FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK
Kia ora Koutou,
WELCOME BACK everyone to 2023 at Wainui School!! We are aiming to be “the happiest school” – our mantra as from today in our first informal get together in the hall!!
Welcome to all new families, we will be having our welcome Whakatau this Friday morning to officially welcome all new families and staff.
After a some what disjointed start we are all here today ready to start the year, the sun is shining the pool is blue and clean and classrooms ready for learning and having fun!!
This week we are all getting to know learning and behaviour routines, settling into our classroom, making connections or re-establishing friendships.
Some things to focus on:
- Teachers – Please ensure if you wish to talk about anything connect with the teacher they will help you.
- Buses – Ensure the office knows if you are going to use the bus, what days and if you change plans, ring the office before 2:00pm that day.
- Parking – Use the new carparks and
- Clothing and Belongings – Change for this year.
- Mihi Whakatau (welcome Powhiri) new families and staff on Friday 10th February at 9:15am.
- “Meet us All” evening is on Thursday 16th February.
THIS WEEK
Teachers – Please ensure if you wish to talk about anything connect with the teacher they will help you. Each teacher is contactable by email or by phone. Please remember they will connect with you during school hours, they are here by 8:15am and will be available to chat to until 5:00pm.
Buses – Ensure the office knows if you are going to use the bus, what days and if you change plans please ring the office before 2:00pm on the day of the change. The routes have been checked by GoBus for safety after the floods. GoBus will keep us updated as to any changes to routes.
Parking – Use the new and old carparks. For the carpark next to the pool and the one on the left hand side as you enter the school, please park as close as you can to other cars to ensure everyone can fit in the school gates. After school can be very busy. After school pick-up, only buses in the drop off zone from 2:45- 3:15pm please.
Clothing and Belongings – Last year we finished the year with a huge pile of unclaimed clothes (lost property). We would like to change this this year by focusing on self management of our own clothes, shoes, togs and belongings. Please name everything then it can be returned easily. Rather than end up with a huge pile of clothes each term the aim is to get clothing retuned each week or dispose of it more frequently.
Mihi Whakatau (Welcome Powhiri) – For new families and staff Friday 10th February at 9:15am.We would like to officially welcome everyone back this Friday. This will take approximately 20 mins and will be followed with a cup of tea and simple kai (morning tea). All families attending please wait at the entrance to school (the concrete by the hall). You will be called into the hall by our kapahaka leaders, a simple ceremony will proceed.
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING
Bottle Filling Stations – Huge thank you to the Stannard family for donating and installing water bottle filling stations around the school. Brenton Stannard has been our school plumber for a long time (throughly recommend his work). These filling stations have been on our wishlist for the last few years, we are thrilled to come back and find 4 stations magically installed over the break. “Once again our community is just amazing”.
Noah using a new bottle filling station.
School Kitchen Upgrade – A long overdue upgrade has been completed of the school kitchen over the holidays. A superb job has been done by “Bella Kitchens” a local kitchen company, supported by Board member Joseph Long. The funding for this is all through the property monies the school gets every 5 years to keep upgrading areas of the school. We use the kitchen for Food Technology programmes, Garden to Table and various food related activities. We are thrilled with the upgrade and look forward to opening the kitchen back up in the next few weeks.
NEXT WEEK
“Meet us All” Thursday 16th February 5:30pm start – All teachers, support staff, Board members, FOWS members, Skids representatives will be meeting altogether in the hall to share the direction of the school. There will also be time to go to the classes, see the classroom and meet the teacher with your child. A full programme will be shared this week with you all.
FINALLY
If you haven’t been in please feel welcome. Wainui School is all about being a community, being part of a learning community for everyone. We are here to work in partnership with you all. Communications and information are important. I have endeavoured to update the website over the holidays and ensure you can always find the information you need. https://wainui.school.nz/
Ka kite ano,
Gillian Bray
Tui/ Takahe Team
Kiwi Team
Pukeko Team
The staff “team” 2023!!
FOR YOUR CALENDAR
- Friday 10th February – Mihi Whakatau – 9:15am
- Thursday 16th February – Kelly Sports Promo Day – Yr 1-4
- Thursday 16th February – Meet us All Evening – 5:30pm
- Thursday 6th April – Last Day of Term 1
COMMUNITY
Kelly Sports – Term 1 flyer, please click here for information. 2023 T1 HBC ASP (2)
Okura Forest Festival – Saturday Feb 18th – “Friends of Okura Bush” https://okurabush.org.nz are again planning a fabulous Forest Festival for Saturday,18th February 2023.
Please follow the link to see the lineup of Live bands, https://www.
This year our kind Sponsor “Canoe and Kayak “ has given us an opportunity for kids to enter a special competition to win:
“ Bioluminescent Kayaking Tour “ https://www.newzealand.com/
To enter, Kids simply colour in the Tui bird design page, bring it along to the Festival and decorate the Okura Hall with their picture. Click here for the picture to colour in. Colouring Tui OFF23
The Okura Bush walkway is a rare remnant of lowland coastal subtropical broadleaf mixed Kauri forest with podocarps, and one of the best examples of Pohutukawa on a headland. It is one of the last surviving stands of coastal forest found between Coromandel and Whangarei Heads!we strive to preserve, protect and promote this special area of native bush, the land and sea birds and the ecosystem adjacent to the Marine Reserve of Long Bay.
It is a treasured taonga, and our volunteer group has been working together for many years to look after it for our whanau and mokopuna. The Guest Speakers and Workshops on environmental issues are always really interesting and educational.
Ticket prices have been kept reasonable so this is a wonderful opportunity for families to go to a local Music Festival, and listen to some great Kiwi musicians. Specially for kids, there is Face Painting, Bouncy Castle, a 12 person Hammock carousel. People can BYO chairs, blanket and umbrella and chilli- bin, or buy delicious vegetarian food, and beautiful home made juices and drinks, just relax, or dance the day and night away, from 11 am – 11pm!
