Together We Grow – Ka Tupu Kotāhi ai Tātou
Kia ora OVS whanau and caregivers,
Welcome to our week 6 newsletter. We have just returned from the South East cluster Cross Country and everyone is exhausted, but all sporting big smiles! It was a great day, the weather was perfect and the students all represented OVS wonderfully. I would like to thank all the parents for there great support and the kids highlight was by popular vote ,the fire engine and the ….mud!
Board of Trustees – Recapitation Survey
On Wednesday, all parents and caregivers received an email that contained a link to a ‘Recapitation Survey.’ The Board of Trustees encourages all recipients and any other local community members (parents and caregivers of past and potentially future students) to complete this Survey in order to determine the level of support in changing Ōtāika Valley School from a Year 1-6 school to a Year 1-8 school. Thank you for the responses we have received so far.
If you are yet to fill out the survey, please assist our Board in this process by completing it as soon as possible (closes on Sunday 3rd of September).
Newbies!!!
A very warm Ōtāika Valley School welcome to our new students –
Emily T and Ryder W, who have recently joined us in Room 1.
Star Spot – Celebrating Student Learning
A huge OVS congratulations to our R.U.R.U award winners for the last two weeks.
Well done to Sasha A, Luka B, Connor T and Zoe T!!
PTA Update
Milo and marshmallows – For sale again next Friday 1st September. $2. Please bring your own cup. We don’t have many disposable cups left, so if your child forgets their cup we may not be able to serve them.
Disco – Thursday 14th September 5:30pm-7:30pm. Gold coin entry. We will have food and drinks for sale beforehand. We have doubled the amount of glowsticks this year and will be selling them in the line to enter the hall. Prices for food and glowsticks to come early next week.
Survey – thanks to everyone who completed the survey. There were a lot of similarities in responses. We’ll discuss the feedback next term, and let you know which we are able to fund.
There was a lot of tie in with discussions already taking place at school. Some of the ideas have already been implemented and others are in the pipeline. Quite a few responses were around the curriculum, which the PTA can’t influence. We have passed all responses on to the BoT and Principal.
Student Health
There appears to be an increasing number of cases of gastroenteritis affecting our tamariki at school.
The most common symptoms are:
- feeling sick (nausea)
- diarrhoea
- vomiting
Sometimes a child with gastroenteritis will also have:
- a fever
- tummy pains
The main treatment is to keep giving your child fluids. Whichever fluids your child is having, the important thing is to:
- offer small amounts of fluid often rather than giving large amounts – aim for a quarter of a cup every 15 minutes or 1 teaspoon or 5 mls in a syringe every minute
- keep offering your child fluids even if they are vomiting
Students are not to return to school until 48 hours after their last episode of vomiting and diarrhoea.
People with gastroenteritis should not prepare food for others for at least 48 hours after their vomiting and diarrhoea stops. Normal household cleaners will not kill viruses, you must also use a bleach-based disinfectant after cleaning.
For further information, please visit the KidsHealth website:
https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/gastroenteritis-children
Netball
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
A massive shout out to our fantastic netball coaches: Shannon Smith (Year 1&2 – “Ōtāika Blues”), Latiisha Toka (Year 3&4 – “OVS Ultimates”), and Moana Selwyn (Year 5&6 – “Ōtāika Ferns”) for volunteering to train and share their netball skills and knowledge. Thank you and well done also to our wonderful players who represented our school this season, and to their whanau and friends who were courtside cheering them on!
Players:
Ōtāika Blues: Rbaley, Santana, Gypsy, Loma
OVS Ultimates: Ivy, Isabella, Ruby, Navaeh, Isla, Bree
Ōtāika Ferns: Ella, Elowyn, Nova, Kysharn, Makani, Isla
CCTV
We like members of our community benefitting from the use of the school grounds outside of school hours. However, this accessibility does carry some risks by way of a select few who intend to cause damage to, or disrespect school property and grounds. We aim to discourage this kind of behaviour, and hence we now have security cameras operating in different locations at school.
Property Development Update
While we are still on track for work to commence in Rooms 3 & 4, unfortunately the start has been pushed out by approximately 3 weeks. We will keep you posted on the new start date when we are able to confirm it.
Ag & Flower Day
Please update your calendars as you may have noticed the Ag & Flower Day is now Friday 27th of October instead of Friday 20th of October.
At the moment we have 4 lambs being brought to school each day which is great to see! If your child would like to register their Ag Day animal for this year’s competition, please email Robyn at r.drake@otaika.school.nz.
Students who had won a trophy last year, please return them to Jen in the office urgently for engraving.
School Photos
Just a reminder that Liz Davies will be taking individual, family and class photos at the Ōtāika Hall on Wednesday 29th of August. Order forms are available from the school office, or you can order online https://lizdaviesphotography.co.nz/order-school-photos-online.
Please ensure you place and pay for your order by Tuesday 28th of August.
All payments to Liz Davies Photography please (no Eftpos payments at school).
Unfortunately there is a substantial amount of unclaimed clothing currently on display next to the steps outside Rm 5.
Please remind your child to pack their extra clothes (and shoes) back in their school bag to take home each day, rather than leaving them on the court, or on the field, or on the steps, or in the classroom, or in the garden, or in the…
Thank you 🙂
Book Club Orders
If you would like to order Scholastic Books online rather than through the school office, please visit
https://mybookclub.scholastic.co.nz/Parent.aspx where you can register your details.
If you have purchased books as gifts, please let Jen in the office know so she can keep it aside for you to collect.
SPCA
Do you have any old towels, bed sheets or blankets laying around that you no longer need? If so, the SPCA would love to have them! You can drop them off at 143 Kioreroa Road between 10am and 2pm Monday to Saturday.
Term 3: Dates for your diary
Friday 25th August – Cross Country at Waiotira Domain
Tuesday 29th August – School Photos at Ōtāika Hall
Friday 1st September – PTA Milo & Marshmallows for sale
Wednesday 13th September – Board of Trustees meeting (5:00pm)
Thursday 14th September – School Disco at Ōtāika Hall
Friday 22nd September – Term 3 ends
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