A Great Start to 2024 for GEIS!

I would like to say a special welcome to our new Year 7's and a BIG welcome back to our Year 8's. 

We have enjoyed a really positive, settled and dry start here at GEIS. I reflect back to last year to the Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods which had a severe impact on our tamariki, community, families, whānau, school and my heart goes out to those communities who are still affected by that extreme weather.  

This year at GEIS we have a big focus through our curriculum on our school values of Excellence, Respect, Integrity and Resilience. Our tamariki will learn what these values look like and how to demonstrate them at school and in the community. These values will come through in everything we do here at GEIS, whether it be inside or outside of the classroom. 

While our core business is teaching and learning, our school vision is "An engaging environment full of opportunities and choice". GEIS offers our tamariki so many opportunities in leadership, academics, the arts, sports and many more. Please encourage your child to get involved in as many activities as they can in their time here at GEIS and give everything a go! 

One of the challenges many NZ schools face is attendance. I have included an article in this school newsletter around attendance and what we can all do to support our tamariki coming to school everyday and on time. If there is any way the school can support families and whānau getting our tamariki to school please get in contact and let us know. 

At the beginning of the year before school started we had a "Meet the Teacher" day. This was a powerful connection with our community and highly successful with 716 families and whānau through to meet their 2024 teacher. This day also helped reduce anxiety and supported a smooth transition for everyone starting school in 2024. I also really enjoyed getting to know our new students, families and whānau on this day and reconnecting with our Year 8's.

Finally, I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new classroom teachers, Ms Erin Wellington Rm 7, Mr Brandon Alexander Rm 23, Mr Duncan Henderson Rm 1 and new hard materials teacher Mr Andy Boyd and I am sure they will make a difference at GEIS. 

Ngā mihi nui

Acting Principal

Jacob Prisk