Newsletter Term 1, Week 4

Term 1 Week 4 – Friday 26 February 2021

Principal’s Chat

Kia ora everyone

It is so lovely to be back at Level One. Thank you to all the parents and students who attended the goal setting conferences this Wednesday. It is so beneficial for the students learning to meet with the parents and students together. Thank you also to the family members who came to the EsoL and Whanau meetings this week.

This afternoon we have our community working bee to move our mulch pile around the Ngahere Ako (learning forest) bush by the pathway to the field. We will share some photos in the next newsletter. Thank you in advance to our helpers!

You may notice that the school is working with Auckland Transport to help us manage the traffic outside school in the afternoons. During the busy after school period when we have staff members on duty, we do have permission for cars to queue for the pick-up zone.
Tickets will issued for infringements. So to keep everyone safe, and avoid being ticketed, parents do need to follow these guides:
– Do not drive on the wrong side of the road to skip the queued cars
– Do not stop on top of the pedestrian crossing
– Do not do a U-turn in front of the entrance to the school
– You cannot park on top of the yellow lines on either side of the crossing (you will get a ticket)
– Do not load your children into the car if your car is on the road (rather than in the pick-up zone or legally parked).
   You will be ticketed for this.
–  If you cannot get a park, then do join the queue and collect your children from the pick-up zone
– Use the school crossing if your car is on the other side of the road. Do not take a short cut. Crossing to the middle island should only be if your car is parked there.
– Never call children across the road to you (collect them).

And lastly, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR KIDS HAVE SAFETY BELTS ON before you drive your car. Lots don’t L

We suggest parents encourage their older children to walk or scooter (please get a scooter form from the office, and make sure your child has a helmet on) – or to collect your child from Ashley Park.
We have 462 children to get out of school safely, so we are passionate about keeping them safe. It takes a maximum of 15 minutes for everyone to be out of school and clear, so please be patient and considerate of everyone.
Thank you to everyone for your support.

Have a lovely, safe fortnight everyone

Linda
Linda Barton
Principal

Remember: If your child is unwell please keep them home until they are recovered. If symptoms are similar to a cold or flu, contact health line (free calling on 0800 358 5453) and follow their advice. These measures will help to keep our community safe.

School App and Website

2021 Upcoming Events

2021 Term Dates

Welcome New Students

A warm welcome to the new students who have started at Long Bay Primary this year:

Cyrus, Andy, Yuto, Emmett, Anan, Shaun, Mila D, Noelle, Zoe, Katie, Nicholas, Emma, Maddox, Mila I, Isabella, Micah, Soulja, Maxwell, Quinn, Grace, Joshua, Gustav, Gloria, Isabelle, Aya, Amelia, Adam, Kate, Celeste, Smith, Quaid, Inez, Ethan, Ava, Frantz, Samuel, Carlos, Bhavini, Asher, Georgia, Luke, Amelia, Paige, Ryan, Carter, Dusty and Kit

Important School Reminders

Absence from School

If your child is going to be absent from school, please email admin@longbayprimary.ac.nz or call 09 473 6077, option 2 and advise the Office to avoid your child being marked as truant.

If your child arrives late to school, they MUST call at the Office window for a late pass. This is so we know they are safe.

If you are collecting your child early from school, all parents/caregives need to sign them out at the Office. Children are not allowed to leave school grounds early unless they are signed out. Where possible, please do not arrange to collect a child during break times, as it is extremely difficult to locate them. Morning tea is 11.15am to 11.45am and lunch is 1.15pm and 2.00pm.

Buses

If your child/children catch the Torbay bus, please ensure they have their AT Hop card and it has a sufficient amount of money on the account to cover their bus fare. Cash is not accepted. AT Hop cards can be topped up online, at bus stations and at some local retailers.

Eating at School – no nuts or nut products, or birthday treats please. Remember to be wrapper free

We know that parents try and provide healthy lunches for their children at school. Please ensure that children’s lunches don’t include nuts or peanut butter, as we have a number of children who are fatally allergic to nuts. 
Each child does need a drink bottle every day for water only. Please do not send any sugary drinks.
We are encouraging children to eat healthy food that will give them energy to learn at school. So please provide fruit and healthy options – and restrict the amount of sugary foods (ideally no lollies in school lunches).  

We have told the children that they are not to share any food at school. This is because we have children with allergies, and also because parents want to provide their own food so they know what their kids are eating.

For the same reason, please do not send lollipops or cake to school when it is your child’s birthday (no balloons either please as they are so dangerous when kids walk home – choking or chasing an escaped balloon onto the road). This request is also on behalf of parents who have expressed concern about the amount of times their children were offered extras to celebrate other children’s birthdays.

We are aiming to reduce waste, especially plastic, and encourage care for our environment. Please do your best to follow the wrapper free guidelines.

Road Safety

Please remind your children when they are travelling to school that they need to use the school road crossing outside the school gate. To keep them safe they are not to use the crossing at the top of our school street, Ralph Eagles Place.  Also speak to your children about the need to look both ways before crossing, even on the pedestrian crossing areas as we do get reports of children just stepping out on to the crossing by the College without checking that a car is going to stop for them.
Can parents please model good road safety behaviour too, please use the crossing, don’t take a short cut down the bank. 

Collection from School – Please be patient and considerate

Please be attentive when driving (please don’t stop your car on the pedestrian crossing and do wait till the crossing is completely clear on both sides before driving on). Thank you.
Parking is limited, especially once all of the College students return. Patience is the key for managing the after school traffic.  Come early to get a park, park a bit further away and walk to collect, encourage your child to go on the bus, or walk if close enough. Alternatively wait in the car queue by the cul-de-sac and collect your child at the 2 minute pick up area.  YOU CANNOT LEAVE YOUR CAR IN THE 2 MINUTE PICK UP AREA – please just roll down with the queue and wait till your child is there.
If you park on the other side of the road from school, you must use the pedestrian crossing to get there. Only cross to the middle parking area if your car is parked there – and never allow your child to cross there alone. 

To keep our children safe – do not U-turn outside the school gate.

If your car is parked on the pedestrian crossing or on the yellow lines either side of the pedestrian crossing, you are likely to get an Auckland Council parking warden fine.

A fine may also be issued if you are loading children into your car on the road (rather than at the pick-up zone, or in a legitamate parking space).

Please note that the carpark on the school grounds is for school staff only. The school gate will be locked in the afternoon and reopened once the crossing comes in from duty. This is to make the area safer and the traffic flow easier after school.

School Adventure Playground

Please remember that the playground is out of bounds for all students before school.  Children who are accompanied by their parent may play on the playground after school and on the weekends. Children cannot stay and play on the playground after school unless their parent is with them.

Before and After School Care – Kelly Club

Kelly Club is available at Long Bay Primary from 7.00am until 6.00pm in the afternoon.  Please contact Kelly Club on 027 363 3329 or at longbay@kellyclub.co.nz if you have any enquiries or wish to make a booking.  Kelly Club will be using the hall and Room 4 for Before and After School Care this year.

Communication

Our school newsletters are sent out fortnightly and it is really important that parents read the notices. They are sent via email and available on the school website.  Those with Hotmail addresses need to enable Etap as a safe email sender (Etap is the school administration IT system). 

Please update your 2021 child’s/children’s room number/s on the LBP Shop/Kindo. This is required for all sports and PTA sausage sizzle and iceblock days etc.

Second Hand Uniform

Currently we have a wide range of second hand uniform available to purchase. We also have seven netball skirts sizes 5 and 6. If you are interested, please visit the Office. Payment is by cash or internet banking only.

Sports Buzz, Week 4

PTA News

The next PTA Meeting is on Tuesday 2 March at 7.00pm at the staff room, all welcome as we plan our fundraising for the year.

Our AGM will be held on 16 March, 7.00pm in the staff room where we receive the annual reports and accounts. The PTA Chair, Secretary and Treasurer will be elected at this meeting.

If you are new to the school, or have been here a while and would like to be part of a friendly and supportive group, we would love you to come and join us.  If you want to know more, email us on longbayprimarypta@gmail.com

Community Sport and Events