Amesbury School Digest

Arohanui

We had a great Powhiri to welcome our new students, parents and teachers earlier this week. I don't know whether it is because the school is growing or our students are more confident, but the haka was deafening. A powhiri is such a lovely and dramatic way to welcome new people and to mark the fact that they have now become members of our school community. 

Didn't our guys do well at the Northern Zone swimming championships! A big congratulations to Freeman and Gracie who have gone through to the next round. I look forward to seeing how well they do there.

Just a reminder that we have a community evening on Wednesday (24th August, 5.30pm). Mark Treadwell, an internationally known educator from New Zealand, will be speaking. He is very entertaining, knowledgeable and sometimes controversial - always to the point! I have always enjoyed hearing him speak and I am sure you will too. We have tried to take care of everything for you so that you can attend and enjoy the evening. We will provide food, child care and an entertaining speaker. What more could you ask for?! Kelly Sport will once again provide the child care with a range of fun activities. This year, they will also provide a creche in the library for under fives. I hope you are able to attend this event which, as a school, we put on especially for you so that as parents you can have a relaxing evening and enjoy some intelligent, informative entertainment. 

Currently, Beckie and I are in Auckland at an International Education conference. As a school, we are exploring the idea of hosting a small number of international students at our school - short term and long term. This is in response to increasing demand for us to do so. We have had a growing number of inquiries from a surprising range of countries - some of them relations of students in our school. We will discuss this more with you at a later time when we have had more time to consider the idea.

After carrying out an investigation into growth in the suburb, the Ministry of Education has acknowledged that we need a new build. This has now been passed onto the property division of the Ministry and we are waiting to hear from them about the next steps. 

Have a lovely weekend and I hope to see you at the community evening on Wednesday.

Nga mihi nui

Lesley