Kia ora whānau

The end of the school year is fast approaching as we enter December. You will receive your child’s end of year report in week 10 and for Year 7 students, will be notified of your child’s class for 2020 when they receive the report. Most students‘ classes will remain with their current teacher but a couple of Year 7 classes will have different classes due to staff changes. Most students will also remain with their class group.

We are pleased to inform you that from 2020, girls can wear shorts as an alternative to the kilt and summer dress. The skirt has been especially developed for Heaton students and are available now from Mainland Uniforms.

As I wandered around at lunchtime today, it was great to see so many students involved in a range of games. It is that time of year when being meaningfully occupied in an enjoyable activity with friends helps keep everyone focused on a positive end of the year. Year 8 students are very aware that many of their friends are going to different secondary schools in 2020 and the last remaining weeks at Heaton are times that they will never experience again.

Well done to all our students involved in the Christchurch Music Festival, either as part of our school choir or in special performance groups. This is a very special annual Christchurch event and it is great to see the Festival back in the Town Hall again. Thank you to Janiene Hill, our Performing Arts teacher, for teaching the Festival songs to such a high standard to our choir and supporting others involved in the Festival.

Our Heaton students once again, did amazingly well in every event at the Canterbury Association of Intermediate and Middle Schools’ Athletics Championships. Congratulations to all the students who were involved and to Tim Evers for all his organisation and support.

Congratulations to the Heaton girls’ cricket team for winning the National Shield. What an outstanding achievement. When speaking to the girls after their win, it was clear that exemplary team work played a huge part in their success. Thank you so much to Barry van Beurten, Tim Evers, Emily Caygill and Wendy Edge for their commitment and hard work with the team and all the parents/whānau and friends for their wonderful support.

If you have any feedback about Year 8 camps or the Year 7 activity days, I would be very pleased to hear from you. Year 7 activity days will go back to Term 1 next year. Please email me: knighta@heaton.school.nz

Ngā mihi

Andrea Knight, Principal