Weekly Newsletter

chloe.cull@ararira.school.nz

april.tougas@ararira.school.nz

Week 6

23 May

Kia ora whānau,

We hope you have all managed to get back into a routine with early morning wake ups and back to making school lunches. It is so lovely to be with the children again and see their smiling faces!

This week we have been focusing on social and emotional wellbeing. This has included lessons about feelings and emotions and ways we can be and stay well. We will continue to focus on this over the next few weeks and throughout the rest of the year. You can read about the Wellbeing model, Te Whare Tapa Wha we are using here.

Contact tracing

Just a reminder that parents/caregivers are not permitted into the classrooms at this present time. Thank you for your understanding with this and the constant hand washing and sanitising we are all doing to keep everyone safe.

Wellbeing/Reading

As our focus is on settling back into the school routine we are focusing on reading for enjoyment. We are continuing with three guided reading groups a week (with a teacher). On the other days your child will bring a "browsing book" home. This may be a book that they have already read or one that is easier to read. Your child may be re-tested over the next few weeks, but our focus at the moment is settling your child back into school, practising their reading skills and reading for enjoyment.

Library books

We usually go to the library on Fridays. Your child's Ako teacher will show your child where to put the returned books in their class. Your child can have their books for two weeks. If books are not returned, new books cannot be issued. Sometimes our school librarians (or we!) do not return them correctly. Please let your child's Ako teacher know if you think you have returned the book, so we can have another look for it in the library.

Sun hats, uniform, spare clothes, safety vests

Sun hats are not compulsory for terms 3 and 4.
Please NAME all items of clothing/belongings.
All children require a spare set of clothes, underwear and socks in their school bag (this does not need to be school uniform items)! Sometimes we play with water etc and they can get wet. The office has very little "spare" items.
A jacket should be at school everyday as we try to get outside for play, fitness and PE, even if it is a little cold.
A reminder that safety vests should be worn to/from school everyday. New children will get their vests once we receive them from the supplier or a sponsor.

We understand school is a little different at the moment and that you or your child may be experiencing things differently. This is normal. If you would like to get in touch with any of us, please email us directly. We are here for you and are only an email or a zoom call away.

Kia kaha,

Nicky, Andrea, Lydia, Chloe and April

Years 0-2 Huarapa teaching team.

chloe.cull@ararira.school.nz

april.tougas@ararira.school.nz

Week 1

12th April

Kia ora whānau,

We hope you have all managed to get a little bit of rest over the “holiday” period. We now have a 12 week term, for term 2. This situation is new for everyone and we are all learning as we go!

We are excited to welcome back Chloe Cull to the Huarapa team this term. We will be teaching as a team of four this term until the numbers build up. We will then re-evaluate at the end of the term. Chloe will join in with one of our Zoom meetings over the next few weeks.

We are mindful that everyone’s situation will be different during this time with altered routines and changes in your wellbeing. There are plenty of websites with information to help you during this time such as Sparklers; The New Zealand Institute of wellbeing and resilience; Helping and supporting young people at home and Ideas to help with reading, writing and math.

Tips for homeschooling your children during isolation:

1. Emotional wellbeing of child is far more important than their education right now

2. Let your children lead the learning

3. Participate in focused learning for one to two hours a day

4. Remember learning can be done through play

5. Don’t put pressure on yourself - you are not a trained teacher

Learning at home - Huarapa blog

Learning at home information for Huarapa will be published on our blog. These activities will be based around our school values of caring, curious and capable; Enviro and Te Reo Maori. New posts will be made on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. These learning tasks are optional. As Claire mentioned in her newsletter, it is impossible to replicate personalized learning online, so these tasks will look a little different. If you would like more ideas for fun learning at home, please look on the Ararira Springs Primary Blog as we have collated a number of great activities on there too.

While our learning at home ideas are optional, we do ask that you read with or to your child every day. More information about reading at home is on the Huarapa blog, as is a word card and information for any story writing your child might wish to do.

Sharing your child’s learning

If you have time, we’d love to see what you have been up to at home. You can post photos or stories onto your child’s page on Hero (LincEd) on the Learning@Home tab. This page can only be seen by you or Ararira Springs Primary staff. This is a forum to share learning, rather than contacting staff directly. Staff will endeavour to comment on posts within 24 hours.

Zoom meetings

Your child’s Ako teacher will contact you about a joint Zoom meeting with others in their Ako class. This is a great way to stay connected with your child’s teacher and for your child to see others in their class.

We will also hold a parent Q & A session once a week, usually on a Monday. The first Q & A session will be on Wednesday 15th. Please contact your child’s Ako teacher on Tuesday if you have not been sent an invite. We kindly ask that no children are present during the parent meetings.

These meetings are optional. If you would like any support with accessing Zoom there are tutorials online or you are welcome to get in touch with your child’s own Ako teacher. We are learning as well!

Home learning television

Home Learning TV | Papa Kāinga TV, on TVNZ, which will run from 9am to 3pm on school days on TVNZ 2+1 and Sky channel 502 from the 15th April. Some lessons will also be available on TVNZ On Demand.

If you would like to get in touch with any of us, please email us directly. Our email addresses are below.

Thank you.

Kia kaha.

Nicky, Andrea, Lydia, Chloe and April

Years 0-2 Huarapa teaching team.

chloe.cull@ararira.school.nz

april.tougas@ararira.school.nz

Term 1, 2020

Week 8

27th March

Kia ora whānau,

If you are able, we would love it if you could share your learning at home on your child’s own LincEd profile.

To do this, go to LincEd:

1. Click on the menu icon (three lines) =

2. Find the Learning@Home button, click

3. Click on the Share something... box

4. Write info in here and/or you can drag and drop photos into the box underneath.

Remember to click the green SAVE bottom at the bottom of this page.

Your child’s Ako teacher will (hopefully) receive an email that you’ve made a post. If you are having trouble doing this, please contact your child's own Ako teacher.

If you haven’t joined already, there is a Facebook page (Ararira Springs Online Whanau) that Alex Fuller has kindly set up. This is a great way to connect with other whanau during this time. Please do not feel you need to complete “school work”. All we ask is that you read with and to your child every day.

It was great chatting to most of you today and seeing you (if you had FaceTime)! Please remember two weeks "school holidays" start today.

Kia kaha.

Ngā mihi,

Nicky, Andrea and Lydia

Week 8

24th March

Kia ora whānau,

Learning from home

As per Claire's email, the holidays now begin at the end of this week, until Tuesday 14th April. We will upload more activities on our blog after this date.

Our blog has once again been updated. Please follow this link and go to the "Learning from Home" page. This is where we will upload activities that your child may like to do. These activities are optional. The only thing we ask is that you read with and to you child every day. We have all included some parent tips of how you can look after your own wellbeing during this time.
All children have their Sunshine Classics login details in their reading notebook. Newer children have had these details emailed. Please email us if you cannot find it.
We'd love to see what you have been doing at home. Please feel free to email one photo to your child's Ako teacher if you would like to show what you've been doing at home. We will add these to the blog as a way for students to connect with each other during this time.

Please look after yourselves and your whanau during this unusual time.

Ngā mihi,

Nicky, Lydia and Andrea