Balclutha Primary School - T3 Wk 6
Newsletter 3 September 2021
Welcome to BPS!
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Kia Ora e te Whānau and welcome to week 6,
School has looked very different over the last couple of weeks, as we have navigated lockdown levels and home learning.
A huge thank you to all our parents who have supported home learning. I have heard some wonderful stories of all the different types of learning and experiences our students have had over lockdown. Thank you to the parents who have sent in some photos of lockdown learning. Check them out later in the newsletter.
Many parents have expressed concerns that their child's learning may slip due to lack of time in the classroom. Children are amazing creatures who constantly learn from everything around them. While learning may look different at the moment, they are learning by exploring and making sense of their world. Home learning is also a wonderful opportunity to really develop the key competencies or life skills that we all need to thrive. These skills include the ability to manage themselves, get on well with others, be adaptable and make the most of opportunities. Once we all get back on site, our focus will be to get our more structured learning programmes ticking along again. We will have a lot to talk about, and many adventures to share with each other!
We are all anxiously waiting for the next alert level announcement on Monday. I am hoping it will give us a date and some details around a drop to Level 2. Once we know when we will be moving to Level 2, we will send out information for parents about this. At level 2, it is safe for all staff and students to be back at school and classes will run as normal. We can't wait!
A number of school events have been impacted due to the lockdown. Once we know when we will be able to move into Level 2, and what it will look like this time around, a revised term calendar will be sent to parents.
I would also like to acknowledge and thank our wonderful teachers for all the work they have done over lock down to engage with their students and keep the learning going. A special thank you to our small team of bubble teachers this week who have kept the home learning going as well as supervising our onsite students. We are fortunate to have such a dedicated and hard working team here at BPS.
Have a lovely weekend and I look forward to seeing you all in Level 2,
Ngā mihi nui,
Vicki Neave
Level 3 Bubble Classes
These students have done an awesome job under some pretty tricky and frustrating regulations. The hardest part for most of us has been staying in our own bubbles and staying off the playground equipment.
These students have continued working on their home learning tasks and have joined in with online chats with their class teachers. Like the rest of us, they are really looking forward to Level 2. Bubble classes are hard work!
Home learning adventures
Aydan and Tilly have been going for a bike ride every day during lockdown to keep fit and healthy and to get some fresh air. Their baby sister Lavana gets to ride in the pram.
Clever Tilly has learnt to ride her bike with no training wheels over lockdown. Well done Tilly!
From the Board of Trustees
On behalf of the BOT, I would like to acknowledge and thank our whole school community: students, family/whānau, and all the staff for working in some way throughout yet another challenging lockdown. I am sure we all have our fingers crossed for a level 2 announcement next week and getting back to some sense of normality!
As a parent, I have a renewed appreciation again for how our teachers and support staff educate our children and also how clever and independent our children are on their chrome books.
I hope this finds everyone well. Take the time to enjoy some sunshine and seek help from someone if you and your family need it.
Kind regards
Jolene Ollerenshaw
Happy Lockdown Birthday to....
16 August - Maddi Brown
22 August - Ollie Sapstead
23 August - Eve Macnee
26 August - Tayla Smith
31 August - Mabel Ferguson
1 September - Jeffrey Sonio
3 September - Jarvis Tohiariki-Brooking
4 September - Halimah Asman
Check out Tayla with her amazing birthday cake below.
Sports News
I hope everyone has had the chance to enjoy some physical activity with your family during the past few weeks.
Touch
Thank you to everyone who emailed me with their touch entry.
Touch is able to go ahead at level 2 with a few restrictions.
Touch year 3-8 is expected to start week 9 (23 September).
Teeny Touch year 1/2 starts term 4.
The Coaching/Referees Course has been postponed until the Thursday 16th September at 5.30pm, Cross Recreation Centre.
I will be in touch via email with teams, draws and any other information that is required in order to play touch.
Karen Robins
Bank Accounts
- School Saveloys, sport fees and all camp fundraising - 02 0900 0000 452 00
- Whānau and School, fundraising, school uniforms (2nd hand and new) -
- 03 1734 0006449 00
Contact Us
Email: admin@balclutha.school.nz
Website: http://www.balclutha.school.nz
Location: Lanark St, Balclutha 9230, New Zealand
Phone: 03 419 0103
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Balclutha-Primary-School-193822224020032/