Principal's Comment

Kia Ora Kevinians and Supporters of the College,

As another rather surreal week draws to a close, I want to congratulate the students of our school for their ingenuity, their willingness to participate in their learning and their ability to adapt quickly and cheerfully to their new online learning environments.
I have been personally monitoring the online classes and the level of engagement is impressive. I would like to once again thank those parents and caregivers who are encouraging their students to participate to the best of their ability.

Thomas Linares - Online Learning Alphabet Photo Challenge Yr 10

Looking forward to Alert Level 3, we  currently have no students arriving back on the school site next week, but we are making preparations for a gradual scaling up of student numbers as more businesses go back to work.   Keeping the bubbles realistic and operable is our main focus going forward, so please share any information you have regarding your bubbles with us which may be pertinent to how we divide up the students at school.  For example, if you share transport or child care with other families that would include our students.  The more we can replicate your home bubble, the safer we can keep our staff and students.
Next week we will survey our community to see how circumstances are changing.
Finally, if anyone is having issues with internet provision, Oamaru Public Library has access to low - cost mobile data plans through "Skinny Jump".  Please contact the office if you or anyone you know would benefit from this offer.

May God bless you.

Ngā mihi Nui

Paul Olsen       

Government Student Wellbeing Survey

Kia ora Students

The Government wants to find out how well students are coping during the Covid-19 crisis and has asked our school if our students could take part in a national survey. The information they get from this survey will be used to help them plan and support schools over the coming months.

The survey is quite short and will only take a few minutes to complete but, once you start please make sure you finish it.

Your answers to this survey are anonymous, which means no one will be able to find out the answers you have given. We will be able to see the results for our school, but we will not be able to see what any one student has scored.

This is a very important survey and I really hope you will take a few minutes to help the school and the government find out how students are feeling, as we help each other get through this challenging time.

The survey is live now and you can complete it now. The survey will close on 28th April at 5pm.

ACCESS CODE FOR STUDENTS:

https://feedback.askyourteam.com/tzVQdW5

Thanks for your help.

Covid-19 Alert Level 3

Kia ora koutou

We hope that Term 2 and our distance learning programme has been a success for you so far. We know there will have been any number of challenges for you to deal with but we have been getting some great feedback about the learning that is happening and thank you for all your support.

As you will now know, the Government has decided that we will move into Alert Level 3 on 28 April. That means we will be open to receive students Year 10 and under of essential workers, from the 29 April. We will start to prepare our site from tomorrow.


The key message for you is that if you can, you should keep your child at home. You should only physically send your child to school if you need to. If your child has a health condition that means they are at a greater risk of a severe illness you must keep them at home. If your child is sick please also ensure you keep them at home.

In order to ensure the safety of those children and our staff who do come to school, we will be operating with strict enforcement of health and safety measures.

I want to assure you that we will continue to support your child’s learning at home.

We will be contacting you this week to find out whether you can keep your child learning from home, or need your child to attend in person.

The Ministry of Education has advised that they are working closely with health to develop clear guidance that will support schools to safely re-open their premises to students and staff. This will help us work through the public health requirements that we all need to meet. As you will be doing, we want to be sure that what we do will keep our community as safe as possible.

For now, we will continue to support your child’s learning by distance while we progress our planning for what Alert Level 3 will mean for you and for St Kevin's College. We will be in touch again soon with more information. As you have been doing, please keep connecting with your teachers and deans with any questions you might have.

Nga mihi
Paul Olsen
Principal

Online Tech Support Offer with Noel Leeming

Need some tech support?

Noel Leeming is offering a Free Help Desk Service until 11 May 2020. Support is FREE for up to 30 minutes.

Their team of NZ-based tech experts are on-hand to fix home tech issues remotely, so parents can help ensure their kids can learn from home.

They can help with:

- Study from home set-up, software/hardware and security connection issues

- Computer, smartphone and tablet issues

Call their Helpdesk on 0800 400 203, 7 days a week, from 8:30am to 5:30pm.

If they can resolve your tech issue in 30 minutes or less - your service will be free, otherwise they can offer other solutions to support you.

https://www.noelleeming.co.nz/support

Student Profiles: Alex Houston

Introducing Head Boy Alex Houston!

1. What are your interests?

Outside of school I really enjoy being on the farm, tinkering with any piece of machinery or machine I can get my hands on, more often than not my car, playing football and spending time with friends and family.

2. What are your plans for next year?

Next year I am hoping to join the airforce as a pilot, but I am also looking into doing an Agricultural engineering degree at Canterbury University and potentially looking at going back to England to visit family.

3. What have you been doing to keep busy in your bubble?

A variety of things really, I have spent a few days here and there sorting out firewood and limbing trees around our property, helping redecorate our house with new coats of paint, we all take the dogs for a walk around the farm most days which is a good way to relax, and other odd jobs that needed doing that we now have time for.

4. Any words of wisdom you'd like to share?

Make the most of every day, and make time to call friends and family, it is a tough time but if we support one another it can make it that bit easier

5. What is something you've achieved that you are most proud of?

I think the thing I am most proud of is getting to where I am today and being able to look back at the journey that led to it

Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awarded to Joel Kunnethedan

A big congratulations to Joel Kunnethedan who has completed his Gold Duke of Edinburgh!

Joel committed to the following activities to complete his third and final award:

- Skills: Engineering

- Physical Recreation: Squash

- Voluntary Service: an NCO at our local Air Training Corps & SKC LEOS Club.

- Adventurous Journey: Tramp with Mr Dixon, and ATC Tramps

- Residential Project: New Zealand Cadet Forces Leadership course at Burnham Military Camp

Well done also to Christiane McLeod who has completed her Bronze award.

Daily Online Learning Journal

Hi everyone,

We are very pleased with the way you have started your second term as online students. We are seeing some great teaching and learning going on and it's lovely to see that you are enjoying being back with your classmates, even if that is just online.

Please remember to fill out the online learning diary. You can find this by going onto the main SKC web page and clicking on 'Online Learning'. This leads to a drop down box. Choose the box that says 'Online Attendance' and open it. In that space you will find the Daily Online Learning Journal. Here is the direct link:

https://www.stkevins.school.nz/on-line-learning/on-line-attendance

We will be using the data from this to monitor engagement to help guide our teaching and learning so it's quite important.

Thank you and have a great weekend!

Ms Walshe

Staff Profile- Mat Harris

Introducing Mr Mat Harris!

Mat is the school Guidance Councillor, teaches Junior Health and coordinates the school Duke of Edinbrugh programme. He is also the staff Water Boy for any sporting fixtures.

1. How long have you been at SKC?

I’ve been here since 2016 (with a year off in between).

2. Where were you and what were you doing before coming to SKC?

I was in Oamaru, pretty much always been here. I was a youth worker and also worked at another boarding school. I did some part-time lecturing and was also a cadet force officer. I originally wanted to be a pilot and started learning to fly about 10 years ago before changing my mind.

3. If you could invite any 3 people to a dinner party who would you invite and why?

I would invite Sir Edmund Hilary, sometimes the greatest leaders are those without position or power. A pioneer who dedicated his life selflessly to making the world a better place. He is an interesting and significant historical figure. I would also invite Bono. He’s an inspirational songwriter, storyteller and advocate. And finally, Sam Tatupu.

4. What do you do outside of teaching?

Not a lot. I’m studying part-time at university (again) in my spare time. I Like to get out tramping or ride my bike. I enjoy photography and sometimes operate a steam train. Also catching up with friends and family is important.

5. If you could have one superpower what would it be?

Be a Jedi.

Principal's Comment

Kia Ora Kevinians and Supporters of the College,

Welcome back to a rather strange Term 2 for 2020.  By now, hopefully you will be getting used to the new normal of online education and will be navigating the different tools we have in order that you can continue your learning.  If you or your whanau have any questions about how we are providing lessons, please look up our website and click on the series of drop down boxes under "Online Learning".  Similarly, if you have any issues around "Wellbeing", there are useful contacts under that link too.

Attitude means a lot in the current climate.  If we can put time and effort into remaining in contact with each other and doing some meaningful learning, we will be in a much healthier position to re engage when we come out of the other end of this crisis.
I am very proud of the staff and the students in the way they have stepped up to this challenge.
Be safe. Be Kind.

May God bless you.

Ngā mihi Nui

Paul Olsen       

Student Profile- Annie Metcalfe

During the lockdown period while we are away from school we thought we could highlight some students and staff and do some "getting to know you" posts!

First up we have Head Girl Annie Metcalfe!

1. What are your interests?

My interests are spending time with friends and family and playing sport. I spend most of my time playing netball, basketball or rowing.

2. What are your plans for next year?

I'm not exactly sure of my plans for next year but I am looking at doing first year Health Science where I'd like it to lead to a Bachelor in Physiotherapy at Otago University or maybe Primary School teaching. But I'm keeping my options open at the moment.

3. What have you been doing to keep busy in your isolation bubble?

So far in the time I've spent in my bubble I've tried to keep active. I try to go for a run, bike ride, walk or do a workout in our woolshed where we've set up our gym. I've also been spending time on the farm and just enjoying time with my family.

4. Any words of wisdom you'd like to share?

Try to make the most of the time in your bubble. We can't change what's happened so instead of waiting for it all to be finished, stop and make the most of the moment you are in now, remember to have fun and smile.

Term 2- Online Learning

Kia ora Students from SKC Online School!

As you know, the school term starts tomorrow Wednesday 15th April.

All students and whanau should have received relevant emails regarding their online learning. If you have not, please contact dhayes@stkevins.school.nz or check on the St Kevin’s College website 

https://www.stkevins.school.nz/on-line-learning

Here is a reminder of information that has been sent out:

In order that you are not online for too long during the day, the school day has been shortened from 10am - 3pm.

The period times have changed because of this

Period 1 10am - 10:40
Period 2 10:40 - 11:20
Period 3 11:20 - 12:00
Lunch
Period 4 1pm - 1:40
Period 5 1:40 - 2:20
Period 6 2:20 - 3pm

In your mind, you will need to think that you are staying in your classroom and the teachers will come to you. Teachers will be using a combination of Google classroom, meetings and online platforms to continue to teach you.

If you are in Year 9 or 10, you need to log into the meeting links that are on the School Website under the drop-down menu - “Online Learning":

https://www.stkevins.school.nz/on-line-learning/on-line-attendance

Once you are in this meeting, you can stay on it for the day and your teachers will come to you, to teach your class.

Some things to remember about using meetings:

1. Please don’t have your computer at your bed.

2. Please mute your mic until you need to speak to avoid unneccesary background noise.

3. Assume someone is watching you even at lunchtime ( If you are going to practice your “tik-tok” dance moves, probably best not to do it in front of your computer camera).

4. If there is something you don’t understand, direct message your teacher in Google Classroom and they can give you some extra help without you having to ask in front of the class if you are not happy to.

5. All lessons online will be recorded so you need to ensure that your behaviour in front of the camera is something you are happy to have on permanent record

6. Your ATL’s and reports are based on how much you engage so please fill out the form in the online section before 1pm each day

(Here is the link)
https://www.stkevins.school.nz/on-line-l…/on-line-attendance

If you have any questions, ask your teachers. If you have any problems with technology, you can ask Mr McCleary via the form at https://www.stkevins.school.nz/on-line-learning/tech-support.

He waka eke noa
We are all in this together.

Aoraki Isolation Challenge

Please see below info regarding a lockdown Interschool comp that anyone (including staff) at SKC can be involved in!

Many of you are already doing some form of exercise so just click on the link and log your activity each day.

We will keep you updated with how we are getting on.

If you are in need of ideas feel free to email Mr Smith (or if you do PE, check out Mr Ts workout options on the Google Classroom).
...................................................................

It’s time to show a bit of school spirit and get active in your bubble! Staff, this includes you too!

We may not be able run our usual Aoraki Championships but get ready to go head to head and represent your school!

How to compete:
Participate in some form of physical activity, think outside the box and get creative. Use the link below and fill out your ‘activity log’ there is no limit to how many times you can enter.
School entries will be balanced with their role numbers to ensure the competition is fair.

https://forms.gle/wCoccepMZJ4pd9qY8

On top of this we have prizes for the following:
- Most hours participated (Please be honest)
- Most creative video or photo
- Funniest video or photo
- Best outfit

We will be posting your videos and photos to our Aoraki Instagram, you might even get a special feature on the Sport Canterbury Facebook Page!

Send your videos and photos to kate.ormsby@sportcanterbury.org.nz
Or to our Instagram account aorakischoolsport

Please note: You MUST comply with the COVID-19 Lockdown restrictions while doing these activities i.e. no touching public equipment, social distancing (2m rule), remaining within your iso bubble & staying within your neighbourhood.