1. Principal's News Week 1 Term 1 2022

Welcome Back

A big welcome back to our awesome tamariki and their whanau.  Also to returning and new families.  We are so delighted to see you all again.

Introducing Miss French

We are delighted to welcome Miss French this term. 

She says, "Kia ora, I am Julie French and I am new to St. Josephs. 

Originally from England, I have been in New Zealand for 19 years now and love it here. I have loved my first week at school and am looking forward to a great term."

Outside Time

We are making the most of every moment we have outside with our masks off.

Meet the Teacher Evening

We would like to offer you the opportunity for a virtual gathering next Tuesday 8th February at 6pm.  This will be a Zoom meeting.  We will talk about the exciting learning we have planned this term and next term and explain our plans for how we will continue to do this.  This will take about 15 minutes with the opportunity for questions.  Then you will have the opportunity to have a specific meet the teacher opportunity with your child's teacher.  There will be a separate link for each Zoom and you can link into your child's teacher who will tell you about class routines and expectations and have an opportunity for questions.  Each class will have a separate time for their Zoom so that if you have more than one child you will be able to connect with all of their teachers.  Each class meeting will take 10 minutes with a 5 minute turn around in between.

The timetable for Tuesday 8th will be this:

6pm - Whole school meeting - all teachers, myself and parents

6.20-6.40pm - Mrs Misiloi

6.45-6.50 - Mrs Brookes

7.00 - 7.10pm - Miss Sollano

7.15 - 7.25pm - Miss French

7.30pm - 7.40pm - Mrs Thomas

7.45pm - 7.55pm - Mrs Winders

I will send links by email before Tuesday.

Mufti Day

On Friday (tomorrow) we are having a mufti day to support Tonga.  Please send a gold coin donation to school and your child can wear their home clothes.

Goal Setting Interviews

We see learning as a partnership between teacher, child and parent.  Next week we will be sending out a quick Google survey asking you some questions about your child.  This will help us design learning that meets your child's needs.

We would also like to have our usual goal-setting meetings with you.  This year this will happen by Zoom or Google Meet.  Please book your interview as you normally would.  Then your child's teacher will send you a link so that you can connect with her at the time of your interview.

Go to: https://www.schoolinterviews.co.nz/

Login with the code: uacvx

After the goal-setting meeting, your child and teacher will decide on their first learning goal for the year and share it with you.

Reporting 

This year we are taking the final step in our development of "real-time" reporting.  Last year we wrote mid and end-of-year reports and also reported through the Seesaw app.  This year we have signed up with Educa which is very similar to Seesaw but fits the New Zealand curriculum.  Instead of mid and end-of-year reports, we will be reporting as we go.  Your child will share samples of their work with an explanation of where this fits on the curriculum so that you can track their progress.   The teacher will also comment.

Reporting Schedule

By Friday 4th March and ongoing	First goal for the year
Week 8 Term 1	Writing
Term 2, Week 3	Performing Arts
Term 2 Week 6	Reading
Term 2 Week 9	Maths
Term 3 Week 3	Health and Physical Education
Term 3 Week 6	Science and Science Writing
Term 3 Week 9	Religious Education
Term 4 Week 2	Inquiry curriculum
Term 4 Week 4	Reading
Term 4 Week 6	Maths
Term 4 Week 8	General summary comment for year from child and teacher.

These points are the formal reporting points and your child and teacher may share learning at other times.  This could vary from class to class depending on the focus of the program.

Health and Safety Bits and Pieces

Some children are choosing to wear their masks on the playground as well as in class and that is fine.  Sometimes on the playground if they need to seek help from the teacher, we might need to ask them to remove their mask so we can understand what they're saying as there is a lot of noise and distraction on the playground.

Please have a named drink bottle at school because we can't use the drinking fountains.  The children can refill their bottles either at their class sink or at the drinking fountains.

If your child has been vaccinated please let the office know of the dates of the vaccination as we are keeping records on this in case of an outbreak.  This information will be kept confidentially but will be disclosed to the Ministry of Health if there was to be a Covid outbreak in school.

Forms to be Returned

Your child brought home some important forms this week which need to be completed and returned to the office.  Please ensure this is done by Tuesday 8th February as we need to  print the information from them.  If you have lost it or not received it please contact the office.

Kia Kaha

Classes will be learning some modules from the Kia Kaha anti-bullying program for the start of the year.  We are encouraging the children to be "upstanders" rather than "bystanders" and to speak up if something is not right as well as giving options for how to stand up for themselves and to seek help if they need it.

Complaints Procedure and Relationship Management

It is timely at the start of the year to remind you of our complaints procedure and relationship management plans which are both on our school website.  The main thing to remember with both is we try to solve things at the lowest possible level.  If you are concerned about someone or something that has happened, in the first instance speak with that person about your concern and try to solve it with them. 

We are looking forward to an exciting term of learning, and we're prepared for whatever that might look like.

God bless and aroha,

Lorraine