Talofa, Bula, Hola, Kia ora, Mālō e lelei, Namaste, Kumusta, Greetings

Dear whanau/families

Wow! What a change in weather from yesterday! We have gone from scorching hot and calm, to wild and incredibly strong wind gusts which made driving to work this morning a very scary experience! Luckily it seems to have calmed a lot and we are hopeful that the buses are able to run this afternoon!

Wasn't yesterday amazing! I loved the whole day and the children did so well! What I particularly enjoyed was the relaxed atmosphere and the way our kids got along with one another no matter which school they came from! And of course, I loved the sense of competitiveness! Our children were outstanding and judging from the huge number of certificates we bought back to school with us, they did incredibly well! One of my favourite events were the relays at the end of the day. Every school I have worked in has these events and they're always the highlight BUT never have I seen such competitiveness from adults before and boy of boy, did I love it! I can see where our children get their competitiveness from! We certainly have some streaks of lightning amongst us!! Thank you to Alison Flemming, Katrice and Savanah Ohlsen for helping to chaperone groups of children for the day. We couldn't offer any extra curricular activities and experiences without the help of whanau and friends!

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of attending the TPR camp at Raincliff. We spent most of Thursday on a 3 hour bush walk from Pioneer Park. For some, this walk was very challenging, while for others it was just good fun! It is always great to see new relationships develop, new leaders stand up, independence grow, students overcoming fears, ranging from a fear of heights, sleeping away from home and eating food that someone else other than mum or dad has prepared. Everyone returned home from camp tired but with a real feeling of accomplishment. A big thanks goes out to Ryan, parents and staff who not only made this camp happen, but who made it fun for all - a huge nga mihi nui, thank you for your time and enthusiasm at camp. 

In week 5, our Ruapuna class (year 6 - 8) are off to Waipara Adventure Centre in Amberley for 3 days. Mrs Moore and Miss McConnell have planned a lot of fun for them including rafting, tree climbing, a giant swing, outdoor cooking and abseiling. They will also be going on a river walk and swimming in the water hole - fun, challenging and exciting experiences for both the children and adults who will attend! In week 7, our 3 junior classes are having a couple of days going on adventures to the Orari Farmyard and to the Sharplin Falls with Miss Blackburn, Mrs Turnbull and Mrs Wynn. The older juniors will also sleepover in their classroom on Thursday night. These couple of fun days and the sleepover will provide an opportunity for our tamariki to develop leadership skills, form new friendships, take on new challenges, and gain outdoor experience in a safe environment and have fun! 

Thank you to you all for your ongoing support.

Nga mihi nui

Aroha Stewart
Tumuaki/Principal