There has been several great steps forward for the school since our last Connect Magazine.

Our Board has endorsed the Junior Campus building modifications as selected by the Junior Campus staff after a lengthy consultation and development process. The initial work is expected to start this year. The development of the school’s strategic vision is on target to be finalised by Term Four with several of our senior teachers recently visiting high performing schools in Australia to explore innovation and nationally recognised examples of excellence. The Board has also endorsed the appointment of a property specialist to help us develop a detailed 10 year maintenance plan for the school to ensure it serves our students, staff and community well. This will contribute to providing a great learning and working environment for our students, teachers, support staff and all members of our school community. To borrow from the Australian slogan, this will make KingsWay School, ‘a great place to be’.

Recently I was asked to write of my confidence in the reliability of the Bible. I wrote that I believe it to be the inspired word of God, teaching us truth, making us realize what is wrong in our lives. It is straightening us out and helping us do what is right, to be well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do good to everyone. Importantly, our confidence in scripture is also crucial for those times of life’s storms, when we cannot see God in the moment, when we cannot hear his voice above the noise. He promised to be there with us, to never leave us and his promises are true. Throughout their time at KingsWay, your children will learn from scripture that their life has purpose and meaning, planned before the beginning of time, that their value is not dependent on their results, abilities, behaviour or peers. They are relentlessly and unconditionally loved by their Heavenly Father simply because he said he does and always will. The Ministry of Education wants schools to equip young New Zealanders to thrive in the rapidly developing global environment. How much better for our students  to be confident in their identify, value and purpose, to, ‘go out into a world adventurously and expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next Papa?” (Rom 8:17 Msge)

Finally, I share with you an excerpt from a letter the Board received that was written by a parent of another school. Her son’s sports team was playing against a KingsWay team whose players were noticeably older than her son’s team. The parent noted, “the manner in which they (KWS) engaged with their opposition was admirable, noble and reflected sportsmanship in the highest form that I’ve seen in recent times. The KingsWay team did not mock or patronize the opposition and the game was played in great spirits... While they could have crushed their young opposition, they elected not to… they are obviously a talented and capable team… but more importantly, I suspect they are great people!” These are our students, this is our school! On behalf of the Board, thank you for your ongoing support of KingsWay school.

May God’s richest blessings rest on your home and family.

Peter Wilding
Board Chairperson