Newsletter Week 8 Term 1
Lauriston School 29th March 2022
Principal's Message
Update on confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Lauriston School
Please read carefully
Kia ora Koutou ma whanau o te kura Kotoku ko Lauriston,
There are now 10 confirmed COVID-19 cases in our school-with 4 new cases in children testing positive from Mt Hutt yesterday-two from within class and 2 from home isolating over the past week. This brings total cases in the school to:
10 students positive
16 families isolating (21 students isolating)
1 teacher isolating (Mt Winterslow)
Classroom numbers: Mt Winterslow-Opihako (2), Mt Somers-Maungakiekie (2), Mt Alford-Te Maka Kaha (1), Mt Harper-Mahaanui (1) and Mt Hutt-Huirapa (4).
The majority of these cases have not been onsite at school over the past week, and had already been isolating with their families at home.
We appreciate and respect our families decision to seek to have their children at home to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 through their home, farm and extended whanau.
Our staff have prepared online learning resources on See-saw and in hard pack form in readiness for a possible move to Phase 3 of our school’s COVID response plan. If families opt to keep their children home from school at this time as a precaution, please contact your classroom teacher to ensure online learning support can be provided for your child/children. Children who are absent from school are marked as a justified absence.
What you need to do
The health and wellbeing of our children, staff and community is a top priority so we are closely following the Ministry of Health guidance for schools.
At Phase 3 of the Omicron response, only cases and household contacts are legally required to isolate.
Families from Mt Winterslow-Opihako, Mt Somers-Maungakiekie, Mt Alford-Te Maka Kaha, Mt Harper-Mahaanui and Mt Hutt-Huirapa-classrooms have now all received separate notifications of their first cases, containing further advice and guidance for these families.
As stated yesterday, we do not intend to continue to send individual classroom notices as each new case is notified within each classroom, but will instead provide a whole school update on numbers as we progress our way through the remainder of Term 1.
Please continue to follow good practices when it comes to your own health and the health of your whānau.
We will be updating our community on how the latest changes brought into effect at 11.59pm Friday 25 March impact on our school following advice from the Ministry of Education as soon as we are able.
In the meantime:
What we’re doing
We are staying open-but with a possible move to online learning for some classrooms likely over the next few weeks.
Classrooms continue running in their groupings.
If a classroom teacher is required to self isolate due to a household contact testing positive or because they themselves test positive classroom families will be notified of their absence. If a relief teacher is not available to supervise the classroom onsite, classroom families will also be notified of their requirement to keep their children home from school for a specified period of time. As you can appreciate this is a challenging time for schools, businesses and families so we do appreciate your understanding and support as we navigated these uncharted waters together.
If a classroom is required to remain home for online learning, families who have previously indicated that their children need to be at school, will still be able to attend school and be supervised by one of our staff. Supervision will support your child with keeping up with their classrooms online learning only. Please inform your child/children’s classroom teacher if you need your child to be at school-we will endeavour to best support our families in need as best we can at this time.
We are using public health measures to reduce the risk in our settings, including masks, physical distancing and good ventilation.
We have appropriate cleaning procedures in place.
What you need to do
You and your whānau should be very vigilant about monitoring for symptoms.
If any symptoms develop, get tested immediately.
Wear a face mask when out and about.
Wash hands often with soap for 20 seconds and dry your hands completely.
Wash your hands if you have been in a public place or after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
Avoid touching your face, and cough or sneeze into your elbow or cover your mouth with tissues.
If you and your whānau haven’t been vaccinated or boosted, please do so as soon as possible. You can book online or call 0800 28 29 26. It’s free.
Symptoms of COVID-19
A new or worsening cough.
Sneezing and runny nose.
A fever.
Temporary loss of smell or altered sense of taste.
Sore throat.
Shortness of breath.
Less common symptoms include diarrhoea, headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, malaise, chest pain, abdominal pain, joint pain, or confusion/irritability.
For more information, go to the Unite Against COVID-19 website.
If you or someone in your whānau tests positive for COVID-19
If you or your child receives a positive test result the household must isolate for seven days.
Household contacts must test on Day 3 and Day 7.
Returning to school after COVID-19
Students who test positive for COVID-19 are not required to self-isolate past seven days, but they shouldn’t return to school if they are still feeling unwell.
Many children will have a long lasting runny nose and cough after viral infections. If it is over 10 days since the onset of the COVID infection and they are no longer feeling unwell, they are unlikely to be transmitting any active COVID infection and can return to school. However, if they are continuing to feel unwell or their symptoms are worsening after 10 days then GP review is recommended.
Noho ora mai,
Colin Brodie
Principal
Bring on the Presents
Foodwrap Fundraiser
We still have the following available if anyone needs some:
Catering Foil 440 x 150mtrs - 2, $36.00
Catering Foil 300 x 150mtrs - 3, $22.00
Catering Film 330 x 600mtrs - 3, $35.00
Catering Film 330 x 300mtrs - 3, $23.00
Upcoming Events
- Wheels Day - Friday 1st April
- End of Term 1 for Students - Wednesday 13th April
- Teacher Only Day - Thursday 14th April
- Beginning of Term 2 - Monday 2nd May
Wheels Day Update
Wheels Day is coming back to Lauriston School on the 1st of April – this Friday. This year it will be just for students. The weather forecast isn’t looking great for Friday so we will make a decision on Thursday afternoon whether to postpone to next Friday or go ahead as planned
this Friday.
Wear mufti. Bring your bike, your scooter, your skateboard or roller skates and join in the fun. You can enter in as many activities as you want. All proceeds will go towards
our school enterprise projects which include the school farm and Opuke Festival of Cultures (Lauriston School Kapa Haka uniform).
The Activities:
Hot wheels track - make the biggest or most creative track.
Go kart race - bring your own go kart and race it with a team (no motorised go
karts).
Bike track - bring you bike to school and try the awesome bike track.
Scavenger hunt - follow the clues to find the lollies.
Roll the tyre - roll a tyre the furthest to win a prize.
Best decorated scooter.
Weirdest tyre and best decorated tyre - decorate or use a tyre in a weird way and bring it to school to be judged.
Stick in the sand - $1 to search for a prize winning stick.
Throw a coin to win a prize.
Bring & buy stall – bring along any good quality used books or toys you no longer want for the stall.
Sausages $2
Fizzy Drinks $1
Ice Blocks - (covered by enterprise funds)
(All activities will be managed according to phase 2 of our covid plan.
Mt Alford Happenings
Our certificates this week:
Hettie Pike: For great decoding strategies when reading.
Lachlan Rutten: For having a great can-do attitude towards everything at school.
Mt Harper Happenings
Mt Harper has been working incredibly hard on their reading, writing and spelling. We have been exploring digraphs, vowel blends and contractions to help us decode more complex texts. We are continuing to challenge ourselves and are taking so much pride in our achievements.
A big congratulations to Lachie Gray and Hudson Black who both received certificates for the hard work they have been putting into their reading and spelling.
We are also doing weekly science experiments, learning about making predictions and observations, and have lots of fun in the process.
Mt Hutt Happenings
Another busy week has come and gone here in Mt Hutt! We have been working hard to complete our mosaic Ngahere art and have been planning the redesign of our garden. It has been interesting learning about when plants grow best and what they need to grow. We have also been enjoying our library visits and on Friday we had a class game of capture the flag. This has become a favourite for us. We have to work together as a team and think of a strategy to get the flag.
A huge well done to Gus and Anabelle who were awarded our certificates this week. Gus has been working hard at decoding his sounds in reading and writing. Similarly, Anabelle has put her best foot forward and applied a can-do attitude to improve all things reading, writing and spelling!
Another congratulation to Maddison who received our writer of the week award!
Mt Winterslow (Opihako)Happenings
Making Piwakawaka (Fantails) and Ika (Fish) out of Harakeke (Flax)
Mt Winterslow have been learning that visual art can take on many different forms and be
constructed from a combination of media/materials.
By connecting with harakeke and the environment, we learned to harvest, protect, prepare harakeke and we learned weaving skills to create fantails (Piwakawaka) and fish (Ika). Our student’s then displayed them as mobiles, using natural resources such as sticks. They look great hanging from our ceiling.
Mt Winterslow Certificate Recipients
Congratulations to the following student’s: Shevonne Marova for the most amount of time spent
reading on Epic and for completing her Reading Log. Tom Quinlan for taking responsibility for his own learning with basic facts. Ka Mau te Wehi! Awesome! Fantastic!
Mt Somers
Ngahere Art
Lately in Mt Somers we have been doing a lot of art. We started with our ngahere art and choosing what ngahere was best for us this year. Once we had chosen, we thought about how we wanted our ngahere to be in our art. We decided on a silhouette style. It was hard for some people but easy for others. First we did a sketch in our book then we did a light sketch on a piece of paper and showed the teacher. She gave us some feedback and we started doing the background of our picture. We had two options: we could use chalk pastels or oil pastels. We had to draw a background around our ngahere and blend the colours. When we had done our background we coloured in our ngahere with a sharpie. When we had finished they looked fantastic.
Storyathon
This year Mt Somers have been extremely lucky to be entered in storyathon where you can write three stories that all begin with “suddenly”. Each story must be exactly 100 words - no more and no less. It is a fun event for every one to let their imagination out. Our stories will be judged by students and teachers from other schools around New Zealand and Australia. We are trying to make our short stories as interesting and descriptive as we can.
Getting Sheep
On our school farm we have been busy planning to get sheep. Olivia talked to her parents and they have generously agreed to give us 5 ewe hoggets and the use of Jack’s ram. We are very excited to get them and it will be a new experience for most of us.
Our students of the week were Ava Harrower - for enthusiasm & creativity, and Olivia Copland for initiative, drive & determination.
Mt Hutt Local Season Passes
A reminder that the deadline for purchasing your Mt Hutt Local School Pass is Thursday the 31st of March, with sales closing at 5pm. After this time, the link to purchase will no longer be available online.
https://shop.mthutt.co.nz/local-primary-schools
https://shop.mthutt.co.nz/local-secondary-schools
WHAT PASS DO I PURCHASE FOR MY CHILD AGED 7 AND UNDER?
You can purchase your season pass for ages 7 & under via our website
https://shop.mthutt.co.nz/season-passes-mh. The 7 and under season pass is available free of charge and can be purchased at any time, providing lift access to all NZSki mountains.
WHAT ABOUT PHOTOS?
Profile pictures can be taken on your child’s first day on the mountain. If your child had their picture taken last year and still has their pass, they’re ready to head straight to the lifts!
WHERE DO I COLLECT MY CHILD’S PASS?
If your child has never had a pass before, or you can’t find your pass from last year, you can collect a new pass from us. We recommend popping in to visit us at the Mt Hutt office at 94 Main Street, Methven, pre-season to avoid early season queues, otherwise you can collect from Guest Services on the mountain. Please note that in the week up to opening day our Methven Office will not be manned from the 3rd of June, as we will have moved our operations to the mountain.
MY CHILD NOW HAS A 3 PEAK PASS, CAN I UPGRADE MINE?
Yes! You can upgrade to the 3 Peak pass at the same rate you purchased your Mt Hutt pass provided you upgrade before the 31st of July 2022. For example, if you purchased at early bird rate, you can upgrade to 3 Peak Pass at the earlybird price until the 31st of July. After this time, in-season rates apply for any upgrades. The 3 Peak Pass and Mt Hutt pass are on sale at the super early bird rate until the 11th of November early bird prices until March the 31st, 2022.
Contact Us
Office Hours
Monday – Friday 8:30am to 3:30pm
Email: admin@lauriston.school.nz
Website: https://www.schoolwebsites.school.nz/lauriston/contact-us/
Location: Lauriston School Church Street, Lauriston 7776, New Zealand
Phone: +643 302 4799