Well, here we are at the end of another term - one quarter of the way through another year! It has been a hectic term - everyone is exhausted - kids included! But it has been a good term. I think we have made some good progress on a number of fronts. Our new playground was opened back in February - this was the culmination of a project that has been underway for a couple of years.  A wonderful group of parents are working on putting together an Amesbury School recipe book. I am excited by this initiative and will definitely purchase copies for all my kids. Watch out for the ways you can contribute - they will be looking for those tried and true family recipes soon.

The planning for our Bike Track is well underway. We have submitted detailed plans and council has just today confirmed $50,000 funding towards the bike track. We will be looking for further sources of funding - including, hopefully, some more from the council. However, we are very lucky because the Board of Trustees has underwritten the project so it can go ahead as soon as everything is ready.  The children and the community are going to love this addition to recreational opportunities in the suburb. There will be opportunities for you to contribute financially to this initiative and ensure your child's name is here at Amesbury School for the long term. Watch this space!

We had a great Noho Marae earlier in the year. The kai cooker worked a treat and we were able to cater for the more than 200 people quite successfully. Thanks so much to our teachers for sacrificing a night in their comfortable beds to supervise the children overnight. And thanks so much to all the parents who were so helpful. You contributed hugely to a making the Noho Marae a success.

We welcomed some new teachers this year and we are really pleased with the choices we made. Gemma is getting married over the holidays, so we wish her all the very best. We also have some new staff starting next term. We are looking forward to Marianne starting with us. She is coming to us from America and she will be the e-Learning Lead teacher and a Harakeke Hub teacher. She is fondly remembered by students who had a maths session with her last year during the recruitment process. Derek, who we initially employed as a music teacher, is going to be working for us full time next term. He will still be doing the music lessons and Wednesday rotations but he will also be working in Harakeke and Koru Hubs. Shannon, who has been a student teacher in Harakeke Hub, will be doing some ESOL teaching across the school. And, finally, we will be welcoming Beckie Duffy (ex Churton Park Community Centre) as our Business Manager/PR person etc. We have not yet found a title to describe the various roles she will be taking on in our school. However, one of her roles will be to create income streams for the school. Every year we have to find about $150,000 to run our school. We are so looking forward to her starting.

We have had two staff babies (girls) born this term - welcome to Briar Rose (Daniel's daughter) and Tova (Lisa's daughter). 

Oh and lots of teaching and learning has happened!

Wishing you wonderful holidays with your gorgeous children.

Arohanui ki a koutou.

Lesley