All schools continue to remain closed and staff are not allowed on site.I will be meeting insurers and engineers over the next two days to assess any damage. School camp has been cancelled.
Please listen to the local radio and tv for updates on when schools will re-open.
I know many of our families, including staff, have sustained serious damage to their homes and my thoughts are with you. I only hope you have not been personally affected by the loss of lives.
Take care
Sylvia
Friday, February 25, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
February 22
Thanks so much to the teaching staff and kidsclub staff who kept the children safe until their parents were able to collect them. All children were safely picked up by 5pm.
The school will be closed until further notice. We sustained liquefaction and some cracking to the ground.
Hope you and your families are all safe.
Sylvia
The school will be closed until further notice. We sustained liquefaction and some cracking to the ground.
Hope you and your families are all safe.
Sylvia
Monday, January 3, 2011
Twenty Eleven
Happy new year! I am loving the school holidays although I am looking forward to an exciting new year at SPS - with less shakes:).
Keep safe, enjoy the holidays and I will update (more regularly) with news from our community.
Keep safe, enjoy the holidays and I will update (more regularly) with news from our community.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Back to school tomorrow..
The great news is that the school has passed the structural assessments and every room will be open tomorrow. We will have a tea and coffee station open tomorrow in the hall from 8.30a.m - 10.00a.m. and 2.00p.m.-2.45p.m. for parents and caregivers.
It's going to be a challenge to get the kids to bed early tonight and ready for school in the morning but we are looking forward to it.
Take care
Sylvia
It's going to be a challenge to get the kids to bed early tonight and ready for school in the morning but we are looking forward to it.
Take care
Sylvia
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
After the earthquake(s)...
My thoughts are with all of our school community after the massive earthquake on Saturday morning, and the subsequent aftershocks (when does an after shock become an earthquake in it's own right?). I hope you are all looking after each other and I hope you have not suffered too much damage.
Like most Cantabrians we woke up to the earthquake, jumped up and shot straight for the kids. It seemed to take forever to get to them and I managed to hurt my shoulder on the way! I don't remember us saying anything I just remember the deafening noise of the quake. We were fortunate to all be ok after the shake (Ezra managed to sleep through until 7 a.m.) and once we had managed to find the torch and some candles we texted family and friends while huddled under the blankets. I have never been so pleased to see daylight!! At 7.30 a.m. we headed down to school and I did a scan of the buildings and school playing fields. While in the admin block there was an after shock that set me racing off to the family in the car.
This week I have worked with the Board of Trustees (many of whom suffered terrible damage to their own homes and some personal injuries) to ensure the safety of the school prior to the children returning. Initial assessments have revealed the need for structural engineers to come and double check two rooms. We will also get the swimming pool fully assessed. We have a couple of windows which need repair and the photocopier and some other items are broken and not working. We are waiting for the results of water tests.
Unfortunately some of our staff also suffered severe damage to their homes but we are all so grateful no one was hurt. We will spend the next few days tidying classrooms and preparing for the return of the children hopefully on Monday. I know my kids can't wait to return to school and preschool although I am reluctant to let them out of my sight. When school re-opens we hope to have a designated space for parents to have a coffee and a chance to talk while their children go and get ready for the school day.
We have strategies and resources from the Ministry of Education for helping children cope with trauma. We will do all that we can to support your children through such an 'unstable' time. We will calmly discuss emergency procedures with the children and walk them through an emergency drill. We will attempt to maintain routine and structure within a relaxed and comforting environment.
Please keep checking out my blog for more updates.
Take care
Sylvia
Like most Cantabrians we woke up to the earthquake, jumped up and shot straight for the kids. It seemed to take forever to get to them and I managed to hurt my shoulder on the way! I don't remember us saying anything I just remember the deafening noise of the quake. We were fortunate to all be ok after the shake (Ezra managed to sleep through until 7 a.m.) and once we had managed to find the torch and some candles we texted family and friends while huddled under the blankets. I have never been so pleased to see daylight!! At 7.30 a.m. we headed down to school and I did a scan of the buildings and school playing fields. While in the admin block there was an after shock that set me racing off to the family in the car.
This week I have worked with the Board of Trustees (many of whom suffered terrible damage to their own homes and some personal injuries) to ensure the safety of the school prior to the children returning. Initial assessments have revealed the need for structural engineers to come and double check two rooms. We will also get the swimming pool fully assessed. We have a couple of windows which need repair and the photocopier and some other items are broken and not working. We are waiting for the results of water tests.
Unfortunately some of our staff also suffered severe damage to their homes but we are all so grateful no one was hurt. We will spend the next few days tidying classrooms and preparing for the return of the children hopefully on Monday. I know my kids can't wait to return to school and preschool although I am reluctant to let them out of my sight. When school re-opens we hope to have a designated space for parents to have a coffee and a chance to talk while their children go and get ready for the school day.
We have strategies and resources from the Ministry of Education for helping children cope with trauma. We will do all that we can to support your children through such an 'unstable' time. We will calmly discuss emergency procedures with the children and walk them through an emergency drill. We will attempt to maintain routine and structure within a relaxed and comforting environment.
Please keep checking out my blog for more updates.
Take care
Sylvia
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Superstar Swimmers!
Through the support of Youthtown and SWiS we have been able to send all of our middle school children along to Aquagym for swimming lessons. This has enabled them to develop and consolidate the skills they have learned in our 'cold' school pool. We are very grateful for this wonderful opportunity.
The rest of the school are getting some 'physical' action, too. The seniors are off to Hagley Park every Thursday for football, rugby and netball. The juniors are participating in the perceptual motor programme - lots of jumping, balancing, co-ordinating etc. AND finally the very exciting part of the perceptual motor programme is that our very own superstar Miss K is completing her thesis work on this programme.
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