good morning TPS whanau,
Yesterday the teachers completed our online learning platforms and tidied up the school in preparation for the full lock down. Our website developers are currently working on adding these platforms for our school site. The school is now closed until further notice, this includes school playgrounds. If you live near the school please let me know if you notice any damage that would need to be repaired while we are away, to ensure our school site is secured.
This week is all about helping your children feel safe and secure, developing some new structure and routine for your days at home. Teachers will check their emails intermittently between now and Friday 9:00-3:00pm. However, please be mindful that we all have families as well, that we are worried about and are focused on this week.
The 30th March to the 14th April (Easter included) are school holidays, teachers are unavailable. But please email me if you need to make urgent contact with the school.
From the 15th April onwards we will officially launch our online learning platform, and will be available via email, Seesaw and Facebook to answer questions. We will communicate how this will look closer to the time.
In the meantime, enjoy time with your kids, work out a daily routine that will work for everyone (you included). Suggestions:
Pull out some board games (or make one) – make ‘family game time’ a daily activity after lunch.
Go for a walk – while we still can (do not go to a park or school, they are closed). Commit to an exercise hour each day.
Make a hut – do it indoors and then make it a tent to sleep in tonight.
Set up a family jigsaw table
Divide your children’s toys into 2 or 3 groups, and put away 2 groups. Each 1 or 2 weeks rotate the toy groups on a Monday. The kids will look forward to what will be put out, and it will be like discovering their toys for the first time all over again.
Read together. Get the kids to make a timetable to decide which book will be read each night. They get turns to choose or maybe one book each night.
Limit screen time – set a time slot for screens that works for you all.
Cook together.
Set a family learning goal e.g. learn to juggle – google it, practise and learn. If you don't have juggling balls, cut up an old tee shirt and make them.
Ask your children to teach you mindfulness. This is an excellent strategy to focus on the present by focusing on your breath.
Please shelter children from the constant news streams. They need to know only what they need to know, they are children and just want to be reassured that you’ve got this and it’s okay.
This is the time to get creative and pull together.
Take care, stay at home as much as possible and keep well.
Fiona and the TPS teaching team
Term 1 & 2 Important Dates
- Term 2 - Starts 28th April
- Monday 11th and Tuesday 12th May - Zero Waste Programme - Middle Team
- 15th May - Teacher Only Day (No school)
- Monday 18th May - Reports go home
- Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th May - Zero Waste Programme - Middle Team
- Tuesday 19th May - International Student Learning conferences
- Wednesday 20th May - Learning Conferences (No school)
- Thursday 21st May - TPS Cross Country
- 26th, 29th May, 2nd - 5th June - Senior Art Gallery Visit
- 1st June - Queen's Birthday
- 22nd - 26th June - Travel Safe Week
- 1st July - Matariki Celebration-TBC
FYI - Please note that the 11th and 12th November 2020 are our School Production dates. End of year dates get very busy for families, and all children will be expected to perform on these nights.
Community Notices
Contacts
Principal
Fiona Hawes
07 578 6222
Deputy Principal
Cathy Ediker
Assistant Principal
Robyn Caley
Junior Team Leader
Pam Wilkins
Middle Team Leader
Jason Morgan
Acting Senior Team Leader
Jo Howard
International Student enquiries
Cathy Ediker
Business Manager
Susan O'Neill
Office Administrator and Enrolment Officer
Barbara Turley