Dear Parents and Friends of our School Kia Ora/Hello/Kamusta

Kia ora koutou,

I have spent the last few weeks talking to our tamariki about device use after dinner and night time routines. I thought it might useful to share with you some information about how the blue light from devices can affect sleep in children and provide you with some alternatives to using a device before bedtime.

Blue Light and Children:

• What is Blue Light? Blue light is a high-energy visible light emitted by screens (smartphones, tablets, computers, TVs) and LED lighting.
• Effects on Sleep: Blue light exposure before bedtime can suppress the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles, making it harder for children to fall asleep and potentially impacting their sleep quality.

Recommended Cut-Off Time for Device Use

• General Guideline: It's advisable for children to stop using electronic devices at least 1 to 2 hours before bedtime. This helps their bodies produce melatonin naturally, preparing them for sleep.

Tips for Parents to Manage Device Use Before Bedtime

1. Create a Bedtime Routine:

   • Establish a consistent pre-bedtime routine that includes calming activities such as reading a book, taking a warm bath, or listening to music.

2. Set Clear Rules:

   • Implement rules regarding device usage, including a cut-off time for all screen activities.
   • Encourage your children to follow these rules by explaining the importance of good sleep for their health and well-being.

3. Use Blue Light Filters:

   • Utilise blue light filtering software or enable night mode settings on devices to reduce blue light exposure during the evening.

4. Create a Tech-Free Zone:

   • Designate certain areas of the house, such as bedrooms, as tech-free zones to minimise distractions and promote better sleep hygiene.

5. Provide Alternatives:

   • Offer engaging alternatives to screen time, such as board games, reading together, puzzles, or crafts, to help your children wind down without using electronic devices.

6. Lead by Example:

   • Set a good example by limiting your own screen time before bed and engaging in non-digital activities with your children.

7. Encourage Outdoor Activities:

   • Promote outdoor play and physical activities during the day to help expend energy and improve overall sleep quality.

8. Monitor Content:

   • Ensure that the content your children are accessing is age-appropriate and not overly stimulating, which can make it harder for them to relax before bed.

As we have shared before a good nights sleep is so important for our children's mental and physical health, for their learning and their emotional regulation at school.

Preschoolers (3-5 years): need 10-13 hours sleep

School-age children (6-12 years): need 9-12 hours sleep

We really do hope the above information is useful and will encourage you to reflect on the evening routines for the children in your family.

This is the last newsletter for the term. We wish everyone a great few weeks at home with their children. And we look forward to see everyone back at school after the holidays.

Nga mihi nui

Kim Waite

Principal

We have a lot of sickness around currently so we thought we would give you some information about the common ones we have at the moment:

Tummy Bug

Gastro (also known as a tummy bug, rotavirus or norovirus) is an illness caused by an infection in the gut. Symptoms are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever.

Gastro can spread easily to others, so a child should not be at school if they are vomiting or have diarrhea. Time between exposure is 1-2 days.

A child can return to school after 48 hours (2 days) have passed since the last time they vomited or had diarrhea.

Sore Throat - Streptococcal

A child should not be at school if they need pain relief for their throat to feel comfortable. Pain relief includes paracetamol or ibuprofen. Time between exposure is 1-4 days (average about 2 days)

Exclusion from school until well and/or has received antibiotic treatment for at least 24 hours.

Conjunctivitis

This is spread by direct contact with discharge from the eyes or with items contaminated by the discharge. Symptoms include irritation and redness of eye and sometimes there is a discharge.

Time between exposure and sickness is 2-20days(usually 3-4 days). Exclusion from school is while there is discharge from the eyes.

There is a really good Infectious Diseases chart that the Ministry of Health put out and if anyone would like a copy please call Annette in the office and she can print one off for you.

Tree Pruning at School

We have had an ex Toko School pupil at school doing some pruning for us. He has made a excellent job and we would like to recommend him to the community. Sam Luckin and his telephone number is 0273874865.

LOCK DOWN

Our school practiced what to do in a lock down this week. Please spend some talking talking with your children about our school procedures. If you have any questions please let us know.

Biennial Community Survey

During Term 3 we conducted our biennial community survey. We will continue to share sections of the survey each fortnight in the newsletter. The full survey is available to read on our school's website.

15. The Board of Trustees are committed to providing the best possible educational outcomes for my child/ren.

96.4% of parents commented that the Board of Trustees are committed to providing the best possible educational outcomes for their children.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

• To keep communicating via the newsletter information about the role of the Board of Trustees.

• Seek ways to encourage a greater attendance at parent information workshops and Community Meetings held throughout the year.

Congratulations to Jenna K who has been selected to join the leadership team for the remainder of the year. We are looking forward to some new events for everyone to participate in next term.

Each fortnight we will be sharing some kupu that we are using in our classrooms. You may want to learn along as well. We will provide the word, how to pronounce it and how to say it in a sentence.

8 June - Matariki - school closed

4 July - Whanau Day

5 July - Term Two Ends

Term 3 Starts - 22 July

6 August - Year 7/8 Rippa Rugby Finals

13 August - BOT monthly meeting

21 August - Yr 7 & 8 Sports Tournamnet (McLeod Shield, Hurstone Cup, 9 aside Football)

30 August - Daffodil Day

30 August - School Cross Country pp 2nd September

12 September - Kahui Kapa Haka

16-20 September - Maori Language Week

17 September - BOT monthly meeting

20 September - Tatarikihi Festival Kapahaka

27 September - Term 3 Ends

14 October - Term 4 Starts

17 October - Calf and Lamb Day

Win a family prize bundle! Hector's World is an online programme designed by Netsafe, to help inspire conversations around being safe online.

Netsafe are giving away an epic prize, valued at over $4,000, to celebrate the launch of Hector's World!
The prize pack includes:

• Springfree Compact Round trampoline

• Xbox Series S Starter Edition

• Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ (Gray)

• Weber Baby Q® BBQ

• Breville AirFryer Chef

• JBL Tune 500 headphones

• $500 Woolworths vouchers

• Family pass to Sealife Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium

Designed for family fun, it offers both online and offline entertainment for all the whānau.
The competition is open until 15th July - Head here for more information and to enter.

This opportunity is made possible thanks to the generous contributions of prize sponsors, including Springfree Trampoline, Noel Leeming Dunedin, Weber BBQs, Woolworths NZ, and SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium.

Toko Playcentre are putting out a new cookbook to add to the 1992 and 2000 versions.

If you have been a member or child of Toko Playcentre, we would love to have some recipes from the wider ex-Playcentre community.

If you’ve got a recipe to share with us, that you always get asked for, please send a typed copy to toko@playcentre.org.nz by 30 June.

Email: office@toko.school.nz
Website: www.toko.school.nz
Location: 1057 East Road, Toko, New Zealand
Phone: 06 7622849
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TokoSchool/?ref=bookmarks