1. Principal's News Term 4, Week 1, 2021

Kia Ora,

It is good to be back at school and off to a great start to term 4.  Today we had the most beautiful liturgy to celebrate the hikoi of Te Ara A Maria which is travelling from Bluff up to Wellington and stopping in schools and parishes along the way.  Te Ara a Maria is a painting of Mary holding Baby Jesus by a New Zealand artist, depicted as Maori New Zealanders in a New Zealand setting.  It is absolutely beautiful and Mrs Misiloi and her class did a wonderful job of presenting it this morning.  I have put videos on Facebook too.

Book Week

Next week is book week and we will be displaying books for sale in our STEAM room opposite the hall.  The display will be open for parents to visit at 3-3.30pm Tuesday to Thursday next week.  Please wear a mask.  Eftpos will be available.

Book Character Day

Next Tuesday children may come dressed as their favourite book character.  Please do not feel you need to purchase costumes or anything like that.  Let's keep this simple and whatever you can find around your home or make is perfect.  If your child does not wish to dress up they can come in normal school uniform.   Here's an old picture from a previous book character day.

Tsunami Drill

A reminder that we are practising our tsunami drill next Thursday as the sample school for New Zealand.   We will be live on Breakfast TV at 7.55 am and again at 8.55 am.   The drill will also be live-streamed through Facebook.  In consultation with NEMA I have changed our tsunami drill and we will be going to the grassy area behind the Parish Centre.  This is 31m above sea level and will be an adequate height.  If we ever have an earthquake we will always move to higher ground and this is where you will collect your children.

Multicultural Day

This is on Wednesday 10th November.  We will need to do it slightly differently for Level 2 and teachers will be running the classroom workshops but they will need your input for ideas.  We love to see our cultural performances in the afternoon and please go ahead and organise something for this.  This will be live-streamed and if you have organised a group you will be able to come into school to supervise them.

All children please come wearing cultural clothes and bring a meal to share at lunchtime.

Mufti Day

This is this Friday please bring a gold coin donation to contribute to the Waitaki Sports Centre

Vaccination Heads up

Please note parent helpers will need to have their first Covid vaccination by 15 November and second by 1 January 2022.  

Athletics

There is no North Otago athletics this year due to our Covid restrictions and for the same reason, we will be having athletics based here at school this year rather than at the stadium.  We will need some parent helpers and parents may also come to watch.  You will need to wear masks and keep 2m away from children please.

Teacher Only Day Reminders

These are Monday 1st November

Tuesday 30th November.

School will be closed on these days.

God Bless and Aroha,

Lorraine