We must not underestimate the toll that the COVID experience has had on us all. This is an extraordinary experience for everyone over many months with us all needing to stay positive, being kind and getting through. Being back at level two, with the uncertainty of how this will play out over the coming days and possibly weeks requires degrees of resilience. We are all feeling ‘COVID-weary’. We continue to be positive in front of our families, colleagues and friends. Underneath we are more likely to be feeling unsure, with a degree of anxiety bubbling beneath the surface. Digging deep is harder than it was. So again, be kind to yourself and be aware we are all feeling this in our own way.

There is support that you can access via Mana Ake. Justine is at our school every Thursday afternoon if you would like to call in or if you would prefer to contact her then just let me know and I can forward contact details. Their website is also very helpful and is being updated regularly with other avenues for support and advice. https://manaake.health.nz/

We have also had incidents of children accessing online sites that are inappropriate and also messaging online in unsafe ways. If you are having issues keeping your child cyber safe then we urge you to access the resources for parents on netsafe. https://www.netsafe.org.nz/

The majority of concerns are happening in homes not at school. If it does happen at school we follow through a process of teaching children the risks and there are also consequences of being blocked from internet access on the school domain. We all need to take this very seriously to ensure children learn from their mistakes and develop safe, responsible habits.

The mid-term board elections occur towards the end of this year. There has been an amendment to the regulations that will take effect 1 September and this will mean that the voting will occur earlier than expected to allow for a longer time period for postal votes. We will keep you informed of the dates next term. However, if joining the board is of interest to you now is the time to start considering this role. You are welcome to come and talk to me or current board members about this interesting and rewarding role, joining a fabulous team committed to ensuring the best for FOS.

I know we are all waiting for the next announcement from the government and are hopeful for good news in relation to the levels across the country. Meanwhile, we will try to keep everything happening at school. So to update you all.

• The photos were all completed on Tuesday and thank you for your cooperation with hall access.

• Sport is being juggled and if we cannot offer the inter-school events then we will ensure quality sports options at school.

• The Knowledge-a-thon has continued with great engagement from the children learning all their facts. The sponsorship money is appreciated and was scheduled to close tomorrow but we can still take sponsorship money next week. If we cannot have a full assembly to celebrate this event then we will offer team-based ones.

• The School Council’s ‘FOS has got Talent’ auditions are complete and the event is to be filmed and shared with all of our children. So many children auditioned and it has been delightful to see so many having a go. By the end of this week, children will know if they are required for the filming next week to showcase their talents.

• The Wearable Arts for term 4 is still underway with all the rich learning that leads to this event and we are considering ways that this can be shared and celebrated. With uncertainty over the alert levels and the CCC hall not being available for 2 weeks prior to the elections a full performance as we have known in the past is not going to be an option this year. However, we will be showcasing the learning in other ways

• Swimming for year 3 to 6 in weeks 7 and 8 is still on, this will only change if the pools are closed by the CCC.

‘He iti hau marangai e tū te pāhokahoka’

‘After the storm, the rainbow appears’

I hope our rainbow is not far away! Enjoy your weekend.

Kia kaha Raewyn