FORTNIGHTLY NEWSLETTER: 31 October 2020

IMPORTANT DATES AND EVENTS

Torbay School Learning Powers – RIC

PRINCIPALS MESSAGE

Tēnā koutou katoa

Thank you for supporting us with our teacher only day. It was a day well spent and our guest speaker provided us with a great deal of useful input and ideas to help inform our practice in the future. I would like to remind you that we have a second TOD on the Monday 30^th of November. These days have been given to us by the government as part of our recent pay award and in a year in which it has been difficult to timetable PLD we are very grateful to have them. This second day will be targeted on curriculum delivery and help us prepare for the move to collaborative spaces in our new building next year.

There is much going on in our school this term and I am very pleased to have welcomed the NZ Dance Company to the school. Last week they held three workshops for our year 4 children and yesterday they performed for the whole school.

Our year 6 Waterwise programme started yesterday, thankyou to all our parent helpers for making this programme possible.

I am thrilled that we have managed to rebook our year 4 and 6 camps for this term. Our year 4 camp goes to Peter Snell Village on Monday. Thank you to our Staff who have put in an enormous amount of time to organise the camp and a special thank you to all of our volunteer helpers. I am looking forward to joining the year 4 group for part of the camp and know that the children are particularly excited and wish them all a happy and safe trip.

I want to say a huge thank you to the teachers and parents who volunteer to support our road patrol. Our road patrol children and parents do a wonderful job and take on the responsibility of our children’s safety. Please ensure that we show our volunteers’ respect. Just as we ask our children to use our CARE values at Torbay School we also ask our community to do so too. Please make a point of thanking both the children and parents who carry out this role and please make sure you follow their instructions at all times. They are working in the interest of your children’s safety.

Thank you for your continued support for everything we do here at Torbay School. Please do not hesitate to contact me on any issue.

My email address is gobrien@torbay.school.nz

Ngā mihi nui
Gary O’Brien
Principal

SCHOOL NOTICES

MEETINGS – The next B.O.T Meeting will be held on Wednesday 2nd December @ 7pm in the Staffroom. The next New Parent Meeting will be held on Monday 16th November @ 9.30am in the staffroom.

TERM 4 TEACHER ONLY DAY – Monday 30th November. School will be closed for learners on this day. Fun Club will be open. Please contact Sandie or Thelma on 021 399 626 to book in.

Y4 CAMP – On Monday the 2nd of November, Whānau Motuihe are heading off for a one night stay at Peter Snell Youth Village in Whangaparaoa. Please meet at school at 8:15am and will return back at school at 2:45pm on Tuesday 3rd November. We have heaps of fun activities planned while we are there like Bivouac building, Burma trail and even a Waterslide. We are looking forward to seeing everyone on Monday morning with all their gear, baking and fruit to share and any medications are labeled and delivered to the office. Don’t forget to bring along a packed lunch, drink bottle and morning tea for the first day too! A HUGE thank you to all our parent helpers who have volunteered their time and to all our drivers who are going to take us there and back. We couldn’t do it without you! Have a good night’s sleep on Sunday night!

Y6 CAMP INFORMATION EVENING – Monday 2nd November @ 7pm We will hold a meeting to answer any questions you may still have on Monday 2nd November at 7 pm in the staffroom. We will outline the programme and answer any queries that you may have. If you have offered to be a helper at camp it is expected that you attend this meeting, as we will talk about the programme and our expectations of you as a parent helper on the trip. It is essential for all parent helpers staying overnight to attend.

Y6 CAMP – CAREY PARK, Wednesday 11th – Friday 13th November – We are in the final stages of planning, more information will be coming home very soon.

Y6 GRADUATION EVENING – Save the date! Tuesday 15th December. More information will come home in due course.

PHOTOLIFE SPORT TEAM/GROUPS PHOTO SHOOT – Tuesday 24th November, PhotoLife will be here to take photos of all our Torbay School Sports teams, including our Student Leaders and Powhiri Kapa Haka groups on Tuesday 24th November. Children can wear their sports uniform to school on this day, however if they are a Student Leader we request they bring their Torbay School (blue) shirt too. If you are a coach or manager and wish to be in your team photo please let the office know. We will also be taking individual catch photos for absent or new students too, so please ensure they are looking spic and span on this day as well!

FRIDAY WHEELS DAY Y’s 1-5 Bring along your scooters, skateboards, roller skates or roller blades (Sorry, NO BIKES). You can bring your wheels but will only be allowed to ride if you are wearing a helmet and shoes. Please make sure your child’s wheels are named. Your wheels can only be ridden in the allocated spot during lunchtime. They can’t be ridden at morning tea or before school. Come along and join the fun.

PLEASE NOTE: Wheels Day will be held every Friday for Years 1-5 after lunch eating. Only on Waterwise Fridays

SCHOLASTIC LUCKY BOOK ORDERS – ISSUE 7 – Lucky Book Club Orders have closed. Thank you for your support, with every order our school benefits.

YUMMY STICKERS – THE RESULTS ARE IN! We are able to spend $1,538.00 on sports gear for the school!! Ka pai!!! Thanks to all that supported the Yummy sticker collection, if you need a new collection sheet please ask for one at the school office.

SCHOOL POOL KEYS – These will go on sale to our school community from 8.30am Tuesday 17th, November 2020 $100.00 hire plus $20 refundable key bond (Total $120) NOTE: These will not be able to be purchased through the online shop
(Sorry, no waiting list for keys and no keys will be issued until the pool contract is completed.)

GENERAL REMINDERS

HATS are compulsory in Term 4 & 1. Please clearly name your child’s hat. Lost hats are in the school office.

ROAD SAFETY AND DROP OFF ZONE – The Travelwise team would like to remind children and adults to cross the road safely and to remind your children when making their way to and from school that they practice road safety and to look for cars as it is always busy around drop off and pick up times.

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.

HEALTH ROOM REMINDERS: 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.

MUMPS: We have had a recent confirmed case of Mumps at school. If you or your child has mumps, or are displaying these symptoms please keep them home for the recommended timeframe set by the Ministry of Health. The symptoms are: pain in the jaw, fever, headache and swelling of the glands around the face. Click here for more information on Mumps.
STREP THROAT: There have been a few cases of Strep throat at school recently. Strep Throat is contagious, therefore, if you are concerned that your child has Strep Throat please see your doctor. For more information visit https://www.healthline.com/ health/strep-throat

STUDENT NEWS

Kids Vote 2020

Children across Torbay School had been learning about and sharing their ideas and opinions leading up to the recent Elections. Many have strong views about what they would like to see in their future. Students experienced completing ballot papers and casting their vote. Thank you to the group of Student Leaders who collected and counted voting ballots.

The result was… Labour 301 Green 87 National 78