News

Online Learning

Thursday, March 26, 2020, 4:20 PM

Hopefully you and your families have had contact from your classroom teachers to touch base. Tonight I am able to share with you our first stage of online learning (https://sites.google.com/stmartins.school.nz/onlinelearning-sms/home) – Holiday Activities.  This is our first response and in light of the holiday period 30 March to 14 April.  The holiday activities offer a range of learning activities that parents can select to involve their children in.  It allows families to get ideas and have some time to complete these. There are ideas for online and offline learning.  At this stage we have 6 of 8 learning areas open with resources. These include; Health and Wellbeing mindfulness and movement General Activities over 200 activities Literacy listen to a book online or write a story using one of the picture prompts Maths practice your maths skills or watch one of the Maths Tools videos to learn more about maths Science select a resource and have a go at some of the experiments Projects have a look at the projects on offer and complete one of them We are still to add information to our Virtual Field Trips, Arts pages and add a few maths workbooks. Please remember to continue the great work you are doing with your children, plenty of fresh air and involvement around the home.  Nathan Wallis has updated information for us (https://www.facebook.com/nathan.wallis.969/videos/2590330561214555/) While you and your family are on holiday we will continue to be in contact with you.  I know that many teachers are already sharing videos or preparing shared stories to listen to. During this time we will be getting ready to provide our 2nd stage of online learning – Structured Learning.  This will be ready for April 15. The difference will be teachers directing you to online learning, providing their specific class and perhaps groups in some cases with different learning.  Structured learning will be pushed straight to children and / or parents depending on the age of the child. We will continue to keep you informed as we progress our thinking. Thank you for your ongoing support as we prepare new learning approaches. Take care. Regards, Andrew (andrew@stmartins.school.nz )

Thursday March 26 Update 2

Thursday, March 26, 2020, 4:19 PM

Dear Parents and Caregivers, We have uploaded the NZ Geographic website to our Virtual Field Trip page (https://sites.google.com/stmartins.school.nz/onlinelearning-sms/home/virtual-field-trips ).  The NZG will be uploading a video or article exploring NZ each day while we are away from school.  This might be a fun way to have a look at NZ while being at home. This afternoon I uploaded ‘The Little Yellow Digger’ to our St Martins School Facebook page.  This will be the first of some books to share. If you or your child would like to share a book feel free to email it to me to upload at some stage. We have continued to add to stage 1 – Holiday Activities today; Literacy page – 3 book studies (https://sites.google.com/stmartins.school.nz/onlinelearning-sms/home/literacy ). Maths Page – 6 text books (https://sites.google.com/stmartins.school.nz/onlinelearning-sms/home/maths ) Project Page – PDF of activities researching the Olympics (https://sites.google.com/stmartins.school.nz/onlinelearning-sms/home/projects ) Thank you to the essential services workers for looking after us. Take care. Regards, Andrew (andrew@stmartins.school.nz )

Mar 26 Update

Thursday, March 26, 2020, 4:17 PM

Dear Parents and Caregivers, Stop the press David Walliams fans.  David is reading short 20min-ish stories on his book page.  This can be accessed from our Literacy page (https://sites.google.com/stmartins.school.nz/onlinelearning-sms/home/literacy ).  Look for Elevenses with David Walliams. The Virtual Tour page (https://sites.google.com/stmartins.school.nz/onlinelearning-sms/home/virtual-field-trips ) has been updated.  We have 12 sites to choose from with a number of them leading to 10 or more animal cams. We have added some parent information from Nathan Wallis (Neuroscientist and Educator) to the Health and Wellbeing page (https://sites.google.com/stmartins.school.nz/onlinelearning-sms/home/health-and-wellbeing ).  Nathan is offering advice to support our learners at this time. Have a great day everyone, remember to get into the sunshine and feel the warmth of the day on your face.  Take a moment, breath deep, enjoy the time with your children. Take care. Andrew (andrew@stmartins.school.nz )

Covid-19 Update 23 Mar 2020

Monday, March 23, 2020, 1:27 PM

Dear Parents and Caregivers, Thank you for your ongoing support during these uncertain times.  We had a walk through all of the learning spaces this morning, I would like to commend all of the staff for the calm learning environments they are providing our students. A number of parents are now working from home and have selected for their children to self-isolate with them.  As a school we are entering the next phase of putting together online learning material.  Please be aware at this stage while school is open we continue to plan for our learners in this current state while also planning for an online learning response. It is our understanding that there will be more news from the Prime Minster early this afternoon. In the meantime, the NZ Institute of Well Being and Resilience has put out some information regarding Real-time Resilience Strategies for Coping with Coronavirus https://nziwr.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/NZIWR_Real-time_Resilience_Coping_with_Coronavirus.pdf Thank you for your ongoing communication around you and your family.  We have been asked for some advice around whether children should be sent to school.  At this stage schools remain open, however, doing what you think is right, best for your family and provides peace of mind should also be considered.  Please remember if you have decided to self-isolate let micheles@stmartins.school.nz know. Take care. Regards, Andrew andrew@stmartins.school.nz

Strengthen Families/Whanau – Lets do it together CANCELLED Until Further Notice

Monday, March 23, 2020, 9:24 AM

Unfortunately the way this are at the moment we have decided to cancel until further notice our Parent Group meeting at Fava this morning. Here is a link some of you might find helpful https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPsY-jLqaXM also Nathan Wallis has some good straight forward Support for children. Strengthen Families/Whanau Lets do it together Will be at: Fava Cafe From: 9:00am to 10:00am On: 23rd March 2020 • Power struggles to cooperation • Kids don’t come with a manual • Cultivating happiness in your child • Debunking the myth of “good parent” • Hear and be heard • Beyond sticks and stones • Building Bounce – helping anxious children Contact: Anneg@mmsi.org.nz Or Karinaoncentaurus@gmail.com

Covid-19 Update

Monday, March 23, 2020, 9:17 AM

Dear Parents and Caregivers, At lunchtime today the Prime Minister released a four step alert system (https://whatsoninvers.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/COVID_Alert-levels_v2.pdf).  We are at step two.  If you want to view her broadcast it can be accessed here https://www.facebook.com/1NEWSNZ/videos/629788977809145/ This means that schools remain open, with a reminder about good hygiene and social distancing.  If your child has low / compromised immunisation or a respiratory condition the advice is to self isoolate.  Please let micheles@stmartins.school.nz know if you or your child will be self isolating. As always, take care. Regards, Andrew

Preparing for Online Learning at Home

Friday, March 20, 2020, 2:56 PM

Dear Parents and Caregivers, Next week the teaching staff will be thinking around possible online learning experiences.  Could you please spend a couple of minutes filling in a survey letting us know what access you may have to devices and data in the home if schools were asked to close.  https://forms.gle/5NPvTUBtXvYwmYN9A Thank you for your ongoing support, Andrew Mouat andrew@stmartins.school.nz

Covid-19 Update

Friday, March 20, 2020, 10:09 AM

Dear Parents and Caregivers, With the most recent information, we have made the decision to cancel team assemblies and Kapahaka for the remainder of the term.  We will reassess this situation next term. Please keep up to date with the new website the Government has created dedicated to information about covid-19 https://covid19.govt.nz/?fbclid=IwAR1Xyae_0bFM35uFttmgnGS-0xvB1E4I41PViloOZgfXU3U3Y3qUvdOlRj0 There is new information around self isolation in that people who have travelled prior to the cut off date and time should self isolate.  If your household / child is self isolating could you please let micheles@stmartins.school.nz know with the start and finish date.  The MoH has information about shared spaces and self isolation.  https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-novel-coronavirus-health-advice-general-public/covid-19-self-isolation#home As a school we are working through our pandemic plan to ensure that we have the most up to date information possible.  If your child has a compromised immune system, respiratory conditions or health aspects we are unaware of could you please let micheles@stmartins.school.nz know. Later today we will be sending home a survey regarding your access to the internet as we prepare for the possibility of distance learning. We posted a clip of Nathan Wallis sharing some tips around covid-19 and anxiety.  https://www.facebook.com/100007129092563/posts/2585374985043446/ It is a quick easy watch that offers information on how to reassure children at this time. As always, if you have any questions or require further information please do reach out to us. Regards, Andrew Mouat andrew@stmartins.school.nz

Lost property

Thursday, March 19, 2020, 2:33 PM

You will have read in a previous school newsletter that our lost property bins were overflowing. A wonderful parent has been through these for us and matched fleeces with students where they were named well enough to do so. Thank you Denise! Denise has given us the list (see below) of school and non school items that cannot be placed to a student. Do any of these items seem familiar to you? If so, please check out the lost property bins in the hall toilets. Three fleeces we cannot match with students: Pel_h Finn Howard (past student, so new owner has not updated the name) Lucy / Luey H Multiple fleeces with no names, mixed sizes Two senior jackets with no names: Size 14, MTB keyring Size 14, multple sports badges Non-uniform lost property: Beach mat – orange stripes Outdoor cushion – Kmart, stripes Sleeping bag – Torpedo 7, navy Jandals – Stuff Zone, size 11 Thermal – Glassons, navy, size 8 Thermal – named “H”, navy, size 10 Thermal – black, size 14 Wooly jumper – Park, navy, mens Jacket – Salewa, black, size medium Jacket – Outdoor Research, black, size large Jacket – Warehouse, blue, size 10 Jacket – Cherokee, pink + flowers, size small Jacket Vest – puffer, grey, size 10 Fleece – H & M, blue, size small Fleece – Kathmandu, black size 10

Education Outside of The Classroom (EOTC)

Wednesday, March 18, 2020, 1:57 PM

Dear parents and caregivers, Thank you for your support in the upcoming EOTC events which include PALS leadership, Year 3-4 Museum trip and Year 0-2 Art Gallery trip. The Health and Safety team met this morning and the decision has been made to postpone all EOTC events for the remainder of the term. We would like to hold your payments for these trips as we hope to reschedule later in the year. However if you would like a refund please contact Michele in the office to discuss this. Once again we thank you for your support and understanding in these changing times. Andrew Mouat.

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