In October 2022 we opened our Amazing Bike Track - Te Ara Eke Panuku after awesome fundraising from GROW and our community, our school board [project led by Rob Hunt], funding from Bikes in Schools, Dixons Contracting, Cochranes of Canterbury, Loan Market, Drainpro, Number Works and Ray White.

The name Te Ara Eke Panuku was gifted to us by local iwi and is all about overcoming challenges. This pump track is very popular with our children during the school day. It is also very well used after school and at weekends by our community. We have an awesome fleet of 35 bikes which are regularly used by our senior children. Huge thanks to Bill Hunt, one of our grandparents, who regularly looks after these bikes and fixes up minor repairs. The recommendation is also to have these bikes serviced by Torpedo 7 and is going to be approx $3000 plus more for any additional repairs. We have also had a request from one of our learners, Carter Rait, to put a drinking fountain in TAEP so we are getting a quote on this but it would be expensive to do .... if anyone knows of anyone who may be interested in sponsoring this and/or our bike maintenance programme please do get in touch, we can arrange signage.

Thank you to the parents and whānau who have completed the review on our recent meet the teacher conferences. I will close this tomorrow and then share the findings in the next newsletter. In terms of reporting learning information to learners, parents and whānau we are introducing new school reports which will be shared via HERO in Week 10 of next term, followed by a learning conference in Week 2 of Term 3. Copies of these can be printed if requested. These reports will contain information on vision/values, reading, writing, maths and our overall school context of 'One World, Many Stories.' The introduction of school reports is a direct result of parent/Whānau feedback in 2023 and is part of our Board's Strategic area of Ako/Learning.

Last week we held our first GROW time session which is part of our PB4L Positive Behaviour 4 Learning programme. The children all worked beautifully alongside each other in their respective whare. There were all sorts of options on offer for our learners including sports, singing, baking, sushi making, colouring, art and crafts and dance. Huge thanks to our regular parent helpers who have come back again this year: Tomoko Saito, Kumie Schuurmans and Laura Clarke. Please talk to your child's whānau group teacher if you are interested in helping.

It is business as usual for us with regards to Government requirements regarding cellphone use in schools by learners. Our policy has not needed to change as we were already following this practice. In a nutshell the italicised extract below is from our school's policy:

If a learner brings a personal digital device to our school, the following guidelines apply:

• The school does not accept responsibility for lost, damaged, or stolen personal digital devices brought to the school but investigates any issues as appropriate. Learners must hand in their device (excluding smart watches which may be worn as long as cellular functions are disabled during the school day) to the teacher at the beginning of the day, and can collect the device at the end of the day.

Personal digital devices excluding smart watches (once again the cellular function must be disabled) may not be taken on EOTC events.

We also dedicate time to teaching the safe use of digital technologies and on line safety in partnership with learning that occurs at home with parents and whānau.

Finally, we have had more interest from local media with our traffic safety concerns. You can find the story here: https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-south-today/risk-life-school-makes-another-plea-road-safety-measures

Next week is the Selwyn Walk-or-Wheels week encouraging our learners to be active on the way to and from school. Thanks to Miss Holly Miller for sharing information regarding this in the newsletter. It is timely to please ask parents and whānau of senior children who may be travelling to school on their own and with friends to:

• check the route they are travelling
• ensure they use footpaths [not the road] for scooters
• wear a helmet when using wheels

And if everyone could check their child is wearing their helmet and hi-vis vest or bag cover to and from school please.

Ngā mihi

Sylvia