We've only two weeks left before the end of the school year and what a year it has been. Please keep up to date with upcoming events and any Alerts we send out via the SchoolApp.

I have had a great couple of weeks catching up with lots of tamariki - sharing their learning, eating green fritters and cauliflower pakoras with Pūkeko, pumping up bike tyres, hanging out with the Year 6s while the rest of the school had their transitions, reading reports AND catching up with the teachers as a part of their Professional Growth Cycles, having conversations about their year - highlights, challenges and goals for 2023.

SCHOOL LIFE

This time of year gets hectic for everyone and school is no different. The evenings are longer and family life is more active so bedtimes sometimes get later.  Christmas is on the horizon, Year 6s starting to think about the end of their primary schooling. All of this can lead to extra tiredness and varying degrees of grumpiness. 

 At school this is when we need to exercise TOLERANCE and PATIENCE. When the significant adults in children’s lives talk about and model these values children become more adept at recognising when and how to exercise them themselves - Values are caught not taught.

Teachers and Principal Employment Agreements

If you've been watching the news you'll be aware that the teachers and principals (through the NZEI) are negotiating their employment agreements.  At recent Paid Union Meetings the Government's offer was rejected.  The negotiations will continue on into next year and hopefully it can be resolved without industrial action.

Our teachers agreed to attend their meetings last week in such a way that we didn't need to close the school early - thank you team.

2023 School Term dates
There has been one change (in bold) - please note the Term 2 start date is now Wednesday 26 April.  Teachers are having Professional Development in Mathematics on the Monday.

Term 1: Wednesday 1 February - Thursday 6 April.
Noting: Waitangi Day Mon 6 Feb and Easter is in the term break.

Term 2: Wednesday 26 April - 30 June.
Noting: Mon 24 April - Teacher Only Day, Tues 25 April - ANZAC Day, King's Bday Mon 5 June, Matariki is in the term break

Term 3: Monday 17 July - Friday 22 September.
Noting: Monday 21 August is a Tōtaranui Kāhui Ako Teacher Only Day

Term 4: Monday 9 October - Tuesday 19 December.
Noting: Labour Weekend Monday 23 October and Thursday 17 November Show Weekend

Kia kaha te menemene - keep smiling

Paul