Newsletter 1st April 2022

Mahora School

NAU MAI, HAERE MAI, TALOFA LAVA, WELCOME!

This week we introduce Lance Hone-Chadwick, Kayde Verhoeven and Ella Huata-Scott. We hope you have enjoyed your start at Mahora School.

TUMUAKI TALK

Kia ora Mahora whānau,

Welcome to the first edition of the digital newsletter. This is something we have wanted to move to for some time, so it's great to see it underway. It will develop over time as we alter the layout, trial different sections and explore the options available. We are always keen on your feedback and thoughts, so please let us know if you have any of these. There are many reasons we are choosing to digitise the newsletter, some being the environment, the print cost, the reduction in waste and the option for whānau anywhere in the world to have a copy. There are a few related FAQ’s below -

How often will the newsletter be out now? It will remain fortnightly currently and usually it will be on odd school weeks being Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7,& 9 of each term.
How will I access the newsletter? It will be sent via email to your email address held at school for the eldest child in the family. That way you wont get it multiple times. It will also be available on the website and the school app. If you are receiving it via an email address you don't want us to use, please let us know.
What if I can't access any of these platforms? Please contact the office and let us know. I'm sure we can find a solution for you.

Thank you for your ongoing mahi (work) and effort with Covid 19. The level of communication is appreciated and means we are all on the same page. As you will see from the app post today, our case numbers are really reducing and it's great to see the majority of tamariki back at school. We do need to remain vigilant...let's make sure we get through this as effectively as we can. You will be aware that there are some changes ahead. We are currently working through these in terms of our school operation. Nothing will change this term and we will advise you before the start of Term 2 how school will look and operate. One important reminder (in particular bullet point 4) for household contacts is :

Household Contacts

You can end your self-isolation on the same day as the first ‘case’ in the household, provided you have no new or worsening symptoms and your tests were negative (7 days).
Your isolation does not restart if additional members of your household are identified as cases during the first case’s isolation period.
After the initial isolation period ends there is a 10-day window during which no Household Contacts of the original case can be re-classified as Household Contacts (17 days). You only need to begin isolation again during these 10 days if you test positive yourself.
10 days after the original isolation period ends, the usual rules apply (17 days). If a new household member (not the original case) tests positive, they and all other Household Contacts (who have not yet become cases themselves) must isolate for 7 days.

Thanks to our team at school who have done and are doing a fabulous job connecting with tamariki and whānau at home, managing mixed classes as needed, filling other roles...we are lucky to have a fabulous team at Mahora...Ka mau te wehi...you are awesome!

Enjoy reading the new sections of our newsletter. There’s always so much on the go here at Mahora and it's great to be able to share it.

Piki Haere

Rohan Pearse

Principal/Tumuaki.

AKO IN ACTION

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Tītoki STEAM Spotlight

Over the past few weeks Tītoki have been using their problem solving skills to create phone cradles and Pā. They had to plan and design their creations and then begin to make them. They had to check that what they drew and what they made actually worked or needed a re-design.

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Kōwhai Structured Literacy

Kōwhai want to share their amazing mahi with Structured Literacy. The tamariki were learning to segment words into their separate sounds, learning to change single sounds to make new words and handwriting practice.

Lots of cool learning - Ka rawe tamariki mā.

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Chefs in the Making

Tōtara and Kawakawa Chefs in the Making!

There is nothing like the smell of home baking and the taste of fresh homemade banana smoothies. Tōtara had a baking day, making marshmallow slice. They wrote the recipe, followed the instructions and the result was pure deliciousness! They generously showed their manaaki, sharing it with the very lucky and willing staff. Indi even went home and made some more with her whānau.

Kawakawa used some of their bananas and plums from our Lunch in Schools programme and feijoas from homes to whip them up into smoothies. They showed great mahi tahi, working together to achieve their goal. They then got to slurp the smoothie and write their story about making them.

HĀKINAKINA AND MUSIC

Way back at the end of 2020, we were successful with a Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa funding application, ‘Mahora Tamariki on Bikes at Home, at School and in Hawke’s Bay’. As part of this grant, last year, every class had sessions with the fabulous IWay team, learning biking skills and building confidence. We were also able to gift a number of our bikes to senior tamariki who did not have their own and lastly we were able to purchase some new bikes for use at school. After a number of covid delays, these wonderful bikes arrived earlier this term. A big thanks to Logan Curran (son of our wonderful caretaker, Marty) who put the bikes together for us. These bikes are used everyday at school and we are looking forward to opportunities to get our tamariki out and about exploring the many Hawke’s Bay cycleways. We are incredibly grateful for the support Sport Hawke’s Bay and Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa funding provides.

OTHER KŌRERO

Record of Learning

Last chance....to finish I am re-sharing an app post I put out last week. This doesn't happen often...and we would love more parents to have a say.

As you will know, we have been developing our Piki Haere doc over time as a way of reporting around learning and for children, whānau and staff to be involved in this process altogether...all having a voice. While we know it's not perfect yet, it is all positive progress.

It's not often the Ministry of Education asks children, staff and parents for their input into the future of NZ education...normally things are decided and sent to us to implement.

Mahora School has been given the opportunity to be part of this NZ consultation. Let’s make the most of this rare opportunity! It is based on what they are calling a ‘Record of Learning’. They are developing this to become a record over time...ideally from primary through to secondary schooling. Some of our tamariki and all of our teaching staff will be involved. They also want some voice from our whānau, our parents. The details from the company gathering the voice are below. When you read the word testing, they mean sampling...there will be no test! They really want to hear what your thoughts are.

Whānau from our school have been invited to take part in a 2-hour testing session to understand the needs, barriers and enablers of whānau engaging with a potential Record of Learning mechanism that the Ministry of Education may develop.

The purpose of working with whānau is to test the initial thinking that has informed developments so far. These insights from whānau will help provide recommendations to the Ministry of what should be included, before the technical development starts.

A diverse range of whānau is sought. All viewpoints are welcome. The testing will take place on Tuesday 5th April and will be online at a time that suits the majority of the parents. All participants will fill in an online survey. If you do not have access to a device, our school can make one available to you. If you would prefer to do it in hardcopy, we can also do this. We are looking for 5-12 participants. You will receive a grocery voucher koha from the facilitation team, Aatea Solutions.

If you would like to be included in this opportunity, please email Rohan Pearse, Principal, or phone him at school, and he will be in touch closer to the time. Rohan’s email is principal@mahora.school.nz

Here is a chance to Piki Haere - Keep on Climbing whānau...this could impact all of NZ so grab the opportunity.