As we approach the end of the year, we know many parents are thinking about class placements for 2025. We assure you that our priority is placing your child in the best possible learning environment.

We are fortunate to have a team of highly skilled teachers. This, combined with a robust placement process, allows us to consider each student's needs carefully.

Class placements are a collaborative process where teachers and the leadership team use their expertise and knowledge of your child to determine the best fit. To help manage this, we use a customisable class placement program called Pluto. Pluto combines data from Hero with teacher insights to create optimally balanced classes.

Here's a quick overview of the process:

1. Teacher Input: Teachers provide Pluto with information about each student, including their academic strengths and areas for growth, social skills, and learning preferences. This includes identifying positive peer relationships and any social dynamics requiring consideration.

2. Pluto's Role: Pluto generates balanced classes that consider academic data, learning needs, behaviour, gender, and peer relationships.

3. Leadership Review: Team Leaders and the Senior Leadership Team review the class lists and make adjustments.

4. Ongoing Collaboration: In the next few weeks, teachers and leadership will continue collaborating and refining the class lists to ensure the best placements.

As you can imagine, with 620 students comes a wide range of individual needs and learning styles. While we strive to create the best learning environment for every child, the complexity of balancing class dynamics means we cannot accommodate individual requests for specific teachers or class placements.

We understand this can be an anxious time for parents. Please trust our expertise and be assured that we are committed to placing your child with the teacher we feel is most appropriate for their learning and wellbeing in 2025.

Final class placement information will be available on Hero with the end-of-year report.

2025 Class Structure

The school will be structured into six teaching teams, and the class composition will be as follows;

Specialist Lessons and Teachers
We are incredibly fortunate to offer specialist music, PE, and STEM teaching. This is a luxury that most state primary schools don't have, and it's a testament to the Board's ongoing commitment to investing in a rich and diverse curriculum. However, in 2025, the specialist teaching program will look a bit different.

Eugenie Middleton, our music teacher, and Morgan McKeen, our STEM teacher, have been awarded study grants for the beginning of 2025. We are thrilled they will have this opportunity to develop their skills further.

While Eugenie and Morgan are studying, we will be offering the following specialist teaching:

We are confident that students will continue to have enriching and engaging learning experiences in the arts and STEM throughout the year.

Fond Farewells

At the end of the term, we will say goodbye to some of our staff: Peiyu Li, John Smallfield, Katy Cachopa, Hinerangia Hemapo, Jillian Sommers and Emma Porter.

We would especially like to acknowledge Jillian, who is retiring after many years of service to Milford School. Jillian's impact on our students and the school community has been immense, and she will be deeply missed. We wish her a long, happy, well-deserved retirement.

It's always bittersweet to say goodbye to members of our Milford family. Their hard work and dedication have helped shape our school. We wish them all the very best in their next chapter!

Welcome to the Team

We are excited to welcome some new staff to our team: Isabel Robertson, Ben Offner, Chelsea Beaman, David Wilson and Katie Pine. We look forward to welcoming them to our whānau and sharing their expertise, energy and enthusiasm!

Browns Bay Christmas Parade
On Saturday, December 7th, at 5 p.m., we would love as many children and whānau to participate and represent Milford School as possible. We will meet outside Browns Bay Boating Club at 4:20 p.m. The Milford School flag will identify the meeting point.

Parents have the option of;

a) joining their children in the parade

b) permitting your child/ren to walk independently and arrange where to meet your child/ren at the culmination of the parade. 

NOTE: Parent supervision is required. This event is outside of school hours, and parent supervision is required (strictly no drop-offs).

Festival of Song
We can't wait to celebrate the end of the year with you at our annual Festival of Song on Friday, December 6th. This is always a highlight of the year; we know this year will be no exception.

For the Christmas Parade and Festival of Song events, children can wear red, white and green and santa hats, tinsel etc…It’s a time for celebration!

Noho ora mai 

Lucy Naylor 
Tumuaki