Kia ora koutou,

It is hard to believe we are halfway through Term 1 already. We have been busy at school and time has certainly flown! Once again there is a range of messages this week:

THANK YOU to all who contributed and helped with the Senior camps. I know these camps posed physical challenges for all the students. They arrived back hot, tired and proud of their accomplishments. Thanks also to Bridget, Aaron and Debbie who organised these learning experiences.

THANKS also to Aaron Power who is co-ordinating the property upgrades at school. A lot of work goes into this behind the scenes. Progress on the changing sheds is on track.

WELCOME to Lydia-Rose Twizell, and twins Richie and Charlie St George, all five year olds who have recently joined our New Entrant class.

CONGRATULATIONS to the recent “ Principal Award” recipients, Poppy Richardson, Elizabeth Burton-Brown and Angela Kim, who are all in the above photo. Further congratulations also to Poppy, who recently achieved great success at the Oceans20 Under 14 surf life-saving event where she gained both a NZ bronze and silver medal. What a great way to start the year!

TARGET STUDENT NOTIFICATION

If your child was noted in last year’s report as “Needing Improvement” in a curriculum area you should by now have been formally notified that he or she is a “Target Student” or “Priority Learner” in the class and that progress is being carefully monitored.

ARRIVAL TO AND DEPARTURE FROM SCHOOL

Teachers are preparing in rooms until 8:30. Please be aware that if you drop your child off very early at school there is no active supervision. Children arriving up until 8:30 am should wait quietly in the bus bay until the 8:30 bell rings.

At the end of the day there is again no active supervision. Children should be collected as close to the end of the school day as is practical, and supervised by parents if they are “staying to play” .

Recently some children have been involved in “play fighting” after school, which has often resulted in tears. Any sort of fighting is not allowed at school and we will be reiterating to children that the rules still apply before and after school.

SAFETY

Related to the item above is a concern about children running through parked cars on the field after school to access the native bush area. This area is out of bounds after school .

CULTUREFEST We are all looking forward to this event at school this coming Friday. Parents who are involved will receive an update tomorrow with arrival times and final details etc. We are combining this day with the nationwide “COLOUR DAY”, please see below.

COLOUR DAY Schools across the country are supporting this day, Friday 13th. It is a day when children can come to school in brightly coloured mufti and bring a gold coin to raise money for St Johns. It is a practical way to commemorate the events in Christchurch last year by raising funds for the first responders. The fact that it coincides with our Culturefest day is an added bonus. See attachment for further information.

CONTACT

Please feel free to contact me at susan.mcroberts@omokoroa.school.nz if you have anything you would like to discuss, or pop in if I am in the office.

Nga mihi nui,

Susan McRoberts