Our Tumuaki Principal
Class Structures 2022: We continue to press forward with our organisation for 2022. We are moving to six teachers and so most classrooms will be composite (more than one level) rooms.
Please chat with me should there be anything that we need to know in relation to this. You can email principal@edendaleps.school.nz. This needs to occur before Friday 12th November (two weeks from today), as from there we move into establishing the 2022 rooms in our various computer systems, developing class lists and finalising class stationery.
The structure looks as follows...
- Team Kea: Room One, New Entrants and Year One, Miss McVicar.
- Team Kiwi: Room Two, Year One and Two, Mrs Clarke and Mrs Duffy.
- Team Pukeko: Room Three, Year Two and Three, Mrs Coyle.
- Team Tui: Room Four Year, Three and Four, Miss Mineur.
- Team Kereru: Room Five, Year Four and Five, Miss Nicol.
- Team Kahu: Room Six, Year Six, Miss den Boon.
COVID 19 - New Section
In this newsletter, we have included a new section keeping you up to date in relation to COVID 19 and our school. As you can see by watching the news, the situation is very fluid. Being as prepared and ready as we can be will mean a better outcome for our school and children.
You will notice that we have not put events up past Week Five. We are assessing each of these events to see if it needs to be cancelled or modified. We intend to make these decisions by Monday 15th of November and from there notify you in the newsletter for that week.
Thanks for the photos coming through. We have some healthy looking sunflowers growing.
Thank Yous - Team Edendale
- Sarah Cupido - Sarah is our School Board secretary. She manages the incoming and outcoming communications from the Board. The staff really appreciate the thank you cards that Sarah, on behalf of the School Board, writes to them acknowledging their work. Thanks for your work Sarah.
Principal's Term Four Challenge: Sun Flower Competition
Due Date
Judging will occur at school on Friday 3rd December. We will line them up along the front fence for all to see as they drive past.
Prize Categories
There are five categories for prizes.
- Tallest Golden Crown sunflower
- Tallest Moulin Rouge sunflower
- The tallest combined pair (heights added together)
- The widest flower.
- Best decorated pot/container.
Points to Note
- Height: Measured from the base of the stem to the highest point of the plant.
- Diametre: Measured across the widest portion of the flower, through the centre.
- Named: Plants will need to be appropriately named so we know whose is whose.
Our Events Coming Up
TERM FOUR
Please Note: All up and coming events are subject to Covid-19 pandemic alert levels. We are at Alert Level Two at present, with many events needing us to be at Alert Level One to operate.
Week Four (of 8)
- Monday 8th November - Home and School Meeting, 7.30pm, staffroom
- Friday 12th November - Science Roadshow Year 6s
Week Five (of 8)
- Tuesday 16th November - Sports Activator
- Friday 19th November - Senior Swimming Sports
Our Home and School
End of Year Christmas Hamper - Coordinator
The Home and School is looking for a parent volunteer to coordinate the End of Year Concert Christmas hamper fundraiser for this year.
Should you be able to offer your services please contact Louise Duffy (Home and School President) on louisecduffy@hotmail.com.
Next Meeting - Term Four
The Term Four meeting of the Home and School is scheduled for Monday 8th November starting at 7.30pm in the school staffroom.
COVID 19 - School Information
We are at COVID Alert Level Two.
At Edendale Primary School this looks like...
- If children are sick with flu-like symptoms they should remain at home. We would encourage that they get tested to ensure that it is not COVID-19.
- Classrooms are for school personnel.
- Kiss and Hug Drop Off/Pick Up Zones: There is a specified point where parents drop off and pick up their children from.
- Communication should be kept as best as possible to email, app and phone.
- Children require named drink bottles as the fountains are turned off.
- Children on buses are encouraged, but not required to wear masks.
- Children eat their lunch outside their own rooms.
- School fitness is with their class only.
- Interclass mixing is kept to a minimum.
- Celebration Time is not occurring and certificates are presented to each class.
- Events that are publically faced have thresholds of 100. This impacts what we are able to do as a school.
Protocols - Dealing with a Covid Case in our School
When there is a COVID case in our school community the current advice from the Ministry of Education is as follows.
- The school would close for three days for cleaning and contact tracing.
- The school would then most probably close for a further 14 days to restrict the spread of the virus.
E-School - Being Prepared With a Strong Home Set-Up
We anticipate in the coming months that we will need to reactive our E-School for our students.
- E-School uses Seesaw Class app (which is different from the Seesaw Family which you currently connect through.)
- Your child's teacher will provide you with a QR code to directly link your child to their Seesaw Class activities.
- Activities are provided by the teachers for reading, writing, mathematics and inquiry. They are set for a week.
- Teachers will respond back and forth through the school day supporting the children with their learning.
For E-School to work best a home needs to have...
- Good WIFI
- A keyboard device such as a laptop or Chromebook. We have found that using a cell phone is frustrating for children as it is too small.
We would encourage you to invest in a strong home infrastructure so that we can quickly activate E-School at a moment's notice, knowing that all our school community is ready.
The new Public Health Order has mandated that to be onsite working with children, everyone must be able to demonstrate a full vaccination record.
This directive also applies to "unpaid workers, such as volunteers (including parent volunteers) and any members of the community who are on-site at the school kura, as they are likely to come into contact with students" (Ministry of Education, Bulletin: 12th October 2021).
The implications are that when we move to Alert Level One, if you would like to be a parent help in class, trip helper when we go away, camp helper etc you will need to demonstrate full vaccination.
From the 16th of November, any adult interacting with children must have had their first dose. From 1st January you must have had your second dose.
We will be required to have proof of vaccination to confirm any parental or volunteer involvement in the school. This proof will be copied, stored securely, and entered into a register of parent and volunteer vaccination status.
Our Kura News and Information
We will begin swimming next week. Children will need their togs and towel. Please name them clearly.
We also advise that all uniform items should be named as children are getting changed in the same area and clothes easily get mixed up.
Check out your child's Learning Partnership notices and Seesaw for information about which days they swim.
Sun Hats - Summer Months
We want all our children to wear their sunhats during our summer months. This protects them now and into their future lives from the harsh intenseness of the Southland sun. These are available from The Warehouse.
Student Council - Fundraiser
We are very proud of Year Six student, Kadence Hunter, for her wonderful commitment to shave her hair off for raising $1500 for the Cancer Society.
We also have a group of Year Sixes who would like to purchase some more trees for the beautification of our wider school grounds.
The Student Council is holding a mufti-day/crazy hair day next Friday, 5th November, to celebrate Kadence’s achievement and to support the drive for school beautification.
Character Values (Positive Behaviour for Learning - PB4L): Term Four Integrity Ponotanga
When we come from so many different families our values draw us together as one big school whanau.
Integrity means behave to a high standard of character everywhere we are and is shown through honesty, truthfulness, accuracy, consistent behaviour, selflessness and self-discipline.
At all times and in all places we can show integrity when we
- Are honest and trustworthy.
- Do the right thing even when no-one is looking.
- Make positive choices that we are proud of.
Every time our values are shown they make our school a great place to be for children and adults.
Principal's Values Award
This week the Principal/Tumuaki would like to acknowledge Karsden Latta for being a strong contributor, living out our school values every day.
Most Valuable Pupil: Team Kereru
Aisha is Team Kereru’s MVP this week for Ponotanga - Integrity.
Our quote for this week is: “Integrity is choosing your thoughts and actions based on values rather than personal gain.”
Aisha is a young lady who consistently shows our school values in both her thoughts and her actions. She is honest and trustworthy, both inside and outside of the classroom, showing that integrity means doing the right thing, even if no one is watching.
Aisha shows respect to all those around her. She actively listens to adults and classmates alike. She is willing to share her ideas and gives constructive feedback to her classmates during sharing time.
Aisha takes responsibility for her actions, and she looks after her things as well as the school's.
Aisha actively and happily participates in all classroom activities and shows excellence by producing work that she is proud of. She completes her work by staying on task and making sure it is finished in a timely manner. She is not afraid to ask for or offer help when it is needed.
Aisha, you are a wonderful role model and we are very happy to have you as part of our team.
Keep up the good work.
Ka rawe!
Most Valuable Pupil: Team Kea
Erica MacBeth is a lovely young lady who consistently shows many of our school values. This week Erica is Team Kea’s MVP for Ponotanga Integrity.
You can often see Erica walking around with a friendly smile. She is a wonderful class member who is caring and quick to offer a helping hand to others. Erica has been a fantastic buddy to the new Team Kea children.
Erica makes positive choices that help her be a great learner and valued class member. She is always willing to try new things and consistently works hard. Erica makes the most of her learning opportunities and has made excellent progress in all learning areas.
Erica makes positive choices during class time and play time, even when no one is looking. She is caring, honest and trustworthy which makes her a very reliable friend and someone I can count on to be doing the right thing.
Erica, you should be very proud of the year you have had in Team Kea. I look forward to seeing all your future achievements. Keep being a star!
Most Valuable Pupil: Team Pukeko
Georgia Abbott is Team Pukeko’s MVP this week for Ponotanga - Integrity.
Georgia only joined us at Edendale Primary School in the middle of the year but she immediately demonstrated that she would fit in with all of our school values.
Georgia is a great role-model of integrity as she is a class-mate we can trust and rely on to be honest and sincere, with both her words and her actions.
Georgia can always be found doing the right thing at the right time, without needing to be told, and without expecting to be praised for it - it is how she operates!
She makes the right choices about her behaviour and encourages her friends and peers to do the same. Georgia consistently follows instructions, uses her manners and speaks kindly to others.
We are so lucky to have class-mates like you, Georgia - ka pai!
Writer of the Week
Natalie McKenzie
The tall trees loom above us like giants, as if we are ants. The cold, crisp air refreshes me. I am glad, I’d get too hot carrying this elephant on my back otherwise. My pack makes me stumble around. As we stir up all the bugs, friendly fantails flutter down, frantically finding them. They chirp cheerfully at us. The wind whistles in my ears, so loud I could be chased by a herd of angry horses and not even know.
My stomach is full of butterflies, I am so excited for my first camping trip! Sure, I’ve been in lodges and campervans but they aren’t real camping. Dad and I stumble across the cobblestones under the weight of our packs. Harry is lucky, he hurries ahead of us, without a care in the world, just holding the umbrella, not an elephant like me.
We reach the camping spot and set up the tent. Luckily, Dad knows what to do or else we wouldn’t have shelter. Harry complains that he’s hungry, although he hasn’t done anything. Dad and I build a campfire and cook some sausages on sticks over the fire. This beats the barbecue anytime!
We curl up in our sleeping bags, the marshmallows and biscuits keep my belly content. I worry the Gruffalo will come but then I remind myself it’s just a story for Harry to believe. I’m old enough to put it in the back of my head and forget about it.
I wake up with a start, I’m soaking and it is freezing!
“Dad, what's happening?” I ask sleepily although I already know the answer, we didn’t pack the waterproof tent.
“We didn’t pack the waterproof tent”, Dad answers, echoing my thought. Harry starts crying and won’t stop.
Using the umbrella to shelter us, we pack up the tent. I don’t know why we bother with the umbrella, we’re already soaking.
After the longest, coldest walk you could ever endure, we make it back to the house. We knock and Mum opens the door, still in her dressing gown, drinking a mug of hot chocolate. She laughs at our sorry state, “You’re back early”, she remarks cheekily, “What happened?” None of us answer her.
I am shivering so hard I am sure there’s an earthquake. My eyes never leave the hot chocolate. Mum ushers us in and makes us have a shower. When I finish I find a mug of hot chocolate just for me!
Our Contact Information
Email: admin@edendaleps.school.nz
Website: https://sites.google.com/edendaleps.school.nz/edendale-primary-school
Location: Edendale Primary School, 24 Salford Street, Edendale 9825, New Zealand
Phone: 03 206 6959
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EdendalePrimarySchool
Twitter: @EdendaleSchool
