FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK
Kia ora Koutou,
With one week left in the school year, it is all GO!! We have been so lucky with the weather, which has enabled us to have Christmas in the Country, open the pool and enjoy all of our outdoor areas at Wainui School!!
NEWSLETTER FOCUS:
- Christmas in the Country
- Summer Sports Prizegiving
- Creatives Fund Grant
- Picnic Days: Pukeko and Kiwi teams
- Prizegiving Years 5-8
- Access to the Pool
- Kindo
- Moving Classes & Furniture
- Lost Property
- Farewell Assembly
- Last Day – 1:00pm Dismissal
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING
Christmas in the Country – What an amazing night with such a wonderful turnout from the community to celebrate with us! It was wonderful to be with our families and friends to celebrate the year and to show off the dance performances we learned with Omar, and the delightful singing we’ve practiced with our teachers. Thank you to the FOWS who organised the food, drinks and dessert for us, and Santa on his mower with his helpers!!
Big thank you to Leanne Stevenson (Acting AP) who organised the actual show, the enterprise projects, and all of the year 7&8’s stalls. Their work was amazing and showed the talents and the entrepreneurial skills that many of our students have already developed. Many of us were able to get half of our Christmas shopping done!
A BIG THANK YOU to all the staff of Wainui who cooked and served the food, drinks, desserts, MC’d the event and ensured everyone had a good time!! You were all amazing!!! Thank you to the team at Coffee & Cone from Harcourts Cooper & Co, who served the coffee and ice creams!! Sadly, due to unforeseen circumstances, Simone du Bernard of Harcourts Cooper & Co was unable to join us, but rang the next day to hear of our success!!
Big thank you to Matt Jones who held the music, microphones and electronics together for us! This was the first show we’ve done on the field, and it was somewhat challenging, but we have learned lots for future events!!
The field was an awesome area to utilise so that everyone could be together! It shows how much our school has grown, and that we are able to keep with our traditional events. I have a few photos, but if you have one or two good ones please send them to me, especially one of Santa – thank you!
Summer Sports Prizegiving – Today we celebrated all the summer sports teams that have played over the last term. Thank you Mr. Cochrane and Mrs. Howard for once again supporting the teams prizegiving and ensuring everyone is included and celebrated. We celebrated Basketball, Spring Netball, Cross Country, Touch Rugby and Swimming Sports Teams.
Jeff Thomson with Jacob Vermeer and his dog sculpture, we will be seeing lots more of Jeff in 2024!!
Creatives Fund Grant – I am thrilled to let you know that through our application, (thank you Annaliese Hewitt for all your hard work helping me!) we have won a Creative Fund grant of $10,000 for our school in 2024!! A sculpture will be added to our entrance as well, made by Jeff and some of the students at our school.
THIS WEEK
Picnic Days: Pukeko and Kiwi Teams – Have their summer picnics to celebrate the year in their teams. This replaces the traditional Prizegiving please ensure you are well aware of what your child needs to bring on their respective day.
Prizegiving Years 5-8 – This will take place on Friday, the 15th of December at 1:00 pm in the hall. All family and friends are invited to this event. If your child is receiving a specific award, you will have received an invitation to the prizegiving via email. The cups, trophies, and certificates are presented for a range of academic, sporting, cultural, arts, technological, and environmental learning. All students will also receive a Values Certificate to acknowledge their achievement with regard to the 5Rs this year.
We will also celebrate those who have been House Captains and Student Councillors. There will be a few speeches but this is about celebrating with our students. Please be aware we spend a lot of time thinking about who the awards go to, and don’t take it lightly. Please celebrate with us and the recipient and try not to be too disappointed if it didn’t go your way or your child’s.
Access to the Pool – We are hiring out access to the pool over the 2023/ 24 Summer for $70. To receive an access code to the pool please come to the office to sign the “Community Pool Use Contract” and collect a copy of the Pool Rules. Please note the pool will be closed from 22nd December 2023 to 8th January 2024.
Kindo – Miss Ludwig and I met with a rep from Kindo. Next year we will be expanding the use of Kindo to make it even easier for you as a parent/caregiver to make payments and contribute to the school. We will also be expanding the shop area from just sushi to include some products that include clothing name labels. These changes will all happen next year.
NEXT WEEK
Moving Classes & Furniture – This year, more than most, we have a number of teachers changing the level they are teaching and are therefore moving classrooms. We have areas in the school being re-carpeted as a part of the Ministry’s 5 year plan upgrade. Whilst this is all exciting it can be very unsettling for some children.
This gives us all a chance all to have a good clean out (including myself!). We are very much looking forward to the upgrade in the following areas: Puriri classroom, Karaka classroom, Kohekohe and Pukatea classrooms, the staffroom, staff kitchen and the small music room at back of the hall. Changes will also take place in the admin area, sick bay, Mr. Irvines office and the staff toilet.
Lost Property – We have a full table again, plus lots of shoes and water bottles!! Please, please come and find your things. Anything unclaimed will go to charity.
Farewell Assembly – Tuesday 19th December – is when we will farewell Mr. Irvine, Mrs. Fuller, our year 8’s and a number of other families.
It is always with great sadness to say goodbye to a well loved teacher who has given so much over the last 18 years. Please come and say farewell to Mr. Irvine. There will be morning tea in the staffroom afterwards for all the adults.
Last Day – 19th December Dismissal at 1:00 pm. Buses will run from 1:00 pm as well. Skids will still be able to help you if needed.
FINALLY
Another Christmas tradition that appears at Wainui now is Sue Johnston’s Mail box!!! The Junior children are able to post a letter to Santa right here and will get a reply!
Only 13 days until Christmas!!
Ka kite ano,
Gillian Bray
FOR YOUR CALENDAR
- Wednesday 13th December – Kiwi Team Picnic.
- Thursday 14th December – Pukeko Team Picnic.
- Friday 15th December – Yr 5-8 Prizegiving – 1pm.
- Tuesday 19th December – Farewell Assembly 9:15am.
- Tuesday 19th December – Last day of the term – Finish at 1pm – Buses will run at this time.
- Thursday 1st February 2024 – First Day of Term 1.
SPORTS
Touch Rugby
Wainui Comets Year 5/6 Girls. Won 6-4. MVP: Tiana Sweeney. Sportsmanship: Kora Cooper.
COMMUNITY
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