Kia ora whānau. As a Principal, there are many moments of pride in our students but especially when they step up and show initiative and leadership for the good of others. As you know, we are working towards building a new Year 3 and 4 playground and I asked a group of students to help design it. These students were given the playground equipment catalogues and worked together to decide what they thought would be best for the age level. Last Friday, two of this group, Ryder and Rylee, met with the playground specialist, Melissa, and shared these ideas. Melissa was really impressed that they talked about key aspects she hadn’t told them about yet such as Balance & body control, Overhead strength, Scaling, climbing and sideways movement, and Safety (BOSS). The next step will see a 3D CAD design coming back to us for the group to check it is what they envisage. We will also show all the Year 3 and 4 classes for their input before it is finally decided. If all goes to plan, it will be ready for use in November!

You will have read the letter sent to you from our Board chair, Carlee Paterson, last Friday about my resignation. I do need to say that it was not an easy decision, nor was I looking for another opportunity. I really do love Milford School and know it will always have a special place in my heart. This new role, however, is a very exciting one that gives me the opportunity to focus on two main areas, people and curriculum, my passions. I am here until the end of the year and am looking forward to completing many of the projects we have started before then.

A huge thank you to everyone for supporting the FOMS initiative and selling so many chocolates! After tallying up all the results, the top classes (one in Year 5/6, one in Year 3/4, and one in Year 1/2) who are having a mufti day next Wednesday, 24 August are Rooms 7, 19, and 15. All the children in these three classes may wear mufti to school that day. A special mention also, to these amazing families who sold 4 or more boxes - Bull family, Zhu family, Seber family, Gilchrist family, Saxton family, Marsh family, Elrick family, Innes family, and the Davis family. That is incredible, thank you!

Today is the Year 6-led assembly and all Year 6 parents and whānau are very welcome to attend. It starts at 2.15pm in the hall.

A reminder, again, that Monday and Tuesday 29 and 30 August are teacher-only days so I trust you have made arrangements for your children as the school will be closed on those days.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Ngā manaakitanga

Sue