Week 5 Term 1 2021

 Covid Level 2 restrictions

The level 2 restrictions are again in place. Here are the main things you need to know:

• School gates will not open until 8:30am. Please do not drop your children off before this. 

• Parents are encouraged to drop their children off at the gates. If you do enter the grounds, please sign in with the covid tracer app. Please do not enter the classrooms.

• All Kakano children and their siblings will finish school at 2:45pm. We will take the children to the gate you usually pick them up from unless you advise us otherwise.

GALA

Due to the level 2 restrictions that are now in place, the GALA has been postponed. At this stage we will not be collecting in goods this week until we know when the new GALA date is. We will keep you updated as information comes our way. 

Library

Well done to those children who remembered to bring their books back to school so they could get new ones. The library has lots of amazing books to read and it’s great to see so many being issued each week. Library days are as follows: Kakano 1 = Wednesday, Kakano 2 = Tuesday and Kakano 3 = Thursday.

Hats

Well done to those children who are remembering their hats EVERY day! You’re amazing. Hats are a compulsory part of our school uniform in terms 1 and 4. If your child has lost their hat, please check in the lost property box outside room 6. New hats can be purchased at the uniform shop or online through the school app. NO HAT = NO PLAY.

Water bottles

Remember to keep bringing your water bottles to school each day, filled with water. Drinking water is essential for us to play, learn and grow each day. The more water we drink, the better we feel.

Here’s what’s happening this week:

Monday

Tuesday

• Cricket with Dan

• Kakano 2 library

Wednesday

• Kakano 1 library

• Lunchtime Gymnastics

Thursday 

• Kakano 3 library

Friday

• Assembly - Rm 4

• Junior Chess Club

How is sound made?

 This week we have been learning about the story of Hinemoa and Tutanekai. We discovered that Tutanekai played an instrument called a Kōauau. It is like a little flute and Tutanakai's Kōauau was made of bone. The Rotorua museum looks after Tutanekai's Kōauau - here is a picture of it.

We wondered how you could make sound with a bone? Mrs T showed us some instruments and we started to make our own instruments to see what we could discover about sound.

Here are some of today's discoveries and wonderings.

Fat and skinny rubber bands sound different.

Fat and skinny tins sound different when you drum them.

A loose rubberband makes a different sound to a stretched one.

If we hold out instruments in the air they sound different to when we have them on the ground.

If I turn the tin over it makes a different sound.

Maybe the air makes it sound different.

Maybe different shapes might help?

 

Week 4 Term 1 2021

Reading Logs

The holiday reading log draw is a go for assembly this Friday. Well

done to those children who have already handed in their reading logs.

If you haven’t yet, remember to bring your reading log to school this

week. If you have misplaced your reading log, simply write down the

books you have read over the holidays or the last few weeks on a piece

of paper and add your name and room number.

Cricket

We have cricket with Dan again this week. All the children loved their

session last week. Kakano 2 goes to cricket at 8:45 so make sure you’re

at school on time.

Library

Well done to those children who remembered to bring their books back

to school so they could get new ones. The library has lots of amazing

books to read and it’s great to see so many being issued each week.

Library days are as follows: Kakano 1 = Wednesday, Kakano 2 =

Tuesday and Kakano 3 = Thursday.

Swimming

Yay! It’s our turn for swimming again this week. We are swimming

every day so remember your togs, towel and a bag to put them in each

day. If you are not swimming for medical reasons, please bring a note

for your teacher.

Gymnastics

Gymnastics is scheduled for each Wednesday at lunchtime in the

school hall. Anyone is welcome to go along and try gymnastics. Girls -

remember to bring PE gear so your dresses don’t get in the way.

Hats

Well done to those children who are remembering their hats EVERY

day! You’re amazing. Hats are a compulsory part of our school

uniform in terms 1 and 4. If your child has lost their hat, please check

in the lost property box outside room 6. New hats can be purchased at

the uniform shop or online through the school app.

NO HAT = NO PLAY.

Water bottles

Remember to keep bringing your water bottles to school each day, filled

with water. Drinking water is essential for us to play, learn and grow

each day. The more water we drink, the better we feel.

GALA Donations

Thank you for the donations that have been given this week. Each item

donated gets a point for your class. There is a prize for the class with

the most items. Here is what to bring this week:

Here’s what’s happening this week:

Swimming every day

Monday

Tuesday

Cricket with Dan

Kakano 2 = Library

Wednesday

Bike to School Day - see below

Kakano 1 = Library

Thursday

Pita Pit Gala Fundraiser - see below 

Kakano 3 = Library

Friday

Reading Log Draw at assembly

GO BY BIKE DAY 

   WEDNESDAY 24th FEBRUARY

Meet: 8.00am Sophia Street (Opposite Ranolf st intersection) 

with bikes / scooters. Helmets compulsory

8.10am depart down Ranolf street on the shared pathway

towards St Mary's School.

Sport BOP Pitstop: Ranolf Street - Opposite Guidoughs. 

 (with fruit & giveaways)

What we need:

- Adults to marshal/assist at road crossings assisting groups of

our tamariki to safely cross the roads.

- Adults to ride with groups of children

  It would be 30 – 45minutes

 

We will have an area at school where kids can leave their bikes/scooters for the day. 

 

Please contact Whaea Leanne if you can assist on the day. 

Email: sports@stmarysrotorua.school.nz 

Phone: 027 295 7579 or 348 1701

Pita Pit GALA Fundraiser

Growth Mindset 2

 In these videos, Mojo learns that mistakes help our brains to grow strong. When we make a mistake our brains have to figure out what went wrong so that we don't do it again (hopefully). Mistakes don't mean that we can't do something - it just means we can't do it YET!  Yet is a very important word.

Cricket Skills

 This morning Dan came to school to help us learn some throwing and catching skills. We are pretty awesome at throwing and we're getting better at catching. We raced around all over the place but we only had a couple of crashes.  Arabella copped the biggest bump but, luckily, she's made of tough stuff - Joaquin must have a hard head because he didn't even seem to feel it. Dan's coming back again next week - we can't wait.

Growth Mindset

We are learning about our brains.

 

Our brain is like a muscle.

Our brains need exercise.

We have to try new and slightly tricky 

things to grow our brains. 

Giving up too early will not help our brains to grow.

Today we watched this video called - The Secret About The Brain.

Please, watch it with me and talk about times that we have wanted to give up or have learned to do something tricky by trying again.

Covid Level 2

 IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING COVID:

Tonight the Prime Minister announced that we will be moving to Level 2 from midnight tonight to Wednesday midnight so it will be business as usual at St Mary’s next week but we will follow OUR Level 2 protocols.

Moving to Level 2 Tomorrow.

WE NEED YOU TO FOLLOW THESE PROTOCOLS PLEASE.

ENTERING AND EXITING SCHOOL

Pedestrian gates unlocked at 8.15am. Parents are encouraged to drop off children at gates. If adults come onsite they must use the Covid app.

Gates locked at 9.00am except Carnot St entrance

Gates unlocked at 2.45 pm. Parents coming onsite will need to use the Covid app

Any parents coming to school outside these hours will need to report to the School Office and use the Vistab.

NB KAKANO CHILDREN AND THEIR SIBLINGS WILL BE TAKEN TO THE CHURCH GATES AT 2.45PM to meet parents unless parents have made arrangements with their child’s teacher to meet at the Carnot or Ranolf St Gates..

WHAT WE WILL BE DOING AT SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN AT LEVEL 2

Pedestrian gates unlocked at 8.15am. PLEASE DO NOT DROP CHILDREN OFF AT SCHOOL BEFORE 8.15 AM . Parents are encouraged to drop off children at gates, rather than enter the school grounds. If adults come onsite they must use the covid app. Ranolf St and Church car park gates will be locked at 9.00am.

Children sanitise hands on entry to school

On entry children go straight to classroom

Wash hands on entry and exit of classrooms

Sneeze/cough into elbows

Stay out of moist breath zone

WHAT STAFF ARE DOING AT SCHOOL

Cleaning surfaces in classrooms

Door handles and bathrooms are cleaned by the caretaker during the day

Door handles and bathrooms cleaned by cleaners at the end of each day

WHAT PARENTS NEED TO DO

Sanitise hands and register with Covid tracing app if coming into the school grounds.

Do not enter classrooms

If picking children up from the church car park we will bring children out to the car park and they will be adhering to the 1 metre rule

Week 3 Term 1 2021

What a fabulous first week back. It was so lovely getting to know your little cherubs a bit better.

Library days

Please can you encourage your child to return any outstanding library books. Kakano 3 visit the library every Thursday. And, in exciting news - we have another week to get outstanding Reading Logs back to school. A huge thank you to the 12 families who have already brought theirs back.

Reading bags 

We would like your child to bring their reading bag to school everyday. Monday through to Thursday we read each day and as such, we need their reading book at school too. On Friday’s we put a poem in our homework books. These can be read with you over the weekend. The poem book can be left in the reading bag.

Hats

There are still a number of children who do not have a hat. It is so important all of our students are sun smart. Remember ‘no hat, no play!’

Cricket

Over the next few Tuesdays Kakano 1-3 will be taking part in cricket sessions with Sport Bay of Plenty. This should be an exciting opportunity for our students.

Stationery

Thanks to everyone who has bought stationery for their child. If you have not had the chance to sort stationery for your child. Details re: stationery can be found on our website or by going to the following link https://www.stmarysrotorua.school.nz/2021-stationery-packs/

Ash Wednesday

This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday. You are more than welcome to join us for the distribution of ashes in church at 9am. 

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. During Lent, we remember Jesus sacrifice and prepare for the Easter season. We do extra prayers, fasting, and almsgiving during this season of Lent. 

Opening School Mass

We have the Opening School mass on Friday at 9 am in church. Again, it would be lovely to see you there.

What’s on this week

Monday- 

Tuesday-

Kakano 2-library session

Cricket sessions with Dan Fisher

Wednesday-

Ash Wednesday-9am in church Distribution of Ashes

Kakano 1-library session

Thursday-

Kakano 2-library session

School singing

Friday- 

School Mass 9 am in Church

Reading Logs

 Your holiday reading logs were due today.

I only have 7 returned. If you slip it to me in the morning I will sneak it into the pile for tomorrow's prize draw.

Mufti Day

 Friday is Mufti Day.

We can wear our own clothes in house colours (see below).

We also need to bring a gold coin for a donation. All of the money will go to help the teachers at Apanui school in Whakatane. Their school had a big fire on Saturday and lots of their buildings have been burned to the ground.

We would feel very sad if our beautiful school had a fire like this and we want to send some St Marys love to Apanui. 

Whakaue - Yellow

Mackillop - Blue

Mill Hill - Red

Pompallier - Green

 

We're off and racing...

 Yesterday morning we had a powhiri to welcome the new staff and students. Our Kapa Haka kids led us in the Te Arawa haka (it might need a bit of work) and we sang Ka Waiata (we were much better at this). Our Kaumatua Rangi came, too. He even came to visit us in Kakano 3 later on. Then we had a liturgy. We said prayers to welcome and prayers about friendship. There was a treaty to sign - Tirama and Arabella signed for Kakano 3. Our treaty says that we will try really hard to follow the Golden Rules and act with Courage, Respect, Excellence and Wonder. 

We have already written a story and done some reading with our reading groups. We are a bit rusty but we'll pick it up again. Mrs T got out the phonics phones - some of us were reading with such big voices that her ears hurt. We are going to practice reading with a talking voice today.

We have also been playing maths games. We have been adding, counting and taking away. Mrs T has also been listening to and watching us very carefully. Some of us are quite bossy, some of us are really helpful, some of us try to slip away and do nothing. Some of us are very independent and get on with things and some of us are running back and forth to Mrs T like we're on a bungy.  

Our morning roll is a bit different in Kakano 3. We have to answer a question with our names. This morning Mrs T asked "How do you feel today?".  It's a good sign that on day 2 we are all so happy and excited to be at school.  

2021 is going to be a great year.