A couple of weeks ago we held a mufti day to support the Mental Health Foundation's Pink Shirt Day and anti bullying. The message we want to convey to our learners and community is that we don't have to promote these messages just on one day or in one week of the year.

As parents, teachers and whānau we can constantly be promoting and modelling kind behaviour, kind language and kind actions - in order to create the kind of society we would like to live in and be a part of. I see lots of actions of kindness from our learners and community on a daily basis from children rendering assistance to a child if they fall over, to kind words when a child has a new haircut, to parents acting as traffic wardens to keep our children safe on the streets, to a child holding a door or gate open for someone .... just people generally taking the time to greet each other and smile as they enter the school grounds! This is the kind of school and community I want to lead and be a part of and I know it will take a collective effort to achieve it. 

In the last newsletter I wrote an article about a professional development journey we are undertaking with the Ministry of Education called Positive Behaviour 4 Learning or PB4L which heavily promotes anti bullying, self-responsibility and being kind. Here is a link to information about this on our school's website: https://www.westrolleston.school.nz/our-learning/positive-behaviour-4-learning.  

This mahi also links to our hauora model for well-being which Miss Katie Talbot leads in our school and across the Kāhui Ako as an Across School Lead. Below is a video she has produced with support from  Rolleston College, learner Matthew Hattrill and teacher Bronwyn Hoy, who filmed and edited the video. Please take the time to watch this video and look out for an email invite in HERO from Katie regarding a parent hauora focus group.

This week has been busy at school with lots of learners participating in winter sport at the Event Centre and Swimming at the Aquatic Centre. Wow, we are grateful to have some fabulous facilities in Rolleston. We also had four whānau groups from Te Ara Tupu go on a trip to the museum on Tuesday with three more planned for tomorrow. This is part of their social sciences and technology learning about the past. Thanks to Miss Laura Finn for organising this and to the parents for supporting. There were literally squeals of excitement when the new double decker bus arrived to take the children.

We also had lots of school basketball teams participating in the Year 5-8 after school competition on Monday again this week with lots of staff and parents coaching. This is a really big commitment from adults to our learners and we are really grateful - thank you Mr Kyle Seckold, Miss Jess Cooper, Miss Nicole Davidson, Miss Sam Nichols, Miss Mel Grant, Miss Bec Lambert, Mrs Amanda Clarkson, Miss Madeleine Walker, Amy Price, Annette Hynes, Laura Clarke, Lucas Briggs, Tania Wade,  Sarah Linehan, Ellen Woodcock, Ashleigh Scott, Shannon Spencer, Karly Te Karu and Tash Mutu.

Yesterday we also had children participating in the Canterbury Gymnastics Competition - well done to Joshy Hunt, Quinn Anania, Khloe Spooner, Isabella Broome, Sasha Anson, Maddie White and Addison Conlan. We had lots of placings so we are very proud.

Thank you to Dena Greene and the GROW team and staff who ran a really successful disco last Friday. I have received really positive feedback from the children who loved it. Our GROW treasurer, Amanda Clarkson, reports a profit of $2256.82 which will go towards our Bike Track.

Finally, on Saturday we have a number of Jump Jam teams performing in competitions in town. Good luck to all of our teams and big thanks again to our staff coaches: Miss Leigh Thrupp, Miss Kendra Ward, Mrs Leona Whittington, Miss Emma Bennett, Miss Estelle Austin, Miss Holly Miller, Miss Sam Nichols, Miss Rachel Pickering, Miss Mel Herron, Miss Jess Cooper and Mrs Amanda Skinner. 

Have a lovely weekend.

Ngā mihi

Sylvia