Principal News - Week 7 Term 1, 2025

“Challenge to achieve and grow.”

Hīkina te mānuka, kia tutuki, kia tipu

Kia ora e ngā whānau,

It is amazing to think that we are over half-way through Term 1. As I reflect on the start of the new school year and first half of this term it is great to be able to acknowledge and celebrate the things, we have been able to achieve so far individually and collectively – there is more to come!  

The Year 8 students are demonstrating clear leadership role modelling for our new Year 7 students, equally some of our Year 7s are displaying confidence equal to our Year 8 students. The Year 8 students have welcomed their Year 7 peers into their blended Year 7 and 8 homerooms.

Our Year 7 students appear to have settled into their new school and daily WIS routines. Great to see them making new friends and rekindling previous friendships from the contributing schools in previous years. Many students are putting themselves forward to give new opportunities a go. Remember if you think your child needs support with giving things a go, contact your child’s teacher to discuss this.

We have two breaks from learning during the day. The first takes place at 11:10am after our school wide ‘read and feed’ time where students have morning tea while listening to stories. The second break is between 1:30 and 2 pm after lunch eating time at 1:15pm. By formalising and separating eating from free play we see more students eating and a reduction in litter on our fields. The students are occupying their free play proactively with a wide range of active and restful activities. Students can self-select quiet activities in the art room, library and ICT suite.

All students have enjoyed the opportunity to participate in our school-wide events; school singing, ‘That’s my Jam’ (musical group), ukulele group, kapa haka, volleyball focus and swimming sports. Many of our students enjoyed participating in Summer Tournament at the end of last week. Before the end of this term students will have the opportunity to sign up for our school choir, which will start next term on a Wednesday afternoon.

Our specialist programmes are well underway. Every student will participate in all six specialist subjects over the course of the year. Students are scheduled to have ten 1.5-hour sessions in art, music, science, hard technology, food technology, and soft materials. Every second term they have two sessions a week alternating in the other term with one per week.

Cell Phones in Schools 

Cell phones regulations in schools have been a prominent topic in the media since December 2023 when Minister Stanford made the announcement to ban cell phones in schools. This change in regulations required schools to ensure students do not use or access a phone while they are attending school, including during lunch time and breaks. This includes students who are on a school course or visit outside the school grounds.

Since the start of 2023 our school wide cell phone systems have allowed us to see the benefits of this policy. We continue our approach which involves students handing their cell phone in at the start of the day for safe keeping and returning it at the end of the day. Other classes have made a cell phone house in our workshop that is kept in their classroom and is locked for the day whilst other homerooms hand their class container of cell phones into the office. Students can use their homeroom landline to make calls during the day, should they need to. If a parent needs to contact their child during the day the best way to do this is by phoning the school office and either asking their child to phone home (using the classroom landline) or asking the office to pass on a message. 

If you would like to read our “Cellphones and Other Personal Digital Devices” policy, you can do so via our SchoolDocs website. To log into SchoolDocs enter the username ‘waimeaint’ then the password ‘RISE’. You can use the search bar to locate the cell phone information.

WIS Netball Muster

As per last newsletter I repeat this information on our WIS Netball Musters in case you missed it.

All the girls/boys will sign up and have a run at 2 different positions on the court. We try to get all girls out at least twice.
Once the Muster is complete, Jemma and the team will put up squads and have call back the following Saturday where they can have a closer look with smaller numbers, then teams will be put up. We use independent selectors at this muster as well.
We do not mix the Yr8 and Yr7 unless we are short in numbers.

Dates: Saturday 22nd and 29th March.

Times: Yr7 9.30am - 11am & Yr8 11.30am - 1pm,

Please follow this link to register for Muster

https://forms.office.com/r/UfmfWz5i3K

Have a great fortnight!

Justine