Congratulations to our award receivers for 2023

SCHOOL CUP'S 2023

Pringle Cup Senior:  Emmy Clyne

Westpac Cup Junior:  Isaac Urquhart

Currie Trophy, Arts:  Laney Norton

Kennedy Trophy,Sports:  Mae Stringer

125th Centennial Cup Academic Achievement: Elin Hurley

Wright Cup Literacy: Patrick Corr

Head Student Trophy Students Choice Award: Jackson Freeman

Values Award Overall Values for 2023: Elise Power

Fong Culture Cup, Māori Arts & Culture:  Avaya Parata

SPECIAL AWARDS 

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Year 1 Harper Fleming

Year 2 Sophie Guthrie

Year 3 Alexis Williams

Year 4 Lily Fleming

Year 5 Tyson Rhodes

Year 6 Elise Power

Year 7 Annie Butler

Year 8 Elin Hurley

PROGRESS & ACHIEVEMENT

Year 1 Millie McDonald

Year 2 Madison Freeman

Year 3 Mabel Dawe

Year 4 Saskia Svensson

Year 5 Briar Clyne

Year 6 Bowie Askin

Year 7 Jack Clapshaw

Year 8 Sophie Riach

CITIZENSHIP

Year 1 Khalessi Tierney-Elliott-Pitma 

Year 2 Lena Rockell

Year 3 Taylor Julian

Year 4 Margot Farrell

Year 5 Milla Sleeman-Shaw

Year 6 Tia Broadhurst

Year 7 Clara Scott

Year 8 Amelie Booker

SPECIAL AWARDS 

MAINPOWER Citizenship:  Penny Ward

MANA TAI AWARD: Mia Commons 

Principal's Speech

Tena koutou, tena koutou tena koutou katoa

Nau mai haere mai, Greetings everyone and welcome to Te Waitai Sefton School’s final end of year assembly for 2023!

I am honoured to stand here tonight and be a part of your community that educates your children.

Between 8:30am and 3pmish on a school day Te Waitai Sefton School is the centre of the universe and all of us - staff, students and whanua come together to connect, educate, teach, socialise, regulate, play, have fun and laugh together. This connection is so important. On different days and at different occasions this connection strengthens our sense of belonging to Te Waitai Sefton School.

For 2023, connections have been at the heart of everything we do.

For some of you this year, it started with your child enrolling at our school. Starting those connections of how things roll at Sefton. 20 new students. Wow! We are predicting on having this increasing roll for the next few years, as we see the development and growth in our community reflected in our rural school.

For all our students connections have been made in so many ways that have strengthened their academic success, regulated their emotions, reinforced positive behaviour expectations, enhanced friendships, developed understandings of difference and appreciate themselves in a vibrant supportive community where they are accepted for being the individuals that they are. Our village is strengthening its connections!

We know that it takes a village to raise a child, the adults in this village need to be acknowledged.

Firstly the Sefton PTA. Jeanne, Sandra, Cathy and the team - wow! what a year it has been, you have fundraised and fundraised and fundraised, You have tirelessly worked towards our goals to support the school, we thank you so much! We have set a big goal with the playground project and the work continues into 2024, but we know the outcomes for our students will be considerable. To date we have raised $31245.00 for this project this year. We will have our Playground project fundraising thermometer up next year showing our progress, alongside the playground committee. Thank you Mark Iddles for such an amazing sign.

Secondly, where would we be without our very supportive Board of Trustees. Tamara at the lead, Poppy and Greg, our outgoing members Nik and Barry with our new incoming members Liz and Darryn. Thank you to our staff on the board Kirsty and Julie. The time that you take consulting, reading reports, and extending your own knowledge to support the governance of our school is commendable!

I would like to thank staff,

• Mel and Katie, the office admin team that put on sticking plasters, give out ice packs, check attendance, greet visitors, and respond to a 100 and one tasks and pieces of information on a day to day basis.

• To our amazing teacher aides - Jane, Mel, Heidi, Michelle and Ju - Thank you for supporting our students to regulate and access the daily life of our busy classrooms.

• To our teachers - Whaea Max, Mrs B, Miss Nixon, Mrs Raymer, Miss Andrews, and Miss Kirkby - Wow this is the dream team!! Thank You - thanks for your hard work and dedication to our students to meet their academic, social, emotional and behavioural potential - to take each individual child where they are at and to support, encourage, give them a voice and extend each and every child to their reach their fullest potential each and every day!

• Lastly to Jane Fong, our amazing DP, Learning Support Coordinator, ORS teacher and teacher of Room 6. Thank You! Thank you for being the other side of the coin to the leadership team at Sefton. Your dedication to the school and running the learning support portfolio with your knowledge and experience is phenomenal! The true connector in our school.

To our year 8’s the class of 2023! Amelie, April, Elin, Emme Roberts, Emmy Clyne, Georgia, Malachi, Penny and Sophie!! It is a time of both celebration and sadness that you will be leaving Sefton School shortly! We wish you the best on the next stage of your learning journey and we know that you will continue to excel and make us proud!

To our families who are leaving the Sefton School whanau, thank you for all of your input and efforts throughout the years. Though it is a short farewell to the Faulk-Ward family as we farewell Georgia tonight, it will be a heartfelt welcome to Albie when he starts school soon. At this point I would like to make a special mention of thanks to Melissa and Cam Booker and their children Scarlett, Flynn and Amelie who over the past 12 years have been part of our school whanau. Your time, dedication and involvement over the years have been much appreciated and will be missed. You have always been willing to help whether through running the Tug of War, being on the PTA, manning a BBQ at an event, donating time, food or being a parent help at trips and camps. Thank you for always being there willing to help. We will miss your experience, knowledge and humour. We have something small to give to you to remember your time at Sefton School.

Congratulations to our students that are receiving awards! For those of you that are not receiving awards tonight - this next bit is for you!

Thank you for reaching out and being a part of our connected community.

Thanks to the child that reached out to staff to console them as they transition from one class to the next, to help them process their emotions of leaving a safe nurturing environment to shift into the next one and realise that growing up is hard to do.

Thanks to the child that sneaks up on staff from behind to grab a cuddle, to share their love with others as they start the day.

Thanks to the children that jumped off the bus yelling and excited to start the day at Sefton School.

Thanks to the senior child that reaches out to a junior child to tie their shoelace, brush their hair, give a word of encouragement, and let them join in your game.

Thanks to the cheering and clapping as we celebrate the success of others.

Thanks to all the talented dancers in our school that have performed, to all our speakers that spoke out on topics of importance to them, to all our artists that have created a beautiful new school mural.

Thanks to all our children for being at school, for turning up each day, being the best that you can be and supporting others to be at their best too!

Thanks to all the children that highlighted a moment in their reports that teachers organised for you to enjoy, experience and grow as individuals - Year 7 & 8 Boys Day out, the Self Defence Courses, Fish and Chips on the pier, making a decoration for our Christmas tree!

Our students of Te Waitai Sefton School thank you and let's celebrate our awards and then social time afterwards at the community BBQ.

Have a wonderful xmas break everybody! Spend quality time with your family during the holidays, relax and enjoy those special moments. We look forward to 2024 and seeing you all back again next year! Let the celebration begin!