ORATIA SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

MESSAGE FROM MS LINDA

Tēnā koutou katoa. Nau mai ki te whānau o te Oratia. Talofa lava. Malo e lelei. Zdravo. Ni hao. Namaste. Kamusta. Greetings Oratia whānau and families.

This week marked the last of our trips out on the Waitemata Harbour, helping the Sea Cleaners Trust clean up the beaches around the gulf. Last week I was fortunate enough to take a group of students out to Waiheke Island, where we searched for abandoned mussel buoys and washed up rubbish on the beaches there. This week Kathryn Mansell is taking a group of students out on the harbour to do the same sort of thing. Sea Cleaners tell us that they do this every day, and everyday they find around 2 cubic metres of rubbish from our oceans to dispose of. We have been able to take about 75 Year 6 students out on these adventures this year, thanks to the willingness of Sea Cleaners to accommodate us. This day is one we organise for our student leadership programme 'Ngā Rākau Kaha', and contributes to 8 hours of community service out of the 20 they need to earn their Community Service badge. We are very grateful to Hayden Smith and his team for allowing us to partner with them.

Over the weekend Lone Kauri School Trust celebrated their 50 years anniversary. On Sunday, the leadership team and some teachers joined Lone Kauri School and their community to celebrate with them. It was a wonderful event sited up in the sunshine on the top paddock and down in the school building. The school gardens and grounds looked beautiful in the blue skied sunshine, and the children ran around them happily all afternoon. We heard from Karel Witten-Hannah and his two brothers, who were instrumental in getting Lone Kauri School started - firstly as a correspondence outpost and eventually incorporated into Oratia District School - and who all paid tribute to the Honorable Jonathan Hunt and the mysterious benefactor who provided the land for the school and the funds to build the school building. As many people as could be were honoured for their commitment to the school and the wider community, and it was really lovely to hear from past pupils, some of whom had their own children now at Lone Kauri, to hear the current cohort of students speak and sing, and to hear from Pita Turei about the place Lone Kauri School holds in the whenua. There was pizza and home baking, good food and warm conversation, live music being performed, memories of the Karekare Race Days and lots of reconnection with past teachers and families. Congratulations to James and Jo and the team who pulled the event together. It was a wonderful event to be a part of.

Take care and stay safe.

Kia kaha, kia atawhai.

Ngā mihi nui, Ms Linda

Lone Kauri School would like to give a big thank you to Oratia School, Sharp, Fresh Choice Glen Eden, Crafty Baker Oratia, Pak n Save Alderman Drive and our amazing Karekare Community. Our 50th Anniversary Celebration was very special and we will treasure the memories we made that day.

Ruma Rua has done so fantastic Poppy artwork that is now on display in the office. Feel free to pop in and admire the work.

Student Winter Sickness and Navigating the Seasonal Sniffles

Colds, flu and other respiratory illness are common in schools during winter. Here are some simple tips to prevent the spread of illness:

Wash and dry hands regularly, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, and using the toilet
Cough and sneeze into a tissue or your elbow, not your hand.
Regularly clean high touch surfaces - door handles, taps, table tops, phones, computer keyboards etc.
If unwell, stay at home until 48 hours after symptoms have gone.

Pink Shirt Day will be held on Friday 15 May.

This is a special day that encourages us to celebrate diversity and promote safe, inclusive environments in our kura and wider community. The message behind the day is simple and powerful: Speak up, stand together, and stop bullying. It is a chance for our tamariki to show kindness, respect, and manaakitanga towards one another.

Students are invited to wear pink, or a shade or variation of pink, on the day if they would like to take part.

There is no cost or donation required.

Health Statement Consultation

We are currently inviting feedback on our health statement, which details how health is taught at Oratia District School as part of the Health and Physical Education Curriculum. This comes as part of our two yearly review process, guided by the Education and Training Act 2020. Please follow this link to find out more and have your say.

We would love to gain as many responses as we can. Thank you in advance for your contribution to tailoring this statement for our school's future teaching and learning. We very much appreciate those of you who have already given feedback.

Kiwi English, Mathematics and Science Competitions

There is the upcoming opportunity for Year 5 and Year 6 students to compete in the Kiwi Competitions, offered by the University of Canterbury. These skill-based competitions take place annually and are designed by New Zealand teachers for New Zealand students, closely aligned to the New Zealand Curriculum.

Each test is $10 and you can register your student on Kindo (closing date this Friday 8th May) for any or all of these, depending on their interest. You can find out more information at www.canterbury.ac.nz/cam/. Students receive a certificate and a prize will be awarded to the top student nationally. Parents will receive an individual student report of their child's performance. The tests are administered at school, under exam conditions, near the end of Term 2. Contact Matt Moncur for questions or queries: matthewm@oratia.school.nz.

FLIPPA BALL

If you would like your child to play Flippa Ball, you can register directly with Waitakere Water Polo.

See below

POLICY TO REVIEW!

This term, the scheduled review focuses on behaviour management, staff wellbeing and safety. For more information about the review, go to the Current Review tab at the top of your SchoolDocs site. A summary is provided below.

Daily School Bus
School Swimming Pool
Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC)
EOTC Governance Roles and Responsibilities
EOTC Risk Assessment and Management

Follow these instructions to log on to schooldocs to review these.

1. Visit the website https://oratia.schooldocs.co.nz/1893.htm

2. Enter the username (oratia) and password (0604).

3. Follow the link to the relevant policy as listed.

4. Read the policy.

5. Click the Policy Review button at the top right-hand corner of the page.

6. Select the reviewer type "Parent".

7. Enter your name (optional).

8. Submit your ratings and comments.

9. If you don't have internet access, school office staff can provide you with printed copies of the policy and a review form.