Newsletter – 31st October 2022

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Dear Parents

Welcome to all the new students and families who have joined our school community over the past few weeks. We have converted the Whanau Room (by the junior playground) into a new entrant classroom due to the delays to the completion of building works in Room 18 and Room 19.

Over the past few weeks, the middle and senior school have been on class trips to Howick Historical Village and the Auckland Museum as part of their study. We received a number of compliments by the public and the educators about how the children have great manners and are a credit to their parents and school.  It is always great to hear such positive feedback.

Farewell

During this term, we will farewell Mr. Warren Mears and Mrs. Liz Watene.

Warren Mears has been our caretaker for the past eight years and is now going to enjoy a well-earned retirement. We have been fortunate to benefit from not only Warren’s dedication but also his vast skill and knowledgebase, saving the school many thousands of dollars. We often get comments from visitors how great the school look and this is due in large part to the pride that Warren has taken in keeping our school to this high standard. We will miss Warren’s sense of humour, going the extra mile and practical approach to all aspects of the job.

Liz Watene has been connected with the school for a long time, firstly as a parent then as a teacher aide. Liz has touched on the lives of hundreds of children and staff over the years. We will miss her amazing knowledge of school families, students and the history of our local area. Liz has the patience of a saint and a large education knowledge, making a real impact in helping students with high needs or students who just needed a boost. Liz is moving down South to look after her mother.

Teachers Union Meeting Reminder

Notification: Paid Union Meetings for teachers covered by the Primary Teachers’ (including Deputy and Assistant Principals and Other Unit Holders) Collective Agreement (PTCA) and the Area School Teachers’ Collective Agreement (ASTCA).  

Paid union meetings for all primary teachers of NZEI Te Riu Roa. These paid union meetings are to discuss both the progress of these negotiations and the unified public service pay proposal.

The paid union meetings are an important opportunity for teachers to discuss the progress of these negotiations.  Teachers will need to decide whether any offers received from the Ministry meet, the goal of ensuring teaching is an attractive and sustainable profession.

School will close at 1 pm on Friday November 18 to enable the teachers to attend their meeting.

School Zone

Our school zone will be in place for Term 2, 2023. We will send out further details shortly.

Term 4 – Sun Safety is Important

This past weekend has really shown that summer is definitely making its presence felt.

We encourage all children to be sun smart by wearing hats and sunscreen.

There are several reasons why New Zealanders are at a high risk for developing skin cancers – including our ancestors having fair skin, our low ozone levels and our cultural emphasis on ‘the great outdoors’. Keeping sun safe is not optional in our country, it is essential.

Our unique environment causes us as New Zealanders to be particularly vulnerable to damaging ultraviolet rays.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in this country – almost 80% of new cancer cases in NZ are skin cancers.

New Zealand has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, and together with Australia, we have the highest melanoma rates.

There are nearly 67,000 new skin cancers a year, including 2400 new cases of melanoma.

There are over 300 deaths from skin cancer annually.

Maori and Pacific Islanders represent a low percentage of the overall skin cancers

diagnosed, however they are more likely to suffer from fast growing and difficult to diagnose melanomas.

Prevention is much, much better than cure

As skin cancer is so serious, it is vital that parents teach children in New Zealand how to be sun safe. The best mode of teaching is to model sun safety ourselves! How can we do that? Learn the S and W words below and repeat them all the time in your family – make sure you think about each aspect before spending time in the sun until sun safety becomes a firm habit amongst those in your household.

SHADE: Limiting your UV exposure from sunlight, achieved by keeping in the shade as much as possible. If you plan to sit on the beach (or somewhere else in the sun) often as a family, a sun umbrella is a great investment.

SLIP: If being in direct sunlight is unavoidable, cover your skin with clothing. Think about putting a long sleeve t-shirt, and long, light pants on yourself and your children. A small amount of discomfort now could prevent serious repercussions later.

SLOP: Sunscreen should be used in addition to covering your skin, not instead of. Always have to hand some SPF 30+ sunscreen* – check it has not expired and store it in a cool location. Apply sunscreen quarter of an hour before sun exposure, and reapply it every two hours or after swimming. Use approximately a teaspoon on each limb, and 1/2 a teaspoon on other exposed areas.

SLAP: Slap on a hat. Have spare sunhats for the family kept in the car, so you are not caught out.

WRAP: Wear sunglasses that block UV to protect your eyes and the skin around them. The best sunglasses will state on them that they meet Australian/New Zealand standards for UV protection.

* Special children’s sunscreen is not required, so long as your child does not react to regular sunscreen. Children’s sunscreen is often a milder but effective version. It is generally considered that the benefits of sunscreen far outweigh any concerns over the products used in sunscreen formulation.

The sun is harshest between the months of September and April in New Zealand – so it is best to apply the above practices throughout this period. Be very careful around reflective surfaces at any time of the year – including snow and water. They make the effects of the sun on the skin much worse. 

http://www.kiwifamilies.co.nz/articles/keeping-safe-sun/

Summer Uniform – shoes /sandals.

Student Lateness

Being late for school has a negative impact on your child’s learning.

Being just 10 minutes late every day adds up to an hour a week of lost learning.

Over a year this adds up to one week of school missed in a year! Being late for class often means important instructions are missed and the class is interrupted.

Your child may feel uncomfortable and on the outer with peers. Children need to arrive on time ready to settle into their school work. Arriving at least 5 minutes before the first bell allows your child to interact with their peers and teacher and get themselves ready for their busy day. Attending School regularly and arriving on time helps prepare children for the real world, where it is expected that they turn up to work every day and on time.

Last term this data was gathered from our electronic attendance system

On-time attendance by Year Level, Term 3, 2022

On-time attendance by Ethnicity, Term 3, 2022

What if my child is sick?

Children will get sick and need to stay home occasionally. However, do not let your child stay home unless they are truly sick. Keep in mind complaints such as a stomach ache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home. Don’t send your child to school if they have a fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, a serious cough, rash, conjunctivitis or a contagious illness e.g. chicken pox.

Always inform the school if your child is absent due to illness. If they are anxious about going to school talk to your child’s teacher.

Our school vision is ‘Reaching New Heights Together’ so together we can give your children the best possible start.

The PTA needs you! 

We are looking for a new Treasurer.. 

If you’re keen to help support the school and students through the PTA team, and have a head for numbers, this is your opportunity.

The treasurer administers the funds of the organisation. They receive and disburse funds on behalf of the PTA and are responsible for accurate financial record keeping.

A full handover of the role can be given. 
 

We would love for you to be a part of the PTA team. If your interested please email us at pta@pakurangaheights.school.nz.