Kia Ora everyone. Despite the challenges of COVID-19 2021 has been another positive year for our school. It is important to reflect on the year that has gone and there is a lot to celebrate! Our children have continued to strive for personal excellence throughout 2021, and our school roll has grown to 543 students. Please also see the separate article for the Celebration of KNS Opportunities.

KNS is a wonderful place to be! Our strength as a school revolves around our positive school culture, strong values and beliefs, fantastic family support, many opportunities to shine and participate, and dedicated and caring, supportive staff. Our Year 8 students had an exciting night last night at their graduation and social! We gave out awards, shared some kai and then had a bit of a dance! It was lovely to be able to have 2 parent/caregivers per child attend in the orange light level of the COVID-19 protection framework. A big thank you to Mrs Steph Hunter and the team of helpers for organising this night for our Year 8 students. Congratulations to all award winners, a special congratulations to our joint Dux winners Emily Dutton and Riley Blackler! 

Well done to our KNS basketball teams for competing so strongly in the North Canterbury competition again in 2021, special congratulations to our 6 teams who played strongly in their finals - KNS finished with 3 first placings and 3 runner-up placings to continue with our reputation as a force to be reckoned with!  A big thank you to Mrs Megan Gilmore for her leadership and to all coaches and managers!

We are farewelling 4 teachers from KNS tomorrow - a big thank you to Miss Megan Timblick (not returning from maternity leave), Miss Caitlin Turner (family business), Mrs Susan Caddie (end of year new entrant room), and Mrs Lisa Keenan (family business) for your valuable contributions to our school - all the very best for your new ventures in 2022! We welcome back Mr Phil Henderson in 2022!

On Friday you will have received a letter with details about the beginning of the 2022 school year and notification of your child’s home class and teacher. Please be aware that there has been a detailed and sustained process into making class placements for our children. For Year 2-8 students your child will have a core teacher but will also be working in a Flexible Learning Space (FLS) with other children and teachers. I encourage you to take the time to connect with your child’s home class teacher early in 2022. We plan to have a meet the teacher opportunity on Thursday 3rd February. Below is a map of the school to give you information about where teachers are located and where classes will be located in 2022. 

Our school office will re-open in 2022 on Friday 28th January for existing families to provide us with any new information about circumstances and for new enrolments. School uniform is available from The Warehouse in Rangiora and from Kaiapoi Monograms in Hilton Street. Your child will receive a pack of stationery (cost will be added to family account) on the first day back next year - Wednesday 2nd February.

What a caring community we live in - thank you to everyone who contributed to the xmas presents for our community and/or the SCPA appeal. These will brighten up many families and animals over the festive season. Thank you Megan Gilmore and our LEAP team for coordinating this appeal!

I would like to conclude with a thank you to everyone in our school community, thank you to:

- our exceptional children for striving for excellence
- our wonderful staff for your effort, enthusiasm and expertise
- parents and caregivers for your positive support throughout the year
- the Board of Trustees for your effective child focused governance of our school
- the PTA for your outstanding support and financial donations throughout the year
- our 2021 Head Students for your wonderful service to our school.

If you need to contact me over the holidays please feel free to email me jason.m@kaiapoinorth.school.nz. We will know more about any COVID-19 Protection framework rules that we will be operating under early in the new year. Please look out for information on our App and on the school website regarding the framework for the beginning of 2022. 

We will conclude 2021 with a junior school assembly before morning tea and then a Year 5-8 assembly on Wednesday from 11:00am - 12:00pm. Due to COVID-19 protection framework restrictions we will only be able to have up to 2 fully vaccinated parents/caregivers per Year 8 child attend this leaving assembly in 2021.The 2021 school year finishes at 12:00pm this Wednesday, please make sure you pick your children up by 12:05pm at both entrances as normal. Wishing you all a very happy and safe holiday season, we look forward to welcoming the children back on Wednesday 2nd February, 2022.

Kia Kaha, Kind Regards
Jason Miles, PRINCIPAL