Newsletter - WE 11/02/2022

HYP Student Council
I was so pleased to see so many of our students involved in the Hurunui Youth Council this year. This is a great way for the voice of youth to be heard in very real ways so well done to Sam Bush, Arabella Manifold and Tamzyn Murdoch with a special mention to Laura Cundy who has been elected as Deputy Chair of the council.

Swimming Championship Races
The weather is looking much better for next week so we will be running these races in the first periods of the day on Wednesday. Students not competing will be in classes as normal.

Staffing Increase from Monday
As part of our business continuity plan for omicron we will be welcoming back Ms Dryden and Mrs Parker next week to provide ongoing relief cover and support for teachers who need to provide for students who may be isolating at home. The increase in cases is going far slower than expected, however numbers are certainly rising day by day and we are actively working on our plan to support students as and when the need arises. Until then it is business as normal for us all! Long may it last!

Close Vs Casual Contacts at School If we do get a case at school it is important to understand how we will determine close vs casual contacts. Close contacts will be required to isolate and casual will not. In the guidance we have from the Ministry of Health there are three defining factors that will help us to identify the difference.

1. Whether the positive case was wearing a mask or not? (If not the parameters change dramatically)
2. Was the positive case within 1.5m of another person?
3. Were they within that distance for over two hours?

In the event of a case at school a representative from the Ministry of Education will work with the school to identify these contacts from our rolls, our class and bus seating plans and then consider any extra parameters that may move an individual from casual status to close.
Having never been through this process there is little I can say as to how this runs however I can assure you that we will communicate fully and openly all along the way.

Have wonderful weekend.
Nga mihi nui.
James GriggsPrincipal
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Senior School News

Ngā mihi o te tau hou
2022 school year has started off positively for our students at Amuri. It has been pleasing to see all the students with a positive attitude, correct uniform, and great behaviour to start the new year.

Learning opportunities for our senior school students are wide and varied. The nature of an area school is that often we extend students learning opportunities through alternative methods rather than just the traditional in the class learning. With these opportunities comes responsibility and I implore students to make the most of their opportunities by getting a focused mindset for success, developing self-management skills and working on their perseverance and resilience skills.

Already this year I have seen opportunities start in:Year 7/8 Technology cycle has started incorporating students from Hanmer school in combined classes. Students will complete modules of learning within different areas of technology through out the year. This is a great opportunity for students from both schools getting to know each other before the big transition into Year 9.

To complement our in-house subject selection, students in Year 11, 12 and 13 have the choice of taking alternative subjects delivered in an online environment through NetNZ. Students enrolled in these courses will have one online skype call with their teacher per week and the remaining three hours need to be focused study time where they work on the work that has been set by the teacher.

We have seen a big increase in our students’ attending courses at ARA & National Trades Academy for 2022. All courses have now started and students attending would have completed their initial induction and be ready to start their programmes of study next week. We are really lucky to have Steve and Colin our van drivers back on board ferrying these students to and from Christchurch venues. A big thank you to both of them.

Timetables for individual students in the senior school are now pretty much finalised. Students should now have timetables that reflect their programme of study for the year. If you have any questions about timetables, please contact me directly.

Study periods make up the content of many Year 11, 12 and 13 students timetables. This time is given to students to acknowledge the workload of NCEA and the need to manage and plan a large proportion of time with self-directed study. This time is expected to be used at school. The Academy or Tutorial Room 1 are available as quiet spaces to work.

I am looking forward to the postponed swimming sports taking place next week, and students putting forward their best effort, modelling the Amuri ‘ASPIRE’ to all.

Nicole Peterson
Deputy Principal Senior School
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Dates for Your diary
February
14th Primary Swimming Coaching - Pool
15th Life Education Visit - Year 1-6
16th Senior Swimming Sports
16th Board of Trustees Meeting @ 6:00pm
22nd Year 7/8 Cricket Coaching
23rd Primary Swimming Display - TBC
24th Senior Athletics
March
3rd Senior Athletics Postponement
4th HPSSA Swimming
4th Year 12/13 Bio Field Trip to Orana Park
8th HPSSA Swimming Postponement
9th-11th Year 7 Camp - Hanmer Springs
14th Year 1-6 Poolside Swimming Coaching
14th-16th Year 9 Camp - Windy Point
16th Board of Trustees Meeting @ 6:00pm
23rd Hurunui Duathlon - Hanmer Springs
25th Hurunui Duathlon Postponement
28th-1st Year 11-13 Narrative Arts Camp
31st CPS Swimming at Selwyn Aquatic Centre
April
3rd-7th Year 12 OE Marlborough Sounds Expedition
4th Crash Bash with HDC
11th HPSSA Softball at Amuri Area School
HPSSA Teeball at Scargill
13th HPSSA Softball at AAS Postponement
HPSSA Teeball at Scargill Postponement
14th End of Term 1
May
2nd Start of Term 2