HAWERA INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

Email: office@hi.school.nz
Website: hi.school.nz
Location: 245 South Road, Hawera, New Zealand
Phone: 06 278 5030
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HaweraIntermediate/

The term is flying by- Taranaki Anniversary has been and gone!

Staff attended a Teacher Only Day following our Anniversary Day joining with South Taranaki Kāhui Ako schools.

Professional Development focused around “Project Awa” encompassing a local curriculum lens.

Staff will now step students through the “Inquiry Process” preparing them for next term’s learning around “Project Awa”. Week 7 of Term 2 will see selected students' work showcased at the Hub as part of an interactive display from participating schools in the Kāhui Ako.

We aim to consult with our school community around our localised curriculum early Term 2 when we showcase student learning here at school.

What a surreal world we live in, events are moving quickly with Coronavirus news taking precedence at all levels.

At school, students are being encouraged to hand wash thoroughly and use tissues, hygiene is top priority.

Students should be attending school, only those returning from overseas or in self quarantine should be absent. Of course if students are unwell for any reason it is a timely reminder to keep them at home until feeling better.

School assemblies at Hawera Intermediate have been cancelled in order to limit ‘close contact’—contact within 1.5 metres of a person for 15 or more minutes.

Later in the newsletter parents are informed of an upcoming Staff Only Day scheduled for April 3rd, this encompassing all schools across our South Taranaki Kāhui Ako Cluster. Principals meet later this week and will make a decision as to whether this is to proceed.

The Board met on Monday evening, Pandemic Planning was on the Agenda as was the Review of School Policy and Staffing considerations.

We have three weeks to go prior to end of term, swimming competitions are now over and Ms Stewart is now focusing on Winter Sport organisation - she does a great job of sport organisation, thank you Mrs Stewart.

Nga mihi nui

Neryda

A resignation has been received from Learning Assistant Nicky Hughes. We thank Nicky for her input into students and her work here at Hawera Intermediate School and wish her well into the future.

At this time we also announce the resignation of class teacher Larni-Lea Martin, Room 1 teacher. Miss Martin leaves us at the end of term and heads off to Huntly where whanau are based. Larni has worked at Hawera Intermediate for the last two years. We thank her for her work undertaken with students at our school. We also wish her well for the future.

Appointments

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Miss Lania Careswell and Mrs Emily Davidson who will job share Room 1. Both bring enthusiasm and excitement to their new position, we look forward to having them on staff.

A number of Learning Assistants have been appointed to assist teachers in classrooms and out in the playground. We welcome Tina Paano Hill, Sine Boothby, Debbie Etheridge, Dane Fourie and Shaun Fowler.

This brings us to the number of 10 support staff helping across the school in classrooms and in the playground further promoting a positive environment.

The South Taranaki Kāhui Ako are pleased to host our first ever Staff Only Day focusing on Relationships-based Learning (RbL), and building connections and capabilities within the Kāhui Ako.

The South Taranaki Kāhui Ako, is embarking on a journey of change using the pedagogy of Relationship-based Learning (RbL) to improve student outcomes. The key speaker for the day is Emeritus Professor Russell Bishop ONZM who is well known for directing the development of Te Kotahitanga, a large New Zealand Ministry of Education funded research and professional development project from 2001 to 2012.

This project demonstrated how teachers and school leaders could improve the educational achievement of Māori students in mainstream classrooms by implementing a culturally responsive pedagogy of relations.

Our school has been working with SchoolDocs to create a website for our policies and procedures. We are excited to announce that the site is now live and available to our school community.

The school works on a subscription basis with SchoolDocs to maintain, update, and review our policies. SchoolDocs provides us with a comprehensive core set of policies, which have been well researched and follow the Ministry of Education National Administration Guidelines. The policies and procedures are tailored to our school, and the school supplies specific information such as our charter, and procedures for behaviour management, reporting to parents, etc.

SchoolDocs updates, modifies, or creates policies in response to changes in legislation or Ministry guidelines, significant events, reviews/requests from schools, and regular reviewing from the SchoolDocs team. Our board of trustees has the opportunity to view changes/additions and comment on them before they are implemented. We will advise you when policies are up for review and how you can take part in the review.

We invite you to visit the site at https://hi.schooldocs.co.nz (note that there's no "www."). Our username is "hi" and password "2019hi".

If you would like to add comment and review "Current Review" policies, please follow these instructions:

1. Visit the website https://hi.schooldocs.co.nz/1893.htm
2. Enter the username (hi) and password (2019hi).
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.

"Copyright: Except where stated, the content on this site is the copyright of SchoolDocs Ltd. It may not be reproduced without written permission from SchoolDocs Ltd."

Congratulations to our Whanau Leaders Dawn Mendes, Ahinekura Crawford and Liz Stewart on becoming fully accredited Relationship Based Learning Impact Coaches yesterday. They have been working very hard this year toward this goal, and we are very proud of this achievement! Ka pai to mahi koutou!

These leaders can now officially support their whanau as they move along their pathways toward becoming the best teachers they can be, which will be a huge asset to our students and school. We really appreciate the awhi and aroha of Laurayne Tafa in supporting us to get this journey happening this year! Nga mihi atu ki a koe Laurayne!

Kia ora, I am the Hard Materials teacher. I believe in involving children in as much ‘hands on work’ as possible and providing experiences that are memorable, relevant, worthwhile learning opportunities.

I have been a volunteer firefighter for the last 15 years, and I am also the Controller for Kohi Volunteer Rural Fire Force covering South Taranaki and Stratford. I hail from Otago, home of the mighty Highlanders and I have taught in Dunedin, Kaikohe and now Hawera. I am married to Summer and have three adult sons (yes freedom) and two beautiful grandsons.

We have grown to love Hawera and enjoy the weather and the lifestyle we have here.

Annually, we like to remind parents and whanau of our procedure should concerns be expressed. We hope you find this a useful flow chart.

Classroom teachers are your first point of contact. They will help you or connect you to the right person to help you - this may be a Curriculum or Whanau Leader, Office or Technology staff etc.

3 April TOD - SCHOOL CLOSED

7 April Inter Intermediate Summer Sport Exchange

9 April Term 1 Ends

Nan,

You are the covers over me at night to keep me warm,

You are the map leading me through life,

You are the shield protecting me from the hard times,

You are a star brightening up my life,

You are the light guiding me through the night,

You are an angel guiding me in my choices,

I love you Nan.

by Rhianna-Louise Thompson Room 12

The soft, mouth watering concoction all formed in the blink of an eye is the ultimate weapon, one taste and you see the meaning of life. It send kids off their rockers, bouncing around like kangaroos; their parents sit back in satisfaction as they finish the bowl. The texture as soft as flour flows down my throat.

Ambrosia! The best Saturday night desert.

by Kayce Huffam Room 5

In Terms Two and Three we are in our winter uniform. This is not much of a change, except that students are allowed to wear plain navy blue or black long sleeved thermals under their uniform if they choose, and bottle green or black scarves and beanies. Black shoes and navy socks are compulsory during this time as well. Socks are knee length and navy blue. Girls wear the mid-calf socks which are available at The Warehouse in packs of 5 as they are considerably cheaper. Girls socks are a nylon type fabric or they can wear navy blue woollen stockings for extra warmth if desired. Boys' socks are knee length and woollen. Shoes are plain black - no labels or tags in any colour other than black. They need to be able to hold a shine and repel water when it rains, so leather or vinyl not canvas thank you. PLEASE name these items - even socks if you can as once they are taken off it is impossible to find the owners. A good idea is to name shoes along the edge of the heel under the foot as this does not usually touch the ground and twink pens will work there for a period of time. Otherwise use vivid inside the shoes. Make the names bold and clear please.

We have a large number of un-named uniform items sitting in our 'lost property' including several pairs of shoes. If your child is missing part of their uniform, please make sure that you encourage them to look through the large collection at school. Unclaimed items at the end of the term will go to local op-shops for re-sale.

To finish the Great Reading Race, students have to read 30 books from our school/town library or from books they may already have at home. They have 2 years to read 30 books but some do the Race more than once a year.

The first time they complete the Race earns them 1 point to go on their academic record card. They also receive a certificate and book mark and get their name in the school newsletter.

We have selected 15 different genres and students have to read 2 books of their choice from each genre. This encourages them to read books they wouldn't normally choose for themselves thereby extending their vocabulary, knowledge and learning.

Each book must be signed off either by a parent at home OR, our Library Manager will sign books off asking them 3 questions about the book to make sure they have read it properly. If you choose to sign off your child's book, this is a great way of encouraging them to read and see how well they are doing.

Each student has a car with their name on it which moves along a road each time a book is signed off. This is displayed on a wall in our library.

You may like to encurage your child to join the Reading Race, as research has shown that the more they read the better they become at reading.

Whether your child is starting school for the first time or returning after the holidays, mixing with lots of other children will expose him or her to many more germs than there are at home. While you can’t help prevent contact with germs (and remember that exposure to some germs is a good thing), you can help reduce the risk of your child picking up through healthy hygiene habits

How do germs spread at school?

School children often pick up germs. These germs can spread very quickly from child to child by touching a contaminated surface. Germs also spread very quickly in the air via coughs and sneezes, as well as by eating contaminated food.

Why is good hygiene important?

Once your child has picked up germs, germs can quickly spread to the rest of your family at home. Bouts of the common cold and upset tummies are common at the start of a new term – both in schools and families. So, helping your child understand about good hygiene will go a long way to helping them and the rest of your family stay healthy.

Top tips for good school hygiene

1. Keep hands clean

Thorough hand washing is one of the most effective ways to help prevent the spread of germs in schools. Teach your children how and when to wash their hands (rubbing hands together for at least 20 seconds using soap and clean running water). Always wash hands:

• After using the toilet
• Before eating
• After playing outside
• After touching something dirty
• After coughing, sneezing or blowing their nose
• After touching a dirty tissue
• After petting animals
• Whenever hands look dirty

2. Coughs and sneezes spread diseases

Teach your children to cover their nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing to stop germs from becoming airborne. Throw used tissues in a bin and always wash hands with soap and water afterwards.

If there isn’t a tissue available, encourage your child to sneeze or cough into the crook of their elbow instead of their hands, to reduce the spread of bacteria.

3. Healthy diet

Whether your child has a packed lunch or something from the canteen, a varied and balanced diet will help protect their health and promote proper growth and development. Eating properly also aids concentration during lessons.

When preparing a packed lunch, make sure you wash and dry your hands before you start. Your kitchen surfaces should also be clean and disinfected. Then:

• Check all foods are within their best-before dates
• Use an airtight, rigid lunch box that is washed and dried before and after use
• Wash fruit, salad and vegetables thoroughly in fresh clean water
• Try to prepare food fresh each day, as there will be less opportunity for germs to grow

4. Drink plenty of water

Water is much healthier than drinks that are high in sugar, sweeteners, additives and caffeine. Encourage your child to drink plenty of water throughout the day, as even slight dehydration can lead to poor concentration, lethargy, irritability and headaches.

How you can help

As well as encouraging good hygiene in children, you can also help prevent the spread of germs in school by following these basic steps:

• Keep school bags clean and free from food remnants, especially if your child carries a packed lunch to school
• Make sure your children change their socks and underwear daily
• Wash school uniforms on a high temperature to kill bacteria. For delicate clothes that cannot be washed at 60°C, try adding Laundry Sanitiser to your wash.

Our PTA is having its annual Easter Extravaganza Raffle. Please can families donate an Easter egg or chocolate product to support this fund raising effort. Donations can be handed in to the school office.

Following all the recommendations regarding the Coronavirus, Highlands Intermediate have postponed Thursday's Inter-Interschool Swimming Sports. They are hoping it can be rescheduled for Term 4.

New Zealand Cricket, in conjunction with its Major and District Associations, have agreed to cancel community cricket, including clubs, schools, programmes and training, for the rest of the season. This decision follows our most recent medical advice and recognises our obligations towards the New Zealand cricket family and the wider public interest.

Based on expert advice from New Zealand Cricket’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Martin Swan and recent government information we want to ensure that cricket is acting to pre-emptively supress the spread of coronavirus.

While cricket is a relatively safe and a non-contact sport there are considerable measures that need to be in place to adhere to expert advice around reducing the risk of spreading the virus. Our focus specifically is on minimising the risk and impact on the cricket community and ensuring health and well-being is our highest priority.

New Zealand Cricket is working with our Associations to ensure we collectively provide ongoing support to local clubs and the wider cricket community during this challenging and disruptive time.

LUNCH SHACK MENU

Hot dog $3.50

Mince Pie $4.00

Mince and Cheese Pie $ 4.50

Mac and Cheese $4.00

Sugar Donut .50c

Mini Pump $2.00

For over three decades, Lions clubs around the globe have been sponsoring a very special art contest in schools and youth groups. Creating peace posters gives children everywhere the chance to express their visions of peace and inspire the world through art and creativity.

Last year's winner was 12 year old Zhuo Zhang from China.

If you would like share your vision of peace by taking part in this year's competition, please see Mrs Careswell.