Newsflash – Page 32 – Greytown School

Term 2 begins!

April 14, 2020April 14, 2020 by greytownprincipal

Hi everyone

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter and were all visited by the Easter Bunny. I heard that some of the hunts were very exciting and a few eggs were very tricky to find in a few houses!

As you know it is the start to Term 2 tomorrow.

Firstly a big welcome to our new students who are starting with us tomorrow. Your teachers and classmates will look forward to getting to know you online or by phone… until we can all get to know you and your families in person.

LEARNING

It will be a very different way of learning to what we are all used to, however, I am sure we will all do our very best and work together to make it happen in one form or another.

There is a lot of information happening in the media and on social media about learning. Do what is manageable for you and your kids, but don’t feel pressured to do it all ie: Join every free app available, watch TVNZ learning channels, do all the class learning ideas either digitally or on paper…..etc

Please remember at all times the biggest priority during this time is the happiness, well being and safety of you and your family. Children will be learning even in the day-to-day interactions and household activities that they are apart of.

After all, this when school is back together, we can go from wherever we are at and still do extremely well!

DIGITAL LEARNERS

Teachers have been doing the last catch up meetings today and digital learning is now ready to be sent out first thing tomorrow morning for kids to begin. Remember there may be a lot of ideas and activities, however, do what is achievable to you. If you need more ideas…let your teacher know lol!

It will be a learning curve for everyone and we will take each day as we go and make necessary adjustments to learning programmes together.

Digital kids will have work sent out to them via their Seesaw accounts or Google Classroom (Kids – login into your class tomorrow and also check your school Gmail too).

If you have not received anything or you have questions teachers are contactable from 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday via their email address. If you are unsure what their email is simply going to our website and look under contacts and staff lists.

PACKS AND OTHER DEVICES

I have sent the list of learning packs that I know of off to the Ministry. They have sent out some of the first ones however we still have a few families waiting on packs …all going to plan they will be with you in the next couple of days.

A few families are waiting for school devices. As previously emailed these will be arriving by the end of this week by courier.

PARENT CONTACTS

It has come to our attention through the last week that some parents may have changed their email address and/or contact details. If this is you or you want to double-check then please email your teacher.

HELP NEEDED

Besides the teachers, if you need any assistance from me please do not hesitate to email me principal@greytown.school.nz

FUN CHALLENGES

After all this admin…. there will be some fun challenges put on the school Facebook from our Head and Deputy Head Students or myself that your kids might like to get involved in with your help. These will be posted in the next few days.

So let’s get excited because school is about to begin!

thanks

Miss O!

Setting up a FREE Digital Safety Filter for home.

April 14, 2020 by greytownprincipal

Tēnā koe

Helping students stay safer online from home

As you know, children’s online safety is important. At school, Network for Learning (N4L) helps keep your students safe from the bad side of the internet. During lockdown, the students’ place of learning shifts to their home. So N4L has worked out a way to help parents keep their children safely connected at home.

FREE N4L safety filter for all students
We’ve set up a safety filter that parents can set up on their child’s learning devices from home. Just go to switchonsafety.co.nz to find clear instructions on how to do this.The free N4L safety filter (by global cyber-security leader, Akamai) blocks websites containing known cyber threats like phishing scams, malicious content and viruses, while also protecting children from content deemed the worst of the web (like adult sites).It is an extension of one of the many safety and security services we have in place at schools and is a valuable layer of protection to help keep children safe online. Please remember that technology is not a silver bullet and the filter should be used in combination with Netsafe’s online parent safety toolkit.

How does it work?
Once a child’s device is set up, all internet search requests will go through the safety filter which checks if the website they are trying to visit is safe before allowing access. If it’s a website that’s known to be unsafe, then it will be blocked. The safety filter is applied to the child’s device, so parents’ devices are not affected.

Any questions?
We have answered key questions at switchonsafety.co.nz/faqs alternatively please send any questions to help@n4l.co.nz.

April 9th 2020 Distance Learning COVID-19 Update

April 9, 2020 by greytownprincipal

School Update April 3rd 2020

April 3, 2020 by greytownprincipal

Dear Parents and Caregivers

I hope you are all doing well and despite the circumstances that kids are enjoying their first week of the school holidays.

CURRENT SCHOOL UPDATE:

The Ministry of Education is in the process of working with us to ensure all our children have access to learning. They have sent out the following statement.

“To help make sure your child can keep up with their learning at home, the Ministry has asked for up-to-date information on your child’s year level, lockdown physical address and the resources your child will need. The Ministry will use the information to identify where devices and hard copy learning resources may be needed to be delivered. We won’t be able to meet everyone’s needs all at once but we will continue to provide as much as we can, as it is available”

As a result, I need to ensure that we have all the correct information to hand. Therefore we need to collect information from families where the following statements apply

# We DO NOT have access to a device for our child/ren to start learning on Wednesday 15th April.

# We still have LIMITED ACCESS to the internet from our provider which could impact on our children accessing digital learning.

# We require paper form learning to be delivered and we are lock-down at a DIFFERENT ADDRESS.

If any of the above statements apply to your family and you have not contacted the school previously, please let Miss Patrice O’Connor know principal@greytown.school.nz by Monday 6th April at 12pm so she can work with the Ministry to assist you.

If there are any other reasons why your child/ren may have trouble accessing learning starting on Wednesday 15th April please let us know too and we will do our best to assist you.

Thanks

Miss Patrice O’Connor

COVID-19 Update 26th March 2020

March 27, 2020 by greytownprincipal

Hi Parents and Caregivers,

Attached is the current information that we have from the school and the Ministry of Education for today.

Link for Parents – Digital Learning Tutorials etc

March 25, 2020 by greytownprincipal

We have a few parents who are ringing in asking for the link sent out on yesterdays letter as they can not access it on a PDF file.

Here is a site still in development to support parents and kids with this digital transition.
It includes written and video instructions to access digital tools (Seesaw, Google Classroom, popular apps etc).
It will also include additional links for recommended websites across the curriculum.

The link is https://sites.google.com/greytown.school.nz/gtshomelearning/home Copy and paste into your browser if needed.

SCHOOL GROUNDS NOW COMPLETELY CLOSED

March 25, 2020 by greytownprincipal

Hi Parents and community

Another update is now in (disregard last post). All grounds and equipment at school are closed to the school community and wider public.

Remote and Digital Learning Information

March 24, 2020 by greytownprincipal

Hi Parents and Caregivers

Attached is the key information about the weeks ahead and how/when learning will begin. Please read this carefully. There will be more information at a later date from your syndicate with specific information for their team, parents and children.

All the best

Patrice O’Connor

Essential Workers Children

March 23, 2020 by greytownprincipal

Hi everyone

With today’s announcement by Government, we will be implementing their actions immediately.

As stated starting tomorrow all children whose parents are not classified as essential workers are to stay home, as school is closed for them.

For children of essential workers who need their children to remain at school as they are working, we look forward to seeing your child here at school tomorrow. The school will start as normal for these children at 8.50 am in the school library. Staff and I will be overseeing their care on-site until 3.pm. Note: If they are sick keep them at home.

To check if you are an essential worker go to – https://covid19.govt.nz/government-actions/covid-19-alert-system/, however, those roles include doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers and police.

School Closure information and Remote Learning Update

March 23, 2020 by greytownprincipal

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Please read the following information (link below) carefully.

We want to reinforce the key essential points

The school will only be open tomorrow for essential workers children only ie; Children of supermarket workers and emergency services (doctors, nurses etc) who need additional time to find care.
School is closed tomorrow until further notice for all our other children. They are now to stay at home.
On Wednesday 25th March school will be closed for everyone until further notice.

All the very best. Keep safe and positive.

Patrice O’Connor.