Newsletter

Market Day: This term the classes are working on an in-school Market Day.

Originally the plan was for this to be our work for the annual Car Boot Sale but the Traffic Light Red setting has meant this is cancelled as we are not allowed crowds greater than 100.

Now we have adapted it to be in school, on a Friday for the children only. We are working on the details and information; price lists and advertising will be coming out next week.

The children and teachers are excited about what they are doing. It should be a lot of fun.

Social Media Accounts Reminder: A reminder that I do not expect any of our children to have any social media accounts. We prefer them playing inside and outside with real people that Mums and Dads know about.

Most social media platforms require a minimum age of 13, and none of our children are at that age.

The maturity level required to navigate the complexities and challenges is considerable and so, my advice is, if any children have social media accounts they should be deleted until such a time that they are actually old enough to qualify and even then, there should be close monitoring processes set up within the home around these.

COVID in the School Community: During last weekend we had to move quickly for Teams Kereru and Kahu (Room Five and Six) due to their exposure to a positive COVID-19 case in the previous week. This meant that Team Kereru and Team Kahu went to E-School from Monday to Wednesday, at home, to allow symptoms to emerge and appropriate testing to be done.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we managed this for our school for the first time. I really appreciate your support and care. COVID is well and truly with us now.

COVID Traffic Light Red-3: Red-3 requirements move to the monitoring of symptoms, staying at home if there are any and getting tested. See an updated COVID flowchart below for guidance.

Isolation Rules and Staffing Implications: One aspect that I am very conscious of is being able to fully staff the school in this outbreak due to isolation rules.

Given the existing and ongoing teacher shortage, coupled with the lack of relievers, we may well face the prospect of multiple teachers isolating for at least 10 days as they or someone in their family is a positive COVID-19 case.

We have applied to MBIE for essential worker exemptions and then submitted this application to the MOE in order to be able to access Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) for an isolating teacher who may be well but is isolating due to a household positive case. Getting RATs is essential for us to be able to stay open and fully staffed for as long as we can and for as many children and families as we can. We await being able to access RATs via the MOE for our staff.

Please be aware that this lack of staff may require us to switch to E-School in the future for a classroom or multiple classrooms.

We do know how disruptive this is to people's lives and so I would encourage you to please speak to your employer and have plans in place for this swift switch.

I anticipate being in for quite a bumpy second half of Term One.

Home and School: Thank you very much to our Home and School for their support of the school. With their meeting on Monday night, they supported classroom excursions, teacher assistant support and technology purchases. This is a real boost to us which we are most grateful for. Please see (in their section of this newsletter) how you can support them as they support our school. Thank you.

Thank You - Team Edendale

• Sanne den Boon: Sanne has put her roots down in our school and is growing, spreading her skill and talents into her room and across the school. This year she has taken on a Tutor Teacher role as she mentors Sarah, our beginning teacher. Along with that she has been appointed to the Community of Learning Kahui Ako as a Within School Teacher and will soon be leading other teachers across our COL in a professional study (inquiry) on how they can improve their teaching in their rooms.

EPS Covid Contact Numbers: Every day we are fully open is a good day for the children, teachers and school community. Good information helps this to occur.

Our COVID contact numbers are...

• Operational hours: 03 206 6959.
• After Hours EPS COVID Hotline is: 027 614 6740.

COVID Symptoms: As COVID 19 is now among us please keep any children with symptoms at home and get them tested. The symptoms can include one or more of the following:

• 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 may include:

• diarrhoea
• headache
• muscle pain or body aches
• nausea
• vomiting
• malaise — a general feeling of discomfort, illness or unease
• chest pain
• abdominal pain
• joint pain
• confusion or irritability.

Thank you for your understanding, support and cooperation with this as we seek to keep our school open and fully staffed, for as long as possible, for as many children as possible.

E-School: We have already had to move very quickly to put two classrooms into an E-School platform for learning for a short time. We anticipate as the outbreak spreads, we will have to act again if cases overwhelm us or if isolation rules produce staffing shortages.

For E-School to work well we would encourage all families to be ready with...

• Good internet
• Digital devices e.g. iPad, Chromebook, laptop.
• Ensure that Zoom is downloaded onto your device.
• A workspace for children.

All the children have the Seesaw Classroom E-Learning information pasted into the back of their Learning Partnership Book ready for E-School.

We expect that the warning we are moving to E-School will be quick when it comes.

Please be prepared.

Principal's Term One Challenge - Leonardo da Vinci Portrait Artists

My challenge for Term One is to become an artist like Leonardo da Vinci and paint a portrait.

Entry Details

• The portrait is of a person alive today. It can be a self-portrait or of someone else. Maybe even a teacher!
• There will be a filled-in background that places the person in a context.
• The portrait can be by any handcrafted media (e.g. painted, colouring-in pencils, felt tips, pencil sketch, pastel). Not digital.
• Your name, year level and team need to be on the back of the artwork.
• There is an adults section available for any parents or community members who want to submit their work.
• The paper is an A4 orientated portrait (not landscape). We can supply A4 paper if needed for any artist.
• They are due Friday 8th April.
• By submitting a piece of artwork you are agreeing to have the portrait scanned and shared on our social media and website.

Prizes

• Year 1 & 2
• Year 3 & 4
• Year 5 & 6
• Adults

TERM ONE 2022

All activities and events are subject to the government's Covid-19 'Traffic Light' settings and local requirements when there is an outbreak within our community.

Week Seven (of 11)

• Wednesday 16th March - Kamahi ReserveTrip

Week Eight (of 11)

• Tuesday 22nd - Year 6 Big Day Out

Week Nine (of 11)

• Tuesday 29th March - School Board Meeting Two, 7.00pm, staffroom

Week Eleven (of 11)

• Friday 15th April - Good Friday. School Closed Easter.

App for Absences - Time Saver

Thank you to the many parents who use the app for absences. The app turns your message into an email that arrives on the office computer. It saves the office so much time in the morning not having to ring parents. Thanks very much.

Cricket Subscription

A reminder that cricket subscriptions of $20 are now due if your child is in a team. This can be paid online to:

Edendale School Board of Trustees 03 0962 0011632 00

Please use your child's name and "Cricket" as a reference.

Thank you to the parents that have paid.

Any problems please contact the office.

In Team Tui this year we have 23 wonderful Year Threes and Fours. We all have settled in well along with learning new classroom routines.

The weeks have flown by quickly with a lot going on. We have been doing a lot of physical activity, with the help from Jack from Southland Cricket and Sarah, our Sports Activator.

For DRIVE this term we are product designers. The children have been very busy planning and making scooter tags to sell at the school market day coming up. They have been very engaged and focused showing excellence as they create their products.

The first art project for the year was our scratch self-portraits. Firstly, each child had an A4 black and white photo of them printed on white paper. They had to pick a colour crayon to colour in the back of their photo. After that they had to pick a colour piece of paper and stick the crayon side together. Lastly the children had to get a pencil and scratch their photo carefully. They all turned out AWESOME! Over the next two weeks we are going to be exploring paper plate weaving.

Here are some things the children like about Team Tui so far this year:

Chloe – “ I like the writing in class that we get to create”.

Ben – “ I like the layout of the class timetable”.

Simone – “ I like making up stories”.

Hudson – “ Team Tui is lots of fun and we play lots of fun games”.

Aubrey – “ I like the classroom set up and the class waka”.

Miss Caci Mineur, Teacher, Team Tui (Room 4)

The aim of our values is to nurture positive, purposeful and meaningful relationships of aroha. Respect helps us to do this.

Respect means we honour other people equally as we would honour ourselves and is shown through manners, courtesy, politeness, self-control, co-operation, obedience and participation.

At Edendale Primary School respect is demonstrated when we..

• Use our manners and talk politely to each other.
• Follow rules and instructions.
• Listen actively.
• Are aware of the needs of others and offer to help.

Every time our values are shown they make our school a great place to be for children and adults.

When we use our values on a day by day basis, in the relationships that we have, one with another, in our school, we contribute to making our school a great place for all to come along.

This week the Principal/Tumuaki would like to acknowledge Erica MacBeth for being a strong contributor, living out our school values every day.

Sasha Devery is Team Kea’s MVP for Manaakitanga - Respect. Sasha is a polite young lady who demonstrates many of our school values.

It has been a pleasure watching Sasha’s confidence grow since she has started school. She has a positive school attitude and walks into the classroom with a happy smile ready to start her day.

Sasha participates, follows instructions and listens. She tries her best with her learning and is already making great progress in all learning areas.

I can always rely on Sasha to be making good choices. Sasha is happy to lend a helping hand to her friends and can often be spotted helping without being asked. She uses kind words to her friends and gives out compliments; this has made her a valued Team Kea member.

You have had super start to school Sasha. I know you will continue to be a great learner and role model in Team Kea. I look forward to seeing all your future achievements here at Edendale Primary School.

Keep being a superstar!

Finn Wallis is Team Tui’s MVP for Week 5.

Finn Wallis is a suburb member of Team Tui who demonstrates our school value of Manaakitanga - Respect.

Finn is a polite young man who follows rules and instructions inside and outside of the classroom. He always has a smile on his face each morning and is a kind friend to anyone. He treats others the way he wants to be treated.

Finn tries hard in all that he does and always puts 100% in. He is always the first to get going on any task without a sound.

You can guarantee Finn will always have a can-do attitude and will never complain, even when it can be challenging.

We are so lucky to have you as part of Team Tui this year Finn. You are a super hard worker and keen learner which is awesome to see.

Keep up the great learning.

I heard the snow hitting my helmet loudly.

I saw the white snow-covered ground below me.

I felt like a bird in the air.

I wonder how many points I got.

I heard the crowd cheering my name.

I saw the snow blocking my view.

I felt like my snowboard was about to break.

I wonder if I won or not.

Next School Board Meeting - 2022

The next School Board meeting is to be held on Tuesday 29th March at 7.00 pm in the school staffroom. All material for this needs to be in the week before so that it can be sent out to the School Board members before the meeting.

Situations Vacant - After School Care Job-Share Coordinator

The position of an After School Care Job-Share Coordinator has come up.

If you are interested please send a CV with all your details to the principal at principal@edendaleps.school.nz. Include references, referees and evidence of identity (copy of your passport and driver's licence).

Employment is conditional on vaccination and a clear police vet. An up to date First Aid certificate would be helpful. Training will be required around child safety procedures.

Next Meeting - Term Two 2022

The Term Two 2022 meeting of the Home and School is scheduled for Monday 23rd May starting at 7.30pm in the school staffroom.

Cull Cows and Beef - Nominate the Home and School

The Home and School would be most grateful, as you come to sending away cull cows, or have some beef cattle, that you nominate the Edendale Home and School by way of a donation. This helps us so much to advance our support for the school.

If you are doing this please let Hamish Blackmore know. His contact details are 027 636 0421

Raising and Grazing - Another Way of Helping

The Home and School has a number of supportive families who are raising and grazing stock. Over the years this has developed into a healthy stream of funds for the Home and School.

If you are able to contribute to this please let Hamish Blackmore know. His contact details are 027 636 0421.

Boys Outreach and Girls Rally - Friday

• When: This Friday 4th March
• What time: 7-9pm.
• Where: Christian Activity Centre, George Street.
• Who: Anyone aged 9 years old and up welcome. Just turn up on the night.

Boys and Girls are kept in separate groups of 25 to follow Covid regulations.

Contact: Johno Ferguson 206 6878 Liz Pask 206 6135

Youth Group - Saturday

• When: Youth Group is Saturday 5th March
• What time: 7.30-10.15pm
• Where: Christian Activity Centre, George Street
• Who: Anyone year 9 and up welcome

Cowboy Olympics wear your checked shirt.

All Covid regulations will be followed.

Contact: Becs Ferguson 0274 124 941

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