In this week's newsletter:

School Life

• Studio Life
• Stationery Payments
• COVID Update
• NUONI Notices & Whānau Forum Booking Details

Sport & Arts Opportunities

• Link to list of opportunities

Other Opportunities

• Te Reo Māori course

Studio Life

The pictures below give a sense of how busy school is at the moment, and how hard the children are working. Your child's teacher already knows a lot about them as learners, their achievements, and their progress. 

We use lots of terms at school that you may not be familiar with. If you scan through the pictures below you will see all of these things in action and hopefully understand them a bit better.

Workshops

Workshops are small groups of children working intensely with a teacher. In the photos you can see reading workshops, maths workshops and children will also have workshops in writing. The children might be learning new knowledge or skills.

Working Together

You can also see photographs of children working together. These children will have the same task to complete and working on this at the same time means that they can ask to clarify, compare their work and support each other. You will see that when children are working together they are working in their books so teachers can monitor the high expectations they have of students.

Working Collaboratively

Working collaboratively is very different from working together. Children are explaining and sharing ideas. When I was at school (a very long time ago) there was a huge stigma around copying. Your children have a much more productive understanding of the value of collaborating.

Children marking their own work

It is important to remember that 'the person doing the work is doing the learning'. When children are working together to mark work they have to compare and explain errors. They are working hard and so learning a lot.

Children working quietly, independently

It is important that children have opportunities to work quietly on their own. Our studios are designed well for this, and the teachers design the learning so there are times in the day and spaces where children have this opportunity.

Stationery Payments & School Donations

Please pay your stationery costs by tomorrow - $20. If you would like to make the school donation this can be done at the same time. You can pay any amount you like. Our suggested donation is $500 and you are welcome to pay in termly instalments of $125.

Payments can be made to: 12-3020-0460008-00

COVID Update

Despite the growing number of cases we are doing really well at school. More staff than usual have been away, but so far we have managed to cover classes from our team of relievers. No classes or studios have had to move to supervision only.

As of midnight tonight New Zealand is moving to phase three of the red traffic light system. At phase three the focus moves away from close contacts. We are waiting on clear instructions from the Ministries of Health and Education and will update you as soon as possible.

What really helps us

It really helps us if you provide detailed notes in Hero if you are notifying us of an absence. Please include;

1. Any symptoms
2. If your child has been tested

We will send out our main communication through the Hero app so it's important that you have notifications turned on for this app. We recommend downloading the Hero app specifically rather than relying on the email notifications solely. We will also send out a notification via the School AppsNZ app of messages posted to Hero. We will not post the messages on the School AppsNZ app as the app is opt-in and relies on users to select the correct settings and therefore we cannot be sure the right messages are getting right users.

What you can expect from us

We will inform you;

• If we have had a case at school that is not associated with your child's studio or year group or class
• If we have had a case at school that is associated with your child's year group
• If we have had a case associated with your child's class or studio
• If your child is considered a close contact

Please note the following information on close contacts;

• Children in Junior classes will likely be classified as a close contact if there is a case in their studio. Even though teachers are always wearing masks inside, students do not and this makes them more susceptible to transmission.
• Children in the Middle School and Senior School will not likely be classified as close contacts, even if there is a case in the studio. A close contact (according to the Ministry of Education) will have been unmasked in the vicinity of the case and involved in activities likely to cause transmission - such as singing.

We will provide you with as much information as we can so you can make the best decision for your children and your whānau.

Ngā Uri o Ngā Iwi

Tēnā koutou i roto i ngā manaakitanga katoa.

It has been great to see the majority of our students now back at kura, however we do appreciate that as individual households contract covid, attendance is affected. For those however who feel that kura is not safe, we would like to reassure you that we have put health measures in place to ensure classes are well ventilated, tuakana students keep masks on inside and all students are going outside every hour. 

We want to maintain on-site learning for as long as we can. We have managed to ensure classes have kaiako in front of them, despite Whaea Tui and Whaea Keeghan being away over the past two weeks for personal whānau reasons. 

Whānau Forum for Ngā Uri o Ngā Iwi 

Whānau Forum will be run online this term. 

• Wednesday & Thursday March 2-3
• Booking Website: https://www.schoolinterviews.co.nz/
• Booking Code: q6fhd
• One booking per family please

These are an opportunity for us to get to know you and your tamaiti and your expectations as a whānau for their learning this year.
These are some things you might like to discuss as a whānau before the Meet:

• What motivates your child?
• What things do you know about your child that we may not?
• What do you find brings out the best in your child?
• What are hoping for your child this year?

One appointment will be made for both parents and a Google Meet invite sent out to your email addresses.

Sports & Arts Opportunities

In case you missed the extra article last week, here's the link to the full list of sports and arts opportunities available.

https://hail.to/westmere-school-te-rehu/article/dYVEsew 

Other Opportunities

Te Ara Reo Māori Level 2 He Pi Ka Pao with Te Wānanga O Aotearoa 

If you want to learn some basic Māori language, Te Ara Reo Māori (He pī ka pao) Level 2 is the perfect place to start. Whether you want to use Te Reo Māori at home with the kids or in the workplace, this interactive programme will have you speaking with confidence in no time.

You'll learn about:

• Pronouncing Māori words, names and place names
• Using basic greetings and introducing yourself
• Understanding and following tikanga (protocols)
• Performing waiata (songs)
• Using Māori words with confidence
• Understanding basic sentence structures

Class information:

• Start the week of 7th March 2022 (If there are any changes with this start date you will be notified with an email). The intention is for these classes to be held onsite at Westmere School. Due to Covid lessons will begin online.
• Delivered over 38-weeks and is fees free
• Tauira (students) must attend:

• A weekly class of 3-hours tutorial, date/time: Monday 3.30-6.30pm
• 2 x noho marae (26-hours each)
• 4 x one-day wānanga (8-hours each)

How to enrol

1. Fill in complete an online enrolment on our website here: https://www.twoa.ac.nz/online-enrol
2. Email confirmation that you have enrolled online and attach a copy of your ID to saini.semisi@twoa.ac.nz

Eligible forms of ID include Passport (with visa) or Birth certificate. Please note a driver’s license is not accepted.