Principal's Message...
Our Purpose: To prepare students to be active participants who will contribute to their community.
Tēnā koutou katoa, Malo e lelei, Talofa lava, Bula vinaka.
Welcome back to everybody for Term 4, a term that is only 9 weeks long. We have a very busy term ahead of us with a number of different opportunities and activities planned for this term; athletics, Diligence Assembly and Prizegiving, Showcase, Speeches and a Year 7 trip, to name just a few. I spoke to the students at Assembly on Monday about the importance of living in the moment and making the most of all the opportunities that come their way.
This term is also the last for our Year 8 cohorts at Intermediate, students have enrolled at their new High School and will be entering into the transition process. As we all know change looks and feels different for everyone and it is super important that we remind our students to be respectful of each other about the High School they are going to attend.
Thank you for your support with ensuring your child is in the correct uniform. This term we strongly encourage students to wear a navy or black hat, this can be a bucket hat or cap.
This week we welcomed three new members to our team - Jasmine Hunter, Ebony James and Kelly Stock. Jasmine Hunter has joined Room 14 team teaching with Mrs Kingan until she departs on maternity leave. Ebony James has started with us working in the Digital Technology room, she will be taking over from Mr Oliver who is heading away to join the Regional Council team. We wish him all the best with his new job. Kelly Stock has come to us from overseas and will be relieving for us this term.
We have had an exciting change happening with our Technology Programme in 2023. Weston School will no longer be coming to us for technology, therefore this means our students will benefit from this change with having more time in our technology area. This will allow our students to have more opportunities within the technology classes so this change will add value for our students.
Oamaru Intermediate has been a hive of activity already this term, not only in the classrooms, but also the work that is being done with our upgrades. The new Room 7 and 8 classes are very close to being finished and the painters are here touching up the outside of the technology area. The admin/library block is getting a complete makeover and the fire alarm system is getting a complete upgrade also. It is fair to say it is all go on the property front at OIS.
Earlier this week I sent an email out regarding Tik Tok and a clip that has been circulating involving young people holding their breath until they faint. I have also been made aware of a student who connected with another person they were told was 14 years old. This connection was made on a gaming platform. Unfortunately, this person wasn’t who they said and started trying to engage with the student in unacceptable and inappropriate conversations, photos and behaviours. It is a timely reminder for all of us parents and caregivers to have rigid and effective strategies to monitor and talk with our young people about who they are connecting with online. Remind our children to not give out personal information online and speak up if something goes wrong or seems untoward, even if unsure - speak up.
Today we will welcome home our last group of Year 8 students who have spent the week at Peel Forest, participating in a number of different activities from orienteering, high ropes, raft building, river fun and abseiling. Our camping programme is an important part of our Education Outside the Classroom Programme and we are so grateful for the support of our teachers, support staff and whānau in ensuring our camping programme is successful.
Next year our Year 8 camping programme will take place early in the year where students will go to camp with their home room teacher and buddy class. With this in mind, our current Year 7 students have already had information come home about this. With the cost of camp being around $300, it is important that families start to make financial plans to cover the cost. As a school, we will be offering some opportunities this term and early next year in term one to fundraise. On Tuesday our Year 7 students will be receiving a raffle card that contains 10 tickets to sell, students can sell as many cards as they want. A number of our parents already have direct debits set up for their child through our online banking, thank you for organising this early.
On Tuesday afternoon, our Kapahaka group has been invited to perform at the swearing in ceremony for the new Waitaki Councillors at the Oamaru Opera house. The students need to meet Whaea Jamaya and myself at the side of the Opera house at 5.00pm in correct full school uniform. Please ensure that your child's shoes have been polished. The students will be wearing their red shirts but can bring their blue polar fleece to wear before we perform. To ensure uniforms are clean and tidy for the night we ask that the Kapahaka group come to school in their PE gear on Tuesday, this will ensure that uniforms are ready for the night.
Gardens Upgrade - We are on the hunt for any wonderful whānau who have trade accounts at Mitre 10 or Placemakers who would be willing to support our new planter boxes.
We are looking at making 3 planter boxes 2.5m x 1m.
A few reminders…
Monday SCHOOL CLOSED - Labour Day
Thursday MUFTI DAY
Friday - students learning from home - we have a Teacher Professional Learning and Development day on Friday 28 of October. As usual the school will be here for those parents that need to work and need us to have their child. Please let us know if you need supervision for your child on Friday, email office@oamaruint.school.nz
Have a wonderful long weekend
Rebecca Meek