Newsletter

School Events: COVID Level Two restricts nearly everything that we would normally do at the end of a school year. As a result, we have had to make the following decisions.

The following are cancelled.

• Triathlon
• End of Year Matinee
• End of Year Evening Performance
• School Whanau Hangi

With the concert, the children will still develop an item that will be performed to the other classrooms and then filmed for Facebook and Seesaw so parents can see.

The following is modified.

• Year Six Prizegiving - Thursday 9th December, 7.00pm at the Christian Activity Centre chapel. Invitation only.

The following will proceed pretty much as normal but with some COVID responsibilities.

• End of Year Interviews with Reports

Vaccine Mandate and Parent Involvement in School: We value our parental involvement in the school. It fits in with our vision statement around being 'connected'. We also know that our children value it as well. The recent Public Health Order around vaccination has some implications to this that we normally do not have to navigate but now are required to.

The Order does not apply to people/parents who are visiting the school and as such, there is no need for the school to request vaccination status. This includes the following...

• Parents or caregivers dropping off, picking up, or settling children at a school or kura.
  
• Parents or caregivers attending meetings or events on-site (e.g. for parent-teacher interviews)
  

The Order does apply to people who are offering a service to the school as a volunteer and, as such, the school would then need to request vaccination status to be involved. A person/parent is eligible if they have had had their first vaccination by the 15th of November and their second by 1st January. For example...

• Parents, caregivers or volunteers at an Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) programme or excursion.
• Parents, caregivers and members of the community who are volunteers at a school.
  

This is because they are carrying out work (unpaid) at or for a school and they may have contact with children or will be present at a time when children are also present.

Complicating this is that we are at Level Two Covid Alert Level which already has minimal parental involvement.

Launchpad: A big thank you to our Launchpad teachers for the work that they have done through the school in 2022. The year is fast approaching its end and Launchpad is finished for 2021. Thank you to Mrs Bourke for her coordinator's role and how she kept the school so well informed of all the different arrangements in regards to the programme.

Team Kereru - Arrangements: For the last four weeks of Term Four Mrs Kate Ure will be teaching Team Kereru. We really appreciate her availability and support for Team Kereru and our school. It is really appreciated and gives that classroom one consistent teacher throughout these final weeks.

Christmas Postie Elf - Week 7 and 8: A reminder that the Christmas Postie Elf will begin his Christmas card deliveries on Monday 29th November through to Friday 10th December. There will be a postbox set up outside the staffroom at the start of each day to collect all the Christmas cards.

Last year the Christmas Postie Elf delivered hundreds of cards to the children.

It is a lot of fun.

Thank You - Team Edendale

• Glen Perkins: Glen is our IT guy from SouthernIT. I really don't know what I would do without him. He knows our system so well and has journeyed with us for many years. His calm 'nothing is a bother' manner is so appreciated. He works to solve our problems, some of which can be quite technical in their nature. Every school needs a Glen. We are so lucky to have him.

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.
• Diameter: 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.

TERM FOUR

Week Eight (of 8)

• Thursday 9th December - In school class swap for 2022
• Thursday 9th December - Year Six Prizegiving, 7.00pm

Board Elections - 2022

Board Elections for 2022 have been delayed until September 2022.

We will be looking for parents who have strength in strategic thinking, teamwork and analysis of trends and patterns to help build the school of tomorrow.

Talk to a BOT member and even come along to a meeting to see how this works in practice.

End of Year Christmas Hamper - Raffle Items

The Home and School would like to ask each family to please donate non-perishable (check expiry date) grocery items for our Christmas Hampers Raffle.

Please drop these items in your classroom donation boxes by Wednesday 24th November. Thanks very much.

• Team Kea: Christmas decorations

• Team Kiwi: Packets eg cereal, jelly, crackers, chips, biscuits, etc

• Team Weka: Fun to do eg cards, games, colouring pens/books, etc

• Team Pukeko: Sweets eg lollipops, marshmallows, popcorn, etc

• Team Tui: Condiments eg food topping, jams, sauces, etc

• Team Kereru: Drinks eg fizz, juice, water, etc

• Team Kahu: Cans of food eg fruit, corn, spaghetti, tomato sauce, etc

Thank you to Mrs Denise Fodie for being our coordinator for this.

Cattle - Fundraising

We are most grateful for the support of our farming community in relation to cattle raising and grazing. It is providing the Home and School with a strong income stream to support the school.

If you can help please contact Hamish Blackmore on 027 636 0421 or hamishandcaroline@gmail.com.

Next Meeting - Term One 2022

The Term One 2022 meeting of the Home and School is scheduled for Monday 28th February starting at 7.30pm in the school staffroom.

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 only.
• 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 if it can't be outside and certificates are presented to each class separately.
• Events that are publicly 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 we would take advice from the Ministry of Education and Public Health. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the case it is possible that the following could happen.

1. The school would close for three days for cleaning and contact tracing.
2. The school would then most probably close for a further 14 days to restrict the spread of the virus.

We would be grateful for any information should you or your family member contract COVID. We would contact the MOE and take advice from them.

There is an indication from the MOE that this approach may be updated and so as information comes to hand we will let you know.

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...

1. Good WIFI
2. 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. Check out the Noel Leeming link below for Chromebooks.

When parents are in school in their role as parents then there is no vaccine requirement.

When parents are in school offering a service to the school (parent help, sports coach, camp parent, swimming helper etc), then there is a requirement to be vaccinated. We are now required to ask for evidence of vaccination. This will be confidentially stored and recorded into a vaccine register.

After School Care - Arrangements

After School Care is now job shared between Mrs Amy Smith and Charley Wang. Those enrolled in After School Care should have received notification of this fact this week which sets out which days each person is doing from now until the end of the school year.

Swimming Lessons - Thank You

A big thank you to Tracey Lockhart and Tracey Ross for taking the time to give our classrooms swimming lessons.

School Interviews - Monday 29th November to Friday 3rd of December

Depending on what alert level we are on, school interviews will proceed at the end of this month with some modifications.

When attending, with your child, at their interview please follow the COVID protocols for this event.

1. Sign in to our school with the QR code that will be at your child's classroom.

2. Wait at the designated area outside of the classroom.

3. Enter after the previous parents have exited.

4. Hand sanitise before going into the room.

5. Maintain suitable distance from non-family contacts.

6. For everyone's protection staff and attendees over 12 are asked to wear a mask.

Link: www.schoolinterviews.co.nz

Here's the code: u8mt7

QR Code Link: See below for the direct link via a QR code.

You can go directly to it from the link posted below.

Remember, you are welcome to bring along a whanau support person, who is someone who have a regular input into your child's life. Further, the interview is for the child and their whanau support only. Other siblings are to remain outside the room waiting or playing suitably in the playground.

All school library books need to be returned as soon as possible so that we can undertake our annual library stock-take. Thank you.

Outstanding Accounts - Paid Up

We would really appreciate all outstanding accounts to be paid up as soon as possible to help us with our end of your financial processes. Thank you.

Book Club - Issue 8

Scholastic Book Club Issue 8 has gone home.

All orders need to be returned to the office by Monday 22 November, to ensure books arrive before the last day of school.

Team Kea has 19 superstars! We have been busy welcoming new 5 year olds and some who are having visits ready for next year. We have been lucky this year to have Mrs Shepherd teach us for some days each term. With her we have been learning about writing, reading, strand for maths, Māori and P.E games and skills.

We have been learning lots. For reading each group has been moving through the levels and been working on pointing and recognising words.

For maths we have been learning about number knowledge and addition and subtraction.

During writing time, the children are working on their pencil skills, sounds and letters and forming sentences.

During the day we have action station time. This is where the children can choose what they do. During this time the children are practising our key competencies and using their social skills and creative skills. They love this time of day and enjoy stations like lego, playdough, crafts, drawing table and dinosaurs.

Here are some favourite memories about being in Team Kea and at school:

• Cooper – “I have liked playing on the scooters and with lego with my friends.”

• Liam – “I like playing on my scooter. I like our treasure box and making crafts for my friends and family.”

• Winston – “I like lego and all the action stations. Our playground and sandpit are fun at playtimes. My favourite learning to do is numbers at maths time. I like going to the library too!”

• Penny – “I like playing with the dolls house. It is fun when we play games like Go Fish. My favourite thing to learn is writing.”

• Henry – “I like the sandpit and our parachute games. Action stations are really fun and I love getting something out of our treasure box.”

Regards,

Miss Laura McVicar

Teacher Team Kea

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.

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

Jake Tay is Team Kea’s MVP for Ponotanga - Integrity.

Jake is a wonderful young man who demonstrates many of our school values.

Jake walks into our room in the morning with a cheerful smile and greets myself and his peers. He gets along with others and is a reliable friend. Jake plays fairly and treats the people around him with respect.

Jake has a positive attitude and can be trusted to be doing the right thing. He knows our classroom routines and is an excellent helper throughout the day. I love the way Jake uses his initiative and does things without being asked.

Jake makes positive choices that help him be a great learner and valued class member. He is always willing to try new things and consistently works hard.

You have had an awesome start to your learning journey Jake. We are very lucky to have a wonderful role model like you at Edendale Primary School.

Keep being a superstar!

This week’s MVP in Team Kiwi for Ponotanga - Integrity is Leroy Orr.

Leroy is a student who thoroughly deserves this MVP for integrity as he has made positive choices throughout the year. He can be trusted to do the right thing at the right time even when no one is looking.

Leroy happily participates in all classroom activities and is a good listener. When work is challenging, he perseveres by making sure it is finished to the best of his ability.

Leroy is an honest and respectful class member and treats others the way he wants to be treated, which makes him a great friend to all. Leroy has super manners and always uses please and thank you.

Leroy makes positive choices at home by making sure he completes his learning partnership homework and returning his reading book each day. By doing this, he has made great progress this year.

Leroy makes sure he puts away any equipment he is using and takes care of our class equipment. During tidy up time Leroy can often be spotted helping others tidy their space.

Leroy, it has been a pleasure to have you as part of Team Kiwi this year.

Keep up the fantastic work!

Zoe Muir is this week’s MVP in Team Kahu for the value of Ponotanga - Integrity.

Zoe is a happy, friendly and helpful classmate who is popular with her peers. I know that Zoe will always do the right thing even when no one is looking. She is a team-mate that we know to be trustworthy and that we can rely on to be honest, helpful and hard-working throughout the day, both in the classroom and in the playground. Zoe will act with integrity at all times.

Zoe completes her work to a high standard because she is respectful and wants to be the best learner she can. She carries out her Year Six duties with care and integrity. Zoe gets her jobs done quickly and efficiently, being quick to help others if they need it and not expecting any reward for it.

When it comes to participating in learning activities, Zoe is often the first to get involved and she makes the most of all opportunities. In the classroom, Zoe contributes to discussions and supports her group-members with completing tasks that have been set, helping wherever is needed and actively contributing to the task.

You are a super student to work with, Zoe - your work ethic, willingness to learn and displays of integrity make you a fantastic role-model for all our Edendale pupils.

Keep up the excellent work!

Penny Blackmore

After school I heard thunder and lightning. Milly my dog was afraid of the thunder and lightning.

It was very loud and it poured down with rain.

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