Welcome back to Term 2! HECC Panui – June 2020

Tena koutou, Hello, Talofa lahi atu, Kia orana, Malo e lelei, Ni hau ma, Priviet, Jambo, Ola, Xin chào, As-salām ‘alaykum, Bula venaka, Namaste, Halo, Sawasdee Kha and Mingalarbar!

Welcome back to Homai Early Childhood Centre! We hope you have enjoyed our virtual music sessions while we have been away.

To ensure the safety of you, your child and staff please read the following important information:

HECC is following Ministry of Health guidelines for Alert Level 2, which means:

  • Please keep any sick children at home, even if they have only a “sniffle”. We will be having wellness and temperature checks for all ākonga and adults as they arrive. If a sick child/adult comes to the centre, we will send them home.
  • We are practising social distancing. Our centre is working separately from the rest of the Homai campus and we are avoiding having any other visitors at this time.
  • We ask that food is only shared between family members.
  • We are using the playground and outdoor equipment but this is being thoroughly cleaned by staff before and after each session.
  • We are following good hygiene practices and regularly cleaning commonly touched surfaces. We will be limiting the number/amount of resources we are putting out at each session.
  • We have hand sanitiser at the entrance and around the centre. Please wash and dry your hands regularly, including before eating, after using the bathroom and when you move between the outside and inside activities.

Please contact us on the numbers provided if there is anything you would like to discuss.

 

Phone numbers:

Please note the following phone numbers are the ones to use to contact us at HECC:

Centre 09 2683212                   Yin Yin 021 565 031

If you are not attending HECC, we would appreciate a call, email or text to let us know.  If you usually travel by United Taxi, please contact us as early as possible.

 

Highlights and happenings in Terms 1 / 2:

Trips in the community: There are no scheduled trips this term at present.

Visitors from the community: We are asking visitors to stay away from our centre under Level 2.

 

2020 Term Dates:

Looking ahead with dates:

End of term 2:       Friday 3rd July

Start of term 3:      Monday 20th July     End of term 3:  Friday 25th September

Start of term 4:      Monday 12th October    End of term 4:  Thursday 10th December

 

Coronavirus update:

https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov

Tips for parents:

http://education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/COVID19-files/Tips-for-parents-in-Alert-Level-2.pdf

 

We are happy to have everyone back at the centre!

Yin Yin, Soong, Jane, Caitlin, Catalina, Christy, Fiona, and Rachel

 

Update on HECCET meetings

Board Meeting dates and times:

All HECCET meetings are held on the Homai Campus on a Friday from 12.30pm

April 1, June 24, October 28, December 9

 

HECCET BOT Members and roles

Janny Cooke – Board Secretary (09) 266-7109 Extension: 2000

Chairperson: Nathaniel Louwrens and Parent Trustee Visual Resource Centres

Principal: Karen Stobbs

Homai Campus School Parent Trustee: Mitch Harris

Parent Trustees: Visual Resource Centres:

Nathaniel Robson

Letitia Patete

Gretchen Good

Staff Elected Trustee:  Jane Cox

Appointed Trustees:

  • Jonathan Godfrey – Blind Citizen
  • Neil Jarvis – Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind –     Known as Blind Foundation
  • Nigel Ngahiwi – Tangata Whenua
  • Sharon Duncan
  • Mere Baker – Parent Elect
  • Jo Walker – Parent Elect

HECC staff

There have been a few staff changes this year.  We are very pleased to welcome new ESW’S to the HECC staff this term: Jane and Bronwyn are working every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and will also be escorting the children transported by taxi.

New teacher Yin Yin Htay will be teaching full-time alongside Christy (ESW). For the rest of term 2 Sarah will be teaching on Mondays and Lai Yee on Tues, Wed, Thurs and Fri. Please join with us to welcome our new staff!

 

For your information: Applications open for Kindred Trust grants

The Kindred-Sharp Trust is associated with the Blind Foundation.  It was set up in 1997 by a Kapiti couple. The purpose of this trust is to provide grants and/or equipment to help enhance the quality of life in the formative years of children who are blind or have severe vision loss.
Grants will be made to, or for the benefit of children under the age of 12 years. The child must be a registered member of the Blind Foundation at the time of making this application.
The maximum grant that the Trust will consider is $500.00 including GST.
Decisions about who will receive grants are made by the Blind Foundation Chief Executive with advice from Blind Foundation staff. Distributions will be made in early July 2015.
Whilst leaving the discretion as to grants entirely in the hands of the Blind Foundation, it is not intended that the same children receive grants year after year. It is also the hope of the Trustees that recipients be selected from different parts of the country.
Applications should be presented in writing or email using the form below:
Kindred Sharp Children’s Trust application form (28kb, .docx).
Please ensure you answer all questions on the form and provide details of how the requested funding will benefit the child.
Quotes, including GST, need to be presented with the application. The purpose of this is so suppliers can be paid direct once approval is given.
Applications must be received by the close of business on Thursday, 25 June 2015 and should be sent to:
Murray Peat
Fund and Trust Administrator
Blind Foundation
Private Bag 99941
Newmarket
Auckland
Phone: 0800 24 33 33 or 09 355 6861
Email: mpeat@blindfoundation.org.nz

Emergency services

Over the past six months the children attending on Mondays and Wednesdays have shown a strong interest in the emergency services. We would like to thank the blue watch from the Manukau fire station who visited HECC twice and to Sue from St Johns Ambulance who came three times with her miniature ambulance Ambi .

These visits have enabled the children to gain experience in the roles these officers perform, the equipment they use and vehicles they drive. The children were allowed to climb up high into the cab of the fire engine and put on the seat belts. They were able to explore the equipment the firefighters use like the hoses, the oxygen tanks and push the buttons to release the water.

Sue the ambulance officer also showed the children the oxygen tank and the children could feel the vapour coming out of the oxygen mask.

This learning has enabled the children to feel confident in the presence of these services through experiencing first hand the equipment, new sounds and uniforms.

The children have continued to engage in ongoing role play of emergency situations they have initiated. Cats have been rescued from high trees, breakdowns have been radioed through to the fire department, medical services have been called upon to give oxygen and fires have been put out.

A photo of the children and the mini ambulance

A photo of the children and the mini ambulance

Haere mai Lynn!

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This term we are pleased to welcome Lynn the HECC teaching team. Lynn has won the position of Education Support Worker (ESW) to fill the vacancy left by Eley. Lynn has worked for BLENNZ for the past 10 years and also has overseas experience working with children who are blind and low vision and we are really looking forward to welcoming her to the HECC team!

The new team at HECC: Rachel, Caitlin, Lynn, Anne, Lai Yee, Christy Sarah and Linda.

The new team at HECC: Rachel, Caitlin, Lynn, Anne, Lai Yee, Christy Sarah and Linda.

We were on the radio!

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Radio New Zealand visited BLENNZ in March. The parts with us are near the beginning and near the end!
Originally aired on the ‘One In Five’ show, Sunday 30 June 2013

‘One in Five’ is picking up shakers at the BLENNZ campus as pre-schoolers and students take part in music lessons and music therapy sessions. BLENNZ is the Blind and Low vision Education Network New Zealand and is based at the old Homai campus in Auckland. Nation-wide it has a roll of 1500 students aged from birth to 21 years old. ‘One in Five’ spends time with two BLENNZ staff members who believe music can enrich the lives of blind and low vision young people.