Dear KingsWay Community,

I trust that today had students return to distance learning without too many hitches. Realistically, we do not know how long the country will be at Alert Level 3, so it is best to establish healthy routines right from the outset, such as sitting at a table when doing schoolwork.

I realise that this may be difficult with larger families, especially with a few siblings online simultaneously. However, once online lessons are complete, I advise returning to a shared seating arrangement such as the dining table if possible. Devices can be distracting, and there is no shame in monitoring activity- we do it all the time at school.

Wellbeing

Setting up healthy routines early in lockdown is a great way to ensure wellbeing should the government extend Alert Level 3. Consider what your daily pattern looks like and see if you can:

1. Establish a regular sleep pattern – screen down, the light's out and set the alarm.

2. Carve out space for physical activity – go for a walk, a swim or a jog along the beach.

3. Take a moment or two to be thankful for the simple things.

4. Share time doing something with those that matter most. Read a story to the kids, tell your spouse you love them, send a short message to loved ones abroad.

5. Eat well – buy fresh foods in season (they're cheaper), go with the staples, and get the kids involved in making dinner!

Full School Digital Parent Information 7-8 pm, 4 March

To address the challenge of COVID, we are excited to trial our first online full school parent meeting.

I realise that many of you may find the thought of connecting online challenging or frustrating. We hope to make this as easy and painless as possible.

Here is what you need to know:

• Please join us at 7 pm for the Full School Parent General Meeting by clicking on this link.

• Following the General session, there are three opportunities to meet your child's homeroom teacher. You can choose to attend any of these:

General Session: 7pm-7.15pm

Session 1: Meet the Homeroom/Form teacher: 7.20pm-7.30pm

Session 2: Meet the Homeroom/Form teacher: 7.35pm-7.45pm

Session 3: Meet the Homeroom/Form teacher: 7.50pm-8pm

• The purpose of the meeting is to connect and put a face to the name of your child's homeroom/form teacher, who is your family's key point of contact with the school in 2021. There is a time for questions but avoid getting into details such as addressing your child's specific learning needs. Please contact the teacher directly to discuss these specifics.

• We will email you a link tomorrow or Thursday which connects you to your child's homeroom/form teacher meeting. Please note the start and end time of each session to avoid joining a conversation partway through.

Primary School Specific Information

Students should have settled into their first day of Home Learning.

The first Class Catch Ups took place today. Please contact your child's teacher if you experienced any problems connecting to the meeting.

If you missed the collection yesterday, please collect any Home Learning Packs from the Senior Campus Reception in Jelas Rd.

Year 5&6 Optional BYOD Parent Meeting takes place tonight at 7:30 pm

• Click here to join the meeting
• Parents who have already attended the meeting in 2020 or attended a previous Primary BYOD meeting for an older sibling do NOT need to attend again.

Middle School Specific Information

Students are now accessing our full Middle School Distance Learning programme. Teachers take note of attendance in the morning and afternoon Zoom sessions as this is a valuable time of learning which enables students to go on to work through their online lessons. It is also a time of connection with their peers and teachers. We understand that it is not always possible for them to get online. If you can, please encourage your child to explain the planning and their learning to you to assist them in remaining engaged. If there are any issues or questions to communicate, please contact your child's Form teacher, who can help.

The Middle School has a culture of getting involved and having fun, so please encourage your child to get involved with the week's Whanau Physical Challenge activity. This procedure is detailed on their Google Classroom and in a video posted by Mrs Lambert.

Senior School Specific Information

Based on feedback we have had from previous lockdown's we know that while some students thrive, others find it difficult. Motivation can be an issue for some when they do not have face-to-face contact and accountability that comes with classroom teaching. With this in mind, we encourage you to have regular conversations about how they are going and what will keep them motivated. Please help them to stay in routine (don't believe them when they say they have no online classes every day until 1 pm) and to have some social/online contact with their peers to encourage them.

Students will have had online meetings with teachers by this stage and engaged with learning. We recommend checking with students that this is happening and contacting the relevant subject teacher if you have queries.

In terms of attendance, teachers will be taking a roll and passing on the names of students who have not attended classes. Form Class teachers will then be following up with these students. As noted before, if there are any connectivity issues, please contact daniel.bennett@kingsway.school

Kind regards,

Graeme Budler
Executive Principal