Newsletter Week 1 Term 1 2022

Principals Message

Kia ora Koutou,

It is so exciting to start the 2022 school year. The children have walked through the gates, looking a little taller and ready to learn! This is the first time we have operated the school under red level, but we have got it covered. Please make sure you are familiar with the information below. If we have a positive Covid case connected to our school, we will be informed by the Ministry of Health and will follow their instructions.

A special welcome to Jack Pearce, Mason Jeffrey, Lilith Joule, Niva Luiz and Iyana Sawyer who are new to our school. Jack is in Whakatipu Hub and Mason, Lilith, Niva and Iyana are in Akonga Hub. We know you will make them feel very welcome!

As advised last year, there have been some changes to our bus providers. We hope that any initial issues that these changes may bring will be dealt with quickly. Should you have any further concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the school by email or phone.

Bus vests are being issued next week. Can parents please advise the school office if their child no longer intends to catch the bus.

For the first half of the term, swimming is the Health and PE focus. Year 4 - 8 will be travelling by bus to Swimzone Morrinsville, twice a week. Our teachers will be working on building aquatic skills and confidence. Year 1 - 3 will be using our school pool each day. It is expected that all students take part in swimming. If your child is unable to for any reason, please contact the class teacher.

Have a great first week. God bless.

Andrea Colebourn

Principal

Update Us Please

Have You Had A Change of Details?

It is your responsibility to please advise us.

Can you please advise the office, not teachers, by sending a note, phoning or emailing admin@stjoes.school.nz if you have any changes of address, contact telephone details - home - work or mobile plus email addresses. Do you still have your land line??? It is imperative that we are able to contact you should an emergency arise.

Also, if you there have been any changes in your child's health status we will need to update our records. Thank you for your co-operation.

Our Staff

Our school staff have been very busy over the past few weeks, preparing for the start of school. Our teaching staff have attended a workshop with Nigel Latta and other great guest presenters, talking about diversity and health and well-being. We also had Kaye from our local museum come to support us with local curriculum. It is going to be a great year!

Year 7 and 8... Mr Jeff Bennett and Meredith Vowles Room 3 and Room 11 space combined

Year 5 and 6... Mrs Kerry Horan and Mrs Emma Hyde Whakatipu Hub

Year 4 and 5... Mrs Jemma Van Eijk Room 6

Year 3 and 4... Mrs Lee White Room 5

Year 2 and 3... Mrs Chris Follett and Mrs Simone Campbell. Room 4

Year 1 and 2... Mrs Courtney Thomson, Whaea Kirstin Marsh, Mrs Jeanette Lalich Akonga Hub

Release teacher : Mrs Maree Nicholson

Support staff across spaces :

Toyah Irwin will be based in Akonga Hub. She is also our Sports Coordinator

Cathie Peddie will be working with Whakatipu Hub and Room 6

Renee Teague will be working with Room 5

Claire Silvester will be running our STEPS literacy programme and keeping the library is order.

Robyn Wooller and Carolyn Findson are our Office Administration

Lole Faaiuaso is our Caretaker.

Communication in School

We have lots of ways to communicate with staff and families at our school. Our newsletter is released every Tuesday and will showcase our school as well as keep you abreast with information that you need to know. Seesaw is a communication and learning tool that we use to connect with families as well as uploading students learning and information. We have our school app for alerts and absentees and our school facebook page St Josephs Morrinsville.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the classroom teacher either by email or through Seesaw. Drop in's are unavailable at the moment under our red level. Please organise a time to catch up with the teacher so they can give you the time that you need.

Absentees, Messages for Your Child & Collecting Your Child Through School Time

We wish to clarify the correct procedures as parents/caregivers for the following:

Absentees... There are three ways to advise the school of your child's absence. Please use one of the following with a brief reason as to why they are absent by 9.00am.

- Through our School App

- Email admin@stjoes.school.nz

- Phone (answer machine available)

If we have not received a reason via any of the above, an automated text is sent. If no response is received to the text this is then followed by a phone call/s. If we are still unable to contact a parent/caregiver the child is marked as truant.

To keep the process streamlined please do not advise absentees through Seesaw or teacher email. Teachers are not always on site to pass on messages and this can cause a lot of confusion for all concerned. We request that absentees are only advised via the above.

Messages for Students

If for some reason plans made before school have changed and you need to get a message to your child please phone the School Office by 2.40pm - answer machine available.

Please do not Seesaw message or email the classroom teachers. Teachers do not have the luxury of time to continually check their messages when busy in the classroom and this can mean messages are missed.

Collecting Your Child During School Hours

On the rare occasion you may need to collect your child during school hours for an appointment, unexpected circumstances or sound valid reasons, please phone the school office at least 30 minutes, or earlier if possible, before collection time to arrange.

Under the current COVID level your child will then be asked to wait at the Linden Street gate and Administration will sign your child out on your behalf. This then avoids parents/caregivers having to come on site and follow sign in protocols.

PLEASE do not go straight to the classroom without first coming via the school office OR Seesaw message/email the classroom teachers. As above Teachers do not have the luxury of time to check their messages.

We thank you in advance for your co-operation in regards to these matters.

Watch This Space

Over the holidays our PE shed was dismantled, and the site is ready for our much larger and user friendly shed. We are expecting the shed to be installed over the next two weeks so keep an eye on the space! The shed was designed by Peter Flynn and Totalspan have made it happen. A huge thank you to the PFC who have paid for this amazing resource.

Are You Able to Spare Some Time?

Calling for Master Chefs for Our Schools Weekly

Thursday Sausage Sizzle

Master Chefs are required urgently approximately once per term for

1.5 hours on a Thursday to cook sausages and clear away.

When numbers allow, two Chefs usually work together using frypans in the school hall, producing top quality browning on those yummy sausages.

We welcome vaccinated parents to lend a hand, as many of our seasoned cooks are stepping down as their children move on from school. All money raised goes towards off setting costs of student class trips or camps. We would love to hear from you.

Please email admin@stjoes.school.nz or phone the office on 8895306.

Found..

Found Items ... 1x child's cartoon mask and 1x fluffy mustard coloured blanket in the school car park on two separate days at the end of last term. If you think they may belong to you please give us a call 8895306. Fingers crossed we ca reunite them with their owners.