Tumuaki/Principal News

As I write this, there is a team of workers in the school preparing the hangi. Mums, Dads, Friends and Whānau, CrossOver Trust,  kaiako and tamariki are peeling, wrapping, beating (eggs), soaking and stirring in preparation for the feast of the year. I know that Roy and Dylan are keeping a wary eye (or 4) on the weather. I’m secretly glad it’s not a 30+ degree day but it would be perfect if it were fine. We’ll eat indoors if we have to and ask that you bring a picnic blanket to sit and eat on and remove all shoes indoors.

Marina and I did the meat and vege shopping. A few people saw us with 2 trolleys full of pumpkins and thought that the prices must be really good if we were stocking up.

This newsletter is coming out ahead of  a whole lot of planned events. Due to the weather Friday's school swimming sports have been moved to the postponement day of Tuesday 28th February and we would love to have you come along to support your tamariki and if possible to help out. Protection from the sun is a big issue so please bring your own shade umbrella and sunscreen. The children will be seated in a shaded area and parents will be on the bleachers. Roy has been helping out with some after school swim coaching for the swimmers who were really keen. Thanks so much Roy.

The PALs completed a training day at Pioneer Stadium this week. Thanks to Whaea Charlotte for organizing this and to Rachael Jamieson, our  parent helper. They had to do an activity where there were no set rules or organization and they quickly realized how shambolic and frustrating things become. Leadership is tough enough as an adult; it’s so much tougher as a child when emotions are raw and tolerance levels are stretched. Our tamariki performed very well, as always.

Six of us attended another curriculum refresh day on Tuesday,  focused on maths. Rob Profitt-White leads the learning and we do have a lot of laughs and hands on experiences. So we can learn the same things that we are asking children to do. Man, teachers are competitive. Not me though!! It was a lot of fun because we learn games that teach math concepts and then we have to teach them to children in the classrooms of the school who hosted us. There are a lot of returns to the 1997 curriculum that reinforced  number knowledge. This curriculum talks about what we need to know and what we need to do in order to solve mathematical problems. The great thing about the activities is that they can apply on multiple levels of ability and act as an assessment tool as the teacher listens to the understanding that the children have about the activity. Sometimes we just go full circle back to what worked quite well in the first place.

Our Teacher Only Day 24 April will be a chance for all of the teachers to get up to speed on the curriculum refresh and the opportunities to deliver the teaching in ways that really engages children.

Best regards

Marriene
Tumuaki

Hāngī 2023

Our annual school community Hāngī will be held on Thursday 23 February 2023. This is a special event to bring our staff and current school whānau together. We are thankful for the huge support from members of our community who have given their time, skills and knowledge to allow the Hāngī to be laid in the traditional manner.  Students will need to be collected as normal after school on this day and return for the hāngī with an adult whānau member. 

5:00pm - Welcome outside hall

5:30pm - Karakia kai before hāngī is served.

• Please bring your own plates and cutlery. We will not be supplying any. No large trays please.

• Due to the weather we will be serving and eating indoors please bring your own picnic blanket to enjoy your kai on and a bag for your shoes as we will be removing shoes before entering classrooms.

Nau mai, haere mai!

Ngā mihi,

Hāngī Committee 

Toa Funaki 

Hello my name is Toa and I am really excited to be a 2023 School Leader. I am most looking forward to running school house days as the Cooper House Leader. My hobbies are playing netball, basketball, softball, touch and cricket. I enjoy art and reading.

My qualities are kindness and humour which will contribute to me being a great leader this year.

Māia Kenneally

Kia Orana, my name is Māia and I am so excited to be one of your school and house leaders. GO MAHY. I am very interested in sports like basketball, netball and rugby as well as art. I will be a great leader as I show the Triple A’s and the Six C’s and I am a role model. I hope you are as excited as I am for 2023!

Ella Eadie-Lilley

Hi my name is Ella. I am 10 years old. I am good at reading and I love art. I am looking forward to assemblies and house days. I think I bring kindness and confidence to my leadership role. I am looking forward to being a lead speaker and I am really excited for 2023

Alexander Perry

Hi my name is Alex Perry. I am looking forward to being a 2023 School Leader and House Leader of Ngata. I think I bring creativity, helpfulness and kindness to leadership. I am also organised. A few of my hobbies are scootering and playing with lego.

Sophie Singh

Hello my name is Sophie Singh and I am from India. I am looking forward to being a lead speaker. I like ice skating and rollerblading. I work at Pizza Hut working the cash register. 

 I think that I bring lots of qualities to leadership such as confidence, kindness and a great personality. I am so excited to interact with every single one of you and to be someone you look up to.

Greta Jamieson 

Hi my name is Greta. I’m really looking forward to being a school and house leader. I will be leading Hillary in 2023. I love doing sports such as hockey, touch, netball and basketball. My leadership qualities are problem solving, kindness and confidence.

Matthew Dutton 

Hi my name is Matthew Dutton and I am a school and house leader for Mahy. I bring good ideas and positivity to the school. I like sports and PE and I am looking forward to 2023.

Cooper Mallet 

Hi my name is Cooper and I am a school and house leader for Ngata. I am a good problem solver which will help make me a great leader. In my spare time I enjoy climbing and playing cricket and soccer. Also my favourite colour is green.

Jenny Hanham 

Hello my name is Jenny. I am from Cameroon which is in Africa. My favourite food is Mcdonalds and I love art. I am looking forward to being a school leader for 2023. My qualities are being kind and creative and I will be supportive of the ideas of other leaders. I am excited to be the Enviro Leader this year and to learn more about nature and plants and how to look after our environment.

Summer Langrell 

Kia Ora, my name is Summer and I am 10 years old. I am excited to be the Cooper House Leader in 2023. I love basketball and gymnastics. I believe that I will make a great leader because I am kind and I work well with the younger students at our school. 

Heidi Holland 

Hi my name is Heidi, I’m looking forward to being a School Leader this year. I am also the Junior Neighbourhood Leader. 

I am a cheerleader and this is my fourth year of competing. I'm very supportive and organised which will help me to be a great 2023 leader.

Lucas Rolston

My name is Lucas and I am extremely excited to be a School Leader in 2023. I bring humour and my smarts to leadership. I love having the chance to speak in front of the school. I am looking forward to being a Hillary house leader and getting to do the hard yards. My hobbies and passions are hockey, writing, food and gaming. I think I will be a really good leader this year because I love helping others.