Kia ora to our school community
The Colour and Mud Fun Run has certainly brought a lot of smiles this week as the students embraced giving this muddy colour filled experience a go. A very special thank you to Nikki Douglas and John Underwood for their organisation and preparation for this annual fun event. We have included a few photos for you to enjoy, and will have some more in next weeks newsletter.
I have quite a bit to share in this newsletter regarding 2022 new staffing and the organisation for the final couple of weeks of term 4, so please do read right through.
In regard to staffing changes, we do a few staff members to farewell and new arrivals in 2022. Sadly we bid farewell to five absolutely superb staff members who are leaving Long Bay at the end of 2021; including our multitasking and totally wonderful office administrator Sandra Nicholls, who we wish all the best for her retirement adventures. As an office administrator Sandra has been a tremendous support for the effective running of our school, the care of our students and the connection with our families.
Another retiring staff member is Ann Grayson, whom all of our children will have got to know as our dance specialisation teacher and as a release teacher across the school. Ann is a superbly talented teacher and a fantastic colleague who has worked at Long Bay now for 28 years. How blessed our community and our staff have been!
If LBPS is especially lucky Ann might pop back as a day reliever here and there.
We also farewell Amber Hobbs, as she is moving to another area of Auckland so is also changing schools. Amber started her teaching career at Long Bay and has been a delight to work alongside. In addition to her classroom teaching Amber has supported the school with her skills as a graphic artist. We wish her well in her next educational adventure.
In 2021 we were fortunate to have Sharon Smith, JoAn Radojkovich and Claire Dowson join our teaching team. Claire will be back at Long Bay in 2022, but we farewell Sharon and JoAn. Sharon is taking on an elearning role at another school and we hope to see JoAn back in a relieving capacity next year. These staff members have been a joy to work with and cherished by our staff. We wish them all the very best for 2021 and beyond.
Joining our staff in 2022 are 6 new staff members. Lliam Carran has been appointed as another Associate Principal and will be joining the Senior Leadership team of Rob (our 2022 principal), Jo and Julie. Lliam brings considerable leadership experience, including recent principalship.
We also welcome five new teachers; Paula Ritsma, Tiffany Driver, Christine Yeh, Shirley Carran and Ankeli Van Rooyen. All bring their talents and enthusiasm to Long Bay, which will add to the already skilled and committed staff team.
Next week I will outline what the structure of the school will be in 2022 in terms of teaching teams and classrooms.
Regarding the rest of the 2021 School Year:
This term is certainly zipping by now, and we only have a few more school days ahead of us for 2021. As you will be aware Auckland moved to the Red Traffic Light Level today. Schools however will retain their existing COVID-19 settings until the end of the 2021 calendar year.
The COVID-19 Protection Framework settings will come into effect for all schools from 1 January 2022. One of the reasons for the existing framework remaining in schools until the end of 2021 is that schools are catering for both at school and online learners. With the information I have received my understanding is that in 2022 schools will be open at all traffic light levels. What that looks like will be clearer closer to the start of the new year.
We have made a couple of changes to our end of year timetable, with Totara and Rimu teams each having an extra school day scheduled in Week 9. Week 8 remains the same as already scheduled.
For the children who are coming back in to school now, they will be bringing home their belongings from the classroom, books etc from next week (some may have started to do so already).
However we still have about 30% of our students only learning at home. So in week 9 we have organised a time for these students to come in to school after school hours (3.30pm to 4.30pm) to collect their belongings. We have a lot of teachers moving classrooms so we cannot store all of the children’s possessions over summer.
When those who are only home learning come in to collect equipment, we ask that the home learner student parents please wait outside the gate, and their child comes in to collect their gear from their teacher at their classroom between 3.30pm and 4.30pm on the scheduled day. Senior leaders will be at the gate to assist. If your child is still learning only at home, please see the Week 9 schedule below for your child’s belongings collection time.
Also any iPads or Chromebooks loaned from school do need to be returned next week by Wednesday please (along with any more library books or readers). We need these returned so they can be processed and updated, which is a time consuming job.
The schedule for the last couple of weeks is as follows (the notes in blue are new).
Week 8 – the team attending schedule stays the same
- Final Week for Online Learning for All Students
- All Loaned School Devices need to be returned by the afternoon of Wednesday 8 December
- Friday 10 December after school – only Kowhai Rms 1, 2 and 4 home learners who have not returned to school can collect their gear today between 3.30pm am 4.30pm
Can parents please wait outside the gate and just their child come in to collect their gear and their reports.
Week 9 – Student end of year reports and class placement notices will go home this week.
- Monday 13 December:
At School: Nikau Team R14, R15, R16
Manuka Team R6, R7, R8, R9
Totara Team: R20, R22, R23, R25
Only Nikau, Manuka and Totara home learners who have not returned to school can collect their gear today and their End of Year reports from their classroom between 3.30pm and 4.30pm.
- Tuesday 14 December
At School: Kauri Team R17, R18, R19
Kowhai Team Rms 3 and 5
Rimu Team: R10, 11, 12
Only Kauri, Rimu and Kowhai Rooms 3 and 5 home learners who have not returned to school can collect their gear today and their End of Year reports from their classroom between 3.30pm and 4.30pm.
- Wednesday 15 December
No school today for students other than the bubble class. Staff are all assisting with the reorganisation of resources and classrooms for 2022.
Thank you all again for your support. I will be back in touch with a final newsletter next Friday.
Linda
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