I would like to whole heartedly thank the Rolleston School Board of Trustees, staff and community for the aroha and support they have provided to the students of Te Ahi Kāikomako Rolleston School.

Our staff have been truly amazing. The additional time and effort they have put in over the last two weeks to ensure our students were safe within a positive environment has been amazing. Added to this the significant amount of time they have spent in preparing home based resources is a credit to the E Tū Tāngata mindset we are developing here at Rolleston School - Others Matter.

Over the last couple of days it has been great to connect with those of you who have popped into school to collect personal items or visit the school library and issue a few books. As a community it is encouraging to hear how positive we all are for the upcoming self isolation period. Thank you all for your kind words and messages of support.

School Holiday's

As you are aware the Term 1 holidays have been brought forward. This will begin on Monday 30th March and end on Tuesday 14th April.

This time is an ideal opportunity to focus in on establishing key messages, routines and re-connecting as a family during an uncertain time. All our children (mine included) are about to experience a "new normal" for the next month and this is an ideal opportunity for us as parents and caregivers to reassure, role model our individual responsibilities and most importantly show kindness and a sense of security.

Leading neuroscience educator Nathan Wallis has supplied the following key messages which I believe is perfect in this time. This will also be shared on our school Facebook page.

Nathan Wallis - What to focus on in these early days.

Home based Learning

Rolleston School will send out a notification via email, facebook and the school app. with instructions of how to access home-based learning resources. This notification will be sent to all whānau before the official holiday period ends on Tuesday 14th April.

E Tū Tāngata Rolleston School

You have value: During this time of self isolation don't forget to look after YOU.

• Choose where you focus your attention.
• Do the "stuff" that makes you happy.
• Create new & supportive daily routines. "As normal as possible, as Flexible as necessary.
• Focus on what matters, and what you can control
• Find the right people to talk to.
• Give your brain a holiday from "COVID-19" - control your media diet.
• Keep safe & don't be reckless
• BE KIND TO YOURSELF AND OTHERS

We succeed together: As individuals it is our social responsibility to ensure we ALL follow the strict conditions of the upcoming "self-isolation" period. As our children's key influencer we must role model these and ensure our children feel a sense that they are contributing to the greater good.

Within our own homes the creation of set routines where everyone in the house feels like they are contributing also raises a strong sense of unity. For a child, contributing could look like cleaning their room, helping with the cooking, tending the vegetable garden, going for a walk as a family. Praise your children for any and every contribution they make.

To fight COVID-19 we all need to succeed together.

Others Matter: This one is easy...........Remember everyone is doing their best to navigate these exceptional times. A little kindness will go a long way. A lot of kindness is even better. Maintaining those connections during times of challenge is more important than ever.

Feeling isolated from others is not a nice feeling. If you can’t catch up with your key supportive people face to face right now, find other ways of doing so. And if you’re not used to using other options such as skype, zoom, or social media apps to call, find someone who can demystify and demonstrate these for you.

Your child will be looking to you for guidance. Parents, caregivers and whānau will have a particularly important part to play in reassuring children at this time. If you haven’t already done so, you may wish to read the information put together by the Ministry of Education to support your conversations with your children – Talking to children about COVID-19

We will be in touch prior to the end of the holiday period with an update on Home Based Learning resources.

I know in this time we can - BE KIND, BE SAFE, BE RESPONSIBLE and BE CONNECTED.

Kia kaha

Simon