O.I.S. Newsletter - 8 November, 2024

Tēnā koutou katoa, Malo e lelei, Talofa lava, Bula vinaka - We have had another action-packed week at OIS! Congratulations to all our students who will be representing OIS at the North Otago Athletics after school on Monday. Good luck to everyone involved!

Our students have also been working hard to write and rehearse their speeches, and on Monday afternoon, we will hold our speech finals.

If you have a child in Year 8 who may be feeling a little nervous about the transition to high school, this is very common. One way to support your child is to visit the high school together, perhaps over the weekend, and explore the campus familiarising yourselves with the layout and where classrooms and offices are located. This can help reduce anxiety. It’s also very important that your child attends Transition and Orientation visits.

One of the core OIS values is to ‘Act with Respect.’ This includes how we conduct ourselves both in school and in our community. Recently, we have noticed students using inappropriate language in the playground and the community. Please take a moment to talk with your child about the importance of respectful language and ways to demonstrate respect in all areas of their lives.

Social Media 

Many parents ask us about social media restrictions and platforms that students use to communicate. The minimum sign-up age for most popular platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, X, TikTok, and YouTube, is 13. This guideline exists because children are still developing the social and emotional skills needed to navigate the challenges on platforms designed for teens and adults. If your child is under 13 and eager to use social media, consider their ability to manage potential online challenges before allowing them to create an account. It’s better if your child feels comfortable being honest with you about their social media use, so you can help them stay safe online.

We also don’t encourage students to participate in large OIS group chats or classroom chats where they may connect with students they wouldn’t normally speak to. If issues arise online outside of school, please know our ability to intervene is limited. If your child receives threatening or inappropriate messages, it’s important to report them to the relevant social media platform or, if necessary, the police.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Rebecca Meek

Principal