E te whānau, tēnā koutou katoa,

As many of you are probably aware, we are about to embark on a significant redevelopment project at Karori Normal School. The planned works include the construction of an 8-teaching space, double-storey block along the Donald Street frontage and a new entranceway. In addition, the project encompasses a range of vital improvements including, weathertightness, site-wide security, and significant enhancements to the outdoor areas of the school.

To ensure you are well-informed about these developments and have an opportunity to have your questions answered, we will be hosting an information session in the coming weeks. During this session, we will provide a comprehensive overview of the project, including details about the timeline and construction process. We will also present a more detailed insight into the design elements.

Our highest priority will be the safety and well-being of our students and everyone involved in this project. As such, we will also share our approach to managing health and safety during the construction phase. Details of the meeting will be confirmed and shared shortly.

Yesterday we hosted a series of Writing Accuracy Workshops organised by our Kāhui Ako. The sessions were run by teachers from Wellington College and covered a range of writing topics. We had almost 100 educators from across the Kāhui Ako attend the workshops. It was a great example of how we can share expertise and learn from others. A huge thank you to Cherie Le Quesne for all of the time and effort she put in to make the afternoon a success.

At last week’s Board meeting Phil McIntosh presented a report on our Mid-Year Reading, Writing and Mathematics Achievement data. It was pleasing to see the continued high level of achievement across the school. I want to thank everyone involved in supporting the education of our tamariki. This includes all staff members at KNS and our parents and whānau at home. You can find a summary of the report here. If you are interested, you can also access recent Board minutes and correspondence at the bottom of the Board page on our website here.

The Government has announced the removal of the mandatory COVID isolation rule, which took effect yesterday. Public health officials have advised that the risk from COVID-19 is now considered low compared to other stages of the pandemic and it is safe to remove the final requirements. You no longer need to inform us if your child tests positive for COVID. We do, however, ask that as with any other illness, you keep your child at home if they are feeling unwell.

As always if you need any support or have any questions, please contact one of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT):

• James Appleton jappleton@kns.school.nz
• Phil McIntosh pmcintosh@kns.school.nz
• Laura Brennan lbrennan@kns.school.nz
• Julia Laidlaw jlaidlaw@kns.school.nz

Whakataukī o te wiki

E koekoe te tūī, e ketekete te kākā, e kūkū te kererū

The tūī sings, the kākā chatters, the pigeon coos.

This whakataukī can be used to celebrate the diversity of people

A thought to share with your children:

“Strength lies in differences, not in similarities.” – Stephen Covey

Ngā mihi nui

James Appleton

Acting Principal