Welcome to Term Two… Wednesday 15 April.
This a school term starting like no other, as we continue at Level 4 of New Zealand’s response to COVID-19. Hope you are doing really well in your bubble.
A special welcome to Heidi and Josie starting in Ramaroa iti as brand new 5 year olds. They won’t forget their start to school! Welcome too, Cassie who is joining Ramaroa nui. Paige and Charlie who are joining Turama and Levi who is becoming part of the Marama team. So great to have you and your families join us and we are all looking forward to meeting you properly once the Lockdown has been relaxed.
This a new chapter in education. There is a huge learning curve that students, parents and school staff will be navigating together!
As we embark on these new methods of teaching and learning please support each other.
The Upper Moutere Team will continue to be available to support your child(ren’s) learning and wellbeing over the next weeks until we can return to school.
We cannot replicate learning as we know it at school, so please do not pressure yourself or your child to try to. Research shows that children will catch up quickly once school returns.
As we move into term time you may want to establish a little more routine for your family. Routines are reassuring, and promote health and physical wellbeing. This could be just setting aside some regular time, a couple of times a day, to undertake some of the tasks teachers are sharing, balanced with physical activity, play and down time. Make your day work for you and your child(ren)
We plan to continue to provide some opportunities for your child(ren) to be Active, Creative, Literate, Numerate, Thinkers while taking ever increasing responsibility for their learning. They will need a little help and encouragement from you from time to time, but please if it all gets a bit too stressful, stop… do something else, you are allowed!
As you know our school, theme for 2020 is Imagine and Create. This theme provides endless avenues for our students to explore. We would love to see whatever they are imagining and creating, through writing, pictures, photos or video. Please encourage them to share with us and their classmates. We are looking forward to it.
You will have heard of the support being offered by the Ministry of Education yesterday. As all our students can access distance learning via internet/devices the hardcopy packages of learning materials will not be available to our students at present. This may change if distance learning extends beyond the current period. The Ministry is doing a fantastic job trying to provide access to learning tools for all children in a very short time.
After the Easter weekend you will hear from your child’s teacher(s), just touching base to ensure you all know how your child can connect with them and how they can support learning for the next couple of weeks. If school stays closed for longer, teachers will continue to develop programmes as they become more familiar with this approach and the resources that are becoming available.
Staff are keeping in daily contact with each other via messenger and we had a Zoom staff meeting yesterday and have more planned. The Board are meeting via Zoom also.
If you are not sure of anything or need help in anyway, please do not hesitate to get in touch with any of us.
Together we have got this.
Enjoy your Easter in your bubble. Stay safe and keep looking after each other.
Nga mihi nui
Grant and the Upper Moutere Team.