New situations can often be times where we learn new words to describe new ways of doing things. The new word that the staff has been learning about is the word HYBRID LEARNING. 

As a school community, lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 helped us understand and become familiar with learning online through Google Classrooms and Zoom. These tools helped us to continue to learn together and stay connected despite being isolated at home. 

Our situation has changed in 2022.  The current outbreak of  Omicron and the new guidelines that we have can have some of our tamariki and staff  isolating at home as close contacts or as people who have Covid, and some of us at school continuing on with learning. This is a challenging situation to manage but the tools we have that help us to learn online can make it possible for our tamariki to continue to learn no matter where they are.

 Hybrid learning is learning delivered in three ways- onsite at school, online and paper based where required. Staff have been setting up for learning like this since the start of term. Teachers have set up spaces for learning on Google Classrooms- Room 1 and 2 have their own individual classroom spaces.  The McAuley Syndicate (R 6, 5 and 3) have a Garden to table space where work is posted. The Marcellin syndicate (R 12,11 and 7) have their space as well. In the McAuley syndicate students are beginning to interact with this learning as part of their everyday  class program. They are learning to  view lesson content and complete learning online as part of their class work. In the Marcellin syndicate learning in class continues to be face to face and paper based but teachers are setting up activities that can be available for students to access online if they are at home. 

If you find that you are at home with your child self isolating they can still continue to learn through using Google classroom. For middle and senior syndicate students who don’t have easy access to devices, these can be dropped off to make learning easier. We are also setting up scrapbooks where paper based activities can be completed.  Teachers will connect with you early in your child’s isolation period to see what is the best way for your child to continue their learning and what is needed to make this happen. 

COVID update

Please make sure your child comes to school with an extra mask. We have a limited supply of spare masks but would appreciate you providing extras in case masks get lost. 

We have had two positive case of Covid in our community but neither person has been at school while infectious. 

With the change to phase 3 last night here is what you need to know. 

If someone in your household displays symptoms of COVID 19 they will need to go to a testing station to receive either a RAT test or PCR test. They will be advised which is best. That person will be notified by text that they are positive for Covid 19. 

Common symptoms of COVID-19 are like those found with illnesses such as a cold or influenza. You may have one or more of the following:

• new or worsening cough
• sneezing and runny nose
• fever
• temporary loss of smell or altered sense of taste
• sore throat
• shortness of breath

If someone in your household tests positive for COVID 19 your household are all close contacts. Your family need to:

• Self-isolate from the day that the first person in your household receives their positive test result (or is notified as probable) until they complete their 10 days of self-isolation and is released.
• Contact school. Contact close contacts of the Covid positive person. These are people that person has spent time with when not wearing a mask. 

• When the first case in your house gets to days 3 and 8 of their isolation, all household members  need to get tested.
• You can end your self-isolation on the same day as the first person in the household, provided no members of your household have any symptoms and all tests were negative.
• If symptoms develop at any stage, assume this member of your household has Covid 19  and begin a further 10 days self-isolation.
• Avoid or minimise contact with the person with COVID-19 as much as possible during the isolation period.

If you have been contacted about your child being a close contact to someone outside of your family, please monitor your child for symptoms for up to 10 days but continue to send them to school unless symptoms develop. 

The following links will give you more information

Ministry of Health

Ministry of Education

 Please contact us if you have questions or concerns. 

Road Safety at pick up and drop off times. 

Staff have noticed some unsafe driver behaviours while on patrol. Please do not park on the yellow lines, including those near crossings. Please keep clear of our neighbours’  driveways or front lawns. These are not parking spots. Thankyou for considering the safety of others.  

Connections- Whanau, Aroha, Yes.

Our school theme of Connections is a wonderful way to highlight our values. When we think of Jesus and how He lived his life, He was able to make meaningful and life giving connections to others from all walks of life. We can be inspired by the role model he provides. 

Our values are a way to help our tamariki understand how they too can be guided by Jesus' example when making connections with the people in their lives, even in challenging times. 

Jesus came from a loving family and had the experience of cooperating and being a contributing part  of his family through his respect and obedience to his family- Luke 2: 51

When we  experience whanau at Holy Cross- when we cooperate together, follow the expectations that we have as a community together then we become a strong team. We have a purpose and place in that team. 

Jesus’ actions were always guided by love- his desire to welcome and spend time with the outcast Zacchaeus- Luke 19, the times he healed people, his guidance and love for his disciples. 

When we experience aroha- when we show our care and support then our connections with each other are strengthened through friendship.

Jesus faced a tough calling; he said yes to some very tricky assignments, the ultimate being His death on the cross. He faced this confidently, willing to endure til the end  because he knew the joy that would result from this. 

When we say yes in hard times, when we show our willingness to change, persevere or sacrifice our own comfort to help others, then we know the joy of service and our lives impact those we are connected to.  

Having a sense of purpose, knowing strong relationships and having flexibility are all resilience factors that get us through difficult times. 

Next week is Ash Wednesday which marks  the beginning of Lent- this is an opportunity for us to be reminded of the importance of having kind and forgiving hearts as we connect together. Next newsletter we will share ways our tamariki are acknowledging Lent. 

This year our focus is on connections:

Rooms 7, 11, 12

 

In the junior syndicate, we are going to learn about different cultures throughout the year, as a way of making connections with others in our community. Each term, one of our Think-Talk-Create topics will relate to our connections theme.

Our three topics for term 1 are Chinese New Year, Healthy Lunchboxes and Holy Week.

Rooms 3, 5, 6

 

In Room 6, we are focussing on working and learning together by being inclusive of others and showing kindness. We have all contributed to a class treaty, which we are really proud of!

 

In Room 3, we are learning about ourselves and how we are connected to our families, our classmates, our school, Wellington and Aotearoa.

 

In Room 5, we have posed the question "How do people in the local community know that we are from Holy Cross?" As we explore this question, we are looking at the Holy Cross WAY and how we can be inclusive, kind and brave.

 

Garden to Table has started off with a hiss and a roar! We are looking forward to lots of learning in the garden and kitchen this term.

Rooms 1, 2

In the senior syndicate, we are looking at connections with our local environment (place) and each other. We are thinking about events in our lives and our whānau history that define who we are and how we live our lives. Take a look at the map of Wellington being collaboratively created by Room 2. We can't wait to see how it evolves!

First Day at Technology

 by Anneke

Walking ,trying to guess what my group was doing. I looked through the window, we were doing electronics. Our teacher was called Jason. We got our wood and Jason explained how to make it into a box. First, we had to find the center of the pieces of wood so we could put a nail in to help the wood stay in place while the glue set. I was surprised that the nails bent so easily yet they could hold the wood together so it couldn't move.

We had to write down a list of things we like to give us ideas of what to put on our boxes. We also looked at some other creations to give us more ideas. We had to check that our boxes were exactly in line against each other when the glue was more set. We used pliers to hold the nails still while we hammered them down. We had to use a rag to wipe away extra glue. The rag was stiff from glue that had set on it.

Holy Cross school is planning to do Movin' March. This programme is an annual celebration of safe and active travel to school, free for all primary schools (years 0-8) in the Wellington region. 

Movin' March aims to promote fitness and wellbeing in the community by encouraging both students and their whanau to walk, bike or school as much as possible throughout the month of March.

Walking, biking or scooting are great ways for tamariki and whānau to connect with their community and do their bit for climate action. It's also a great way for children to be active and gain independence. 

Movin' March will be promoted and launched next week at school.

Te Pahi Pahikara is a bike repair van that goes to schools and community events to keep more people moving on bikes. They are an initiative by the organisation ReBicycle, funded by a grant from the Climate Action Fund. 

The Learning Conversation meetings were a great way to start the year and provided a way of sharing ideas and answering questions.  

We strive to communicate in a timely manner and have set in place a number of ways for this to happen.  Currently we share information in the following ways:

Electronically:

Newsletter: sent electronically each week to your email 

Website        www.hcm.school.nz

School App:  Download the School App SZapp

Facebook :   Holy Cross School Miramar - Home

eTAP alerts  ( eTAP is our Student Management System)

School Docs - Provides information about policies and procedures at Holy Cross School :SchoolDocs - Policies and Procedures Made Easy   

Username : hcm    Password: schooldocs

Paper notices and permissions: 

We continue to work on reducing our paper use but do at times require signed permissions

Questions, Ideas, Concerns

At Holy Cross we enjoy positive support and engagement from our community. We are committed to honest, open, respectful relationships- valuing ideas,  as well as addressing questions or concerns promptly. We respect the privacy of all members of our community.  

General Reminder: For day to day matters we ask that you speak with your child’s teacher in the first instance.If you have a  concern relating  to another child please do not speak with that child directly but address your concerns to school staff.

We will continue to provide information about, and seek your input on, practices in place at Holy Cross School; see also the link to Schooldocs which provides further, more detailed information relating to these  areas. 

Please note there has been a small price increase for a 6inch subway to $5.50. Spare envelopes are available from the office. Please note for your next order.