It has been a short but busy week here with several of our children competing in the Canterbury Swimming Champs - well done to our Canterbury Champion sisters! Kaela 1st in Y5 backstroke and 2nd in Y5 breastroke - Khloe 1st in Y8 backstroke and 4th in Y8 breastroke.

We also had our Y3/4 team attend the Sport Spectacular at Foster Park which they enjoyed despite the spot of rain! Yesterday we had our Te Ao Māori Ako Day for any keen learners who made poi and participated in Ngā Taonga Tākaro [traditional games]. Thanks to Jacob from Selwyn Sports for supporting Miss Frances Dench, Miss Bec Lambert and Kylie with this mahi. And we have had a leadership programme for 30 of our Year 8 learners this week. This has been run by Abby from Growth Culture and supported by Miss Kendra Ward and it has been a great opportunity for our learners to develop their skills and knowledge.

A huge thank you to all of our parents who attended our Year 5/6 Camps - we honestly could not do this without you - Marie Mills, Reuben Witt, Catherine Allen, Dillon Cron, Carli Viljoen, Jax Sharland, David Loach, Blair Croucher, Michael White, Aaron Turner, Skully Van Schalwyk, Jessica Lonsdale, Peter Gilmore, Kerry Barrow, Kiritharan Kumarapaapillai, Ben Wood, Jess Klaasen, Morgan Jones, Aimee Roos, Brad Mitchell, Dereck Swart, Gavin Duffield, Hayley Seddon, Salena Schaeffer, Willie Watters, Katrina Clark, Steve Dawson, Hana Gooch, Nicole Richards, Jeff Bransgrove, Rachael Woodworth, Kenny Dawson and Adel Pheasant. Thanks also to GROW for the donation which reduces the voluntary contribution amount for camp for families, as well. The three camps all went really well and the children had an amazing time. Good luck to our Year 7/8 team who are off to Hanmer Springs for their camps in Week 11.

We are currently reviewing our Safe Travel Management Plan. Please email me if you would like to be involved in a parent/whānau group to do this thanks. It has been positive to have some publicity about our much needed road safety improvements. We look forward to reduced speed limits around our school and continue to campaign for traffic lights on the Burnham School and Dunn's Crossing Rd corner and more safe crossings around the school.

Next term we are opening a new whānau group in Te Kete Kākano, we look forward to Miss Leigh Thrupp returning from parental leave to teach this group. We also welcome the following two part time teachers to our staff - Mr Asher Fitzpatrick and Mr George Lecciones.

Finally, thank you and congratulations to our two new Board members Kylie Wood and Sara Mitchell - we know you will each make a fantastic contribution governing our school. A special thank you and farewell to Lee-Ann Irving who has been an awesome Board member and is moving abroad. We wish you all the best.

Have a safe and happy Easter

Sylvia