'Whāia te iti kahurangi, ki te tuohu koe, me he maunga teitei'. Seek the treasure that you value most dearly, if you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain.

Kia ora e te whānau

A big congratulations to our clever Aquabots team for their third placing at the regional final. All the best for your upcoming Robotics competition. Pai tū, pai hika | Give it your best shot!

There were some bleary eyed kaiako during coverage of the Olympic Games. The highlight for me was watching Dame Lisa Carrington power her way to a third gold medal, followed quickly by heartbreak for Aimee Fisher. I'm sure everyone was hoping for a New Zealand 'one-two'.

When I asked kaiako and ākonga about moments that stood out for them, I was told about a sprinter in one of the 100 metre heats who went back onto the track to help an opponent who had fallen and hurt herself. Another mentioned a surfer who talked about his opponent being like a brother, and let's not forget New Zealander Dylan McCullough who sacrificed his own race to help Hayden Wilde win silver in the men's triathlon. It's times like these that reflect the true ethos of the games. 

Although the weather put an end to our Mahi Tahi Olympic Day, ākonga have had many opportunities to learn about the three core values of Olympism; Excellence, Respect and Friendship, and to be reminded that the Olympic Movement's goal is to inspire individuals to pursue their best and contribute positively to society, promoting fairness and inclusion. I hope, when our tamariki think back on the Olympics, that they remember moments like those mentioned above, alongside the stand-out performances of athletes. As the whakatauki suggests, we should aim high, but shouldn't we also do it in a way that leads to a better world for everyone?

Good luck to all our paralympians; Kia kaha Te Kapa o Aotearoa! | Give it your all, New Zealand Team!

On a side note, he mihi nui ki a Mr Goodall mo tā mātou 'pouaka taonga ngaro' hou | a big thank you to Mr Goodall for our new 'lost property box' (photo below). The lost property trolley lives on the deck outside Admin (staffroom side); please check this if your child has lost any uniform items.

Hei konā mai

Alli Williams

Tumuaki Whakakapi | Acting Principal 

allisonw@prebbleton.school.nz