Hauora - Wellbeing

Wellbeing is so important to us all at present. After thirty days in Auckland Level 4 Lockdown it seems that wellbeing is the top of the agenda for all. 

Last week I attended the Kahui Ako Within School Leaders Inquiry sharing day. Two leaders from a local school presented their Team Inquiry into Wellbeing. 

At the scanning stage, they surveyed both teachers and students about their wellbeing. 

Their hunch was that sound wellbeing practices were being used in the school, but their was no coherent pathway for all to follow. 

During the inquiry, they reflected on what wellbeing practices were operating in classes, what practices they wanted to keep or add, as well as what wellbeing practices were most relevant for the school and their community.

As an outcome of the inquiry, the staff attended the 'Pause, Breathe Smile' Professional Development and taught mindful lessons on a weekly, then daily basis.

This resulted in the same language and expectations being used in all classes. 

The teachers next step is to continue this mindfulness practice until it is embedded as part of everyday practice and expectations of the school.

Food for thought!

 

Our Peaceful Piece of Paradise

 

In today's world of Covid, the Taliban take over in Afganistan and the anniversary of 9/11, I try to focus on being in the present and celebrate the simple things in life.  

It's hard to imagine that our peaceful piece of paradise down under has been jolted by terrorism again. The attack in Lynnmall, last week, reminded me that we are so vunerable as a global community.

My heart goes out to the victims, the workers and the public who were present in Countdown that afternoon. Keeping themselves and others safe under Level 4 Lockdown, whether working or shopping is stressful enough without the fear of being attacked.

We need to remember be kind, be generous and embrace the small joys that Lockdown gives us.

                                              

                                                                     Sunset at Huia - a joy to celebrate

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Lockdown Storm

 Lockdown Storm

Reflecting back over the week, it's certainly been a week of contrast. Early in the week we had the storm that hit my place in Huia with vigour. We had torrential rain for seven hours, resulting in flooding, not just in Huia, but all over West Auckland. 

I woke to find thick debris piled up against my gate, with no access out of my property. Our road had been dug up ready for new seal the day before we went into to Level 4 Lockdown. As the rain poured down the road, the gravel was washed away and filled the driveways on its route down the hill. My dog couldn't figure out how to clamber over the debris at the gate to go for our usual morning walk. 

The road was so badly damaged in two places. One site outside my place, made a two hundred metre long and one metre deep hole. Auckland Transport attended by 10am and worked for five hours repairing it. 

The whole of the beach was covered with large trees and vegetation that had been washed down the rivers. The Kakamatura stream changed it's route and washed out all the carpark and part of the new walking track.

The huge bonus of all this was that the Huia and Nihotupu Dams are now full. There's always a positive at the end of the rainbow.

As the week went on, we had beautiful sunshine and Spring showed it's head.

Reflections on Google Meets - Week 2 Level 4 Lockdown

Ms Tannahill attended a few awesome google meets with classes last week. It's so inspiring to share my week with some of our teachers and their classes. 

Each class looked and sounded like a 'business as usual' at New Windsor School. I sensed the importance of using the New Windsor Way Values, the three R's and three C's throughout the meetings. Meeting protocol is quite complex, especially when you are only six years old and are learning to navigate computer literacy.

Meeting by distance every day is definitely our new norm. I wish to acknowledge the part our teachers, students and whanau play in making this type of learning manageable and successful.

One of my memorable moments was when the teacher asked the class to share a celebration from their week in lockdown. One student replied, 'My memorable moment was when I went for a walk with my family. We just enjoyed the sun and the outside'. 

This comment really depicts the simple things in life that we most value when faced with the complications of a world pandemic.

Kia Kaha everyone!

 Level 4 Lockdown at Huia 

This morning when I walked my dog, Koda, on Huia beach I thought about what a privilege it is to have such a picturesque place to walk around. I live two minutes walk from the beach, so it's very easy to wander around my neighbourhood safely. I like to watch the birds gather on the beach, then quickly take off in flight as soon as the dog and I get closer.

Last weekend I saw an Antarctic Fur Seal pup sleeping on the rocky outcrop beside the beach. Evidentally these can be very aggressive, so I had to take care not to startle it.

The teachers and the Leadership Team have been working hard to ensure your Distance learning sites are all ready. There is some very exciting learning available. I have attended a few class Google Meets and Zoom sessions, where both students and teachers are learning together.

I hope you are all staying safe and being kind to your family.

Choir Rehearsal Update

 Another entry that's full of celebration!

The New Windsor School Choir went to Papakura Primary on Tuesday of this week to join with other choirs in our first Regional Rehearsal. The other choirs were mainly from South. We joined their group for the first rehearsal, as the Central Regional Rehearsal group was scheduled to be on NWS Accord Day. 

Our forty- five choir members were inspired with the power of group.  The choirs sang in unison, in two,  three and four part harmonies with one student from another school singing a solo part. 

The choirs are all working towards memorizing the words of all the songs and mastering the discipline involved in singing as part of a mass choir.

New Windsor students were able to rise to the challenge positively by using their New Windsor Way Values in an exemplary manner.

Our students are already deciding which of the songs is their favourite. It's a fine line between 'See You Again,' 'Memories' and 'On With The Show' at this stage.

What a joy it is to be their Choir trainer!

  😎 Community Service - Vision Screening 😎

Yesterday twenty Auckland University Ophthalmology Graduate Students came into school with their Tutor to do vision screening on all our Year 1 & 2 students and some Year 3, 4, 5 & 6 students who were identified by teachers with a possible visual impairment. 

 

New Windsor has welcomed their visit for the past six years and many families have benefited from this service. This annual community service is offered to our school free of charge. Unfortunately in 2020 this had to cancelled due to Lockdown.

The idea behind this service to give the university students experience working with young children. The students who came yesterday were lovely with our little people, and all our children enjoyed the experience. It was amusing to hear tales of which cool glasses they had to put on. One of our Year 5 students told me he got to wear the little pink glasses with the cute red bows on the side. He was very pleased to have an eye examination.

The assessment is followed up with a letter home next week, to let parents know if their child passed or failed the vision testing. For any child who has failed the screening a full examination will be offered at the eye clinic in Grafton. Parents just need to phone or email to make an appointment.

The first time we had free screening from Auckland University, in 2015 they screened the whole school, 550 students over three days. The Graduates picked up 80 children with a visual impairment, some mild, some extreme. 

I make a point of following up with parents so our students can be the best they can be. It's very hard to succeed at school when you can't see properly!