Tēnā koutou Parents / Caregivers / Sunnynook Families

It is fantastic to have nearly completed 2 full weeks back at school, long may it continue.

The Youthtown EOTC activities held on the field was the cause of much excitement and I was impressed with the imagination shown by our students in the Flintstone car building activity. Our swimming programmes are well underway for the term and our students have been enjoying their lessons.   

The school banner at Assembly went to Room 21 for amazing artwork and superb writing on the writing wall - congratulations!  

Routines are now in place at school and it is important for your child to attend regularly and on time. Please ensure your child is here for 8.45am (traffic I know is a problem!)

Our breakfast club is making a difference for our tamariki in the morning. Remember this is daily and sets our tamariki up well for the day. Thanks to Mrs McIntyre for running this for us.

I am delighted to welcome Katrina Hosken to our Senior Leadership Team as our new Deputy Principal.  Many of you will know Katrina from the six years that she has been a teacher at Sunnynook, and through  the various roles she has been involved in.  She will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the team.  

We are also delighted that Libby Brereton will be taking over Katrina’s classes and will be the fabulous full-time teacher for Room 4 from the start of Term 2.  Ms Brereton has already formed closed relationships with the children in Room 4 so this will be a very easy transition for all - thank you Libby.

Ngā mihi 

Virginia

On Thursday 30 March we will be having our student learning conversations. These will occur from 3:20 pm - 8:20 pm. In the past these have been called Parent / Teacher Interviews or Parent / Teacher conferences. It is recommended your child attends with you. Time-slots will be 10 minutes. 

Mrs Ko and Mrs Morrison, our ESOL teachers, are also available to meet with you. If your child speaks English as their second language and you would like to meet Mrs Ko or Mrs Morrison our new ESOL teacher, please also book a time slot with them.

Ms Baker, will also be available to meet with you on this day. This year, she will be working with our tamariki and whānau Māori and would love to have a korero with you about your aspirations for your child/ren, if your child identifies as Māori. 

Bookings open on 6 March and will close on Monday 27 March at 3pm. Follow the instructions below on how to make a booking on Hero.

With people travelling overseas again, there’s a risk that someone with measles could unknowingly bring the disease back to Aotearoa. 

 

Measles spreads easily and quickly, usually between people who are unimmunised or only partially immunised. It can be serious and life threatening. In the 2019 measles outbreak in Aotearoa more than 30% of the people infected had to be admitted to hospital.  

 

The best protection against measles is the free MMR vaccine. It will protect you and your whānau, and prevent the virus from spreading. 

 

You will be protected against measles if you: 

 

• had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine

• had measles before

• were born before 1 Jan 1969.

 

If you’re unsure if you or your tamariki have had any or both doses of the MMR vaccine, check by calling your GP or hauora provider. Alternatively, check your Plunket Well Child Tamariki Ora book. If you’re still not sure, be safe and get immunised – there are no safety concerns with having an extra dose. MMR vaccines are free at your local health provider and many pharmacies. 

 

As measles still occurs in many countries, if you’re travelling overseas these holidays it’s especially important to be immunised to prevent the risk of being unknowingly infected and causing an outbreak in Aotearoa on your return. 

 

More information about the measles vaccination can be found here:

 Measles vaccination – Ministry of Health

Please send your child's up-to-date Vaccination Certificate to: reception@sunnynookschool.nz

In Terms 1 and 4, your child needs to wear a hat at school when they are outside.  During these months, the New Zealand sun is very strong, and the wearing of hats together with the application of sunscreen, will ensure that your child is protected from the sun. 

Please note that the only hats that can be worn are the school wide-brimmed hats as pictured, as these offer the most protection. Caps have not been part of our school uniform since 2017. Any child without the correct hat will need to stay in the shaded playground at school during breaks.

Hats that can either be purchased from the office for or online through Argyle Uniforms on their website:  www.argyleonline.co.nz/ for $13.60.  Please ensure you write your child's full name clearly in their hat.    

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Friday 3 March:                        Ngā Kowhai Teddy Bear Picnic
                                                   (12.00-12.45pm)
Monday 6 March:                     R15 last swim
Tuesday 7 March:                     R14 start swimming
Wednesday 8 March:               Jester Pie Day
                                                    Y5/6 Netball Trials lunchtime
Saturday 11 March -
Sunday 12 March:                     New Date for PTA Camp Out  
Monday 13 March -
Friday 17 March:                      Travelwise Tree Week
Thursday 16 March:                 R14 last swim
Friday 17 March:                       R12 start swimming
                                                    Ngā Totara Sports Tabloid
                                                     (11.30-12.15)

2023 TERM DATES

Term 1 

Monday 6 February - Waitangi Day (Public Holiday)

Monday 24 April - Teacher Only Day

Tuesday 25 April - Anzac Day (Public Holiday)

Wednesday 26 April - Classes begin for Term 2

Monday 5 June - King's Birthday (Public Holiday)

Monday 23 October - Labour Day (Public Holiday)

On Friday 17th March at 11.30,  Ngā Totara which includes Years 3 and 4 are having a tabloid sport event.  On the day, there will be a range of physical activities set up in the form of stations on the school field and we would like to invite you to join us.  The activities will start at 11.30 am and finish at around 12.15 pm.  Please bring your picnic and picnic blanket as you are welcome to stay and have lunch with your child on the field.  We have several children with food allergies and intolerances, we ask you not to share your picnic with other children.  In case of bad weather, we will notify you via HERO if the event is cancelled.  

Please ensure your child has their hat !

We look forward to seeing you there. 

Kind regards, Cheryl klein

Sylvia Sterling, Emma Brailey, Kelley Olsen, Linda Leong, Emma Morrison and Rebekah Hagen. 

Congratulations to Guan Han for receiving an honourable mention in a recent international competition.

This Friday Guan Han will go to the University of Auckland to participate in a contest with 12 senior school students in New Zealand. We wish him all the best.

Message from the Parenting Place
The recent flood and cyclone have unsettled some children and they have lots of curly questions.  Jenny Hale, a Senior Parenting Coach has been invited to Sunnynook Community Centre to provide parents with tips about how to talk to their children after these natural disasters to calm and support them through this time.

$5.00 entry fee or koha. 

This talk will be an excellent opportunity for parents to learn some new parenting techniques and strategies to nurture their children through these worrying times. Parents of pre-school, primary, and intermediate should attend and there will be some transferable tips for talking to teenagers. Jenny Hale has developed a career around providing parenting support for young children and has a wealth of knowledge to share.

On Monday the 20th of February we had some amazing peer mediators share at assembly. Peer mediators can help solve problems at lunchtime such as: friendship issues, game rules, exclusion and unkind words. 

They performed a skit, displaying how the peer mediation process works.

Children can stand by the mediator bus stop on the Junior Playground if they need help with a problem or finding a friend.

The Sunnynook Primary PTA  Camp Out will be held on the 11th-12th March. Please see the latest Camp Out invitation for further information on the event and how to purchase tickets. We look forward to seeing you there!  

We are currently seeking the support of an adult volunteer to help supervise the road crossing on Tonkin Drive weekly on Thursday mornings from 8:15-8:45am. If you are able to volunteer please contact Rebeccah Bassett-Smith. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Students completed a successful training session with Constable Louise on Tuesday 28 February. 

Written By Max W in Room 6:
On the 28th of February, About 20 kids including me went to have some road patrol training. We have road patrol so people can be safe when walking across the road at the crossing on Tonkin Dr. We had a briefing before we went down to the crossing from Constable Louise. She told us how we can be safe during road patrol. Then we walked down to the crossing and had some training time. We learned all the signals during crossing (Signs out, check, clear, cross now, signs in) and had some practicing on the cross with the lollipop signs. We had the other people waiting for their turn on the lollipop signs to cross the road while the people with the signs did all the signals and actions. In the end, I think we all did a great job in the training. 

Travelwise Tree Week 2023

Competition time!

When children walk, scooter or bike to school, they will get a leaf from their teacher to put their name and room number on. It will be added to the tree by Travelwise leaders each day. The tree will grow as students start coming to school in an active way. The tree will be hung up in the hall so come and have a look throughout the week to see it grow. 

Let’s make the tree “grow” day by day. 

Thank you for your participation!! 

The Travelwise team 

BASKETBALL
24th February.       Sunnynook Hurricanes (Year 3/4) vs Pinehill Pirates.      Loss 14-10
                                Player of the Day:  Kiri Pou


2023 AFTER-SCHOOL SPORT -  REGISTRATIONS are due NOW!

Registration and payment is completed through 'myKindo', the school’s online shop. Information - Kindo & Sports | Sunnynook School

Any additional queries please contact the sport coordinator: shonaf@sunnynookschool.nz                  

Attach , clip and climb!  On Wednesday 22nd  February, Ngā Kauri took off to Treetops. It was a long loud bus ride buzzing with excitement. When we arrived my heart jumped into my throat. I looked up and  jumped! How high those courses were! I couldn't imagine myself so high. When I got out there was a strong smell of pine tree. Next, I was lining up for a practice course. Wow!! I made it. I passed the practice course. I ran to get ready to clip and climb. Before I knew it I was climbing level six and ready to help encourage others. I managed to finish every course. I had a great time. Best of all I conquered my fears, but I know one thing: I was exhausted but I had a great time!

EOTC SCHOOL ROTATION - by Hayden Fish, Ruma Tahi

Ngā Kauri did EOTC last week. It was really fun! On our last day of EOTC. Rooms 1,2 and 3 did games at school. First Room 1 made huts in the bush. We used sticks, ferns and other materials that we could find in the bush. After morning tea we did water games like drip, drip, drop and octopus, but with sponges and water. We also played sponges and buckets. My favorite was drip, drip, drop. In the last block we did a scavenger hunt where we had to find letters and solve the puzzle.  EOTC was such a good experience and I loved it so much.

YOUTHTOWN - by Daniel Billings, Room 1
On 20th of February 2023, Ngā Kauri went on the field and did 3 activities with youthtown.

The classes were split into 3 groups:

Group 1 started off with archery.

Equipment:   Bow, Arrows, Target

1:  Grab the Bow and an arrow with your right hand(Left Hand if left handed)

2:  Pull the string and aim at the target with your opposite hand

3:  Shoot the arrow at the target and you’ll most likely hit the target!

Group 2 with flintstone karts

Equipment:   Kart made from Barrels,Wood and Bamboo

1:  Pick 3 pupil to hop on the kart

2:  Tell them to place their feet on the bamboo in front of them

3:  Push them for a couple of seconds and the they will fly forward(More fun on a hill)

 

Group 3 did the most fun of them all, the bottle rockets.

Equipment:  Bottles, Water, Pressure machine, A machine to place the bottle in

(Optional:Wings,Tennis Ball)

1:  Get a bottle and fill it up with water(Not a lot)

2:  Make a line if there’s more people wanting to do it as well

3:  When it’s your turn,go to the machine and set it up(You can learn it from youthtown how to set it up)

4:  Push in pressure from the Pressure machine

5:  Pull the string and the bottle will go flying into the air! 

The groups would switch around in this pattern:1,2,3-3,1,2-,2,3,1.

After the fun day,school was over for the day and we had to wait for the tree adventures.

Anna Fu from R16 received the Yummy Apple award for being the first to complete her form for 2023.!
Well done Anna! 

By Cameron McCracken Room 4 Year 5

We all know about the floods and cyclone that have recently occurred in the North Island. 

On Wednesday 1st March we had a black and white themed mufti day to fundraise money to give to people in the Hawkes Bay that have been affected by the recent weather events. Students were asked to bring in a gold coin to donate.

It was awesome to see so many people wearing black and white. We raised $706! Thanks to everyone who donated money to help schools in the Hawkes Bay region.

School Hours
Our school day is structured as follows:

Late - Students who arrive after 8:50 am need to report to the office via the student entrance for their late pass before going to class.

Absences - If your child is going to be absent from school, please inform the school office every day that your child is going to be absent by either phoning 410 6534 option 1, via the Hero app or via our website. If possible, please inform the school office before 9:00 am.

Working together with Kindo and ezlunch, our School offers you a simple and quick way to view and pay for items, order lunches and complete forms.  This is our payment system, so any emails you receive from Kindo will not be spam. 

Please set up your Kindo account by following the instructions  on our website here.

This is our preferred method of payment and we encourage you to set-up your myKindo account today.

In 2023 our main form of communication with you - our school community, will be via Hero. On the Hero app, the little bell icon at the top right of your screen shows whether you have any new notifications.  At times if the post is a longer one you may need to click ‘read more’ to view the whole message. We would appreciate it if you could also use Hero to report absences.

Any parents/caregivers who haven't yet signed up for the Hero App can do so by clicking on this link.