PĀNUI | NEWSLETTER 19 JUNE 2020

It was great to be back having assemblies in the hall with parents in attendance. Congratulations to all those students who received certificates, well done Te Kanawa and Rutherford for presenting your learning this afternoon and thanks parents for coming along - it was great to see everyone back.

We have noticed many students are off sick due to strep throat and we have also heard that worms are making their presence felt in an unkind way. 

At school we continue to stress the importance of washing and sanitising hands, coughing and sneezing into one's elbow, and practising good hygiene. We would like to take this opportunity to remind all families and whānau the importance of ensuring this continues at home.

Worms are not pleasant at all and are very easy to treat with over-the-counter medication from any chemist. With the holidays coming up, it would be a good time to dose children to get on top of the condition.

Please remember, although we are in Alert Level 1, we are still being encouraged to stay home if we are feeling even slightly unwell.

The school will be having our first disco of the year on Thursday 2 June. Look out for more details in next week's newsletter.

Following on from last week's newsletter about Brody Burnside giving the Buchanan Rd, Kingseat bus stop a big face lift, this is the link to

TV3's The Project Facebook video.

Next Friday we will be celebrating Mātariki. Our kapa haka tamariki have come up with some activities the students will do through the day from after our first break. This will culminate with a sharing time in the hall. Parents are welcome to come along to join in this sharing.

Ag Day planning for 2020 has begun!  FoTHS and the Board are super excited to announce that Ag Day will be going ahead this year (in line with any govt guidelines on social distancing etc that are in place at the time) but with a slightly different focus to previous years.  In light of the current post lockdown environment in NZ, the focus will not be on fundraising.  Instead, this year it will be about coming together as a community and having fun. 

An exciting change to this year is that calves are back!  The Ministry for Primary Industries has stated that calves may be part of rural Ag Days this year as long as we take care and follow some simple guidelines.  Refer here for more info.

Another exciting change is this year we are moving Ag Day to Friday 25 September.

Chickens will be available to raise again this year.  Only chickens ordered through school can be taken to Ag Day.  Chickens must be picked up in the first week of Term 3 on Friday 24^th July.  They must be taken home in private transport in a box or cage and can’t go on the bus or to SKIDS.  They will be female, 6-7 weeks old and are great layers, usually starting to lay soon after Ag Day. All chickens need a friend, if you are only meaning to get a chicken for one child, be sure to purchase a friend. Spread the word to all friends and family, anyone wanting to purchase chickens are more than welcome.  Ag Day chickens will cost $8 each with additional chickens costing $10 each.

Remember, if you want your child to be involved in the rearing of an animal but don’t want the hassle of them afterwards, we are happy to assist in re-homing them post Ag Day provided we are contacted early. There are usually plenty of local families keen to take quiet, friendly Ag Day animals. For re-homing please email Claire at westmuir@xtra.co.nz

If you don’t wish to raise an animal, the school will be sending out info on the alternative inquiry project.

Please note the following important dates:

• Ag Day will be held this year on Friday 25^th September
• If you wish to raise an animal then please note:
• Lambs must be born between 1^st  May and 31^st July
• Kid goats must be born between 1^st  May and 31^st July
• Calves must be born between 1^st June and 31^st July
• Chicken order forms and the animal info booklet will be sent home Mon 22^nd June and will need to be returned by Wed 1^st July
• Chickens MUST be picked up on Friday 24^th July at school
• Lamb, kid goat and calf entry forms will be sent home in the first week of Term 3 and need to be back on Friday 31^st July

Any questions, feel free to contact Ana on 021 402 620 or Gina on 021 929 452

Auckland Council has asked the school to circulate the followign notice about changing speed limits on Franklin roads.

On the 30^th of June, speed limits will change on many of the high-risk roads across Franklin’s local road network. The move is part of wider speed limit changes across Auckland. More information can be found at https://at.govt.nz/safespeeds

Why are speed limits changing?

Everyone deserves to get home safely. It is unacceptable that so many people are killed or seriously injured while travelling around Auckland. Setting safe (lower) speeds is one of the fastest and cost-effective way of reducing deaths and serious injuries. Auckland Transport’s  ‘Safe Speeds Programme’ reviews speed limits on roads across our local road network to ensure they have a speed limit that is safe and appropriate for the function, design and use of the road.  At the end of 2019,  Auckland Transport’s board passed a bylaw to set new safe and appropriate speed limits on approximately 10 percent  of the network and the first of these changes will come into effect on 30 June 2020.

Where are speed limits changing?

Most of the changes in this first phase are in Franklin, Rodney and Waitematā including the city centre.  Plus, on approximately 100 other roads across the region. You can now find the map of local roads changing on our AT website by clicking the link here.  Please note that for some roads, the speed limit will not change along the full length. 

What are the limits changing to?

The new limits vary according to the type of road e.g. urban or rural or near schools. Many of the roads in Franklin are rural roads, so these will change to 80km/hr, 60km/hr, 50 km/hr or 40km/hr depending on the type of road. These new limits recognise there are a growing number of vulnerable road users, including children and the elderly as well as people walking and cycling.

What happens next?

New speed limit signs will be installed in the coming weeks and will be uncovered on 30 June 2020, the date from which the new limits will be legally enforceable by NZ Police. In addition to 235 Franklin roads getting new speed limits, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is also changing speeds on 30 June on State Highway 22 Drury to Paerata. For more information about SH22 check out https://nzta.govt.nz/speedreviews