Kia ora whānau. The Approaches to Learning (Key Competencies) are a crucial component in the development of lifelong learners. At our school we have a strong focus on these, and during the Year 6 Exhibition this week, they certainly shone through.

We will be having nother non-uniform day next Friday 18 November and again on Friday 2 December. Children can wear their home clothes to school and bring a gold coin donation which will go towards the final push to raise funds for the Y3-4 playground which is set to be installed at the end of November.

This year, after not being able to participate in 2021 due to lockdown, we are happy to announce we will again be supporting the Age Concern North Shore organisation to collect gifts and Christmas messages of kindness and recognition to the elderly community of the North Shore. Many of our elderly in the community do not have relatives or friends able to be with them each Christmas day, so with the gifts we collect, Age Concern provides a small gift hamper for many of these lovely people. Please help us and donate an item to our collection!

Help the Year 6’s fundraise towards their Year 6 Graduation event by ordering a lemonade ice block as part of your child’s morning tea on Friday 18th November. Each ice block will cost $2 with $1.50 from each ice block sold going towards the fundraising effort. Please order via www.mykindo.co.nz . Orders close at 11 am on Thursday 17th November. Ice blocks are gluten free and may contain traces of milk.

This week in Year 1 and Year 0 our focus was, like last week, on the Learner Profile Attribute of being an Inquirer. Being an inquirer means that we are curious and enjoy new learning. We ask meaningful questions and try to find out new things. This empowers our learning. The certificates this week, were handed to Florence and Cove (Room 4), Otis and Ruby (Room 18), Azaria and Clara (Room 13), Christian and Emily (Room 14), Hunter and William (Room 15), Mikaela and Natty (Room 16), and Emily and Misha (Room 17). Congratulations to all of our inquisitive inquirers.

On Tuesday Rooms 19 and 20 went to Mairangi Bay Surf Life Saving Club to learn about how to stay safe at the beach. We learned about what lifeguards do and got to see their rescue equipment. We saw an IRB (inflatable rescue boat), rescue board, and first aid equipment.

For the Exhibition, the students have been involved in the process of choosing the central idea, writing their lines of inquiry, forming groups, attending mentor meetings, conducting research, putting together their presentation while also thinking about the action they could take. It was just amazing to see the students engage in discussions, negotiations, and taking different roles to support their group.

Every year the Milford School students sing Christmas songs on the field while the parents sit on picnic rugs, drink and eat and enjoy the children singing. It is a highlight of the year and we haven't been able to do this concert for a couple of years, so the children are very excited to have it back! It is a wonderful opportunity to get to know people in the school community and to celebrate the wonderful year. Children wear red, white or green clothing. They start arriving with you at 5pm. The singing starts at 5.30 pm. Each year group will be performing, so put it in your diary!

Kidzanya Tuition Centre are offering free writing classes in November. The first class will be this Sunday 4th November at 5 pm to 7 pm at Albany Community House. See below for contact details and how to register.

Two amazing Westlake Girls High School students who are both NZ selected basketball players, are off to Melbourne in late January and want to fundraise by offering basketball camps for years 3-6 school kids (both boys and girls) in the upcoming holidays. They recently won a national title with their Westlake Premier Team, the first time in the school's history.

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