He mihi mahana ki a koutou katoa - Warm greetings to all.

This is the last newsletter for the year and I want to take the opportunity to thank all those who have supported our school. In particular our Board of Trustees whose work is often unnoticed but never the less is extremely important dealing with all the new regulations for schools

Thank you to our PTA whose good work has been limited this year but what they have achieved has been important to us and our tamariki. I'd especially like to thank the dedicated team in charge of sausage sizzle. I've appreciated their problem solving and offering choices to our tamariki. Of course the discos were a highlight!!! The PTA also supported Rowan Lockton and the team in the athon and once again this was a significant fundraiser with over $10,000 raised.  All their efforts have enabled us to really boost our early readers, pay for the adults to attend camp, pay for tamariki to attend a cultural experience and of course provide the end of year treats for our tamariki.

Thank you to those parents and caregivers that have been able to support us in some other ways during this tricky time and a huge thank you to all those who sent messages of support. These mean a lot to us.

But most of all I'd like to thank our wonderful staff. They have had to pivot constantly as new guidelines and requirements are asked of schools in this new era. They have kept the focus firmly on our tamariki and their learning. We are a whānau - teachers, admin, learning support, caretaker, groundsperson and leadership all focused on making Somerfield Te Kura Wairpeo the best place it can be for our tamariki.

The highlight by far this year has been the Creatives unit with the focus on full participation for wellbeing. Our recent surveys of tamariki, teachers and parents show we have achieved this. This was most definitely a team effort supported by Sam Bates our dance and drama teacher. You will see Sam joins us again next year and we ensure creatives are a key part of the learning for our tamariki. Our staff threw themselves into their collaborations unit and also thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

We are very fortunate to have the great staff at Somerfield Te Kura Wairepo.

Tonight we farewell our Year 6's  in a much restricted assembly for limited numbers of whānau. We have brought this forward so our tamariki do get this experience. It has been a huge Health and Safety and organizational undertaking by our staff and I'd like to thank them as it has happened at the busiest time of the year.  At this assembly we will present the cups that are normally presented to the children at the final assembly. As in the past, if we do not have a recipient who does not fully meets the criteria or the mana of the award, we do not make one. Sadly, this is the case this year. This is sometimes disappointing but it is to ensure the integrity of the Awards and to ensure they aren't awarded just for the sake of it.

Links will be sent home for the Service and Term 4 SMART Assembly and the Final Assembly. You have been sent a form to register for the link.

The website will have a lot of the information contained in this newsletter if you misplace it over the holidays.

I hope you all have a much deserved break this summer and I look forward to see you at the Getting Connected Interviews on 1/2 February. (There is detailed information further in the newsletter)

Merry Christmas.