Kia ora Waitetuna Whaanau
It has been a great start to 2022 so far. Students are positive and getting involved in all of the learning. It is so good, after this lovely summer break, to see our students arriving through the school gates excited to see their friends and their teachers for 2022. Even though we begin this year with new challenges and the sorts of restrictions we hoped that we had left behind in 2021, I am so pleased with the positive ‘vibe’ around school. We aim to make every student’s learning journey engaging and enjoyable. Our school newsletter comes out weekly on Fridays. Other methods used to deliver important messages include our email updates, our closed Facebook page and the Skool Loop App (free from the online App Play store). Please be assured that vital information will be emailed as soon as possible. As with the past two years, school events will need to be planned slightly different as we are governed by the RED traffic light guidelines. We are determined to keep the highest level of normality and fun for our learners and therefore endeavour to plan every event within the given parameters. We are doing what we have to do in order to pull the event off (instead of cancelling). We thank you for your support and co-operation. We are doing it for our children! With this in mind we are still working on the Senior Room camp going ahead in week 9, with all safety measures planned for. But you will appreciate that flexibility will be needed in relation to camp. Unfortunately Interschool swimming and the Get-Set-Go day are cancelled. See below for our school sports events dates.
Ngaa mihi, Amanda and staff
Events
Some Dates for term 1:
Swimming events
Junior room - demonstration - Wednesday 9th March - 1.45pm
Middle room and Senior room - Thursday 10 March - 1.00pm
TRYathlon
Thursday 17th March - in year groups
Year 1 and 2 - 12.00
Year 3 and 4 - 11.40
Year 5 and 6 - 11.20
Year 7 and 8—starting at 11am
Bikes in from the 7th March
Live stream certificate presentation at a later date. Parents are allowed onsite to watch
their own child—wearing masks.
Friday lunch options—Term 1
Friday Lunches—the senior leaders have planned three lunches for this term so they are
as follows:
Nachos—week 3—18th Feb $3.50
Gluten Free & Vege options available @ $4.50
Burgers—week 6—11th March
American hot dogs—week 8—25th March
Community Conduct Expectations
Last year this policy was passed at the board and here it is for your information—Waitetuna School is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for students, staff, and visitors. Our Code of Conduct serves as a reminder to all parents, care-givers, and school visitors that their conduct must support everyone’s emotional and physical wellbeing, and not harm it in any way.
The Code of Conduct applies:
to all conduct, speech, and action, and includes emails, texts, phone calls, social media, or other communication
while on school grounds or at another venue where students and/or staff are assembled for school purposes (such as a camp or sports match)
Standards of conduct
Waitetuna School expects parents, caregivers, and visitors to: - treat everyone with respect
work together in partnership with staff for the benefit of students
respect and adhere to our school values
set a good example for students at all times
follow school procedures to handle any complaints
adhere to school policies and procedures (such as those listed below), and any legal requirements.
Examples of unsuitable conduct include:
threats, bullying, harassment
profanity/offensive language
insulting, abusing, or intimidating behaviour
racism or discrimination (e.g. based on ethnicity, religion, gender identity)
physical aggression
deception/fraud
damaging school property
smoking, vaping, possessing, or using alcohol/drugs/other harmful substances on school premises or at another venue where students and/or staff are assembled for school purposes (except possession or use of alcohol in accordance with school policy)
placing unreasonable and excessive expectations on staff time or resources
pursuing a complaint or campaign, or making de-famatory, offensive, or derogatory comments, regarding the school, its board, or any staff or students on social media or other public forums
wearing gang insignia on the school grounds. (This is not allowed under the Prohibition of Gang Insignia legislation, and anyone wearing it will be asked to leave.
Kai Stand
You will have seen our new kai stand at the front of the school. The Senior Room students and I will be painting this soon and then we can start sharing excess fruit and vegetables and the like. If you have primer at home we could use that would be very much appreciated. Manu and Tania will be joining us on the Friday 25th February and would love any community members (yes vaccinated) to come and join in with working on our gardens.
Waitetuna Way
Well done to Layla Abbott and Theo Browne for their great start to the year showing our
Friendship value in action in the class and in the playground. Thank you also to Liz Macdonald for the superb way you have re-started Before School Care for us at Waitetuna.