Principal's Message.....
Tēnā koutou katoa, Malo e lelei, Talofa lava, Bula vinaka. As another very busy week at OIS draws to an end, it is hard to believe we are two weeks away from the of end of Term 3. I would like to remind our students that we continue to work hard and embrace our IDEAL values to ensure that our students finish their term on a positive note.
Next week we have 40 students travelling to Dunedin to perform at Polyfest, I know that they will be excellent ambassadors for the school. A huge thank you to Whaea Isabelle, Vika, and their team who have supported us in getting to the Polyfest.
As you know we are an IDEAL school, Engage with Mana is one of our core values. This isn’t just about respect for others but respect for ourselves and the environment. How we treat others and the environment is a direct reflection of how much we respect ourselves. It has been great to see students out at break times enjoying the sunshine and playing different games.
This week we have had to have conversations with students about their words or actions that were hurtful to others. Everyone has the power to prevent bullying. We can all make a difference in our schools, workplaces, communities and whānau. One of the simplest ways to support others is by being kind, taking the time to smile, asking if someone is okay and standing up for them if they are being picked on. Be an OIS upstander. It often takes courage and strength to be an upstander.
5 simple actions that students can do to be upstanders:
Support the person experiencing bullying by letting them know that they are not alone, stand with them.
Distract/Interrupt the bullying in some way: help them to leave the situation - walk away.
Call it! If you feel unsafe, use your words to let the person or people doing the bullying know what they’re doing isn’t okay.
Leave and act: if you don’t feel safe to step in while the bullying is happening, leave and contact help, Police, teachers, and trusting adults.
Get help for the person: ensure that a supporting adult knows who can support them.
As parents, often our children take the lead from us as adults and how we react to situations is how our children learn to respond. As teachers, we are often talking with students and whanau about how our children are interacting and speaking with each other online. We encourage you to monitor what platforms your children are using to socialise and talk with others online.
At OIS we are big on building student's independence, and you can help by ensuring that your child knows what is happening after school. As you can imagine an office is a busy place and it can be very difficult to get messages to a number of students at the end of the day.
Lost items at school
With the weather warming up and students being outside more, please ensure that your child’s uniform is well-named, this includes shoes. If your child has lost articles of clothing get them to check the lost property outside the Learning Centre.
Enrolments
We are so excited to see all the enrolments coming in for next year. We have space for in-zone enrolments and out-of-zone applications. Check out our website for more information www.oamaruint.school.nz
Students Late
This week we have had a number of late students. It is really important that your child is on time for school each day to ensure they hear the notices and the timetable for the day. It really does set your child up for success. Please support your child by ensuring they are at school on time. We start each day at 8.45 am.
Rebecca Meek
Principal