Newsletter Wednesday 25 March

25 March 2020

From midnight tonight (Wednesday 25), our school is in total lockdown and that means that no-one at all will be allowed on school grounds or the school playgrounds for the duration of the lockdown.

COVID-19

It is essential that New Zealanders self-isolate as per the instructions of our government.  While it may be tough, it is important to maintain some routines. The internet is full of ideas, advice and tips for parents.

Parents, caregivers, whānau and teachers will have a particularly important part to play in reassuring children at this time.  The Ministry of Education have prepared a number of resources, including – http://education.govt.nz/school/health-safety-and-wellbeing/pastoral-care-and-wellbeing/talking-to-children-about-covid-19-coronavirus/

These are changing and challenging times. 

I’m confident our community can be calm, kind and supportive; and get through this together.

Distance Learning

Our distance learning will begin on Wednesday 15 April.

What is distance learning?

Distance learning is a way of continuing your children’s learning while the school is closed. Our distance learning is a mix of “online” learning and “offline” learning. Children can continue their learning even if they don’t have a device that is solely theirs to use.

We are all new to distance learning so let’s show our school value of kindness to each other as we all work through this.

Our Methods of Communication

The Parents of Silverdale Facebook page is not an official communication page for the school. Please don’t rely on this page for any official school communication or information. If you are not sure about something please contact me cameronlockie@silverdaleprimary.school.nz

Our main method of communication will be via email. If it is something to do with your child’s learning please email your child’s teacher. Teachers have been instructed by me to only respond to emails between the hours of 9am and 1pm, Monday to Friday beginning Wednesday 15 April. Remember this is all new to us as well so it might take a while for teachers to respond to emails.

Some teachers are confident to use video conferencing to connect with their class while others are not, video conferencing will be up to the individual teacher if they decide to use it.

I will continue to use the school app and newsletter to communicate with our whole school community.

From our research and reading about learnings from other countries whose schools have closed we have found that routines and predictability help children to feel settled. Rather than expecting you to fill the role of the teacher we will provide you with opportunities for your children to maintain their learning and practice their skills whilst at home, as well as some fun activities. 

Please note that the suggested timetables and activities are optional, feel free to make the timetable work for you and your family or run with your own ideas.

If you would like to work with your child on their next learning steps in maths, reading and writing please use your parent portal on Schooltalk. Your child’s teacher will be available to reply to emails between 9.00am and 1.00pm, Monday to Friday to support you in this.

We will provide your child with enough independent work for them to do alongside you. Currently we have planned work up to Friday 24 April. We appreciate you too will likely be working from home, so we do not expect this to be followed to the tee. The timetables and activity ideas provided are optional so feel free to adapt or run with your own ideas. If you or your child are at a loss and unable to understand the work set, you’re welcome to contact your classroom teacher via email.  They will endeavour to get back to you between 9.00am and 1.00pm. Please appreciate most are also parents themselves so there may be a delay in their responses. Their email addresses can be found here on our school website.

https://www.silverdaleprimary.school.nz/staff/

Here is an example of the timetable that we will be using for all our learners.

We are here to support you and your family with these trying times. Do what you think is best for you and your family, don’t be stressed if you miss any of the learning your children won’t remember all the learning that has or hasn’t taken place but they will remember the time they will have with their family during this time.

Happy Birthday 

Happy birthday to James Best, Andre Graham Munjid Jex, Sadie Lees, Keerath Kaur, Eehan Noor, Rhaedyn Wood, Luke Cave, Ryder Hodgkiss, Tayla McAulay, Marcus Leslie, Sam Child, Coby Ayson, Beau Ashley, Jack Crombie, Joshua Sung, Leonardo Bibbie, Emma Garrett Isaac Gleeson, Zoe Hastings, Maxwell Niu, Keagan Hockly, Lextoniel Iskandar, Ocean Morales, Addison Isted, Franklin Fu, Aaliyah-Kay Tuake, Mikah Gemmell, Raimee Wo-Onsri, Riley Bohm, Diyar Kaplan, Timothy Watkins, Alexia Halliday, Laura Amissah, Aimee Whorwood, Harper Craw, Meredith Chen, Nevaeh Garrity, Braxton Jackson, Zane Jackson, Vivaan Joshi, Caelan Rademaekers, Molly Briant, Sahana Davies, Rolan Feng, Jemma Howard and Leo Green.

Welcome

Welcome to Aaliyah-Kay Tuake, Abby Weakley and Chloe Liu. Our current roll is 743.

Artwork in the Foyer

Thank you to Room 18 for the artwork that is in our foyer.

Shade

The remaining shade has been installed over the playgrounds. Thank you to everyone who has supported the PTA fundraisers to raise funds for our school for this to happen.

New Sandpit Area

We had planned over the holidays to install a new sandpit area for our children to play in. At the moment these plans are on hold.

What did you do Today?

What did you do today? Is a question that gets asked in many New Zealand homes by parents as their children get home from school. The usual response is “not much”.

When they get home from school today, here are 10 conversation starters that will hopefully spark better responses that “not much”.

1. What was the funniest thing you heard all day?
2. What was your favourite thing that happened today?
3. Did your teacher get cross today? What happened?
4. What subject was the most interesting today?
5. Was anyone away today? Did that make the day different?
6. What was something new you read today?
7. What happened today that you wish hadn’t happened?
8. What did you enjoy most for lunch today?
9. What are you learning about in science?
10. Did anyone do something nice for you today? Did you do something nice back?

Ten Tips for Using Your Home Language at Home 

1. Speak your language or languages as much as possible, and encourage everyone in your family to speak as much as they can. 
2. Tell your traditional stories, rhymes, poems and sayings to your children. Talk to them about your family, culture, and history. 
3. Write to family or friends with your children in your language – cards, letters, emails, texts or social media – and plan visits to them if possible. 
4. Read books together every day. Point to the pictures, read all or some words, and perhaps use bilingual books as well. 
5. Watch programmes or movies in your language on television, from the library, or online. Perhaps choose ones with English subtitles. 
6. Help your children with homework in your language from their school, club, church, temple, or mosque. 7 Sing songs with your children in your language. 
7. Have fun! Play music and traditional games in your language. 
8. Put up posters, alphabets, or charts in your language. 
9. Explain that your children can be strong in two or more languages and cultures at the same time. 

Remember: Using your language or languages at home will help your children succeed at school, and in their future work.  It’s OK for your children to mix their languages. It’s OK to ask for help from family, friends or teachers if your children don’t want to use your language.  It’s easier in a group. Join community activities, or find or start a language playgroup, culture group, school or club locally (or online).

Cameron Lockie

Tumuaki/Principal 

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