IMPORTANT DATES AND EVENTS

Torbay School Learning Powers – RIC

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Tēnā Koutou e te whānau

I have taken a few moments to read through our newsletter from this time last year, a time full of uncertainty, a time when we did not know how long the lockdown would last and what the final outcome of Covid 19 would be. What a contrast we have today as we head into summer, and we have many of the freedoms we pined for, back! We have come through the pandemic well, as a nation, as a community and as a school. We look forward optimistically to an exciting term ahead as we race towards the end of the year.

Class Placements for 2023 – We are moving ahead with class placements for 2023.  Now is your opportunity to provide us with information around class placements for next year. These requests should be based around any specific needs your child may have, whether they be learning, health or well-being issues. While we are aware of many of our children’s needs there may be something you consider important that we may not be aware of. I would like to emphasise this is not an opportunity to choose your child’s teacher or classroom, or to ensure children stay with their friends, but to inform us of important issues that we should consider when placing your child. Do not just rely on a discussion with our teachers – please put your thoughts in writing so they can be considered. Please send these requests directly to me via my email address by the 1st of November. gobrien@torbay.school.nz

Digital Safety at Torbay School – I am pleased to announce that we have now partnered with Linewize, one of the leading cyber safety companies in the world. Linewize will provide us with a suite of tools to closely manage and monitor what our children are doing online. It will also provide us with greater control over what the children are using technology for in the classroom and will provide all of our parents with an app providing them with the ability to have greater transparency over what, when and how your children are using the internet.

We are currently launching the within-school components of the Linewize suite of programmes and look forward to sharing the parent component in an upcoming meeting to be held at school. We will be combining this with our annual Bring Your Own Chromebook (BYOC) meeting that we hold for Year 3 parents whose children are transitioning into Year 4. At this meeting we will share our usual information to help facilitate that transition and also introduce the various components of Linewize including the Parent Hub. We look forward to seeing you at that meeting on Tuesday 8th November.

For more information on Linewize go to https://www.linewize.com/  

PTA – Fundraising for our new gardens is going very well with the success of our recent events including the Quiz Night. Our fundraising currently sits at $15,000, which is getting closer to our goal of $45,000. Congratulations to our PTA for making this happen. Our next PTA meeting takes place next Tuesday evening the 25th of October at 7.30pm in the staffroom at school all are welcome. Our next major event is the Colour Run that will be held on Saturday 26th of November.

Online Enrolments – It is important that we get a clear view of what our roll will be in 2023. Please ensure that if you have children starting school next year you complete an enrolment form. This is now easier than ever as we have just initiated a new online enrolment system.  Simply log on through our website and fill out the online form to provide us with all the data we require. I urge you to do this as soon as possible and please encourage any new parents you may know (that live in our school zone) to also enrol their children regardless of the time of year they are starting school. The earlier we have information the better prepared we are for your child. 

Kōrero Māori – Whaea Jen our Te Reo Tutor continues to provide an opportunity for our children and parents to Kōrero Māori. This is a terrific opportunity to use Te Reo Māori in a non-threatening environment. Please join us in the atrium of the new building at 8am on Thursday mornings. This is a personal initiative of Jen’s that the school supports 100%. I look forward to seeing you there.

Summer – The fourth term hopefully brings with it the sun and dry weather enabling us to participate in more education outside the classroom (EOTC). Please send your children to school prepared with school hats and sunscreen. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me on any matter.

Ngā mihi nui
Gary O’Brien
Principal

SCHOOL NOTICES

WELCOME TO TORBAY A warm welcome to all of our new learners and their families who have joined Torbay School in Terms 3 & 4. 

MEETINGS – The next PTA Meeting will be held on Tuesday 25th October at 7.30pm. If you wish to join the PTA they are always looking for new members so for more details please email ptatorbay@gmail.com. The next New Parent Meeting will be held on Monday 21st November at 9.15am in the Staffroom. The next BOT Meeting will be held on Wednesday 2nd November @ 7pm in the Staffroom.  

PHOTOLIFE SPORT TEAM/GROUPS PHOTO SHOOT – Tuesday 1st November 2022, PhotoLife will be here to take photos of our Torbay School Sports teams, including our Performance Kapa Haka group. Students are to wear their blue Torbay School T-shirt on this day and bring along their Sports top for the photo. We will also be taking individual catchup photos for new (started after the 7th June 2022) or for absent students that were away on the 7th June. Please ensure they are in full uniform and looking sharp on this day as well! If you are a coach or manager and wish to be in the team photo, please contact Sam Coyle at sports@torbay.school.nz to advise. If your child missed their sibling photo due to being absent on photo day please let the office know so we can get a consent form to you. 

SCHOLASTIC LUCKY BOOK ORDERS – (ISSUE 7) Lucky book club flyers have gone home.  Orders close on Friday 4th November. Please note we no longer take cash orders at the office, all orders must be done via the Lucky Book Club LOOP.  This can easily be done online via the LOOP. Every order helps the School get valuable resources for our Library. Thank you! 

2023 ENROLMENTS – If your child, or someone you know has a child who lives in the Torbay School zone, and they are turning 5 next year, please urgently complete an online enrolment application available from our website.

SCHOOL DONATIONS – A reminder that if you are paying off your annual donation – instalment 4 was due on the first day of term.

Donation (1 child) $45 per instalment
Donation (2 children) $80 per instalment
Donation (3 or more children) $107.50 per instalment.

Electronic statements will be sent out next week showing any unpaid amount on your account (the system automatically sends these with the email subject line of Request for Payment). This is a chance to check that our records agree with yours. Please contact accounts@torbay.school.nz if you have any queries.

LEARN GUITAR AT TORBAY SCHOOL – Hi there, my name is Phil Moore and I teach a range of traditional and contemporary styled songs and techniques during school hours on Tuesdays. The lessons are a lot of fun and ideal for beginners. Here’s some of my students in action on my Youtube channel.
For more information please contact me at phil.moore@musiqhub.co.nz or phone 021761441

GENERAL REMINDERS

SCHOOL ABSENCES –  Please remember to contact the school office if your child is going to be absent from school.

You can do this by one of the following:

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

  • 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 names can be embroidered under the logo (or on the back of hats) in black, yellow or white cotton on school uniforms. Contact the school office for further clarification.
  • Named items will be returned to the child’s classroom, otherwise unclaimed/unnamed items will be donated to the second hand uniform shop
  • School bucket hats (Black or Blue) are compulsory Terms 1 and 4.

HEALTH ROOM:  Please do not send any children to school who are unwell. 

If your child is sick please stay home and follow the guidelines for the illness and stay home for the recommended time frame set by the Ministry of Health. We have had recent cases of tummy bugs reported. Please remind your children the importance of washing their hands before eating and after using the bathroom to help prevent the spread.

  • VOMITING/DIARRHOEA: Any children who have had vomiting or diarrhoea must not return to school until 24 hours after the last episode.
  • SORE THROATS:  If your child has a sore throat, please keep them at home.  For more information click here 
  • COUGHS & COLDS: If your child has a cough and or a cold please keep your child at home. For more information click on the links coughs and colds .
  • HEAD LICE: Check your children for head lice. Children with eggs or lice will be sent home for treatment.
  • COVID: If your child is displaying signs or symptoms of Covid 19, please stay home and get tested.  Click here for more information.

SPORT NEWS

PTA NEWS 

Also keep your eye out for our Upcoming Ezlunch orders. These will be on Kindo during the weeks listed below. All orders must go through Kindo, no cash sales.

Week 3 (Friday 4th November) – Soy & Ginger sushi  – Orders close Wednesday 4pm 

Week 5 (Friday 18th November) – Jesters Pies 

Week 7 (Friday 2nd December) – Subway

COMMUNITY NOTICES 

HALLOWEEN ON ALEXANDER AVE – The Alexander Ave Halloween Street Party is on from 5:30pm-8:30pm on Monday October 31st. In order for this event to be a huge success we urgently need wrapped candy donations.
Donations are being accepted at Scout Cafe in Torbay, The Stoned Cow Cafe, New World in Browns Bay and Long Bay.
If you can’t make it to the cafes, please feel free to donate a bag or two to the houses down Alexander Ave, as they need all the help they can get on the night.
No need to worry about cooking dinner, there are going to be 10 food trucks coming. Make sure you bring cash 

This is a very popular family event and finally it can be run restriction free!!!

ADVERTORIALS

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

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