Newsletter – 1 February 2024 – Cockle Bay School

Cockle Bay School

School Newsletter

Children and their learning at the heart of all we do.

Please note that all future newsletters will be available via the KiwiSchools app or website only.

Principal’s Message

Dear Parents and Whānau

Today has been a real joy.

Our tamariki have been full of smiles, as they reconnect with their classmates and this year’s teacher. New students, including our international students, have coped well as they start to settle in. Our students all look so smart and enthusiastic, and as I reflect on today, I want to thank parents for ensuring that our students are dressed correctly in school uniforms. Clean, tidy uniforms reflect the pride we have in our school and I am deeply grateful to work in a community which values schooling and which supports us so well. Thank you!

A special welcome is extended to new students and their families, and new staff.

Health & Safety

Keeping students safe is a shared responsibility. If you notice anything within our school which causes you concern, please let me or the office know so we can minimise any safety issues.

Please note that this week we will have workers on site after hours and on the weekend, so please actively supervise children if they come to play.

Sick students must stay home and the school needs to be advised (refer website). The school office needs to be able to contact parents if needed, so please email any changed emails, phone numbers or addresses to office@cocklebay.school.nz. Any children with significant health conditions need a formal care plan which is agreed to by home and school, so please contact the office if this has been overlooked or needs updating.

Incredible Years Parent Programme

This is a highly recommended programme, offered in English, Hindi and Mandarin. I ask you to consider attending, as expert advice can be very helpful.

Location: Uxbridge Community Centre, Howick

Time: 9:30-12:00

Dates: 7 March 2024-20 June 2024

Length: 14 sessions

Contact: Avashni.Gopicherran@education.govt.nz or
StaceyLouise.Corney@education.govt.nz to enrol

Communication

If you have a concern about your child’s learning or something happening at school, please follow the process below:

make an appointment with your child’s teacher or the teacher involved
make an appointment with the team leader (if the matter resurfaces or remains unresolved)
make an appointment with the relevant Deputy Principal or myself (if the matter again resurfaces or remains unsolved).

Getting help if your child is not attending regularly

We know there can be important reasons why children aren’t coming to school, such as long-term illness, anxiety, or financial challenges for families. If your child is affected by any of these, please contact me or one of our Deputy Principals.

We want to work with you to remove barriers to attending. There are many kinds of support available that might help make it easier for students to come to school.

Kind regards

Dorothy Bigwood

PTN

Our first PTN meeting of 2024 will be on Wednesday 7th February, at 7:30pm, in the staffroom. We hope to see new and familiar faces, and invite all parents to come along to share their ideas so that we can plan the fundraising schedule for Term 1 and 2!

Your Kindo Account

School donations and contributions towards excursions, camps, etc, should be made through Kindo. If you do not have an account, please log in to Kindo and create one.

Outside Sport Opportunities

Dodgeball

https://www.dodgeballforall.com/leagues/junior-leagues

Health & Safety

If you wish to record people who are authorised to collect your child (including any older siblings) in the event of an emergency, please email the office (office@cocklebay.school.nz) with details – this is in addition to the emergency contacts you would have provided on enrolment. Please include their name, relationship to you, and mobile number in your email.

Dates for your Diary:

Wednesday, 7th Feb – PTN meeting (7:30pm)

Tuesday, 13th Feb – ‘Getting to know your Child’ Conferences

Thursday, 15th Feb – ‘Getting to know your Child’ conferences

Thursday, 22nd Feb – Swimming Sports (7/8 Yr Olds)

Friday, 23rd Feb – Swimming Sports (9/10 Yr Olds)

Thursday, 22nd Feb – Board of Trustees

Wednesday, 6th Mar – Year 5 Carey Park Camp

Quick links to our school website:

School Calendar

Term Dates (At the bottom of website home page)

School events

KiwiSchools is our main means of communication. You can register an absence and locate all up-to-date information, as well as access current/previous newsletters. The app is located in your phone’s app store and is called KiwiSchools Connect – use the QR code to the left to download this.

Once you have downloaded the app, search for Cockle Bay School and then save this as your school of choice. You will then be able to keep up to date with regular communication and notifications. Please ask at the office if you have any problems accessing the app.

BOTANY TAEKWONDO

Botany Taekwondo has been training the ITF style of Taekwondo at Cockle Bay School for over 15 years.

Come and have some fun with us get fit and learn a new skill with qualifications that are recognised around the world.

We operate a 2 week free trial. Want to know more? Visit our website at botanytaekwondo.co.nz or just turn up at 6:00pm on Wednesday nights and say “hi”. All ages and abilities are welcome.