Kia Ora everyone. Despite the challenges of COVID-19 2020 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 2020, and our school roll has grown to 545 students. Apologies this is a long article!! Also see the separate articles for the FLL team national success and Kaiapoi Santa parade float winners!

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! A big thank you to Mrs Steph Hunter, Miss Caitlin Turner and the team of helpers for organising this night for our Year 8 students. Congratulations to all award winners, a special congratulations to Dux winner Thomas Brocherie!

We had a great turn-out at the school picnic and awards evening last week. We gave out many badges, bars and trophies for children who have been part of our performing arts, sporting and outdoors, coding, cultural and enviro opportunities. Congratulations to the following students and groups:
- Special congratulations to the major Year 8 trophy winners from these areas:

Seth Green (sportsboy) and Dayna Bennett (sportsgirl).

Talula Green (PTA music vocal trophy and Rotary trophy for leadership through performing arts)

Fiona Xu (Music instrumental trophy)

Hannah Toli and Bailey Poaru (Pasifika performance trophy)

Boston Paerata (Kapa Haka performance trophy)

Hannah Toli (Te Whata-Cooke trophy:Tino Whakawhanake Hapori: Community, Improvement, spirit)

Lucy Gardner (Te Whata-Cooke trophy:Tu Maia: courage, confidence. To step up)

Thomas Brocherie (Digital Technologies trophy)

Well done to our 2021 student leaders who were announced last week. The following students will have student leadership roles at KNS: 

These students will be House leaders for 2021 - congratulations to: 

Fire: Haylie McDonald, Chloe Gifford

Earth: Jae-Lee Stapp, Samantha Sharpe, Layla Friedauer

Water: Dylan Bertenshaw, Anya Cardwell

Air: Lucy Gardner, Mariam Nabi  

Well done to our KNS basketball teams for competing so strongly in the North Canterbury competition again in 2020, special congratulations and all the best to the four KNS teams who are playing in their finals this Friday - Year 5/6 section 1 and Year 7/8 section 1, 3 and 6.  A big thank you to Mrs Megan Gilmore for your leadership and to all coaches and managers!

Well done to our KNS athletics team who competed with grit and skill at the Canterbury Athletics - special congratulations to Ethan Watson (3rd high jump) and Seth Green (2nd in 60m sprint).

We are farewelling 2 teachers from KNS on Friday - a big thank you to Miss Ashley Pearce (Oaklands School), and Mrs Victoria Hurley (family business) for your contribution to our school - all the very best for your new ventures in 2021! We welcome back Ms Adelma Matthews in 2021!

On Monday you will have received a letter with details about the beginning of the 2021 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 visit your child’s class and learning area early in 2021 to familiarise yourself with the classroom spaces. We will have a meet the teacher opportunity on Wednesday 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 2021. 

Over the holiday break we are excited to be having a major upgrade of our office, reception, and staffroom. We are hoping this work will be finished on time for the school office to re-open in 2021 on Thursday 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 - Tuesday 2nd February.

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 2020 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 conclude 2020 with a school assembly on Friday 11th December from 11:00am - 12:00pm. Please make sure you pick your children up by 12:05pm. Wishing you all a very happy and safe holiday season, we look forward to welcoming the children back on Tuesday 2nd February, 2021.

Kia Kaha, Kind Regards
Jason Miles, PRINCIPAL