Term 2 is in full swing and there are certainly a lot of extra opportunities for children to get involved. Tech Week this week has seen a lot of children engaged and trying new things at the lunch breaks through this week. It is also anti-bullying week and the pink shirt day (non-uniform), today was well supported with our School Council sharing some very strong messages about keeping everyone safe.

It is exciting to see the juniors practising for their production in week 7, so the next 3 weeks are going to keep them extra busy as they prepare for this special event. Tickets will come on sale from next week. We need to ticket this event to ensure we stay within the required seating allocations for the CCC hall.

Winter sports are also well underway and we are very appreciative of the parents and other sporting groups who are assisting. It was lovely to go and watch the West Zone Cross Country this morning and to see this group of children represent our school so well. An incredible effort in very muddy conditions.

Safety at the gates: 

Managing the traffic at school gates is never easy and with the wintery weather, we are getting more complaints at both Clyde Road and Waiwetu Street about the inconsiderate and dangerous parking. You can not park at bus stops and the ‘kiss and drop’ on Clyde Road is just to pull in and quickly drop or collect your children, you certainly cannot leave your car and come into school. At Waiwetu Street there are these signs which means the area between these signs is to be kept completely clear so there is vision and space for children to arrive and leave safely. 

Today, we have had the CCC Parking Enforcement Officers at school to try and ensure safety at our gates, they will visit again and some new signage will appear at Clyde Road. Can we all take some responsibility for keeping everyone safe?

Illness on the increase:

I did send this out yesterday but I do want to ensure that everyone is aware that we are experiencing a wide range of illnesses from Covid, flu/colds and stomach bugs. In the last week, we would have sent home about 30 children who have arrived at school and are clearly unwell from the start of the day. It is essential that unwell children remain at home as they place more children at risk. If there is a family member with Covid, children can come to school but they need to be following high hygiene routines and preferably wear masks. This is also impacting our staff as they are catching illnesses. We have been really stretched to find relievers as the teaching shortage is really evident across the city.

Rebuild update: 

We are very close to a start date for the build. We are just negotiating some final details.

Just a reminder that Strike action is a possibility in week 6, we would prefer not to have to take these actions but we have to work through the process with contracts. Friday 2 June is a Teacher Only Day across our Kāhui Ako and so this allows for a longer weekend attached to the King’s Birthday weekend if you are planning to get away.

Take care and keep cosy through the wet spell of weather on its way.

Ngā mihi nui Raewyn