Kia ora Lumsden School Community
Thanks to all the staff at Lumsden School for all their support over the past three weeks as I have settled into the school. I have been asking millions of questions everyday and their patience is amazing. I am learning so much and feel lucky to be part of such an amazing school community.
Structured Literacy
Structured literacy assessments are almost completed. These assessments show teachers what needs to be taught. For an introduction to Structured Literacy here is a short video.
Pop-Up Vaccination Clinic Lumsden Memorial Hall - Friday 25 February
The Vaccination Team from Nga Kete Matauranga Pounamu Charitable Trust in Invercargill will be setting up a pop-up Vaccination Clinic in Lumsden next Friday 25 February. If you would like to be vaccinated, boosted or want your children to be vaccinated please phone our office 03 248 7474 and speak with Sharon or myself to make a booking. Families can book a family time slot together for convenience. The clinic will be at The Memorial Hall. The clinic will also offer walk-ins on the day.
Preparation for Hybrid Learning
Hybrid learning is the term the Ministry of Education is using to describe what is happening in a number of schools who have had a positive Covid case confirmed. Hybrid learning involves some students learning at school and some learning from home. Those who are deemed to be close contacts would be at home isolating. Everyone else can continue attending school as normal.
Those people who have returned old paper home learning packs should have been sent a new pack. We are assuming that other people still have a pack unused at home. Please contact classroom teachers if you do not have a pack at home on standby.
If your children are required to learn from home at any time, they will be able to connect digitally with school via Seesaw. Teachers are helping students to find their way around this app. Over the next few weeks teachers will be having some practice lessons using Seesaw to get the children feeling more confident with using Activities and posting their work.
Vision and Values - Translation
I have been liaising with a trusted colleague from Cromwell, Mr Mason Stretch - the Principal of Cromwell College, regarding translating our vision and values into te reo Māori. He has very generously helped me get my translations correct.
Learning for life = He akotanga mō te oranga.
We are kind = He atawhai tō mātou.
We always try our best = Ka whakapau kaha i ngā wā katoa.
School Leaders
Last Friday our Year 6 students spoke to the whole school about their leadership aspirations for 2022. Students and staff voted for the leaders they preferred. On Monday we were excited to announce the following leadership roles within Lumsden School.
School Leaders: Maryjane Clark and Zakylah Hyde
Cultural Leaders: Ashleigh Kington and Hunter Butler
Duffy/Library Leaders: Heath McBride and Kadeigh McLean
Sports Leaders: Kahn Henry and Cooper Drummond
Whanau Group Leaders: Kowhai (Heath and MJ), Whero (Ashleigh & Cooper), Kikorangi (Hunter & Kadeigh) and Kakariki (Zakylah & Kahn)
Positive Parenting During Covid Times
If you are finding your parenting role challenging in these uncertain times you may like to take part in an online parenting programme which has been recommended. Positive Interactions- Resilient Children
PB4L - Positive Behaviour For Learning
Last year Judi McMillan attended a PB4L conference in Wellington. She has brought lots of ideas home to our school and the staffroom has been buzzing with possibilities. We are keen to revise, refresh and re-energize PB4L across our school this year. During the week all teachers gathered ideas and suggestions from students. We are starting to shape up some of our ideas and would like to hear what you think. Please complete this short survey by Friday 25 February if you would like to contribute.
Pobble Writing
Earlier this week I was invited to look at the writing work in Room 1. Students were highly engaged in creative writing motivated by the image below. I spent time with a number of students who had worked very hard to create an entertaining piece of writing. We spent time on proofreading and celebrating the work. Here is an example of what was achieved by Anakin Jones.
Animal Express
One day I was on this animal plane. I was asleep but was woken up by banging in the bathroom. I went to investigate but when I was halfway there, the bathroom door smashed open and about 150 monkeys ran out. I screamed and my mum woke up. She told me to open the emergency escape door so I did. Then I told her there was water under. So she told me to grab a life jacket under a chair. I quickly ran and grabbed a life jacket and then my mum jumped right after me right before the monkeys got her! It was only about 50 metres high. It hurt my feet a bit but I was fine. I swam up to see if my mum was ok and she was so we looked around for land. We saw some not that far so we started swimming. I heard the monkeys. My mum told me to speed up but then I heard a voice. It said who is that? Then they said it's us monkeys. We're here to help. I turned around and it was the monkeys. I was so surprised I asked them if they could help us get to land. They formed into a boat and caught up. They formed a monkey ladder for me to get in. I hopped in and then we picked up my mum. We got to land and survived. If the monkeys were not there we would have been gobbled up by sharks. In the end we all survived. We turned our house into a zoo and kept the monkeys. We told people our story and next week it became a book. The End.
Community Garden
King Angeles and Johnny Chen are pictured helping out at the Community Garden as part of our English Language Programme.
Long Distance Rally
We have been notified of a motorcycle rally that is being held this weekend with our school as one of the checkpoints. Riders will be finding our school sign and taking a photo of their bike and the rally shirt on it. During the rally briefing organisers will be emphasising the care needed around the checkpoints as children could be there at any time. As the rally runs over 48 hours there could be riders arriving at times all through the day and night. They will only be there for a short time and all of the photos can be taken from the side of the road.
Paperwork To Return
Thanks to everyone who has returned their health and contact information and the Launch Pad permission. We still have a few outstanding forms. Please let us know if you have lost your paperwork and need another copy.
Fuel for Schools
This sponsorship programme has helped put over $1.4 million of resources into more than 400 rural schools in the last fourteen years. It's very simple. Customers can nominate a participating school to receive 50 cents for every 100L of bulk fuel they have delivered. So as we keep your wheels turning you are giving back to your local community too. Once a participating school reaches their $1,000 target / goal they can redeem from the variety of technology, sports or literature packages on offer. It’s just that simple. The more people involved and nominating a school the sooner they will be rewarded. Register here
Pool Key - End of Season Offer
We are near the end of the season and families can purchase a key for the rest of the season for $50. Please ask at our local Four Square if you want to take advantage of this offer.
Board Meeting
Our board meeting was postponed and will now be held on Tuesday 22 February.
Maternity Leave - Position Advertised
If you know any passionate and inspired teachers who might want to join our positive and caring team, please share this link to our fixed term New Entrant teaching position.
Danella Smallridge
Principal
Lumsden School
Welcome to School
It has been great to welcome Stephanie Ferris to Room 4 this week. We hope you enjoy your time at Lumsden School.
Financial Contribution for Term 1 is now due
The Board of Trustees respectfully ask for financial donations from each family to the value of $100 per child for the first two children and $70 for the third per annum.
We ask that you pay $25 per child (for the first two) and $17.50 for the third child for the first term as soon as possible. Alternatively you may wish to pay the full annual donation as a lump sum. Please make payment to the office at school or directly into the school bank account 030960-0112624-00 (child/ren’s name as reference).
Thanks to those families who have already paid. If you require a receipt for tax purposes please contact the office.
FOLS Working Bee
The vegetable garden beds have fallen into disrepair and are going to be removed. This will involve removing soil and dismantling the frames, if this is something you could help out with pop along after school on Thursday 24th February 3.30pm-4.30pm.
Tools required: Wheelbarrows, spades, hammers, crow bar.
Please contact Jacob cell 021 0227 8051 or the school for further info or just turn up.