Start your day with a smile as we share and celebrate these acts of kindness which have happened recently at Grey Lynn School.

These acts have exemplified what we value here as our school values are the foundation of how we act and think in a ‘Our Grey Lynn Way’. We PRIDE ourselves in our Culture of Kindness: Positive, Respectful, Determined and Empathetic and these are examples of just that.

Grey Lynn School Board of Trustees

Our BOT (Board Of Trustees) are committed to our place. While they demonstrate strong governance practices in their role to support our school they also go the extra mile regularly by thinking about what extra they can do. This term this has seen these extremely busy parents in their own right; create two separate homemade morning teas for our staff. We thank you for your efforts; it has been appreciated by our GLS staff! Each BOT has a food talent we admire and we should also mention our newest BOT member Stewart Reynolds and his cake making and creating skills. (See photo below) Impressive!

Olive, Anya and Evie: Showing empathy and initiative

A bake sale outside our school on Wednesday was initiated by three year six students as a kind act of service for others. “After we heard about the news in Christchurch we decided that we would pitch in to help by raising some money and awareness for the Muslim community and having a bake sale. Thank you to all the people who brought money and donated more than they needed to. We raised over $200! Thank you.” Evie

Susanne McEwan; A Grey Lynn School Star

You would have seen our service-minded pocket rocket; staff member Susanne, out and about doing patrols on Surrey each day. She heads the huge job of collecting and co-ordinating lost property, sweeps and picks up rubbish not because it is her role but because she can. She is thoughtful and kind and always goes the extra mile for anyone. We all notice Susanne and we thank you for always demonstrating our values of PRIDE. You are a role model for us all.

Countdown Grey Lynn

Another act of kindness was being surprised by the Team from our local Grey Lynn Countdown as they delivered hot cross buns and fruit for the staff. They consistently demonstrate support of our school in a range of ways and clearly, they must also know that one of our love languages as a staff is kai (food). Thank you to Mobeen Iqbal and his team at Countdown.

Team AROHA This kind and thoughtful group of parents are another example of how our community show ‘The Grey Lynn Way’ and celebrate our culture of kindness. A concept conceived by BOT member Michael; this week this thoughtful group consisting of Michael, Zita , Sofia , Jane  and Kirsty ; surprised staff by gifting us a Nespresso machine and pods along with a selection of herbal teas and honey and a wonderful array of magazines for the staffroom. The staff were overwhelmed with gratitude. We thank Team Aroha and all those who have supported them to think about this random acts of kindness; nga mihi.

Staff voice:

“We were overwhelmed with your generosity and your kindness of the thought that went into this gift to us” Deb

“This was a surprise and it was amazing to think that our community are thinking of us” Alysha

“A lovely gesture, we felt really valued” Bronwyn

“I was just so overwhelmed with the way that they thought of us and our well being and the support that they have given us” Romiza

A word from TEAM AROHA

Team Aroha was established to support the wellbeing of our teachers and staff at Grey Lynn School by a group of parents that wanted to make a difference in a positive way.

We felt there was a need to reach out to the community and gather ideas around how this might happen and what it would look like.

With valuable feedback and great connections, we have been overwhelmed with the offers of help. These have been expressions of parent help, morning tea supplies for the staffroom, corporate gifts etc. We have set up a parent contact in the junior, middle and senior school as well as representation from the BOT so we can connect with as many parents as possible. This is a community initiative and we welcome all parents to contribute if and when they can.

On Tuesday we had the pleasure of gifting a Nespresso machine, coffee pods, tea and magazines to the teachers for the staffroom – all kindly donated by parents of the school.

A big shout out to Rebecca  and Georgina  for donating the coffee machine and pods, Sofia  for the tea and Bauer Media and Jane for the magazines.

If you would like to join the team or get in touch with us please visit the link in this newsletter and leave a comment on the Team Aroha page.

Team Aroha contacts:

BOT rep – Michael 

Co-ordinator – Zita 

Junior school contact – Georgina 

Middle school contact – Sofia 

Senior school contact – Jane 

These are just some acts of kindness; we acknowledge that there are many more that have happened in our place and also many more to come. Sometimes it is wonderful to share these acts of kindness as they warm our hearts and spur us all into action to think how we might do something kind for another. I challenge you all as families to think of one way that you can as individuals and whanau; think about a purposeful act of kindness to give another over the holiday break. Email your stories and a photo to me, to share on our office wall to celebrate and inspire others.

With thanks and gratitude to those who have featured above;

Nga mihi
Alicia Whata
Principal