Address: 282 Victoria Avenue, Remuera, Auckland | Telephone: (09) 520 0602
E-mail: [email protected] | web: www.victoriaave.com
Dear Parents,
It is great that we are now in level 3 because that brings us closer to level 2 when we can have the children back to school. We are looking forward to that day as much as you are.
We have been very impressed with the Education TV that is available each day. We certainly recommend this as a learning tool for all ages.
One of the benefits of being in lockdown is that I have read lots of books, fiction and non-fiction. One book I have been dipping in and out of over the past few months is Brave New Work by Aaron Dignan. It is an interesting premise – work isn’t working. Leaders and teams are frustrated that the scale and bureaucracy that once made their organisations strong are now liabilities in this era of constant change.
Given what we are all going through, this book has become especially powerful. Dignan says that our way of working originated on the factory floors of the Industrial Revolution. This resonated with me because I often point out that schools have not basically changed since the industrial revolution. They still organised around bells and classrooms with one teacher, although some schools are open plan, but they are still a group of students with the same team of teachers every day. Senior managers have discussed this at length, but it comes back to not being brave enough (or have the resources) to substantially change the look of schooling and the way of learning.
Yet we have been forced into completely changing the way we are delivering learning in a very short time frame. Yes, it is still one teacher in front of a group of students, but the mode of learning has opened up all sorts of opportunities. What we are delivering through the class websites is, by necessity, relatively generic given the short time frame to get up and running. It is not a stretch to see how this mode of working could be expanded to suit individual needs. Education TV, another new way of working, has shown that science, technology, health can be delivered by experts in their field in a way that is accessible to all.
The one thing missing from this ‘brave new work’ of distance learning is the human touch. Those of us who have used Zoom or Teams during lockdown acknowledge the efficiency of these meetings, but the down side is the inability to for us to pick up cues, from either the person speaking or from the people listening; the lack of the human element.
What these interesting times has given us is a new lens on working, playing and the importance of human contact. Perhaps this has opened the door for brave new work.
Update from Ministry of Education
The Ministry has kept in touch with schools, particularly about having children back on site, in order that we have appropriate distancing and handwashing. They are supplying all schools with hand sanitiser which is great because it has been difficult to find.
There is no word yet on proposed time frames for getting children back to school. I am sure you will hear about that at the same time as I hear, but I will update you if there are any developments that have not been shared through the media.
In the meantime, stay safe in your extended bubbles.
Kind regards
Janice
DRAMA/SPEECH LESSONS: Click here for information
MUSIC LESSONS: Click here for information on Musiqhub music lessons
AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES:
FOR TERM 2 2020
Click here for details on these activities.
Also:
Click here for After School and Holiday Community Based Programmes and Activities for 202
What’s Ahead?
Please click here to view our online calendar
IMPORTANT DATES AND TIMES
School Times
School starts: 8.50am
Interval: 10.30-10.50am
Lunch: 12.30-1.25pm
School finishes: 3.00pm
Term Dates for 2020
Term 2: Wednesday 15 April to Friday 3 July 2020
~ Queen’s Birthday Monday 1 June ’20
Term 3: Monday 20 July to Friday 25 Sept 2020
Term 4: Monday 12 October to Wednesday 16 December 2020
~ Labour Day Monday 26 October ’20
Stationery Sales
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 8.30-8.45am
Uniform Shop
– half way up dragon drive
OPEN FRIDAYS only: 8.15-8.45am
Orders and payments for uniform can be made online on our website ~ Click here
Lunch Orders
1. ‘Daily Lunch and Catering’ ordered through ezlunch: Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays – ONLINE ORDERS ONLY
Click here for ezlunch and Subway menus.
Join ezlunch today and Place an order Sushi is available through Daily Lunch and Catering
2. Subway: ordered through ezLUNCH: – ONLINE ORDERS ONLY
Click here for ezlunch and Subway menus.
Join ezlunch today and Place an order
School Dental Service
8b Ngaio St Orakei Ph 520 0603.
The dental team will be posting letters to all new entrants to our school as required.
Remember to ‘like’ Victoria Avenue School on Facebook.
NIT NIGHT TONIGHT!!
PLEASE, PLEASE CHECK FOR NITS – a number of classes have reported nits and if your infected child is not treated then many others will be!
Here is a link from NZ Health for info and treatment.
http://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/conditions-and-treatments/diseases-and-illnesses/head-lice
To download the app for free on iPhone or Android click this link:
http://victoriaave.apps.school.nz/share/