Week 1 Term 1, 2020, Weekly Newsletter

Further to the email sent to our school families last Thursday, and as you will have seen in the media the situation with the Coronavirus is rapidly evolving and as a school, we want to keep everyone healthy and safe.

The current advice from the Ministry of Education, last updated on 2 February 2020, is that all travellers arriving in New Zealand out of mainland China should stay away from school for a period of 14 days from the time they leave mainland China. People who departed from mainland China before midnight 2 February are not required to stay away unless they have been in Wuhan City or Hubei Province in the last 14 days. If a student does not show signs of illness after 14 days, then they should return to school and continue their studies as normal.

If someone has been in close contact with a confirmed novel coronavirus case they should stay away from school for 14 days. If you develop symptoms including fever, coughing and difficulty breathing you should ring Healthline (free) on 0800 611 116 or your doctor.

Please click on the link to read the Ministry of Education’s current advice to schools. Parents or staff members can contact Healthline at 0800 611 116 or their GP for medical advice. Healthline has translators and interpreters available 24/7 in 150 languages and they do have Mandarin and Cantonese speaking staff available.

If you or your child travelled to China during the holidays, we ask that you please inform the school office by phoning 07 856 9238 or by email reception@tamahere.school.nz, if you have not already done so.

We will continue to take advice and guidance from public health authorities and the Ministry of Education on this situation, which at the moment is changing rapidly. Please be assured that we will update you on further important developments, if these occur, through our school communication channels.  In the meantime, the World Health Organisation is monitoring this event and its website is a good source of information covering the virus itself, travel guidance advice and questions and answers.

This is a good time for us all to remember and encourage our children of the following guidelines to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the toilet; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Stay home when you are sick.

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

We welcome all parents and caregivers to our Meet the Teacher evening next Thursday.

This is an opportunity for parents to come along and meet your children’s new teacher and learn about routines and expectations in the different classes. There may also be some general notices that we may be broadcast over the intercom (Bing Bong) to reduce time for everyone.

This evening is an adult occasion. All parents are very welcome but one parent will be sufficient if you are short on babysitting options. Having adults only will allow everyone to concentrate on what we are trying to achieve. For health and safety reasons we ask that children are not left outside unsupervised.

Please go straight to your child’s classroom. We will be trying hard to run on time so all families can enjoy being part of each Syndicate.

Times are as follows: 

5:15pm Taupiri Classes – Year 1 & 2. 

5:45pm  Pirongia Classes – Year 3 & 4.

6:45pm  Maungatautari – Year 5 & 6.

These will be commencing this Friday, 8th February. You will need to update your child/children’s classroom details before you place your first order or reactivate your standing orders. For new children/families please follow the instructions below.

Visit www.subway.co.nz/schools and select SUBWAY School Lunch Programme.

Either create an account or login by following the prompts.

Select your school and complete the ‘student name’ and ‘class’ fields. You can then choose to start a New Order or choose a favourite order from the list.

Follow steps 1 to 3 to build your sub and add any drinks or sides – remember to select the ingredients you want on your sub.

Confirm your order and pay via Credit Card.

We are looking for a parent (or a few parents that could take turns) who would be able to pick up the lunches on a Friday from Subway Cambridge and deliver them back to school by midday. Please contact the school office or email hwilson@tamahere.school.nz if you are able to help or would like to know more.

Have you signed up to be part of the annual WEETBIX TRYathlon for 2020? This year it is on FEBRUARY 16th at the University of Waikato grounds. We already have a number of students who have registered and are all set to go. There will be a school gazebo on the day too, so that we can sit as a team.

DATE: Morning of Sunday, 16 February 2020

LOCATION: Waikato University Fields, Hamilton East, Waikato

ENTRY AGE: Entry is open to all 6 to 15 year olds. (Based on age on event day)

ENTRY OPTIONS: 

• Splash & Dash 6 years
• Individual TRYathlon 7 – 15 years
• Junior Team 7 – 10 years
• Senior Team 11- 15 years

* Both team members must meet age requirements.

* Teams can be mixed gender (i.e boy / girl).

* One team member completes the swim, one team member completes the cycle and both complete the run.

The TRYathlon will begin with the swim leg in the outdoor pool at the University of Waikato. The pool is 50m in length, with a depth of 0.9m in the shallow end and 1.4m in the deep end. The Transition area is located on the University of Waikato fields a short distance from the pool. The bike leg is around the streets surrounding the University of Waikato fields, and the run leg is around the field itself. 

Please see the website for details on event distances, the course maps and entry details by clicking on the link. 

Kind Regards

Lee Boyd

Weetbix Tryathlon GET READY Tips 2020