I want to say a few words to end another great year at OVS.

I feel very privileged to be part of such a vibrant and progressive school. We are very grateful to all our parents and family members who help us support all children to be the best they can be.

Thank you to all our staff who help contribute to this great school. This includes all our teachers, administration staff, Learning Assistants and our Property Manager. They all play a part in creating the welcoming and inclusive school environment we have.

2024 has been another action-packed year. Teachers and children in Years 4-6 have loved worked in Te Hononga and across the school teachers have been continuing to develop and progress our collaborative teaching practices.

We continued our contract with Harbour Sport, under the Healthy Active Learning programme and we have seen many positive outcomes from this. One of these outcomes was establishing student PALs- Physical Activity Leaders. Miss Lee worked very hard with this group of children who have ensured that teachers have equipment for PE lessons, there is equipment for children to use at break times, and in Term 4 they worked with children from Year 1-4 on daily fitness activities.

We were delighted to be able to take our Kapa Haka to the Onepoto Festival, again after a hiatus of several years. Our Kapa Haka also performed at the Kahui Ako Matariki Festival.

There were many opportunities for children to be involved in academic, sporting and cultural events and activities such as Mathex, EPro8, ICAS, Cultural Festival, Year 5&6 Arts Performance, EOTC, Cross Country, Athletics, Choir, sports opportunities such as inflatable football, rippa, miniball, hockey, netball, cycle safety.

This year we joined the Garden to Table environmental programme and we look forward to this progressing in 2025. We also had some community events such as our Family picnic in March, and we are already in the process of planning a bigger and better picnic next year.

Children also worked hard in the classroom. We started using the BSLA structured Literacy Approach in Year 1 -3 and this will continue in 2025 in Years 1-3. All classes will be working on a structured Maths programme next year. We have chosen "Maths No Problem" as our resource that teachers and children will use alongside the NZ Curriculum.

We farewelled Sherryl Prangley at the end of Term 1 after her 20 years of dedicated service at OVS. We welcomed new babies to some OVS staff as well.

We are all eagerly awaiting our special end of year celebrations- the House Assembly where we announce our House Leaders for 2025, our Sports Assembly where we celebrate children who play a sport for our school, and their team comes first or second in their grade. We have our Awards Assemblies, our Year 6 Graduation dinner and our very special Year 6 Graduation assembly on the last day of school. This is always a very moving ceremony as we farewell our Year 6s as they head off to Intermediate, Junior High or colleges as Year 7s.

I would like to thank all of you for your contributions to our school over 2024. If your family is not returning in 2025 I wish you all the best.

Meri kirihimete.