Star Board Term Three Week Five

Principal's Message

Kia Ora Whanau

In our thoughts are all those affected by the devastating weather events around the motu and particularly at the top of the South Island. We also keep in our prayers our St Matthew’s whanau who have lost family and friends.

Our students are great

This story was shared with me and now I am sharing it with you.

“At about 3.30pm a grandmother headed to the covered bus shelter on Church Street and when she arrived, there were some St Matthews girls and a few boys waiting for the bus. It’s a small shelter but as soon as she arrived, she reckoned, like lightning, the girls grabbed their bags and gear and, in a flash, they cleared everyone out and indicated for the grandmother to sit down. The grandmother said they were all smiles, very polite and she giggled as she thought they were a formidable, confident, competent bunch (the girls sorted the boys and moved them out of the way).

As it was a little early for the bus, the grandmother thanked them but said she’d go for a wander up the road to kill time. When she returned to the stop the bus arrived and she said, again the girls stood back (and kept everyone back by the sounds) and indicated for the grandmother to get on the bus first.

The sharer of this story wanted to pass this on as although a small thing it’s a wonderful example of our amazing, confident young women representing themselves and St Matthews with compassion and good ole fashion politeness.

This grandmother raised her daughter as a single mother and has lived with the devastating effects of a disease. Nothing has stopped her, leading her life as a force to be reckoned with. Having these young women ‘see’ her, treat her respectfully and leave her with a smile on her face from that interaction meant so much to the writer.”

I know you will share in the pride created by reading this. Compassion, Integrity, Respect, Inclusiveness, Commitment, Tend, Transform, Treasure, Tell, and Teach; not one Value was left out in this moment. I do not need to know who the students are who did this, but that you are here and representing us and yourselves as one would hope anyone would, makes me feel incredibly proud.

Inclusiveness and Acceptance

We need to remember that we need to treat everyone with respect because that is what we want for ourselves. Matthew 7:12 says ‘In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.’

No rocket science there really. I have never met anyone who has said “can you treat me badly and make my life miserable’. So, the message is- treat everyone with respect. That’s what we do in the St Matthew’s community.

Household contact definition for school camps and trips

The Ministry of Health has recently updated its definition of a household contact, which may impact your planning for, and response to, COVID-19 cases on school camps and trips.

You are a household contact if you:

• normally share a residence with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 (either on a permanent or part-time, or shared custody basis)
• spent at least one night or day (more than eight hours) in that residence while the person with COVID-19 was infectious
• don’t normally share a residence with the positive case but have spent a night together in the same room.

School hostels continue to be specifically excluded from the above definition (the same applies to other group accommodation providers such as backpackers, halls of residences and boarding houses).

You may wish to review your contingency plans if someone tests positive for COVID-19 while on a trip as it will be necessary to manage household contacts for a period of time.

How will I know if I’m a household contact? – Ministry of Health

To stay up to date with the latest education outside the classroom (EOTC) guidance, register with the national coordinator database.

• EOTC learning through COVID-19 – Education Outdoors New Zealand
• National EOTC coordinator database – Education Outdoors NZ

School attendance awareness campaign launched

‘Every School Day is a Big Day’ is a new campaign to encourage school attendance. It was launched on Monday 22 August, at Rangikura School in Porirua by Associate Education Minister Jan Tinetti.

The campaign is a part of ‘kia kotahi te ū ki te ako – all in for learning’, which is an on-going nation-wide strategy with a focus on supporting ākonga to attend school regularly. The campaign is in recognition that regular attendance at school is important for our children’s learning, wellbeing and futures.

Schools and kura can support the campaign in your communities. Resources are available to be downloaded, customised and used in your communications.

Final reminder to apply for internet connections

As part of the extension of the free internet access for learner households under the COVID-19 support plan, the Equitable Digital Access team has funding available to offer internet connectivity to additional households that are not connected up to 15 January.

If there is anyone in our school community who needs assistance with internet connectivity, please get in touch by Tuesday 30 August.

Share Kia Manawaroa with whānau Māori

Kia Manawaroa is the Ministry’s dedicated newsletter for whānau Māori with kids in education. If you have good news to share about something happening in our community, contact kia.manawaroa@education.govt.nz, or I can do it on your behalf.

Kia Manawaroa

Kia Manawaroa is the Ministry of Education’s pānui for whānau Māori. Read the latest issue of Kia Manawaroa:

• Kia Manawaroa August 2022 – Education for parents’ and whānau

It is written by Māori for Māori, with information about opportunities and milestones in education, Māori success as Māori, Te Reo Māori, and COVID-19 updates relevant to whānau as and when appropriate.

The latest issue is out now with updates about:

• Te Wiki o te Reo Māori dates
• New resource to support tamariki transition into kura
• Whānau wellbeing and support
• And so much more!
• Find out more about Kia Manawaroa

Finally

Thank you in advance to our teams, coaches, managers, staff and supporters travelling and supporting our Tournament teams. I will be tripping to the venues over different days next week so thanks to my people back at base. Thank you all for your continued hard mahi.

Enjoy the Accord Day. Have a safe weekend.

Ngā Mihi

Kiri

Around School

Community News and Events

Hadlow Aspect Architecture Ambrose Golf Tournament - Friday 9th September

You don’t need to have a current NZ golf handicap to play on the day. It is an Ambrose Tournament – teams of four. Entries are limited to 36 teams. Further information is included on the entry form / flyer (below) and registered teams will receive further information once they have entered.

Women in Trades event 20th September

Registrations are now open for our "Getting Women into Trades” events in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. Proudly supported by the Ministry of Education, this popular free event promotes a career in the trades and potential training pathways to women. In the past there have been hands-on “Give it a Go” activities to try all sorts of trades related activities from driving an excavator to putting up a scaffold, assembling a toilet or winching a vehicle.

Exhibitors from trades training, industry and employers will be on hand during the activities to discuss the ins and outs of different trades and their training and career pathways with the attendees.

The activities are followed by food, a keynote address and a panel discussion featuring speakers at various stages of their trades journey.

• Time: 3pm-7.30pm
• Register for your tickets here

We look forward to seeing you there!