From our Tumuaki / Principal

Kia ora e te whānau,

What an exciting few weeks it has been so far this year. We have been deeply engaged in inquiry learning about who we are as a school and a community. A special highlight has been exploring our beautiful new waharoa (carved entranceway) and reflecting on its significance in representing our school's identity and values. Our ākonga (students) have been loving the opportunity to learn more about their families, whakapapa, and the diverse places our ancestors come from.

Across the school, teams have been settling in, setting expectations, and working together to build strong learning communities. It has been wonderful to see our ākonga working on demonstrating kindness, teamwork, and respect in their interactions.

This week has been full of exciting hands-on learning experiences. In Garden to Table, we harvested our own carrots and used them to bake a delicious carrot cake - what a treat! Our sports enthusiasts had a fantastic time playing basketball with the Kiwi Hoops team, developing their skills and teamwork on the court. Some of our learners have also been out and about in the community. The Māwhero group visited New World to buy some delicious kai, and across the school we have been learning about road safety to ensure our tamariki know how to navigate the streets around our school safely.

Looking ahead, we are excited for our school community gathering this Friday commencing at 4pm. This will be a wonderful opportunity to connect, strengthen relationships, and simply enjoy spending time together as a school whānau. We hope to see many of you there!

After-School Safety Reminder
Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our tamariki (children) is a top priority. We kindly remind whānau that all ākonga (students) need to be safely in the care of a parent, caregiver, or after-school programme by 3:15 pm each day. This means:

• By 3:15 pm, tamariki must have left school grounds and gone home, transferred to Kelly Club After School Care, or be under the direct supervision of a parent or caregiver on-site.

• We love seeing tamariki enjoying our school grounds after school. However, they must first either have been with a parent or caregiver, been home or to a caregiver’s house before returning to play, or be in the direct supervision of a parent or caregiver at school.

This approach allows the transfer of responsibility from school to home, and helps us ensure clarity about who is responsible for the safety of our children after school hours. We appreciate your support in keeping our tamariki safe.

Ngā mihi nui,
Urs Cunningham