Principal's Message
Kia Ora PBS Whānau
You are an AWESOME
COMMUNITY! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I’m so grateful for the support and kindness our parents are showing at this time; the words and emails of support and encouragement are really uplifting. I appreciate how parents and caregivers are doing their best to stay off the school site unless necessary. You are wonderful! We will need to keep this up over the coming weeks to maintain the safest environment possible for our staff and students.
I know I’ve been bombarding you all with notices and communications over the last few weeks, but I’d rather over-inform you than under-inform you. I hope that you are finding the time to read this information, especially the ‘Contingency Plans’ I emailed out on Friday. Everything I have sent home this year with regards to Covid planning can also be found on our website https://www.pbs.school.nz/covid-19/
The reality is that at some stage in the coming weeks, our school is likely to start experiencing cases of Covid-19 and close contacts of cases. The table below shows the various stages PBS could move between depending on how hard hit our school community is.
In light of how schooling could change during the term please ensure you have the following preparations for home organised, just in case your child needs to learn from home.
What do we need PBS Parents & Caregivers to prepare right now?
- Keep up-to-date with school’s notices and communications and be fully prepared should students need to switch to home-based learning
- Inform the school immediately if your child tests positive for Covid-19 or needs to isolate
- Be ready at short notice should your child/children need to isolate
- Ensure your Year 5 – 8 child brings their device home each night. If there are any faults with their device get these addressed or fixed as soon as possible
- Contact your child’s teacher if you do not have internet or device access at home. This will enable teachers to prepare a hard pack of work
- Keep your employer/employees informed of how your work could be impacted if PBS moves to home-based learning
- Prepare basic learning tools for home e.g. stationery, paper, books
- Please notify the school office if you are an essential worker and cannot make any other arrangements for child supervision if we move to Stages 2 or 3 office@pbs.school.nz
Thank you for keeping yourself informed.
Mā te wā,
Jess Ward – Tumuaki ~ Principal
Welcome to Our Recent New Students
There were no new students this week
Advertise in our Community Directory
Have you checked out our community directory yet? PBS has launched an online community directory for the Kapiti Coast.
In the directory is an online user-maintained list of businesses, events and opportunities in the Kapiti area including job advertisements (there will shortly be a position available at sKids Kenakena).
To view the new community directory click here and for instructions on how to advertise, please click here
Parent-Teacher Interviews
Parents – Teacher Interviews will not be held face to face this term. Your child’s teacher will email you during the next three weeks instead to set up another form of interview.
Board Meeting on Zoom
Whilst we are in the RED setting our school’s Board meetings will be held on ZOOM. Board meetings are public meetings, though the public do not automatically have speaking rights. The agenda for each meeting (containing the Zoom link) will be posted on our website the day before. Our next Board meeting is Tuesday, 22 February at 7pm.
Using Māori Language at Home
It’s important for all Kiwi to learn te reo. Each week our newsletter will include phrases that you might like to try out at your place. After all, it will take the whole nation to keep this unique language alive.
Mā te wā – See you later
Student Work
Check out these super self-portraits by Year 5 and 6 students in Room 2! They added the dye effect by drawing with felt tips on tin foil and then laying the tin foil over their drawing and rubbing it to infuse the artwork with colour. What a clever idea!
Kid's Quote
A young student was informing the office of an upcoming event…
“It’s happening on the oneth of March.”
Important Reminder re Absences
Please remember to let the office know if your child is going to be absent from school for any reason. Upcoming appointments/sickness can be advised via the Skool Loop app, text to 027 755 7915 or phone our landline 298 5775. Student absence due to holidays etc needs to be advised via student leave form available from the office or on our school website.
Important: Please make sure you advise the office if your child is away due to Covid reasons as the school needs to be aware for planning/reporting purposes. This information is confidential and only available to office staff and the Principal.
Thank you.
Let’s Get Movin’ in March!
We’re a Movin’March school and counting down to Tuesday, 1 March when we’ll start stamping passports at the gate as part of the Walk or Wheel Passport Challenge all through March. Walking or wheeling to school is a great way to get active, know your neighbourhood, kick start learning for the day AND take care of the environment. Remember students don’t have to complete their passports to go in the draw to win a $400 MYRIDE voucher at the end of March!
Fancy going in the draw to win a scooter? Parents who take part in our Whānau Facebook competition will be in to win 1 of 5 adult or child Micro Scooters or a Family Pass to Staglands or Zealandia. Check out the Movin’March website for more on these competitions and how you can take part.
Ideas for all the Whānau:
- Check our Walk and Wheel Safety page for guidelines for whānau to safely walk or wheel to school
- Have a chuckle while you learn all about scooter safety with our scooter safety videos featuring the cast of TV show Wellington Paranormal
- Micro Scooters are not only awesome sponsors for Movin’March, they also have awesome safety tips or check out Waka Kotahi’s comprehensive Education Portal
- Get more information about Walking School Buses on our Movin’March website
Future Student Achievements
If your child has an achievement you would like us to share in our newsletter, then please send details (and a picture if you would like) to mbarfoote@pbs.school.nz
