A warm welcome back to Term 4 and a special welcome to our 23 new learners and their families. We hope you love being part of our school community.

Our school roll now sits at 674 learners. We expect our school roll to settle over the coming years when proposed changes to our school's zone are implemented. As soon as we receive confirmation from the Ministry of Education I will update you.

Thank you to the 77 families who responded to our safe travel management survey. Our Board of Trustees will analyse this information at our next meeting and respond accordingly. One exciting development that the Board did approve during the school holidays was the provision of additional gates in the parent carpark. This will allow us to close this area from 9.15am to 2.45pm and create an additional play area. It is anticipated that this will become a scooter area for learners with helmets who are wishing to scooter during their breaks.

Today we had the enviro group and 80 senior learners working with the Kakariki Trust to plant a new native area on our school site. Mr Pete Northmore has organised this special learning activity and received approx $6000 in funding from the trust. A larger whare is being built adjacent to this space which will house learners for outdoor learning classes. The BoT is also planning for use of the additional fenced off section of the field. It is anticipated the native learning area and forest will extend into this space which will also include our much anticipated bike track. Thank you to the Ministry of Education who have installed deer fencing along the perimeter of our fields.

We are delighted to confirm that Brainwave Trust [well known to many through Nathan Mikaere Wallis' work] will deliver our Seminar ‘Unravelling the Adolescent Brain.’ This is particularly relevant for our parents and whānau in the senior school, as they seek to understand some of the physiological changes occurring in their children:) but all welcome.

Time and date: 7-9pm, Wednesday 4 November 2020

Venue: West Rolleston Primary School

Finally, this term is planned to be a very full and action packed term. Please check the calendar notices to ensure you are up to date with all of the action, and regularly check HERO for notifications.

Ngā mihi nui

Sylvia