IMPORTANT DATES AND EVENTS

Torbay School Learning Powers – RIC

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Tēnā koutou katoa

It was wonderful to see our playground full of parents yesterday afternoon and then wander around and watch our netball teams practicing and children playing on the playgrounds later in the afternoon. I have had a real sense this week of us moving forward in lots of areas, our programmes are back into action and we are starting to plan for the future with much more certainty. We are certainly fortunate that our country has had such wonderful leadership throughout this pandemic and that our team of 5 million has played such a brilliant game. I understand that there are still many challenges ahead, however, I am feeling very optimistic about our ability to meet those challenges.

I can only applaud our team here at Torbay and in that team I include Children, Parents, Staff and the community at large, you have been outstanding and continually positive throughout this ordeal and I have a sense that in many ways we return to school in a stronger position than when we left.

Sadly, Bob Baird who was Principal of Torbay School from 1983 -1994 passed away on June 2nd. Bob was also the father of Wendy Sandifer my predecessor as Principal of Torbay School. Bob was not only Principal but retained his links with the school throughout the remainder of his life. Up until this year he organised and participated in a community reading programme here at school on Fridays. As the new Principal it was wonderful to be able to build a relationship with Bob and sit with him in the staff room on a Friday morning and listen to the pearls of wisdom he had for me. Bob’s connection with this school has spanned 50 years and as a mark of respect to him and his family our school’s flag flew at half mast on June the 2nd. I’m sure you will join with me in passing on our condolences to Wendy and her family. The funeral for Bob will be held at Schnapper Rock Rd tomorrow at 3.30pm.

We are just about to start our unit of work on Keeping Ourselves Safe (KOS) This is a school wide programme that is delivered by the New Zealand Police and supported in the classrooms by our teachers. Keeping Ourselves Safe has been designed to give students the skills to cope in situations involving abuse. It has 3 overall aims:  

  • To develop and strengthen children’s skills to keep themselves safe with other people  
  • To support and encourage children to get help from caring adults  
  • To make teachers and parents/ caregivers more aware of the need to keep children safe from abuse by adults or other children.

If you are interested in the content of this programme we are having a parents information meeting next week. Please see the advertisement later in the newsletter.

Sport is underway again and our netball teams are practicing on the courts before and after school. If you are in the school at those times please can you make sure that your children do not play on those courts while the practices are going on.

I look forward to the remainder of the term and am already excited by the work I see going on in our classrooms. Our teachers are creative and resilient and seem to have returned to school full of ideas to enhance the children’s learning. 

I thank you for your continued support of everything we do here at Torbay.

My email address is gobrien@torbay.school.nz 

Ngā mihi nui
Gary O’Brien
Principal

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

CONGRATULATIONS to the following tamariki who received certificates from their class teachers:
Kaleb, Sammy, Karissa & Arty Rm 1, Paige, Emma, Dayton & Sienna Rm 2, Henry, Jay, Tobias & Sophia Rm 3, Matthew, Zahara, Harry & Julia Rm 4, Liam F, Xander, Sophia & Shijie Rm 5, Archer, Isabelle, Ines & Mason Rm 6, Caitlyn, Indie, Xavier & Gwynnie Rm 7, Reeve, Marlon Rowan & Maggie Rm 8, Lachlan, Luca J, Emilia & Jagger Rm 9, Cindy, William, Hozaye & Oliver Rm 10, Gabriella, Josh, Jasper, Toby, Emma Z & Peyton Rm 11, Cuba, Lucia-Grace, Sofia & Mateo Rm 13, Hannah, Leon, Yvonne & Taymon Rm 14, Michaella, Morgan, Jasper & Jimin Rm 15, Taylor, Adrian, Rhianna & Feifei Rm 16, Maia & Tessa, Nau & Kohl Rm 17, Noah, Ella-Mae, Nathan S & Jessica Rm 18, Jayden, Basil, Beaux & Eden Rm 19, Kevin, Todd, Emil & Lola Rm 20, Spencer, Evie, Cooper & Lydia Rm 21, Liam, Wota, Archie & Regardt Rm 22, Kaelin & Salesi Rm 23, Galina, Franki, Brianna & William Rm 24, Tally, Connor, Bosco & Elliot Rm 25. Well done!!!!!

YUMMY STICKERS Emily K Rm 1, Edith Rm 4, Maximilian & Ruby Rm 6, Indiana Rm 13, Kayla Rm 16, Charlie Rm 18, Eddie Rm 22  Ka pai!

SCHOOL NOTICES

MEETINGS – The next B.O.T Meeting will be held on Wednesday 17th June @ 7pm in the Staffroom. The next New Parent Meeting will be held on Monday 24th August @ 9.30am in the staffroom.

PARENT HELPER TRAINING – A reminder that Parent Helper training will be on Monday 3rd August at 9.15am in the staffroom.  Under the new Health & Safety legislation all parent helpers will need to complete an initial parent helper training session and sign a Health & Safety Procedure each year. Thanks for your support in this area. Please note that any parents who are at school between 8:50am and 2:50pm will need to sign in at the office.

KEEPING OURSELVES SAFE – (KOS) PARENT INFORMATION MEETING – Keeping Ourselves Safe has been designed to give students the skills to cope in situations involving abuse. An information morning with Senior Constable Wansink will be held in the hall on June 17th at 9am. If you are wanting to attend this meeting please email Renee Heasley on rheasley@torbay.school.nz with your name, child’s name, room, and year level.

SCHOOL POOL KEYS – FINAL REMINDER that all pool keys were due back on 5th June. Please return these to the school office ASAP to ensure you receive your $20 bond refund.

OVERDUE LIBRARY BOOKS – All library books that were taken out before lockdown are now due back.  Please send these in with your child as soon as possible. Thank you.

ENROLMENTS 2020/21 – If your child, (or someone you know has a child who lives in the Torbay School zone) and is turning 5 within the next 12 months, please urgently complete an enrolment application (available from our website or at the school office).

CHANGE OF DETAILS  – If you have moved house or have new contact details, or if your child has a new medical condition or older issues which have changed or are no longer a problem, please advise us so we can update our records.

SECOND HAND UNIFORM SHOP – The shop will be open to purchase second hand uniforms on the following Thursday’s, 18th June, 16 July, 13 August and 17th September from 8:30am-8:55am and 3pm—3.30pm just inside the hall by the office. If you have any good condition uniforms you wish to donate, please bring them to the school office.

SCHOLASTIC LUCKY BOOK ORDERS – ISSUE 4 – Order forms have gone home. The closing date for orders is Wednesday, 17th June at 3pm. Orders can be done online at https://mybookclub.scholastic.co.nz/Parent.aspx Thank you for your support.  Every order helps the school get valuable resources for our School.

CROSS COUNTRY TRAINING –  YEARS 4, 5 & 6 will be cross country training on Monday, Wednesday and Friday’s.  Please ensure they have the appropriate shoes for running on these days.

FUNCLUB – Before and After School Fun Club have spaces for before school care 7am-8.45 and after school 3pm – 5.45.  Working for Families will assist with a subsidy paid directly to the centre for Before School Care, and/or After School Care and/or Holiday programmes.  We are taking bookings now for our Winter holiday programme. Pricing and details are on the After School Fun Club at Torbay School website.

Y5 CAMP – A huge thanks to our amazing teachers and wonderful helpers who participated in the Y5 camp before lockdown! We were all so grateful for the YMCA Staff and the support of our community to still be able to go at such a unique time. Everyone had so much fun and our tamariki got to experience life long memories.  See some of the photos below!

GENERAL REMINDERS

ROAD SAFETY AND DROP OFF ZONE
The Travelwise team would like to remind children and adults to cross the road safely.

Just a few things to remember.

  • Please be a good role model for the children
  • Please cross at the designated crossing, not at the top of Alexander Ave
  • Young children should be holding your hand while crossing
  • Push your bike or scooter across the road
  • Cross between the lines
  • Stopping on the yellow lines is prohibited
  • If you are using the drop off zone please remember this is a 2 minute stop only. Please do not park in the drop off zone and take your child into school, it is designed to ‘drop and go’. In the afternoons please pull forward when possible. It is a left hand turn ONLY when exiting the drop off zone.

Please adhere to these rules. Thank you for your consideration in making our roads safer for our children.

UNIFORM – Below are Torbay’s School Uniform items – please ensure that students are following these requirements. 

Please note:

  • School bucket hats (Black or Blue) are compulsory Terms 1 and 4.
  • Students are permitted to wear any tidy plain black leggings, skirts, skorts, trousers or shorts – NO denim jeans/skirts/shorts.
  • Plain sensible shoes (such as sneakers or sandals) that the student can put on/take off themselves preferably black or white in colour – No boots, crocs or jandals/thongs.
  • Socks are to be plain black, blue or white socks – NO long socks.
  • Students can wear plain black, blue or white short sleeve thermals or singlets under their school polo in winter months.
  • All uniform items are to be clearly named.  Student’s name can be embroidered under the logo (or on the back of hats) in black, yellow or white cotton on school uniform.  Contact the school office for further clarification.

CHANGES DUE TO WEATHER – As winter approaches and the wet weather sets in, we know plans can change for collecting your child/ren from school. If your child walks home or meets you at another location but this changes if it rains we would appreciate you talking to your child about having a wet weather alternative.  This provides less interruptions for their classroom if your plan has changed due to the weather. However, if you have sudden or unforeseen changes to pick ups or an urgent message please contact the school office.

STUDENT VOICE 

PINK SHIRT MUFTI DAY –  It was wonderful to see so many students and staff get involved in Pink Shirt Day, supporting the prevention of bullying. This is an initiative by our Kāhui Ako and our school to highlight the damage bullying can do to others.

Check out our new entrant Room 11’s wonderful Art work! Ka pai 

FOOD DRIVE 2020 – The Kāhui Ako food drive at Torbay School on the 3rd of June was a huge success. Lots of people donated cans and packages of food. Thank you to all those who contributed, it is very much appreciated. The Salvation Army said it will help support many families. Kia Kaha!

Kāhui Ako Student Leaders – Tiger and Kyla

Room 5/6 have enjoyed our Wā Kitea Zones based on Julia Donaldson’s Snail and the Whale book. We had a Great Snail Race Challenge where the children had to create their own LEGO snail that could be powered by a balloon and a snail on a cup that could be powered by a Sphero Robot. Here are some of the wonderful creations they made.

Check out Room 7’s Tapa Cloth they created for Samoan Language Week! Awesome work guys! 

Check out Room 8’s Sequel from Jeff the Bear! Jeff the Bear Goes into Level One! Click here to see the story! 

PTA 

Order at: https://www.entertainmentbook.co.nz/orderbooks/100j021

Stay up to date with all our fundraising events by following our Facebook page: “Friends Of Torbay School”

COMMUNITY NOTICES

Time capsule

Long Bay College and the Oneroa Kāhui Ako would like your lockdown life stories! They are creating a time capsule to record our local community’s experiences of lockdown during COVID-19 Alert Levels 3 and 4. Long Bay College would like to invite everyone to submit their stories – individuals, families, groups and business managers.

The capsule will be sealed later this year and won’t be opened for 25 years when it will become an amazing resource for future generations!  They would like lockdown life stories to be submitted by the end of June and they need to be uploaded digitally. See their website for more information about the Time Capsule Project and how to upload your story. www.longbaycollege.com/time-capsule/

ADVERTORIALS 

Disclaimer: The following advertisements are placed as a community service – publication does not imply Torbay School endorsement.

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