Woodlands School – Te Akatarere Update Re: COVID Level 2
Kia ora koutou,
Due to the recent announcement by the Prime Minister, we will be reverting to our Level 2 protocols at Woodlands School – Te Akatarere as of today, until further notice. Our students and staff are very familiar with our Level 2 protocols and it is important that we keep calm during these unprecedented times.
Level 2 means:
· Woodlands School is open for students to attend. If you keep your child/ren at home please inform the school.
· If your child/ren are showing any symptoms, keep them home until they have been tested for COVID-19.
· Everybody who is entering our school site must use hand sanitise at the gate on entry and exit.
· Students will hand sanitise entering and exiting their classrooms
· No parents on school grounds unless it is an emergency or you have arranged an appointment and you will need to fill in the Tracing Register in the office.
· All visitors will need to fill in the Tracing Register in the office.
· Sadly, after a really positive night last night we will have to postpone the rest of our whanau/teacher conferences until further notice.
Nga mihi (Kind regards),
Matua Glenn
Woodlands School – Te Akatarere Distance Learning Plan
Firstly, the most important thing is the hauora/well-being of our students, whanau and staff so we do not want to add to the pressure and stress some of us are feeling, so everything we have around distance learning is optional.
Teachers have provided online resources for students to complete and a list of non device activities that students can choose from. There is no pressure to complete or even participate in the work provided and some of the best learning students can undertake happens naturally around the home (e.g. helping cook, building, gardening) and take this opportunity to teach children some life skills (e.g. sewing, tying fishing knots, stacking/packing shelves).
We understand that a number of whanau are working off cell phones so limit the time students are on these devices and mix it up with some of the non device activities we have provided.
We have requested the Ministry of Education to provide our students with Chromebooks and internet if needed but as mentioned previously this may not happen as there is a great demand for devices nationally and globally. Instead you may receive a hard pack from the Ministry of Education, just do your best to complete the activities provided. The Ministry has also developed learning television channels that students watch and learn through. They are on TVNZ channel 2+1 and on TVNZ on Demand, as well as on Sky Channel 502. Māori Television will be broadcasting around 300 hours of educational content for ākonga and whānau between the ages of 0 and 18 over the next 10 weeks.
If you have any questions please contact your child’s teacher, your child may even wish to share their mahi with their teacher to receive feedback. Teachers’ email addresses are:
Room 1 fgebert@woodlands.school.nz
Room 2 vphipps@woodlands.school.nz
Room 4 kshove@woodlands.school.nz
Room 6 nehu.gage@woodlands.school.nz
Room 7 lwiniata@woodlands.school.nz
Principal tumuaki@woodlands.school.nz
Teachers will do their best to respond to emails in a timely manner.
This a new experience for all of us, and all of our bubbles are different, including our staff. Our staff are here to support but honestly we are learning as we go, so please show some patience towards our staff as we work together to overcome this new situation.
Keep safe and we look forward to seeing everybody in the future!
Nga mihi,
Matua Glenn
Woodlands School Example Timetable
click hereNon Device Distance Learning Activities
click hereOnline Distance Learning Resources
click here
Woodlands School caters for children in Years 1 to 8. It is located in a beautiful rural area close to Opotiki in the eastern Bay of Plenty. We currently have around 100 students at our school.
The school is well supported by an active parent and whānau group that contributes generous resourcing through fundraising efforts, valued assistance and contributions to school programmes, events and activities.
If you are considering sending your child or children to Woodlands School please contact us so we can help with a successful transition in to our school.
Academic achievement above the national norm.
An individualised new entrant transition programme. We will work with parents/whanau to develop a transition programme that suits individual needs.
We are a Positive Behaviour 4 Learning (PB4L) school. This means we teach students social skills and our expectations around behaviour are clear and consistent.
- Restorative Practice is the approach we use to deal with conflict, such as teasing or fights between peers so students are held accountable for their actions and learn from their mistakes.
- A KiVA Anti – Bullying School, which means students have weekly lessons on how to be nice to others, prevent bullying, be an upstander and what to do when bullying occurs.
The school’s beautiful safe physical environment supports creative play at morning tea and lunch times.
The school’s beautiful safe physical environment supports creative play at morning tea and lunch times.
A specialist Special Education Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO).
- Our new entrant classes are a combination of a play based approach and a more traditional approach.
A bicultural environment within the school.
We are well resourced with sports and outdoor education equipment.