Newsletter 14 April 2022

Mahora School

TUMUAKI TALK

Kia ora Mahora whānau

Well...what a term! My thanks to everyone for the way we have managed through this challenging time. We were incredibly lucky to be able to remain open through the term and thank you for your support to enable this to happen.

Thanks to whānau for following all the guidelines and your unwavering support. We know it has not been easy not being on site at school. Thanks also for keeping your children home when they have been unwell...this has certainly helped the spread.

Thanks to our staff for their flexibility, their resilience and the way they have adapted to change so many times this term. Our team are a fantastic group of professionals who work incredibly hard for all tamariki.

Thanks to our tamariki for being brave, for continuing to try hard and for wearing masks so well!

To date 49% of our Mahora children have had covid. This does mean there are a large group of children (and adults at school) who have not had the virus. For this reason, it's important we maintain health precautions and are vigilant...while it is improving, it's not over just yet. If your child or family does become unwell over the holidays, please continue to let us know. The phone line will remain open or via email admin@mahora.school.nz. If you need to leave a message or an email, please let us know who has tested positive and what date they tested. We will continue to record this and contact you about return dates when we can. Can we ask that any school devices that are still at home are returned asap.

As NZ moves to the Orange setting, we have reviewed the options available to all schools. We have made some decisions about how Term 2 will start here at Mahora and what the guidelines will be. These will be shared before the start of term so you have this information. Thanks for supporting these from day 1...you do so well with this. The good news is...day 1 you will be able to be on site. We are soooo looking forward to this. The specifics will be sent home via the app and email in the second week of the holidays.

One important heads up - now that whānau will be able to be on site, we are keen to reconnect and talk about learning and your child. In Week 2 we plan to hold Piki Haere Hui (meetings with teachers, parents and children) to connect. This will be a great opportunity to talk to your child’s teacher in a 15 min slot. On Wednesday 11th May and Thursday 12th May, school will finish at 12.00noon and Hui will be held from 1:00pm - 6:00pm. Booking information will be sent to you soon, so you can book a time that suits you.

Today we farewelled the wonderful Megan who has been a Teacher Aide in our school. This photo epitomizes Megan, she always has a smile, has such a positive attitude and our tamariki have loved being around her. Megan, we wish you all the very best and thank you for all the mahi and fun you have had with our students. Piki Haere from us all.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter ahead and enjoys some family time with your children at home. Piki Haere everyone.

Ngā mihi

Rohan

AKO IN ACTION

MSPMP ~ Motor Skills - Perceptual Motor Programme

Check out these super Mānuka tamariki who are refining all of the motor skills they need to be successful learners and movers. This programme helps improve their balance, language, coordination, memory and stamina. They love the different activities that promote these development skills.

Wonderful Wacky Writers

Mānuka writers were so proud of themselves as budding authors. They popped into the office to read their stories to us all. They used lots of vocabulary that they had learnt through the picture book called ‘That’s not a hippopotamus’.

Science Alive

Tōtara have been using their scientific skills to experiment and make observations of how things change state. Cooking, Gloop Making and Bubble experiments provided lots of fun learning, they discovered new vocabulary and then wrote about their experiments.

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Exploration Stations in Karaka

Check out the across curriculum range of learning activities that Karaka Hub tamariki have been busy with this week. They have been looking at healthy food options and using their maths skills to work out the cost of their meal at a cafe, making Marae and learning about the different parts and some movement skills to increase their agility. It is great to see our tamariki so engaged and using their mahi tahi (working together) skills.

HĀKINAKINA AND MUSIC

Rugby Tournaments

We have two fun Rugby tournaments early in Term 2, that are open to Year 3, 4, 5 & 6 tamariki.

The first one is the Rippa Rugby tournaments in Week 2, on Wednesday 11th May for the Year 3 & 4s and Thursday 12th May for the Year 5 & 6s. Both tournaments are at Ron Giorgi Park in Flaxmere.

So far, we have more than 75 Mahora tamariki registered to take part in this great tournament. It is played during the school day and we will bus to and from the venue.

The second tournament is the Barefoot 7s tackle Rugby Tournament. This is in Week 3 on Thursday 19th May. Again, it is played during the school day and we will travel by bus.

We are super excited to see whānau on the sideline of both these tournaments. We’ve missed you!

If your child has talked to you about either of these tournaments at home but hasn’t registered yet, please get in touch with Denise Pearse as soon as possible as teams will be entered during the holidays.

Email: denisep@mahora.school.nz Cell: 0274 789 546.