Kia ora e te whānau, hi there.

And so we head into the final week of the school year. It has been a really positive and exciting year, with so much fabulous learning and growth across the school. The year started with a lot of change - new staff, a new hub structure, and we were still all settling into the new Pōhutukawa building. It was fun getting to know new people and different learning spaces, and everyone settled in so quickly and so well. We have had a lot of fabulous experiences and learning, and I would like to take a moment to thank everyone for their part in this. 

• To our amazing kaimahi (staff): you are a fantastic team. Jenny and I constantly remark on how well you all work and collaborate together, supporting each other and sharing strengths and passions to ensure everything gets done. Thank you for ensuring ngā ākonga (students) have a safe, healthy and happy environment. 

• To our fabulous whānau (families): thank you so much for your continued support. We are really grateful for the many ways you contribute or get involved, helping at school or on trips, supporting the learning of your tamariki and connecting so well with us. 

• Most importantly, thank you to our fantastic ākonga (students). You keep us laughing, keep us learning, and you continually make us so proud through your efforts, your growth and your achievement. 

I would particularly like to thank everyone involved with our camps and day trips over the past two weeks. We had a team head down to the South Island with 70 ākonga for the week - a major achievement! It sounds like a fabulous time was had by all, and it was made possible by the amazing team of teachers and whānau who accompanied the students. Special thanks to Jenny who planned and oversaw the camp. 

We also had a team of year 3 and 4 ākonga on an overnight camp in Porirua, spending time at Te Rauparaha and Awesome Bounce, and staying overnight at Camp Elsdon. Again, the team of teachers and adults who accompanied the students were fabulous, working together to ensure everyone had a fun time. The day trips to Island Bay, Te Papa, Akua Tangi, Space Place and the Botanic Gardens have all been great opportunities for our students, and lots of fun. I think this is my favourite image of all - our Koru students standing at Island Bay Marine Centre, waving goodbye to the ferry taking our older students to the South Island - I just love that!

These opportunities are so important as part of the learning our tamariki do at school. They form lasting memories and connections for them, and provide joyful learning experiences. We cannot provide these opportunities without our amazing staff and whānau who work so hard to help and support these events - thank you all so much. 

Transition days

Our final week of Term 4 will start with three days of transition on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. This is when our ākonga all move to their new learning spaces for 2025, and meet their whānau teachers and other ākonga in their whānau group for next year. For some students this means moving to a new hub building and/or meeting a new whānau teacher. These three days allow them to make connections with people, get used to their new learning spaces, and do some activities such as creating pieces of art or name labels for their new space, which means they will feel connected to the space when they return to school in 2025. During these days, our Year 6 students will work together as one group with several different teachers, reflecting on their time at Amesbury School, creating a collaborative art piece to leave behind, and writing their graduation speeches. They will also spend Tuesday on their transition trip into town. 

Students will begin the day on Monday in their current hubs, and as part of the morning programme they will move to their new learning space, and they will stay there until the end of the day on Wednesday. On Thursday and Friday they will return to their current learning space, to end the year with their whānau teacher and whānau group from this year. 

A final reminder that school finishes for the year on Friday this week (13th Dec) at 1pm. We will all be out on the school field (weather permitting) in our whānau groups, enjoying a sausage sizzle and an ice block (no money required). You are most welcome to join us. Ākonga can be picked up from the school field at 1pm. 

Thank you for a fabulous year. Hei tērā wiki (see you next week) for our final week of the school year. 

Ngā mihi nui,

Urs