There's nothing like a beautiful Autumn day to lift the spirits.

Kia ora koutou te whanau

I hope you are all settling into the routine of the lock down as we near the end of the first two weeks.  It is such an unusual time for everyone, bringing both challenges and benefits.  We are officially in school holidays however we know from the emails coming in that there are lots of activities happening in homes, especially lots of creative work and physical activity.  With today's update from the Prime Minister  there is cautious optimism that the lock down is having the desired impact.   I think we all deserve a pat on the back for playing our part in " staying home and saving lives".

There are a number of online resources to support children and families during this time, and there is a new focus on helping everyone maintain their mental health and well-being.   Some of these may be of help to you, your friends or extended family, especially for anyone finding things difficult. I thought it would be useful to re-share some of this information as well as including new options.  

https://www.allright.org.nz/  This site has information and links to other sites for parents and families with lots of ideas for keeping active, well and focused during this time.  

https://sparklers.org.nz/   Sparklers has been designed for helping children maintain their well-being.  The site includes ways of doing this at home as well as learning activities. 

https://www.headspace.com/    Headspace provides support for people feeling stressed or having problems with sleep. 

https://manaake.health.nz/  Mana Ake is the group which usually works in primary schools to support children and their families.  During the lock down the Mana Ake team is available to parents / caregivers needing advice and support for their children.  

http://education.govt.nz/school/health-safety-and-wellbeing/pastoral-care-and-wellbeing/talking-to-children-about-covid-19-coronavirus/   This link is to the Ministry of Education's page with advice for parents / caregivers on how to manage learning from home along with other helpful advice on how to help children understand and manage their worries about the Corona virus. 

Our new school term begins on Wednesday 15 April.   Teachers have been working on preparing learning sites and planning ways to connect with their classes when the term begins.   They are also taking some well-deserved time for a break before we begin our new remote teaching and learning programmes.   We will be in contact (email, website and Facebook) before the beginning of the term to let you know what has been planned, and how your children can participate in learning at home. 

In the meantime look after yourselves.   Stay connected with friends and family, stay local on your daily outings, maintain social distance, and remember to wash your hands regularly with soapy water for 20 seconds.  

Kia kaha - stay strong. 

Sue Elley

Principal-Tumuaki