E te whānau, tēnā koutou katoa,

Possibly like many of you, I have been engrossed in the Black Caps recent cricket test against England. Yesterday’s win by one run, was a great lesson to our tamariki about never giving up. This lesson doesn’t just apply to sport, it applies across almost every aspect of their lives.

I had recent correspondence with the principal of a primary school in Auckland. It made me reflect on how easy it is to let day-to-day problems grow out of proportion and how I sometimes let relatively small things cause me to worry and stress. Her year has started with dealing with the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle:

• Fourteen classrooms and one meeting room, inundated with water and silt, requiring new carpet and vinyl, with asbestos being found under the vinyl.
• Damage to the playground surfaces and a general mess of debris and silt on all school grounds.
• Two large windows in the hall blown in by the wind, these were newly installed over the Christmas holidays.

She went on to say she feels lucky, compared to many and how amazing the staff and parent community have been in pitching in to help. It put my start of year problems into perspective.

On Friday we will be looking to raise funds to support Cyclone Gabrielle relief efforts. Please encourage your child to wear the colour blue to support our current Ako Group theme; whanaungatanga (relationship, kinship, sense of family connection). Children may also wish to bring a gold coin donation, we will donate all funds raised to the New Zealand Red Cross.

Kāhui Ako Staff only Day – Friday 17 March

We will be holding a Staff only Day at KNS on Friday 17 March. Our staff will be working at Wellington College, with staff from all the nine member schools of the Kāhui Ako; Brooklyn School, Karori Normal School, Karori West Normal School, Kelburn Normal School, Northland School, Wadestown School, Wellington College, Wellington Girls’ College and Makara Model School.

KNS PTA Picnic – Friday 10 March

The KNS PTA picnic, scheduled for last Friday 17 February has been postponed. The picnic will now take place on, Friday 10 March.

Please remember that if you have any questions or concerns, to get in touch with us. If you haven’t been able to meet your child’s teacher, please feel free to make contact, it’s important that we work together to make 2023 a year in which our tamariki, ‘be the best they can be’. (Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa - Let us keep close together, not wide apart). As always if you need any support or have any questions, please contact one of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT):

• Conrad Kelly ckelly@kns.school.nz
• James Appleton jappleton@kns.school.nz
• Phil McIntosh pmcintosh@kns.school.nz

Whakataukī o te wiki

• He taonga rongonui te aroha ki te tangata - Goodwill towards others is a precious treasure.

A thought to share with your children:

• "Somewhere along the way, we must learn that there is nothing greater than to do something for others." (Martin Luther King Jnr)

Ngā Mihi

Conrad Kelly

Principal