3 July 2020

Kia ora EBIS Whanau,

Well, we have made it! Congratulations to everyone for making it through the complexities of Term 2, coupled with all of the rain we have had lately it most certainly feels like time for a rest.

Today we want to share two important things with you. The first of these is our concern about cybersafety after COVID-19. Students have spent a great deal of time on devices during the lockdown time, and some have taken the opportunity to access sites without parental permission. Along with that, some have been communicating via social media inappropriately, which is putting both them and their mental health at risk.

In order to assist parents/caregivers, Netsafe have put together sessions to give you some advice and guidance that you may find useful.

Netsafe - Parents and Whānau - Powerful Partnerships – working together to support young people as they navigate the online world. So, how do you get started? This is an online session for parents and whānau who are caring for young people of all ages – from preschool to teenagers – and will look at how to support children and young people as they navigate opportunities, challenges and complexities online. Online safety for parents and whānau is more important than ever. As young people and children begin to spend more time online, it’s important that parents help them build their knowledge of the online environment and develop emotional and social capabilities to help them make safe and responsible choices when they are online. So, how do you get started? This session is for parents and whānau who are caring for young people of all ages – from preschool to teenagers – and will look at how to support children and young people as they navigate opportunities, challenges and complexities online. REGISTER HERE NOW

NETSAFE is also supporting the Department of Internal Affairs alongside the Classification Office and the Ministry of Education on the Keep it Real Online campaign. The campaign is a significant investment designed to raise the profile of online safety issues and provide specific advice and support. In just two weeks, the videos (which cover key topics of concern for parents in bullying, pornography, grooming and inappropriate content) had been viewed more than 17 million times. Please spend some time looking at the information on the site.

The second point we want to bring to your attention is the Whittaker's Chocolate Fundraiser that we have decided to embark on over the break. With COVID-19 and the lockdown, many of our planned fundraisers for the year have had to be cancelled. We would ask that you really get behind your children and assist them to sell as many of the chocolates as possible to enable us to meet our $10 000 target.

This will go toward improving the safety of the front entrance for students, as well as providing more parking and beautifying the area. We need to raise funds and then we can apply for grants to assist us to reach the final amount, which we think at this stage will be about $120 000. We would really appreciate it if all families can get behind this and be part of the legacy of the new safer entrance to our school.

Finally, we would like to wish you a happy and safe break with your families. We hope that even if you do not manage to get away, that you can get out and about to see some more of what Wellington or our wider region has to offer. We also want to thank many of you who have taken the time to support us as we have navigated our way through a really difficult 22 weeks since the start of the year. Our staff are exhausted and we are all looking forward to the break. Stay safe and rest well!

Ngā mihi nui

Louise Bray-Burns, Principal

Wikus Swanepoel, Deputy Principal

Melissa Watt, Assistant Principal

Science Elective

I feel really lucky to have had such a wonderful bunch of young scientists join me for Science Elective these past two terms. It was great to kick the elective off with a visit from Dr Natalie Robinson, a Marine Physicist at NIWA. Natalie talked to us about what it was like to work in Antarctica and shared some really interesting stories about the wildlife she has come across.

For our last session we had some interesting visitors to our class - luckily only in the form of Augmented Reality!

26 June 2020

Kia ora EBIS whanau

Another week in our busy life at EBIS. Being part of the school and participating in the activities made us aware of how privileged we are as a community with all the collaboration and support. This week, we had many parents volunteering to assist with the Cross Country on Tuesday. On Thursday, our school leaders were fortunate enough to learn more about leadership from Saskia Knibbeler and Nicola Pauling. On Friday, Melissa Booth shared her experience as a publicist in the film industry. A huge thank you to all for being part of the learning experience of our akonga!

Thank you for your support with Cross Country! We had an outstanding day of sunshine and participation, and the students reported enjoying the afternoon. It was wonderful to have parents taking on the roles of marshalls and cheering on our students. Thank you to those parents who also stopped in to see their children and friends during the event. Staff have certainly stepped up their game this year, with many running the course alongside students. Lastly, and certainly not least, a huge thank you to our Sports Coordinator Campbell Garrett for the outstanding preparation.

What’s happening in Week 12

The last week of term will be another busy week:

FRIENDS of EBIS Meeting

On Wednesday 1/7 the FRIENDS of EBIS will meet to discuss fundraising at EBIS for the next two terms. COVID 19 had a serious impact on fundraising and we will have to look at creative ways that we as a community can raise funds for the second part of 2020. The meeting will be an online Google meet between 6:30 - 7:30. Please contact Wikus at wswanepoel@ebis.school.nz for more information.

Official Opening of the Pump track

Unfortunately the weather does not look very promising so we have decided to postpone this to Term 3 - Week 1.

Year 8 Girls Visit to WEGC - 2 July

We have the good fortune of being invited to a performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Not only will the girls be able to view a wonderful drama performance, they will also be able to have a mini-tour of the school.

We ask that the girls meet at WEGC by 9am. Please drop students on Austin Street at Gate B. Please do not go up any of the driveways. From Austin Street, students then can walk up the main stairs and gather in the centre area of the parking lot. Mr Chave, Ms Trye and WEGC students will be there to greet the girls.

Afterwards, we will all walk together back to school. If you do not want your student to attend the morning at WEGC, they are to come to school as usual. We are also in need of some parent help, which would involve walking with our staff and the girls back to EBIS. If you are able to help with this, please email Melissa Watt (mwatt@ebis.school.nz).

Morning Buses to EBIS - Update from Metlink

Metlink has talked about the possibility of morning buses and there are a number of changes to routes next year that mean the idea of running buses past the school gate is not an option. At the moment, some public buses terminate at Kilbirnie Hub and customers have to transfer. In the not too distant future these buses will continue on through Kilbirnie into town, as the resounding feedback has been that customers do not like transfers. That said, there is also a change that means Miramar North customers will be able to catch one bus to Kilbirnie rather than having to transfer at Miramar Shops. This may be a benefit to some of the families who attend EBIS. There are not the extra buses and drivers available at 8am for standalone additional services either unfortunately.

Principal Sabbatical

I have been fortunate to be granted a Principal Sabbatical for Term 3 this year. For the duration of Term 3, Wikus Swanepoel will be the Acting Principal and Melissa Watt the Acting Deputy Principal. Members of the leadership team will be stepping up into the Acting Assistant Principal role - taking this in turn so it isn't too disruptive for their class. My sabbatical topic is “Ways to better support teacher and principal wellbeing in today's educational climate.” I have a huge concern about the attrition rate for teachers and principals and want to use the time to find possible solutions to keep them in the profession and address the issues that are causing them to lose confidence and leave the profession.

Nga mihi nui

Louise Bray-Burns, Principal

Wikus Swanepoel, Deputy Principal

Melissa Watt, Assistant Principal

Kia ora EBIS whanau,

What intense wet weather we’ve had this week! It has certainly been a challenge for everyone being inside, as well as our school so busy with the visiting Year 6 students. With winter now a reality and holidays only two weeks away, it is a certainty that this term has been an extraordinary term with many unexpected challenges. We continue with the words of our PM about always being kind to one another - the sun will shine soon!

Thank you

We would like to start by thanking all parents for the wonderful contributions to morning tea for all staff Wednesday morning. It was an amazing surprise that was much appreciated by all.

Internet safety

Incidents during the week have just made us aware again how important it is that we are all in this together. We are asking parents to be vigilant about internet safety with your children. Being a parent or caregiver in the digital age can be challenging. A new government website, Keep it Real Online, has been set up to help you find tools and advice to help you 'keep it real online' with your children and young people.

How much sleep do students really need?

As we come to the end of Term 2 with the winter ills, wet weather and extra long term exhaustion, it is vital to ensure that your student is getting enough sleep at home to ensure they can be productive and happy at school. It’s common for children to develop inconsistent sleep schedules during pre-adolescence. Up late at night and up early during the school week, many of our students sleep late on weekends, as a way to recover from the sleep debt they’ve accrued. But sleeping late on weekends only reinforces and enhances the delay in their bio clock, and makes it more difficult for them to fall asleep at a reasonable hour during the week.

What can you do to support your child?

Work with them to help them stay on a consistent schedule throughout the week and weekend. Set a bedtime (most students at this age should be sleeping 9-10hrs every night) and wake time that allows them to get the nightly sleep they need. Have you checked to make sure they are not on their devices after you think they are asleep? Perhaps make a habit of keeping devices in the kitchen, and if they are used as alarms, then parents can place them back in the child’s room before heading off to bed themselves.

Notes from: https://thesleepdoctor.com/2017/03/30/teens-need-sleep-think/

Mid Year Conferences

These will take place in the week of 29 June and teachers will be available Monday - Thursday for you to book in and see.

On Tuesday there will be face to face interviews and on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday teachers are available via video conference.

Please go to www.schoolinterviews.co.nz and log in with the code vh2hm.

If you are making a booking for a video conference you will be given a link which you can click on at your chosen time. The class teacher will let you in at your designated time. Bookings are open now for you.

We are hoping that families find the video conference helpful this year, and look forward to receiving feedback.

Travellers Programme

We are delighted to be able to offer the Travellers programme to our Year 7 students. Travellers is a small-group programme about life's journey and how young people can be supported to face challenges in their life. All Year 7 students will complete a short Travellers online survey during this term and following this, some students will be offered the opportunity to take part in the programme.

The groups meet during school time, with the minimum disruption to students' academic commitments. Should your student be invited to take part in Travellers, both of you will receive further information about the programme. Travellers has been running in a number of New Zealand secondary schools since 2001.

Metlink resolution for bus that left without

On Friday 5 June 2020 the 758 bus left school without any children so we put in a complaint to Metlink. The incident was investigated fully as the welfare of school children is of extreme importance to Metlink and they take these kind of incidents very seriously. The Driver of the 758 service left 1 minute after their scheduled departure time as they were not aware the children were delayed boarding the bus (due to the time required to register their bus travel for contact tracing purposes) and continued on their usual schedule. They have sent their sincere apologies for the inconvenience and stress this incident caused.

NZ National Garden Bird Survey

At the end of June, New Zealand begins its 14th National Garden Bird Survey, New Zealand's longest running citizen science project, and we’d like your help! Please check out the Community Links page for all the information you need to participate.

INFORMATION FROM THE COLLEGES

Wellington East Girls’ College

As you may be aware, teachers from WEGC usually visit schools around this time to talk to Year 8 girls who may be intending to enrol, or want to find out more information about Wellington East Girls' College.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions this visit wasn't able to happen, so we have created online information for 2021 for parents/caregivers. We are also happy to be able to welcome parents/caregivers to our Open Evening on Wednesday 24 June from 6pm. Please see the information in the Community Links page for more details.

Wellington High School

At Level 1 we are able to offer an Open Evening this year and look forward to welcoming students from EBIS with their families and whānau as they begin to consider their move to high school in 2021. Please see the flyer provided by WHS in the Community Links section. The information is also available on our website at http://www.whs.school.nz/open-evening/.

Rongotai College Experience Afternoon

This year, the Year 8 boys will spend an afternoon at the college to experience what next year could offer them. They will be collected by bus from EBIS with the Rongotai Prefects and taken to the college, returning to EBIS at 2:50pm. A notice was sent home 16 June with students, as well as emailed home.

Nga mihi nui

Louise Bray-Burns, Principal

Wikus Swanepoel, Deputy Principal

Melissa Watt, Assistant Principal

This week in Photos:

12 June 2020

Four days into Alert Level 1 and the school is as busy as if COVID-19 was just a dream, and for most of this we have the community to thank. We want to take time and acknowledge every parent, student, teacher and support staff who all worked together as a team to get us through the different levels while keeping the students busy and entertained. The learning that happened during the past three months cannot be measured in a short assessment. It will be in the coming years that we will see how we as a school, community, country and as a whole have changed. Optimistically we can believe that the COVID-19 generation will be the ones who will bring us back to the basics: to things that really matter.

Therefore our hope is that our current unit; “You are the change you want to see in the world” will provide students with tools and thoughts on how to live sustainably in a world that is constantly changing.

This week there was a buzz around the school. Perhaps this was because of the excitement of support staff, as we have a whole week dedicated to them. The theme of the week was “Celebrating the wins - whakanuia ngā kaiāwhina tautoko!”. At EBIS we can consider us very fortunate to have a dedicated group of support staff, and we rejoice in the announcement that they will have a pay increase later in the year. It is true that behind every successful teacher is a competent group of teacher aides and other support staff.

Another reason for the excitement during the week was the official “EBIS Battle of the Fittest” that took place on Tuesday. A group of 24 students took up the challenge to compete in a series of ten events to determine the fittest students at EBIS. This was all part of the lockdown activities to try and keep our students fit, despite not having any sport events taking place.

Week 9 was also the official start of our Te Reo enrichment program. What is so special about this one is that Manaia Ringiao, a Year 8 student, has taken on a supporting role of kaiako, alongside Whaea Charlie. Together they run a program not only focusing on language but also on the culture behind Te Reo Māori.

As you know, Alert Level 1 means we are all back to normal. One of the best ways to celebrate this is with the news that sport will be back! We are now preparing for the winter sports which include netball, rugby and basketball. This week the intermediate schools met and rescheduled the calendar for the rest of the year. The bad news is that there is no way tournaments for football or hockey could be rescheduled. However, the good news is that Athletics and Cross Country is back on the calendar. In Term 3 EBIS will be the hosts of the WRISSA Volleyball tournament at the ASB ?

Next week is Gifted Awareness Week in New Zealand. There are some wonderful opportunities for students to take part in (click here!) if they would like to stretch themselves. It is also a wonderful time to remind everybody that at EBIS we try to cater for the needs of every student. Our hope is that the variety of activities and events we have at EBIS will give every student the opportunity to find the things they are passionate and curious about. Please note that we have a page on our website dedicated to enrichment opportunities. Be sure to have a look at the page with students to see if there is anything that they might be interested in.

Term 2 Reporting and Conferences

This year we have altered our format for mid year reporting and conferences.

Reports

As your child's teacher has not had a full half year working with your child, the report form will be a great deal simpler than previously. It will tell you the curriculum level your child is working at for reading, writing and maths and a level for the learner profile. There will also be a short summary statement.

Conferences

These will take place in the week of 29 June and teachers will be available Monday - Thursday for you to book in and see. On Tuesday there will be face to face interviews and on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday teachers are available via video conference. Please go to school interviews.co.nz and log in with the code vh2hm.

If you are making a booking for a video conference you will be given a link which you can click on at your chosen time. The class teacher will let you in at your designated time. Bookings are open now for you. We are hoping that families find the video conference helpful this year, and look forward to receiving feedback.

Puberty & Sexuality Education

Thank you to those parents/caregivers who were able to attend the meeting this past Tuesday. Teaching for this unit of work will commence once we return to school in Term 3. We have attached a pamphlet from Family Planning about how to speak to your student about the content that will be taught. If you missed the meeting and would like the video content that was recorded, please email the Assistant Principal, Melissa Watt (mwatt@ebis.school.nz).

Whats on in Week 10

A Day @ EBIS

Year 6 students from the primary schools visit us to experience life in an intermediate school

Monday 15/6, Tuesday 16/6 and Thursday 18/6

Board of Trustees meeting

Monday 15/6 - 6:00 - 8:00

St Catherine's College visit EBIS to talk to Year 8 Girls

Wednesday 17/6

RONGOTAI Gateway students at EBIS

Friday 19/6

Louise Bray-Burns, Principal

Wikus Swanepoel, Deputy Principal

Melissa Watt, Assistant Principal

With the change to Level 1 sport is back and with a vengeance!!!

These are the details of the different sport activities for Term 3

EBIS Cross Country (Tuesday the 23rd of June)

We need 10 parents to help. Please contact Campbell at sports@ebis.school.nz if you are able to help

We also invite parents to come and share the two hours with us (1:00 - 3:00 at Hataitai Park)

Inter-Sport - (WRISSA)

Wrissa Volleyball tournament (Wednesday 5th of August)

EBIS Online Registrations to open soon @ ASB Centre

Need anybody who can help

Raroa (9-aside) Football Tournament (Monday 24th of August-Girls) (Tuesday 25th of August-Boys)

Regional X-Country (Term 3-WK 4 or 6) TBC.

Top 5 students from each category

Regional Athletics (Term 4-WK 8) TBC.

Send top students

Invitational Girls Rugby (T3W9)

Table tennis - T3W6

Basketball - T3WE10

Netball - T3

Rugby - T3W7

Afternoon sport

Badminton - 6 August on Thursdays Badminton hall

EBIS Online Registrations to open soon

Basketball - EBIS Online registrations to open soon

Wellington Basketball, Y7/8 Mixed Junior League (beginner-Intermediate) Wednesdays 4-6pm (22nd of July-16th of Sept) @ ASB centre

https://www.wellingtonbasketball.co.nz/kids-leagues

Futsal - Junior league - 31st /7 ASB

5 June 2020

Kia Ora,

As a school, it has been fantastic to get back into a routine and we are sure parents feel the same! This week we have a couple of items we need to bring to your attention.

Rongotai Experience Day

Due to still being in Alert Level 2 and restricted to groups of 100 from outside of school, the day for Year 8 boys hosted by Rongotai has been postponed tentatively until 26 June. We will keep you posted as we receive more information from the college.

Official opening of the EBIS Pump Track

Our official opening was delayed by the school closure, but it’s important to celebrate the huge efforts of fundraising last year, which totalled $90 000! Now that we are able to have an official opening, we would love to have you attend. Please view the flyer here for more information. We are also looking for anyone who has contacts with the media, as we would love to let the entire community know about our amazing new development.

Donation to student welfare - KINDO

We have the ability for you to make a donation to the welfare of children at Evans Bay Intermediate if you would like through our KINDO app. Sometimes a student is not able to participate in activities out of school time or needs extra food or clothing while they are at school. This donation would allow us to ease the financial burden for these families. Please go into our KINDO app to find the link if you wish to do this.

Ngā mihi nui

Louise Bray-Burns, Principal

Wikus Swanepoel, Deputy Principal

Melissa Watt, Assistant Principal

Gifted Awareness Week

Although this week of awareness doesn’t begin until 15 June, there are some great competitions happening (writing, photography and more) - anyone can enter! Please have a look at the details and encourage your student to participate if they are keen. You can even Walk the World for Wellbeing - start counting!

At Evans Bay Intermediate, we are fortunate to have a MindPlus satellite classroom operating on our school site. MindPlus is a programme for gifted 6-13 year olds that provides intellectual, creative, social and emotional learning and support. Children come together, with a specialist teacher, for one day each week. Together they engage in differentiated, strength-based learning experiences to further develop their gifts and talents and a greater understanding of themselves. If you would like further information, you can find it here.

Ukeleles

DO YOU HAVE A UKULELE IN YOUR HOME THAT IS GATHERING DUST?

IF SO, LET US DUST IT OFF FOR YOU - WE COULD USE A FEW MORE IN THE MUSIC ROOM!

The immediate need is for the Ukulele Elective, so if you would like for us to ‘borrow’ it, please label it with your student’s name and we will get it back to you when the elective is done. If it is not labelled, we will consider it a donation to the EBIS Music Department. Thank you so much!

Puberty: Community Information Zoom Meeting

The letter regarding the details of this programme was sent home 27 May and can be found under the Letters link as well. Please email the principal (principal@ebis.school.nz) if you would like the information to attend the online meeting on 9 June.

40 Hour Famine

Can you imagine living in fear of the weather? We are used to the rain in New Zealand but imagine fearing it. For 14-year-old Prisca, fearing the rain is her new reality. Unseasonal and unpredictable weather events like cyclones, droughts and floods have devastated Prisca's community in Malawi repeatedly over the last few years. Right now, Malawi is facing a twin crisis: As they struggle with the impacts of climate change, they too are facing the added pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic. They need your support now more than ever. Please read the information here to get more information about how students at EBIS participated this week.

29 May 2020

Talofa Lava

Two weeks into Alert Level 2 and it almost feels as if everything is back to normal. The sound of laughter indicates that students have adapted to the new normal. We are very proud of the way our students are behaving in terms of trying to follow the rules. Some of the changes we have made have also helped to create a culture where students know they are cared for.

A special word of recognition to our Samoan families. This week we have acknowledged Samoan Language Week, and you will see that as a school we have embraced this as a real learning experience. Have you seen the EBIS Facebook page with the video clip of Belgium Tuatagaloa teaching them a cultural dance on Wednesday this week?

Covid-19 update

Since the Prime Minister’s announcement on Monday we have updated our Alert Level 2 procedures. The Level 2 changes from Tuesday can be found by clicking the link. We ask you to go through this and discuss it with your child. We have reviewed a few rules but the expectations are still on:

• Stay out of MBZ (Moist Breath Zone) at all times

• Personal hygiene in terms of washing or sanitising hands as much as possible

Puberty Education

Every even year, Evans Bay Intermediate teaches puberty & sexuality education, as specified in the New Zealand Curriculum. The information letter for this was emailed to parents/caregivers on Wednesday 27 May, with information on how to attend the community information online meeting (on 9 June).

Future Teacher Only Days

This year we will hold Teacher Only Days on 4 September and 13 November. The one scheduled for 7 September has been cancelled.

Queens Birthday Weekend - there is no Teacher Only Day. It remains as a 3-day weekend - with Monday being a holiday. Fingers crossed for good weather!

Metlink - public transport videos featuring EBIS students

We are proud of two EBIS students who are featuring in a video about Metlink. Jacqui Sanders and Heather Ward can be seen in the Metlink video clip for schools and also one of them is in the Metlink ‘Everything you need to know for Alert Level 2’ video clip. The links for both are below

• Facebook link – Alert Level 2 video clip - https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1210521019290408&external_log_id=613d1f6377528ba2cccb0063d28efedf&q=metlink%3A%20on%20our%20way

• Youtube link – School’s video clip - https://youtu.be/wAsfb2hmhv4

Secondary School Information

St Catherine's College

will still be having an “Open Night” for your Year 8 female students. The date will be Thursday, 25th June @ 6.00pm. Due to Covid-19 we will be doing things a little differently for visiting students and parents. Parents will need to go to www.schoolinterviews.school.nz - and put in code tqnwc and make an appointment for a tour. The tours will commence from 6pm and will be taken by a SCC parent, senior student and junior student. They will walk around our college, visiting 7 curriculum areas and meet our wonderful staff. Staff will be available to answer any questions and enrolment packs will be there for collection if they wish. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Joanne on 04 939 8988.

Rongotai College

will be hosting their “Experience Day @ Rongotai” on Friday 15 June. Once we receive further information about this, we will inform the school community.

Wellington High School

has made a statement that at Alert Level 2 they are unable to offer either an Open Evening or group tours. They anticipate that this will remain the case for Term 2 and will re-evaluate if the opportunity arises. Please keep an eye on their website for updates.

Wellington East Girls’ College

Dates for Year 9 2021 Enrolment

Virtual presentations will be provided to our school for students to view. The Open Afternoon/Evening, which was scheduled for Thursday June 11th, is cancelled for 2021.

• 27 July 2020, All Year 9 applications (including Out of Zone applicants) to be received.

• 7 August 2020, Ballot for out of zone Year 9 places

• 12 August 2020, Parents to be notified of Year 9 ballot outcomes

• Dates 2020 TBC, Enrolment interviews

• 26 August 2020, Parents acceptance of Year 9 ballot places

Ma le agalelei agalelei,

Louise Bray-Burns, Principal

Wikus Swanepoel, Deputy Principal

Melissa Watt, Assistant Principal

News About Other Sport

We are getting more and more e-mails to let us know the different sports organisations are slowly starting to plan the start of sport post Covid-19

We also have a WRISSA meeting later where more information about the inter-intermediate competitions will be given.

The Netball teams are organised and it looks like most of the teams will start practising in Week 8.

22 May 2020

Kia ora koutou,

He aroha whakato, he aroha puta mai. If kindness is sown then kindness you shall receive.

The first few days back at school have been great. It has been a special moment to see all of the students and feel their energy lifting the buildings again. In general most of them have been very mindful of the MBZ and have needed little reminding. As said in our procedures next week will look similar. On Monday there will be an announcement from our Prime Minister which will cause us to review what we are doing. We see this very much as step by step at the moment as we work to keep our staff and students safe, in these changing times.

I have been fortunate to be on gate duty for the last week. It is such a privilege to see the smiling faces in the morning. Please support the children by ensuring they get to school on time in the correct uniform. If there is a need for any uniform, email the school and we can help. We know there are possible issues with MetLink bus services in the mornings, which we understand apply to a minority of our students. Be aware of the time - school begins at 8:45am and if you are driving your children to school, they need to be in class by that time.

Student behaviour after school - We have received information from a few businesses in the village that students do not follow the expectations regarding social distancing. We have talked to the students today, but please speak to your child about following the Alert Level 2 rules.

I have been contacted by a friend who wondered if we may have some families who might need a bit of extra space. This organisation has an affordable cabin available for a family needing extra space, available immediately. Do any of your children need some more room? Follow this link and have a look.

Staffing Update - I am delighted to let the community know that we have a new teacher for Room 15. His name is Chris Cole, and he is currently teaching at Mt Pleasant School. He enjoys PE/Sport and Maths and has experience with wider school responsibilities and across his Kahui Ako. Mr Cole will join us on 2 June.

We also have been fortunate to gain two translators to work with our ESOL children - Tessa Davies and Fatima Rannan who have also joined since school recommenced. They will be running a programme for ESOL learners called the Learning Village sponsored by the Ministry of Education.

Learning conferences mid-year - At this time, we will online and face to face conferences. In the next two weeks, you will receive notification about times and how to book a conference. We will continue to use School Interviews for bookings. Please note that if you book for Tuesday they will be face to face conferences at school and if you book any other day, then they will be online conferences. Dates for conferences this year are 29 June - 2 July. Times will be variable for different staff for online conferences.

Ngā mihi

Louise Bray-Burns, Principal principal@ebis.school.nz

Wikus Swanepoel, Deputy Principal wswanepoel@ebis.school.nz

Melissa Watt, Assistant Principal mwatt@ebis.school.nz

Welcome back assembly

On Monday 18th most of the EBIS students returned to school. To introduce them to some of the measures in place after the lockdown an assembly was held on the back courts. It was helped by a group of students who volunteered.

Two students performed the ode of remembrance, one in english and one in maori. The school even acknowledged that we couldn’t celebrate ANZAC (Australia New Zealand Army Core) day because of the lockdown, so as a school we had a minute of silence to remember the soldiers who died and the soldiers who survived.

A poem called “The Great Realization” written by a poet about the lockdown was read during the assembly and was acted out by three of the students running the assembly. To end the assembly we sang the school song although the volume was questionable.