Welcome back to Term 2
This special edition newsletter has some important information and updates for you concerning our distance learning. In particular, do let me know if you need to borrow one of school devices.
Our lovely teachers have taken time out to rest during the school holidays and they are all now looking forward to catching up with you as the new term begins. As a staff, we are making use of social media to ensure that we continue to work together as a strong and connected team and I have been so pleased to see the thought and care that teachers have put into developing learning plans for our children.
We do appreciate that there are different constraints on time for different families and our approach to distance learning is one of flexibility. You will not find strict timings for learning tasks but rather we ask that you help your child to engage with their learning each day, at a time that suits you. When the teachers contact you they will ask you to let them know that you have seen their email. I have asked the teachers to do this so that we can make sure that we are in touch with all our families and that we can be sure that all members of our school whanau are okay.
While the school is physically closed, the teachers and teacher aides will continue to plan and provide quality learning experiences for the children. They will keep in touch with you and provide ongoing support. All of this is new for all of us but, as usual, the positive attitude of our staff shines through. It is very important to us all that we continue to maintain our strong sense of community. I feel so lucky to live inside the school zone, as it gladdens my heart when I see our families out and about. I know that all of us are looking forward to the time when we can be all together again at school. However, for the time being our priority must be to stay safe and well and that means that we must find new ways of working at a distance. As ever, the wellbeing of our children is paramount for us. The following resource adds to the information we have previously provided supporting conversations with children about COVID-19 - http://education.govt.nz/school/health-safety-and-wellbeing/pastoral-care-and-wellbeing/talking-to-children-about-covid-19-coronavirus/ From overseas, this 25 Mental Health Wellness Tips during Quarantine from Eileen M Feliciano, Psy.D. is a good list and highlights some things particularly important for children. Remember the rules of New Zealand’s level 4 lockdown still apply.
I thank you for your support and wish you all well.
Nga Mihi
Beverley