It has been nice to have it a bit warmer this week and the field is slowly starting to dry out. Everyone has been managing the reduced playground space with lots of patience and resilience.

We are hoping to have our Junior playground up and running as soon as possible and the construction team are making a concerted effort to get this rectified for us.  Unfortunately the wet weather has caused delays beyond their control but getting our playground operational again is a priority for them. 

Principal Recruitment

As you will be aware, Papanui Primary School is in the process of recruiting a new Principal. Catalyst for Change Ltd. has been appointed by The Board of Trustees to work alongside them to facilitate this recruitment process.

Selecting the right person to lead the school is one of the most important tasks a Board can undertake. To ensure we get the best person and right fit for the role, we are seeking input from the whole school community, including students, parents and staff.

You will have been invited to take part in a survey to share your thoughts on what skills, experience and attributes are essential to lead our school.  We hope that as many of you as possible will take the time to complete this.

Covid update

Thank you for your continued efforts to keep transmission of COVID-19 and winter illnesses to a minimum. Increased levels of winter illnesses at the start of term are a common trend and when coupled with COVID-19, these can put significant pressure on schools and communities. The Ministry of Health modelling in July shows that numbers of severe respiratory illness cases, including both COVID-19 and flu, are well down. Your efforts will have certainly contributed to this outcome. Mask wearing when indoors continues to play an important role in minimising transmission of COVID-19 and winter illnesses, coupled with all your other layers of protection.

The Ministry of Health has updated the winter wellness guidance for parents, caregivers and whānau to reflect the following points:

• If a child has been unwell with a respiratory illness other than COVID-19, they can return to school 24 hours after they have significantly improved and are behaving/eating normally.
• Following vomiting or diarrhoea, a child should be symptom free for 48 hours before they can return.
• If they still have a runny nose or dry cough without any other symptoms such as a fever, vomiting or diarrhoea, then they are unlikely to be infectious and can be considered well enough to attend school.

Kia pai te wiki - Have a good week

Jo Morris