Notices

Dear Parents/Caregivers

As part of keeping our school safe we need to be able to respond safely and quickly to a range of emergency situations.  

We work alongside an independent company, Harrison Tew^®, who specialises in emergency management planning for schools, whose procedures have been successfully implemented in hundreds of schools throughout New Zealand.

As part of maintaining our emergency procedures in our school, specialised training is being conducted with our senior leadership and staff by Harrison Tew next Monday 8 August.

The students will also receive information on how to respond in an emergency directed at their respective age groups from either their teacher or Harrison Tew^®.

We will then be conducting a lockdown exercise under the guidance and support of Harrison Tew^®.

During the exercise you will receive a notification from the school, so it is important that your emergency contact details are up to date and correct.  The notification will emphasise that this is an exercise/practice and will explain that all updated information will then be posted on the school website.

In a genuine incident, should you become aware of a lockdown or evacuation at the school, can I please ask that you do not attend the school or phone, as we will not be able to respond.  Your presence or contact may make it more difficult for us or the emergency services to manage a situation.

We thank you for your support.

Kind Regards

Mark Keenan

Dear Parents/Caregivers

Welcome back to term 3 and an especially warm welcome to all the new families who are joining us. We are looking forward to the new term here at Maraetai Beach School and we have lots planned.

Mask Wearing

For the start of term 3 the Ministry of Education has written to all schools to strongly recommend  mask wearing indoors for the first four weeks for all students in year 4 and above. The public health advice clearly shows that mask wearing is a strong tool in the defence against COVID-19 and other airborne respiratory viruses.

We are strongly encouraging all students in Year 4 to 8  to wear a mask when indoors to protect themselves and others. We ask that students bring these to school and if they do not have one we have a supply of masks for any student who is unable to provide their own.

We know that some of our tamariki/children are exempt from wearing a mask. If they have an exemption card or a letter from their health provider, we will support them to not wear a mask. Please share any exemptions with our Deputy Principals Mrs Kate Deane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ( Yr 4 students) and Mr Harper-Travers, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Year 5 to 8 students) - all information remains private. 

Students must stay home if they test positive for Covid, or if someone in their household tests positive. Students must stay home if they are sick.

We continue with all other safety protocols in place, including our drop off and pick up routines, good hygiene protocols and having well ventilated spaces.

Thank you for your ongoing support ensuring a high level of compliance with health and safety procedures and also with our very high level of attendance at school.

Kind Regards

Mark Keenan

Students can dress up their scooters or bikes and ride them to school or students can dress up their feet and wear funky shoes. The MBS Travelwise Team will be at the school gates giving out spot prizes (not every student will get a prize) as students come to school.

We look forward to seeing all the amazing dressed up wheels and feet on Monday!

Dear Parents & Caregivers,

It is that time of year again for our annual 'Maraetai Beach School Cross Country'. Brookby School will be joining us again but will be running their event separately from us.

Venue: Te Puru Park (Start/Finish) and Omana Regional Park

Event Date: Tuesday 5th July 

Save Day Date: Thursday 7th July

Distances: Y1/Y2: 800m    Y3 /Y4: 1.5km     Y5 /Y6: 3.0km    Y7 /Y8: 3.0km 

As in previous years - exciting courses have been organised. Links to the course maps will be sent out. Students will be competing in their house colours to promote participation and house spirit. Students will need to wear their running shoes for this event. 

Please note for health and safety and organisational purposes all children must return to school at the end of cross country and under no circumstances may they go home with their parent/caregiver. 

The timetable for the day is as follows:

9.00am roll taken

9:30am Middle / Senior/ Intermediate students will be shuttled down to Te Puru Park in buses

Briefing at 10.15am (and races will start after this)

Year 8 Boys

Year 8 Girls

Year 7 Boys

Year 7 Girls

Year 6 Boys

Year 6 Girls

Year 5 Boys

Year 5 Girls

Year 4 Boys

Year 4 Girls

Year 3 Boys

Year 3 Girls

11.45 am Junior School will be shuttled down in the buses

Year 2 Boys

Year 2 Girls

Year 0/1 Boys

Year 0/1 Girls

Students will need:

• Change of clothes - please pack warm clothes for children to wear (jumper/track pants) and a change of clothes.

• Towel

• A big lunch 

• Water bottle

• A bag to put muddy clothes/shoes in

Offers for assistance/help:

Course Marshals: Please can you indicate on this form if you are able to help out as a marshal. Marshal support will be gratefully received as the event will not be able to go ahead without parent marshals. This will ensure that our children are kept safe on the course and support them in which way to go. 

Tarpaulins: If any families could please provide tarpaulins for students to sit on it would be gratefully appreciated. Please let me know at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To help with organisation of the day buses have been booked. This enables us to start the event on time in the morning, and also support the children who are tired after their cross-country races. The cost of organising the buses is at a cost of $5 per student and this can be paid via KINDO. Please see our friendly office staff if you need any support processing payment.

A coffee van will be at Te Puru. Please support this as the coffee is great!

Finally, both schools are looking forward to a great event!

Many thanks,

Mark Keenan

Principal

Dear Parents/Caregivers

I hope you all enjoyed the Easter break. As you are aware our school will be returning for term two on Monday 2nd May in the Covid Protection Framework orange light setting. This newsletter contains important information about the safety protocols and guidelines we will be following as a school. Please take the time to read through.

The focus continues to be on keeping our school community as safe as possible and we will do our best to limit the interruptions Covid 19 will have on our students' learning and wellbeing.

We follow the guidance set from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education. When completing our risk assessment and setting our health and safety protocols, we are guided by the Covid19 protection summary for schools and we continue to stay vigilant to keep our school community safe. We are still experiencing Covid19 transmission in the community. 
 

Health and Safety Protocols at Orange

Stay Home If Sick

If your child is sick they need to stay home and get tested. If your child has cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms, stay home and get tested. Those presenting as unwell will be asked to go home. It is for the safety of us all. 

Principals at state and state-integrated schools have authority to preclude a student from attending if they believe on reasonable grounds, they may have a communicable disease under section 77 of the Education and Training Act 2020.

 If a student becomes unwell at school, they will be sent to the office area. The person who receives the child will wear gloves and a mask and place the child in the health room. Any staff member becoming unwell at school will be asked to go home.

Mask Wearing
In Years 4-8, face masks are now strongly encouraged, but not required, when inside at school. All parents, caregivers, whānau, and other visitors are strongly encouraged to wear face masks on site, especially if going indoors. All staff are strongly encouraged to wear masks indoors.

School Drop Off 
Students are now in a great routine and as a school we have noticed an increase in how students are taking responsibility and managing themselves to prepare for the school day each morning. Parents/Caregivers are still encouraged to continue to drop off at the school gate. However, parents/caregivers are now allowed to come onsite in the morning and drop off at the classroom. We ask that you do this as fast as possible please. If you come into school you are strongly encouraged to wear a face mask, especially when indoors. 

School Pick Up
At this stage there will be no change to the afternoon pick up routine. At the end of the school day parents/caregivers will continue to pick up from the school gate. Year 1 classes will continue to be walked out to the main gates. We ask that parents/caregivers do not come onsite to avoid large groups congregating on school grounds. 

School Visitors
If coming onsite during the school day all visitors must sign in through the office, this does not include morning drop off.

School Events/Assemblies
Parents/Caregivers are welcome to attend all school events and whole school assemblies. Whole school assemblies will begin again in term 2 and will be held outdoors (weather permitting). 

Good Hygiene
All students will continue to sanitise their hands on entry to classrooms, wash their hands after the bathroom and cough and sneeze into elbows. Surfaces in classrooms will be regularly cleaned.

Ventilation 
We know that good ventilation is one of the tools to help minimise the spread of Covid 19. We will have doors and windows open. Students will have regular opportunities to work outside, weather permitting.

Positive cases
If anyone in your family is confirmed as having COVID-19, you will be asked to notify your close contacts yourself. Please get in touch with us-This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
as soon as you can if your child or any household member has tested positive for COVID-19.

If you have any concerns about sending your child to school, please do get in touch with myself, Kate Deane or Steve Harper-Travers. We are here to help.

Thank you in advance for your support with keeping our school community as safe as possible. We are looking forward to welcoming all our students back at the beginning of term 2. 

Kind Regards



Mark Keenan
Principal