SCHOOL NEWSLETTER: 18 August 2022

IMPORTANT DATES AND EVENTS

Torbay School Learning Powers – RIC

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Tēnā Koutou e te whānau

Red Nose Day – I am very pleased to confirm that our Red Nose Day fundraising effort totalled $6653.30 and that this amount will be donated to the Cure Kids Charity.

I want to thank our entire staff for the support, enthusiasm and work they put into the organisation and running of the day. It was a wonderful way to start the term and aside from the fundraising, emphasised many of our CARE Values and Learner Powers.

I would also like to thank our parents and community for your support of the day, and of course the energy and enthusiasm of our children.

New Staff – I would like to welcome to new teachers to our staff. Anne Naude will join us in week 6 and will work alongside Nikki MacBeth in Room 12 with our new entrant children.

I would also like to welcome Victoria Hohaia-Gibbons who will replace Kylie Wilson in Room 14. Kylie will be taking maternity leave from week 9 of this term. Victoria will join our staff at the beginning of week 8.

Teacher Only Day – I would like to remind you that on the Friday the 26th of August we will be holding a Teacher Only Day. This day will be spent by our staff completing our Biannual First Aid course, an essential part of our ongoing professional development. I thank you for your support in finding alternative care for your children on that day.

Masks – We are coming to the end of the four-week period of mask wearing in years 4 -6 as suggested by the Government. I am very pleased to see that our numbers of Covid cases at school are well down on what they were prior to the holiday period, and while we intend relaxing the requirement of wearing masks in class we strongly encourage the continuation of this practice. We will continue to monitor the number of cases we have and should we see a new spike occur we may review this decision. We do still ask that parents and visitors to our school wear masks when indoors.

I thank you for your support with the mask requirement. The children have done extremely well and that does not happen without your support.

Winter Illness – While we are experiencing low levels of Covid amongst our children we have very high levels of other winter illnesses. Thank you for monitoring your children closely and keeping them at home if they are symptomatic, thus avoiding further spreading of these illnesses. Mask wearing has also helped to keep this lower than it might have been.

Nathan Wallis – I am pleased to announce that following on from the success of last term’s talk Educational Neuroscientist Nathan Wallis will be returning to our school on the evening of the 19th of September. He will deliver a presentation entitled: “The first 1000 days and Play Based Learning”.

This will be a free event for staff, parents and caregivers!

This event is designed to further our parents’ understanding of the philosophies behind play-based learning and our Wā Kitea programme. The event will be ticketed, and further information will be distributed next week.

Winter Sports Day – Congratulations to our Year 5 and 6 children that participated in the Winter Sports Day held at Kristin School yesterday. Our children performed exceptionally well, from both a performance and attitude perspective. Thank you to Mr Coyle for his organisation, Mrs Ye and Mr Martin for their support and to all of the parents who coached and supported the children.

ePro8 – Last week saw our senior children participate in our school technology challenge using the ePro8 equipment and programme. The outcomes for children were tremendous with children having to work together to solve technology problems. The programme ran all week and involved all children in each class that participated. Thank you to Jen Dawe our Head of Technology for all the work she put in to organise the week. From this event three teams have been chosen to represent the school at the interschool event later in the year.

Thank you for your continued support of all we do here at Torbay School. Please feel free to contact me on any subject!

Ngā mihi nui
Gary O’Brien
Principal

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

KA PAI to the following students who have shared their fantastic learning with us this week: Edmund & Coby Rm 5 Awesome work!

CONGRATULATIONS to the following tamariki who received certificates from their class teachers: Cian, Alexa, Johandre, Sophie, Rm 1, Aria, Yiyi, Nathan, Maitena, Rm 2, Sophia, Handrē, Jackson, Harrison Rm 3, Norris, Jacinth, Brodie, Toby Rm 4, Lienke, Irene, Theo W, Bronson Rm 5, Alfie, Luca, Quinn, Reuben Rm 6, Alice, Hannah, George, Jaxon Rm 7, Yulia, Louis, Star, Finley Rm 8, Nathan, Mila, Leane, Mason Rm 9, Jimin, Toby, George, Lyla, Baxter, Rm 10, Indie, Merryn, Harper, Heath Rm 11, Xavier, Cody, Handre, Miles Rm 13, Nilan, Bailey Rm 14, Kenzie, Miah, Connor A, Laroux, Rm 15, Skye, Charlie Rm 16, Hudson, Tyler P, Lachlan, Jack Rm 17, Cameron, Oliver, Brooke, Olivia Rm 18, Lara, Maxi Rm 19, Olivia, Ella, Haniya, William, Rm 20, Alex, Martin, Ruby, Delilah Rm 21, Lexi, Max, Cameron, Lucas Rm 22, Kaitlyn, Charlotte, Tom Rm 23, Cody, Mila, Sienna, Rowan Rm 24, Stella, Caleb Rm 25, Amar, Connor Rm 26, Max, Hazel Rm 27 Ka pai!!

RICC REWARDS, for displaying our C.A.R.E. Values – Jesse, Charneli Rm 3, Ludwig Rm 4, Louis Rm 8, Archer Rm 20, Hunter Rm 22, Michaela D Rm 24, Billie Rm 26 Ka Rawe!

SCHOOL NOTICES

THANK YOU – for supporting our Mufti Day for KidsCan along with Cure Kids Red Nose Day. It is wonderful that our community comes together to support such worthy causes that help tamariki in need across New Zealand.

MEETINGS – The next New Parent Meeting will be held on Monday 29 August at 9.15am in the Staffroom. The next BOT Meeting will be held on Wednesday 14th September @ 7pm in the Staffroom. The next PTA Meeting will be held on Monday 12th September at 7.30pm. If you wish to join the PTA they are always looking for new members so for more details please email [email protected]

TEACHER ONLY DAY – The school will be closed for learners on Friday 26th August. Fun Club will be open on this day.

2023 ENROLMENTS – If your child, or someone you know has a child who lives in the Torbay School zone, and they are turning 5 next year, please urgently complete an enrolment application (available from our website or at the school office).

2023 OUT OF ZONE ENROLMENTS – Enrolment at Torbay School is governed by an enrolment scheme, details of which are available from the school office. The Board has determined that there is likely to be two (2) places available for Out of Zone Year 1 New Entrant enrolments next year.

CLOSING DATE for Year 1/New Entrant Out of Zone Applications is 28 September 2022 and the BALLOT DATE will be 19 October 2022 (if required).

PLEASE NOTE: The Board of Trustees will not consider any late out of zone applications for Year 1 New Entrant students starting in 2023 which have not been received before 28 September 2022. If you have a child who is turning 5 next year who has a sibling currently enrolled at Torbay School and you have moved, or are considering moving out of zone, please URGENTLY contact the office [email protected].

TERM DATES 2023

2023 Term 1: 7 Feb 2023 – 6 Apr 2023

2023 Term 2: 24 Apr 2023 – 30 Jun 2023

2023 Term 3: 17 Jul 2023 – 22 Sept 2023

2023 Term 4: 9 Oct 2023 – 20 Dec 2023

SCHOLASTIC LUCKY BOOK ORDERS – (ISSUE 5) Orders have now closed. Orders will go home with your child once they arrive.

SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR – Thank you so much for supporting our annual book fair! We raised over $1100 to purchase valuable resources for our school library.

SPORTS HOODIES – Orders have closed and the order has been placed with our supplier. We are expecting them to arrive mid next week and they will come home with your child once they arrive.

PHOTOLIFE CLASS, PORTRAIT & SIBLING PHOTOS – If you have purchased photos these have arrived and have been sent home with your child, except Room 11, which have been delayed and will come home in due course.

EDGE PARENT PORTAL – Parents and Caregivers can check information and download school reports through the parent portal via Edge.

If any of the information is incorrect please contact the school office so we can update any changes.

GENERAL REMINDERS

HEALTH ROOM: Please do not send any children to school who are unwell.

If your child is sick please stay home and follow the guidelines for the illness and stay home for the recommended time frame set by the Ministry of Health. We have had a recent case of Hand Foot and Mouth as well as a case of Chickenpox, along with a number of tummy bugs reported. Please remind your children the importance of washing their hands before eating and after using the bathroom to help prevent the spread.

VOMITING/DIARRHOEA: Any children who have had vomiting or diarrhoea must not return to school until 24 hours after the last episode.
SORE THROATS: If your child has a sore throat, please keep them at home. For more information click here
COUGHS & COLDS: If your child has a cough and or a cold please keep your child at home. For more information click on the links coughs and colds .
HEAD LICE: Check your children for head lice. Children with eggs or lice will be sent home for treatment.
COVID: If your child is displaying signs or symptoms of Covid 19, please stay home and get tested. Click here for more information.

STUDENT NEWS

Mrs Koya would like to introduce this year’s Student Librarians. They help make sure our Library runs smoothly by doing a wide range of jobs each day, including collecting teacher’s and student’s books from their classrooms and returning them through the computer system, shelving books, displaying brand new books, tidying shelves and furniture, organising board games during lunchtime open days, issuing books to students during break times and sometimes they even get to select new books to go into our Library and check them out before everyone else! Thank you to all of our dedicated Librarians. You are doing an awesome job.

PTA NEWS

COMMUNITY NOTICES

Torbay Plunket will be holding their Nearly New Sale on Saturday 24th September 10am – 12pm at East Coast Bays Leisure Centre, 12 Bute Road, Browns Bay. Come along, grab a bargain and support a fantastic cause. Entry fee for shoppers is a gold coin donation with the proceeds going to Torbay Plunket to continue the great work they do in our local community. Thousands of items will be for sale – new and secondhand. Baby and children’s clothing (newborn to 10 yrs), maternity gear, nursery equipment, prams and strollers, toys, books and much much more!

Got some gently-used kids’ items to sell? Buy a table for $30 or a table with a rack for $40. Contact Suzanne Butler [email protected]

Torbay Plunket is looking for donations of good-quality children’s and babies clothes and toys to sell at the Nearly New Sale. If you have anything suitable, our drop-off morning is Saturday 3rd September at the Torbay Plunket Clinic, 1026 Beach Road.

The money raised goes towards our Meals for Families programme, where we deliver meals to every family in the Torbay/ Long Bay Plunket area with a new baby. A lifesaver in the early days with a newborn!

ADVERTORIALS

Disclaimer: The following advertisements are placed as a community service – publication does not imply Torbay School endorsement.

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