Term 1 - Week 6

We have had a very busy couple of weeks here at Gulf Harbour School but the feeling of community and pride in our school has been over whelming.

Last Friday’s Whānau Morning was a great success! It was wonderful to see so many of you joining in on lessons or being shown by your child what they have been learning. These moments of connection between home and school are invaluable, and we truly appreciate your involvement in your child’s education.

We also had an incredibly successful Whole School Athletics Day on Tuesday, where we saw our tamariki stepping up, giving it their all, and showcasing some amazing athletic abilities. While we always notice a drop in attendance on this day, as we understand that athletics may not be everyone’s strength, we firmly believe in encouraging ALL children to turn up and give things a go—even if it’s a little outside their comfort zone. Life will present many similar challenges, and learning to face them with resilience and a positive attitude is an important skill.

Of course, while our tamariki were outstanding, my personal highlight had to be seeing so many of our mums, dads, wider whānau, and even grandparents flying down the waterslide in pursuit of extra house points! The enthusiasm and community spirit was good to see.

Showcasing our Maths Learning

This Wednesday we had 45 educators, including teachers, principals and representatives from the Ministry of Education visit our school. They came to observe our structured maths programme (Numicon) in action. The feedback from these professionals has been overwhelmingly positve. Please see the message below from our School Board of Trustees Presiding Member (Tony Naidu):

The Gulf Harbour School Board recognises and congratulates the dedicated staff of Gulf Harbour School for their exceptional work and leadership in mathematics education, mainly through the Numicon programme.

With the help of your parent donations, the Board is proud to have supported the Senior Leadership Team’s vision to invest in Numicon years ago. Witnessing this investment yield impressive results showcases our team’s forward-thinking approach. Since Mel Crosbie became Principal, her commitment to positioning Gulf Harbour School as a leader for others to emulate is now coming to fruition.

The presence and feedback from the team of educators that visited our school on Wednesday validates our educational approach.

During their visit, a representative from the Ministry of Education Resource Teacher of Learning & Behaviour Team, expressed gratitude by stating, “On behalf of our RTLB team, I want to extend our sincerest thanks for welcoming us into your school and allowing us to observe the fantastic work your teachers are doing with Numicon. We were truly impressed by the effectiveness of the delivery and the passion your team has for this programme.”

This feedback highlights our GHS teachers' hard work and dedication and supports Gulf Harbour School's commitment to fostering an inclusive and engaging learning environment. They also said, “The explicit teaching, mathematical communication, positive relationships with mathematics, and rich tasks were embedded in all the lessons we observed.”

The Board extends heartfelt thanks to all staff for their commitment to high expectations. We look forward to the continued success of our educational initiatives and are excited about our new Explicit Direct Instruction programme, which promises to gain recognition from other schools. We appreciate the staffs dedication to providing a high-quality education for our tamariki and your support as parents.

Thank you as parents and carers for all being part of our incredible school community. Your support, participation, and positive energy make Gulf Harbour School a truly special place.