Kuratau Kōrero - Week 9, Term 2, 2024

Mānawatia a Matariki!

As we approach the end of Term 2, with only one week left until the school holidays, it is fair to say that everyone is ready for a wee break. It has been a busy and fulfilling term, and everyone is feeling quite tired and ready for a break from the demands of school. We hope you all find some time over the holidays to rest, relax and recharge with your whānau.

Winter Illnesses

We have seen a large spike in winter illnesses, with up to 35% of our students being away over the last two weeks with some quite nasty coughs, colds and flus. While attendance is important, equally so is your child's health and wellbeing. We fully support you in keeping your children at home if they are genuinely unwell. Please see more information about Influenza below.

Some Term 2 Highlights

This term has been packed with lots of exciting opportunities for our tamariki. Here’s a quick recap of some highlights:

T-Ball Tournament
Dental Health Education
Junior Bikes in Schools
Ruben the Road Safety Bear Visit (Tui and Pīwakawaka)
Pink Shirt Day
School Photos
School Speech Competition
Life Education
Learning about Electricity with the Lines Company for Karearea Students

In addition to these activities, our teaching staff have had a term full of professional learning in Literacy and Numeracy. It’s fantastic to see our staff excited about their new learning and implementing new practices in their teaching and learning programmes. There are some awesome maths games being played in our classes, creating awesome mathematical conversations and a bit of healthy competitiveness.

Shout out and Thank You to our Teachers

Our teaching team have also been working diligently to complete Mid Year Achievement Summaries for all our students. These take considerable time to prepare, as teachers gather and analyse student assessments and consider each students' next learning steps. I encourage you to take the time to read your child report when it arrives in your inbox today. I have read them all and want to take this opportunity to thank our teachers for the hard mahi they have done to keep you informed about your child's progress and achievement. I hope you have taken the time to read the email I sent yesterday, explaining the changes we have made to this year's reporting format - in relation to the Curriculum Phases.

Bike Day

At our recent board meeting, we discussed how we will allocate this year’s Bike Day funds, which total approximately $26,000. Initially, we tentatively earmarked some of this for the playground upgrade. However, with the receipt of two grants—$30,000 from the Pelorus Trust and $34,356 from the Lotteries Community Grant—the cost of the new playground has now largely been covered. The Board has decided our top three priorities are:

Kuratau School Hall Improvements
Pool Maintenance (Plastering Repairs)
Improving Our Court Area

We are currently working through obtaining quotes before committing sums to each project. We will keep our community informed as we work through finalising these projects.

Kuratau School's - Matariki Celebration and Fancy Dress Dance

Next Thursday, 4th July, we will be holding our Matariki Cultural Feast and Fancy Dress Dance. This event was initially scheduled for tonight (27th June), but was postponed due to the exciting Matariki activities being organised in Turangi. We hope to see many of you next Thursday evening. Remember to bring some kai to share. See below for more details.

Matariki

Whilst most people will know of the Significance of Matariki, some of our whānau may not. There has been a lot of teaching in classes over the term around the significance of Matariki. Below is a short explanation:

Matariki marks the Māori New Year and is a time of reflection, celebration, and renewal. It is a time to gather with whānau and friends to remember those who have passed, celebrate the present, and plan for the future. We encourage everyone to take this opportunity to connect with each other and celebrate our unique cultural heritage.

We wish all our whānau a happy, safe, and relaxing long weekend. We look forward to seeing you all at next week's Matariki Celebration.

Ngā mihi nui,

Shirley Bailey

Shirley Bailey

Over the past two weeks, we have observed a significant increase in the number of students absent due to illness. In talking to some of our families, we have been advised that some of these cases are due to Influenza A.

Influenza A is a contagious respiratory illness that can cause mild to severe symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, and fatigue. In younger patients it can also present with upset stomachs, vomiting or diarrhoea. The health and safety of our students and staff are our top priorities, and we are taking necessary measures to manage this situation effectively.

What We Are Doing:

Reminding Students about Hygiene: We are regularly reminding our students about healthy hygiene practices, including regular hand-washing, coughing and sneezing into their arm or tissue, not sharing food etc.
Health Monitoring: Our staff is closely monitoring students for any signs of illness and will promptly isolate and send home any student exhibiting symptoms.
Communication with Health Authorities: We have been in contact with Pihanga Health to stay updated on best practices and to receive guidance on managing the current spike in flu like illnesses. We have been advised to direct whānau to these websites, or the GP for more information:
1. Healthify.nz
2. Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora

How You Can Help:

Monitor Your Child's Health: Please keep your child at home if they exhibit any flu-like symptoms and consult with your healthcare provider as needed.
Encourage Good Hygiene: Remind your children to wash their hands frequently with soap and water, cover their mouth and nose with a tissue or elbow when coughing or sneezing, and avoid sharing personal items.
Vaccination: If your child has not yet received the seasonal flu vaccine, we strongly encourage you to consult with your healthcare provider about getting vaccinated.

We understand that this news may be concerning, and we appreciate your cooperation and support in ensuring the health and safety of our school community. Please do not hesitate to contact the school office if you have any questions or need further information.