Kia ora e te Whānau,

Welcome back to Term 2. We have had a lovely start to the term. The weather has allowed us to spend time outside together. Under the Orange Setting of the Covid Protection Framework we are able to interact as a school more. It was delightful to see our students running throughout the school, enjoying all of the space we have.

Lots of exciting learning opportunities are planned for this term. As well as covering our core subjects of Reading, Writing and Maths, we will also be working on our whole school inquiry under the concept of our Cultural Narrative gifted to us by Ngāi Tahu. I’m sure there will be some powerful thinking going on and lots of curiosity as this learning gets underway.

Finally, on behalf of the Ilam School Team, I would like to extend a warm Eid Mubarak to our whānau who are currently celebrating this special time of year.

Belinda Kennedy and the Ilam School Team

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In this Update you will find information on the following:

• Meeting your PTA, and Second Hand Clothing Sale

• Mihi Whakatau

• ANZAC commemorations

• Term 2 Learning

• Bullying-Free NZ Week + Pink Shirt Day (a non-uniform day)

• Cool Learning @Ilam

• Book Club ordering information

Second Hand Uniform Sale - TOMORROW!

The PTA will be hosting a Second Hand Uniform Sale tomorrow from 8.30am to 9.00am. Our second hand uniform sale is a great way to get extra items for winter or a whole uniform should you need it. Items are of high quality and well priced. So make sure you check it out. Any profit made on sales is used to buy teaching resources across the school.

If you are able to help out on the day please contact Vicki at pta@ilam.school.nz. and she will get in touch. The PTA would appreciate your support with this event.

PTA meeting -A reminder that the PTA meeting is on Tuesday 10 May at 7.30pm in the Staffroom. All are welcome.

Welcome to New Whānau and tamariki,

Our whole School will be formally welcoming our new learners and their whānau joining the Ilam School Team in Term 2 2022. At the Mihi Whakatau any new tamariki and their whānau who have joined us from the 7th August 2021 until Friday 20th May 2022 will be welcomed.

Due to Covid restrictions, we will hold two Mihi Whakatau on Friday 20th of May. The Mihi Whakatau at 9.45-10.30 am will be held for Year 3-6 tamariki and their families. The Mihi Whakatau held at 1.45-2.30pm will be for Year 0-2 tamariki and families.

If a family has children in different areas of the school, they can choose one of the Mihi Whakatau ceremonies to attend with their tamariki.

Our new families will collect their child/children from their classes, then meet in the wharepukapuka (library) at 9.45am or 1.45pm.

Following both Mihi Whakatau we invite families to stay and enjoy some refreshments in the hall.

At the end of last term, with your support our School Council raised $307.60 for the RSA poppy collection. Across the school our tamariki also created a poppy that was then made into wreaths. These were placed by some of our tamariki and staff at sites of significance.

​​In our school-wide learning in 2022 we will explore links to our cultural narrative gifted to our school from Ngai Tahau, our local Iwi . We will be using the new Aotearoa New Zealand History curriculum to support us. We will also investigate Our Place and Space looking at design and technology. It is our hope that tamariki get to understand how a space can create and encourage belonging and identity. It is very exciting and we hope to share our learning and discoveries with you over the school year.

If you have any expertise in the field of design, wellbeing, storytelling or cultural identity we would love to hear from you. If you are able to support our learning programmes please get in touch with your child’s class teacher.

The 16th-20th of May (Week 3) is Bullying-Free NZ week, ending with Pink Shirt Day Friday 20th May. Celebrated annually around the globe, Pink Shirt Day began in Canada in 2007 and has been celebrated since 2009 in Aotearoa. The Mental Health Foundation runs Pink Shirt Day at the end of Bullying-Free N.Z. week to raise awareness about bullying prevention in workplaces, schools and communities. On Pink Shirt Day Ilam School students can wear non-uniform clothing and are encouraged to wear something pink. More information about bullying, being an upstander and more can be found here: https://www.bullyingfree.nz/ and https://www.pinkshirtday.org.nz/

While classes will discuss bullying during this week, (what it is and what it isn’t) we have this focus each term at Ilam, not just for one week a year. We talk about the difference between ‘mean’ behaviour and ‘bullying’. ‘Mean’ behaviour is about ‘one off’ incidents that happen at school. We discuss with the children that bullying includes three distinct elements:

● Bullying is deliberately harmful behaviour.

● Bullying is behaviour that is repeated over time.

● Bullying involves a power imbalance between those who bully and those being bullied

We are endeavouring to create an environment of inclusiveness where all people feel safe, valued and respected, regardless of age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, or cultural background. We also want to encourage Upstanders, those who, when they feel safe, can stand up to inappropriate behaviour and bullying.

“Kōrero Mai, Kōrero Atu, Mauri Tū, Mauri Ora – Speak Up, Stand Together, Stop Bullying!”