Oratia District School Newsletter
Week 1 - 28 July 2022
Message from Ms Linda
Tēnā koutou katoa. Nau mai ki te whanau o te Orātia. Zdravo. Talofa lava. Ni hao. Kia orana. Namaste.
Greetings Orātia whānau.
It is so good to have all our students back at school with us after the non-contact break. I know that many of our staff chose to hunker down and stay put to try and rebuild their resilience and energy levels over the holidays. Our students tell us that many of them did the same. I do hope that any illness we had moving around the school at the end of last term was broken by the time apart. I am sure that the current mask use indoors where applicable will help with this too now that we are back together. Thank you to all families who have been sending their children to school with masks to wear.
The building work around Rooms 13/14 is continuing with concrete being dug up in preparation for the laying of new ramps and access to classrooms and the hall. The toilet block is being renovated to include an accessibility bathroom and new toilets for those classes. We are hoping the two classes will be able to return to their rooms by the middle of this term.
There are some important dates coming up this term so please check the calendar below and add them to your own schedules. Some highlights are:
Nominations for the triennial board elections close August 10. Please contact Michelle Muir in the office (michellem@oratia.school.nz; 818 6216) for an application form or for further information. We have 5 positions available and have currently received just 3 nominations.
3-way/student led conferences are Thursday August 11. School closes early on this day at 12.30 before lunch. Information about these conferences is in the newsletter. Please save the date as we look forward to meeting with you and your child to discuss their learning and progress against goals. We will also have our Book Fair on this day so pencil in some time to view the large range of books we will have available for purchase. A great opportunity to add to your child's home library, or buy books for birthdays or Christmas!
Field Trips to MOTAT and other places will be happening later in the term to link to our school inquiry topics. More information about these will come from your child's teacher.
This term is shaping up to be very busy with a Fiafia night planned for August 25th, and many other happenings.
While it makes life busy for us all, it also makes school exciting and engaging for our students, and that is our main focus. We look forward to seeing you at the various events and activities that will be happening.
Take care, and stay well.
Kia kaha, kia atawhai.
Ngā mihi nui, Ms Linda
Friday lunch schedule
Friday 29 July - Pita Pit (Order by 9am Friday)
Friday 5 August - Subway (Order by 8.30pm Thursday)
Friday 12 August - Sushi (Order by 9am Thursday)
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.
GET ON BOARD! Could you be our newest Board of Trustees member?
Safety when crossing the road
When driving past our school please consider the safety of children and other road users. Please don't double-park on the road or encourage children to cross the road on their own unless they are using the pedestrian crossing.
Parking on yellow lines around the pedestrian crossing obstructs a clear view for those using the crossing and is very dangerous.
Lets keep our children safe.
Three Way/Student Led Conferences - Thursday 11 August
These conferences are for your child to share their learning with you based on goals set at the beginning of the year. Teachers will be available to speak alongside your children.
The format is three or four families per 30 minute session in class at the same time. Teachers will move between families to share their time evenly. The level of teacher involvement in the conversation will depend on the age and capability of the child.
As always, if you feel you need more time with the teacher please email them to make arrangements to have an additional meeting at another time.
Bookings can be made from Monday 1 August on the School Interviews Booking system. You will receive an email on Monday from the office about how to do this and the code required.
Term 2 Lost Property
Garden to table update
Garden to table commenced this week with some of our Arawhata classes caring for the garden beds and harvesting a delicious bounty ready for the kitchen. The silverbeet and herb risotto was very popular. The recipe is on the attachment below if you would like to try it with your budding chef!
Garden to table are collaborating with Trade Aid, here to help us all celebrate the values of Christmas - community, giving, and feasting. You can help them sprout future Garden to Table stars by heading to tradeaid.org.nz, or into a Trade Aid store nationwide, and adding a $3 Stained Glass Star decoration to your cart.
Each star has been made by talented artisans running their own enterprises in Bangladesh.
100% of proceeds from sales of these festive stars will be generously donated by Trade Aid.
Friends of the Parent Network - Survey form
You may not be able to make the regular Parent Network (PTA) meetings (every first Tuesday of the month) but keen to help our school? This group is called 'Friends of the Parent Network'. If you would like to put your hand up to be on call for specific events or activities, or if you have contacts that could provide the school and Parent Network with resources or freebies of any kind we would love to hear from you.
Please add your name and details to the google form below to go into our database. One of the parent network will be in touch with you. We have two events coming up next term - the school disco and a staff appreciation breakfast. If you can help out in any way with either of these events please indicate on the form too.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1sCwG11hESOOuaLyx8JnAi4ux_yUMe5o3utny2q7SEEg/edit#responses
Thank you in advance for taking the time to help us all out.
Kiwi Competitions Spelling Bee
The University of Canterbury is offering the opportunity for your child to participate in the KIWI Spelling Bee competition. These competitions take place annually and are designed by New Zealand teachers for New Zealand students.
The competitions are administered by the Centre for Assessment and Monitoring (CAM) at the University of Canterbury. The competitions are open to all Year 5-8 students. The Kiwi Spelling Bee assesses aspects of English grammar, spelling and vocabulary relevant to the student’s Year level. The online Spelling Bee will take place in the last three weeks of Term 3.
Certificates will be sent to all participating students and prizes will be awarded to overall top students.
Students will need to have their own headphones/air buds to listen to audios throughout the competition.
Entries are administered by the school. For further information, please consult the CAM website,
There is an entry fee of $9.50 per child which is available to pay on Kindo. Entries need to be paid by Monday 1 August.
Please do not hesitate to contact matthewm@oratia.school.nz if you have any questions.
40 Hour Famine
This year our school is participating in the World Vision 40 Hour Famine to help make a change for kids who urgently need clean water.
Clean water is a human right. Yet one in every five children don’t have enough clean water to get through the day.
Oratia School is looking to make a change! We’re holding our 40 Hour Famine challenge in the second weekend of Term 3 August 6 and 7. We need enthusiastic participants, so please visit our Fundraising page and join our team!
https://my.worldvision.org.nz/d/ss/vhsySJ/oratia-schoolPlease notify the office of positive Covid-19 cases
If your child does test positive for Covid please let the office know as this supports our tracking and reporting and will enable the absence to be recorded correctly as sickness.
PB4L - Positive Behaviour for learning. This week's subject is hygiene.
CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE
Oratia School Girls Rugby Team
Our girls rugby team have been busy learning the game with Matua Ben and getting ready for some matches at the upcoming Winter Sports day. Rain and a soggy field didn't hinder their efforts at practice this week but resulted in some rather muddy but enthusiastic players!
PARENT CORNER
Teacher Aide courses
Have you ever thought of becoming a Teacher Aide? Are you wanting to start a new career or are you returning to the work force? There are free Teacher Aide courses currently available!
Training For You and the Open Polytechnic are currently offering free Teacher Aide courses. Please see the links below for further information.
https://www.trainingforyou.co.nz/online-nationwide/teacher-aide-level-4/7/
Personalised accounts on Kindo – temporarily unavailable
We are making some upgrades behind the scenes with your personalised accounts on Kindo.
This means the Fees and Donations option will be unavailable for approximately 5 working days.
This upgrade will begin on the 29th July 2022, to minimise disruption to you.
Our Kindo Shop will still be open, so you will still be able to pay for trips and camps, order lunches and purchase uniform items during this time.
Thanks for your patience with the upgrade, and we will let you know when you can view and make payments on your personalised accounts again.
Glen Eden Intermediate Open Days
COMMUNITY NOTICES
Playball West Auckland
Playball is an introduction to eight different sports, Football, Basketball, Netball, Cricket, Baseball, Tennis, Hockey and Rugby.
For all Year 1, 2 and 3 students:
Our aim is not to create superstars, but rather to provide children with the opportunity to develop a host of necessary social, educational and personal skills by giving children competence in sport.
Playball is taking final enrolments for term three and will commence on Monday the 1st of August from 3:15pm-4:00pm and will run for 8 weeks every Monday.
We will be limiting spaces to 36 children for term three
Ask about a free trial today.
To enrol your child/children please sign up online
https://www.playballkids.com/parent-zone/basket_bookings.php?classid=48721
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/