We've had a great start back to Term 2. It's nice to be operating in the Orange traffic light setting so it's important to keep up with the public health requirements so that we can stay here and hope for Green!

ATTENDANCE

In Term 1 the children's attendance at school was affected badly by the Covid outbreak, getting as low as 75% on some days, so it is really great to report that the children's attendance has lifted to pre-Covid levels.

• Monday 90%
• Tuesday 90%
• Wednesday 91%
• Thursday 92%
• Friday 92%

COVID CASES at SCHOOL

As of today, we only have 1 active case isolating and 3 isolating as household contacts - all children.  Second dose vaccinations of 5 - 11 year olds in our community are up to 23% ( a week ago it was 21.9%).  

I don't want to jinx it but things are feeling safe and settled in a Covid sense.  We will review our Year 4 - 6 mask request at the end of next week.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES ELECTIONS

The triennial elections due earlier this year were postponed until September. The election is for the parent reps and staff rep. We will be looking for parents to put their names forward to fill 5 parent rep positions.

The Board’s role is best summed up with these three words.

Representation 
Trustees at the school, on behalf of the community, make decisions in the best interests of all students.
Leadership 
Boards set the direction for the school and are future focused.
Accountability 
The Board is responsible for ensuring that the school is well managed and is working towards achieving its vision.

The board generally meets 8 times a year on a Tuesday at 7pm and most meetings last about 1 ½ hours. There is some reading and a few other tasks that may happen between meetings.

There is a lot of support available and this link is a great place to start if you are interested

https://parents.education.govt.nz/primary-school/getting-involved-in-your-childs-school/your-school-board-of-trustees/

The next board meeting is at 6pm on Tuesday 17 May. You are most welcome to come along - we will dedicate the first 10-15 minutes of the meeting for interested people to ask questions of the current board, there would be the option to stay on for the duration of the meeting.  

Principal's Sabbatical

This year I was awarded a Principal's Sabbatical.  The Primary Principals' Sabbatical is a period of 10 weeks' leave to undertake professional learning, reflection and rejuvenation.  I will be away in Term 3.  During my leave Jo Morris and Debbie Robertson will be in Acting Principal capacity for 5 weeks each.  I am very grateful for the support of the Board of Trustees.

Kia kaha te menemene - keep smiling

Paul