Orātia District School Newsletter
Thursday 23rd March 2023
Message from Ms Linda
Tēnā koutou katoa. Nau mai ki te whānau o te Orātia. Zdravo. Talofa lava. Ni hao. Kia orana. Namaste. Greetings Orātia whānau.
Our first whānau ropu for the year happened this Wednesday evening. We had a good number of our Māori whānau attend for some kai and connection. It was great to be able to continue whanaunga with each other, chat about some of our upcoming plans and activities and gather some input from everyone there. We would love more of our whānau to attend our next korero so do keep an eye out in the newsletter for the upcoming dates in Term 2, or let Kōkā Teena teenac@oratia.school.nz know that you would like to be invited to the next one.
This Saturday is the upcoming benefit concert at Parrs Park, held to raise funds for those affected by the weather events at the start of the year. The Orātia Air Scout group will be fundraising for their jamboree by opening our school field for parking for the event. Entry will be by cash and there will be personnel providing supervision till the close of the event.
On Wednesday two of our staff, Matt Moncur and Glenys Taylor, took a group of our Year 6 students out on the harbour with Sea Cleaners. All the students who are registered for our leadership programme, Ngā Rākau Kaha, have the opportunity to go out with Sea Cleaners and have a day on the Waitematā Harbour helping clean up the rubbish found on the beaches there. These hours go towards their Service badge. Hayden Smith, the CEO of Sea Cleaners charity, has been wonderful about opening up their organisation to our young people, and we are very grateful to him and his team.
Our goal setting interviews are happening next week on Thursday, March 30. These will be 15 minutes long and start at 1.00pm. An aspect of these meetings is relational so that we can get to know each other better and give you the opportunity to share the strengths of your child and your aspirations for them. This whakawhānaungatanga is the basis of our partnership so we work together from a sense of unity. All students will be supervised at school and released for home at the regular time of 2.55pm. Buses will run as normal and OKK will be available after school as normal. We look forward to seeing you here on Thursday and having the chance to partner together with your child around their learning goals.
Take care and stay safe. Kia kaha, kia atawhai.
Ngā mihi nui, Ms Linda
Friday lunch schedule
Friday 24 March - Subway (order by Thursday night) Due to an unacceptable batch of wheat being delivered subway have advised all subs will be on white bread tomorrow.
Tuesday 28 March - Pizza Lunch fundraiser (orders close 3pm Monday)
Friday 31 March - Jesters Pie Day (order by Thursday 12noon)
Tuesday 4 April - Sausage Sizzle fundraiser (orders close 3pm Monday)
Friday lunches can be ordered on Kindo and will be delivered to your child's classroom at the beginning of lunchtime. Please contact the office to make arrangements to collect lunch orders if your child is absent on the day
Rock your socks day rocked!
Rock your socks day was a great success with fabulous socks on display and a wet lunchtime session making sock puppets! A "down right perfect" way to celebrate our Down syndrome community.
Goal Setting Meetings - Thursday 30 March
We would like to invite you to attend a goal-setting conversation for your child on Thursday 30th March.
As a school we promote parents and whānau to be active partners in their learning and we value the opportunity to meet with you to share information and work together. These conversations will be held at school and will be 15 minutes in length. We would like to hear from you about your child (their interests, strengths, passions) and then work together to agree on a goal for the direction for their learning across the terms ahead. Building this relational foundation (whakawhānaungatanga) is the basis of our partnership together so that we can work together from a sense of unity. If you find that 15 minutes is not enough time we ask you to please honour this for the others coming behind you, and feel free to make another time to meet with your child’s teacher to continue the dialogue.
To make a booking please go to www.schoolinterviews.co.nz and use the code 43umy
Introducing our new Office Administrator!
Kia ora,
My name is Jitka and I am the new Office Administrator at Orātia District School. My family came to New Zealand many years ago and enjoy living in this beautiful part of the world. It will be an absolute pleasure representing Orātia School and helping our lovely community. In my spare time, my family and I love to go for bush and beach walks with our two dogs. I also enjoy furniture painting, gardening and spending time with the family.
Peer Mediator Training
A group of our peer mediators participated in a two day training course with Whaea Hayley last week. We learned about what type of conflict styles there are and how we can support the students in our kura to find constructive resolutions. We set up some new mediation stations for break time and had fun doing role plays! As a result of all our hard work we earned our bronze level!
Tīma Koreniho enjoy soccer with a different spin!
Seacleaners adventures this week
2023 Kiwi English, Mathematics and Science Competitions
The University of Canterbury is offering your child the opportunity to participate in the 2022 Kiwi English, Mathematics and Science Competitions.
These competitions are based on the NZ curriculum and are run annually. They are administered by the University of Canterbury and are run in the last three weeks of term 2 and the first week of term 3 for Year 5- 10 students. It gives teachers, parents and students an independent, comprehensive record of a students performance in key areas of the curriculum. For further information please consult the CAM website www.canterbury.ac.nz/cam.
Certificates will be sent to participants and prizes awarded to the top students. There is an entry fee of $9.50 per child which is available to pay on Kindo.
Please do not hesitate to contact matthewm@oratia.school.nz if you have any questions.
School Cross Country Info
The Oratia School Cross Country is being held on Monday 27th March.
If you would like to read information on timings, etc., please click on the attachment below. Please ensure that your child is wearing suitable clothing and footwear on the day. Parents and caregivers are welcome in to cheer on our runners!
Supporting tamariki following Cyclone Gabrielle
The Ministry of Health has compiled a resource that is available in multiple languages on their website:
Mental health advice for coping after a traumatic event – Ministry of Health
Face to Face community workshops for the changes to planning and reporting
The Ministry of Education are holding face-to-face ākonga, parent, whānau and community workshops, where they will be talking about planning and reporting. The programme, Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together, is focused on preparing for the upcoming changes to planning and reporting legislation and requirements.
They would like to share these preparations with you, to not only ensure you are in the know, but also to gather your feedback on the proposed supports - e.g. the tools, resources and support channels to be developed. They need your voice and help co-creating these supports, to ensure they are fit for purpose and add value where it is needed.
These workshops will be held at the following places from 6 – 8:30pm:
- Tuesday 28 March: Bluelight, Papakura. 159 Dominion Road, Papakura
- Wednesday 29 March: Henderson Intermediate School: 70 Lincoln Road, Henderson
If you’d like to take part in either of these workshops, you can email planning.together@education.govt.nz to register your interest. Food and drink will be provided, and they look forward to seeing you there.
Further information on planning and reporting and the consultation process can be found here:
Thank you!
COMMUNITY NOTICES
Cyclone Gabrielle Relief Fundraising Concert event at Parrs Park - Parking available at Orātia School Field
Hey Neighbours!
Did you know there is a big cyclone fundraising concert on at Parrs Park Sat 25 March? https://www.nzherald.co.nz/.../P33J3L7UOFG7NOUR6Y5PRAYIBY/
"The new artists performing include Kings, Hollie Smith, Teeks, Bic Runga and Ardijah. They will perform alongside the already announced artists - Stan Walker, Troy Kingi, Che Fu, Three Houses Down, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Ria Hall, Drax Project, Anna Coddington, Muroki, Bella Kalolo-Suraj and King Kapisi."
This has resulted in the cancellation of our lovely Orātia School Fair, planned for the same day, so Orātia School and the local scouts are providing car-parking on the school field instead.
So come out and see the concert - give a few pingas at the cyclone relief effort in the park, and also help support the school and the scouts going to Jamboree by parking on the school field.
$10 per vehicle - Cash only - 11am start.
PARENT CORNER
Contact Us
Email: principal@oratia.school.nz
Website: https://www.oratia.school.nz
Location: Shaw Road & West Coast Road, Oratia, Auckland 0604, Auckland, New Zealand
Phone: +64 9 818-6216
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OratiaSchool/