FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK
This week Gillian Bray is attending a two day Kahui Ako Conference in Christchurch. In her absence the Newsletter is written by Sandy Blackburn, Deputy Principal.
Newsletter focus:
- Cultural Diversity Week
- Positive Playground Play: Be Kind, Play Well, Respect Each Other
- FOWS: Supporting Our School With The Whittakers Chocolate Fundraiser
- Sportsmanship Award
- Teacher Only Day: Kahui Ako ki Orewa, the Community of Schools
Cultural Diversity Week – What a fantastic week we had celebrating Cultural Diversity Week! Our classrooms were buzzing with activities that explored different cultures from around the world. Students learned about traditions, languages, music, and foods, gaining a deeper appreciation for the rich tapestry of cultures that make up our school community.
A highlight of the week were the performances from Orewa College and Whangaparāoa College’s Pacifica Groups, and the Chinese Women’s Association’s ‘Starlight Art Troupe.’ We appreciate and thank these performers in the showcasing of their cultural dances and enriching our students’ understanding of the world.
Thank you also to our student leaders : Ayla Lodge, Phoenix Sweetman-Jones and Isabella Lehmann for their organisation and leadership over the week. This week truly embodied the spirit of celebrating where we come from, while also fostering a true sense of belonging and unity.
Positive Playground Play: Be Kind, Play Well, Respect Each Other – Wainui School is a PB4L School (Positive Behaviour for Learning) and this is integral to our school life and our school values. On the playground, we are continuing to emphasize the importance of positive play. Remember, being kind to our classmates and friends are key to having a fun and a safe environment. This means including others, playing by the rules, and resolving conflicts peacefully. By respecting each other during games and activities, we create a positive school culture that extends beyond the classroom.
FOWS: Supporting Our School With The Whittaker’s Chocolate Fundraiser – A big thank you goes out to everyone who is participating in our school’s Chocolate Fundraiser! We appreciate your support in raising money to benefit our school and help us provide the best possible learning environment for our students. A special thank you to Megan Evans for her hard work in organising this week’s distribution of chocolates.
Whittaker’s Chocolate Fundraiser – 27th May – 14th June 2024 – Yesterday your family received box of yummy Whittaker’s Chocolate Slabs to sell. This is an important part of our FOWS fundraising for the school.
There are 36 slabs in each box and you are selling them for $2.50 each. The total box value and amount to be collected is $90. Once you have sold your entire box you can pay for the whole box on KINDO or bring the money back to the school office. If you wish to take a further box to sell you may do so.
Extra boxes will be available to collect from the office in the morning from 8.30am to 9.15am. Or phone the office and we will put aside a box to collect/handout. All money is due back to school when you sell your box OR by Friday 14th June. There are some great prizes on offer for taking part in this exciting fundraiser. Winners for the prizes will be announced at the next whole school assembly on Friday 5th July.
Have fun selling – there are endless opportunities! (Any questions please email: fows@wainui.school.nz or call the office)
* We’d love you all to take part in this fundraiser but we also know things aren’t the way they used to be right now especially for some families in our community. If for any reason, this is not right for your child/children/family please return the box, no explanation needed in the next 3 days so we can re-allocate it. Thank you, FOWs.
Sportsmanship Award – Playing fair and being a sportsman really pays off! Congratulations to Vincent Callaghan, who exemplified our school values and was awarded the Sportsmanship Award at our recent Rippa Rugby Day. Vincent’s dedication to fair play and teamwork during the tournament meant he was awarded the student sportsmanship and team player award from the 1,000 students who participated. Thanks to Vincent’s win, our school will receive money towards the purchase of new sports equipment, benefitting all our students! A fabulous example of ‘living our school values’ beyond the school walls. Well done, Vincent!
Teacher Only Day: Kahui Ako ki Orewa the Community of Schools – A reminder that on Teacher Only Day (Friday, 31st May) our kura will be closed so teachers can attend a combined Kahui Ako mini conference at Orewa College. Teachers will hear Jay Geldard, founder of the programme E Tu Tangata speak on health and wellbeing, the tall poppy syndrome and the success stories of this programme.
Finally, with winter on the horizon, let’s embrace our school values of respect, resilience, resourcefulness, reflection, and relationship building. By embodying these values, we can create a supportive and positive school community that thrives even as the weather cools.
Have a great week.
Sandy Blackburn
FOR YOUR CALENDAR
- Monday 27th May – Chocolate Fundraiser Launch Date.
- Wednesday 29th May – FOWS (Friends of Wainui School) Meeting – 7:00pm in the Staffroom.
- Friday 31st May – Teacher Only Day – School Closed.
- Monday 3rd June – Kings Birthday – School Closed.
- Tuesday 4th June – Board Meeting – 6:30pm.
- Thursday 6th June – The Musical Instrument Making Show.
- Friday 14th June – Chocolate Fundraiser End Date.
- Monday 24th – Friday 28th June – Matariki Week.
OTHER
E Tu Tangata – As part of our E Tu Tangata initiative which is aimed at turning around a culture of criticism, empowering students and building a culture where every person is valued, the year 2’s have created “We Have Value Korowai’s.” These are a celebration of each child, and a great activity to complete during Cultural Diversity week.
House T-Shirts – A reminder that these are available at a well reduced cost after funds raised from the Disco. The idea is to revive our house culture, wear our colours and develop the whanau grouping that occurs when we have activities in our houses! Orders are taken until 4th June via Kindo or in the office for $10.00. We have the range of sizes to try if needed in the office.
Hannah Longley – Child and adolescent psychotherapist.
My name is Hannah, and I am very excited to be joining the Wainui School whanau as the new school therapist.
I have been working in youth mental health for the last 8 years, primarily at an NGO, working with youth suicide prevention. I have also worked at other agencies, including Lifeline and The Anxiety Trust. I have done a lot of specialist training, primarily in suicide prevention, but also in suicide bereavement, family harm and working with eating disorders. My previous areas of work have primarily focused on working with suicide and related disorders, primarily anxiety and depression.
I work with youth primarily as I believe it is preventative work. When we give young people the skills and resources to be able to cope with adversity in later life, we become the barriers at the top of the cliff, not the ambulance at the bottom. We do not need to wait for a crisis to occur in order to seek support. Therefore, my services are for all children of Wainui, whether the problems seem big or small, it’s always helpful to have someone to talk to. As Wainui is a small community, I am hoping my work with the children will have a ripple effect felt within the classrooms.
When working with young people, a play-based approach is undertaken, as children learn and communicate best through play. I work from a psychotherapeutic lens, while incorporating other methods when needed in order to meet the different needs of each child. Psychotherapy primarily focuses on helping people process past experiences in order to overcome current adversities, helping us to look towards the future with more optimism. I will be joined in the therapy room by Leo, my 16 year old tibetan spaniel. Leo has a very calm and placid nature, and has been joining in my therapy practice for the last few years. I will be on site 2 days a week. On Tuesdays, I will be seeing students on a private basis at the request of parents. Parents are able to contact me to book their child in for an appointment, at a discussed rate. I will also be available for parent support sessions for children who are engaging in therapy. On Thursdays I will be working alongside the teachers, who will be able to refer students to see me. All sessions will be confidential, unless there is any harm or risk of harm. This includes the client harming themselves, the client harming others, or someone else harming the client.
To arrange an appointment, discuss fees, or any questions, please do not hesitate to email me – hlongley@wainui.school.nz
The Musical Instrument Making Show – Next Thursday 6th June The Musical Instrument Making Show will be coming to Wainui School. Some of the instruments featured in this show include: Guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, mandolin, violin, recorder, flute, piccolo, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, flugelhorn and a large range of percussion instruments.
MusicAl will bring lots of homemade instruments to the show and play too. He will explain how they are made and leave students and staff with an Instrument making book to get lots of ideas to make their own instruments. This show will provide fantastic ideas that fit with the music, science and technology curriculums. By the end of the show students will want to start gathering lots of household items to start their own musical instrument projects. There will be 3 shows over the day to ensure all students get a chance to participate.
The show costs $3 per student, and it would be fabulous if you were able to contribute towards the cost by way of this donation. The $3 can be given to class teachers on the day of the show.
The show is run by Musical Al Below is a description of who Musical Al is: MusicAl was born in Helensville and lived most of his life in West Auckland before moving to Te Kauwhata. His real name is Russell French but picked up the nickname Al when he kept singing the Paul Simon hit “Call Me Al” all the time. When he started doing school music shows people started calling him MusicAl.
MusicAl started experimenting with musical instruments when he was five years old and joined the local brass band at ten years old. He played in the Takapuna Brass Band, The Air Force Brass Band and was a member of The National Youth Band Of New Zealand. MusicAl became a teacher when he first left school and has been involved with education most of his life. MusicAl is also a solo entertainer and provides music for all occasions. MusicAl loves music and especially loves to use his passion to encourage others to play musical instruments.
SPORTS RESULTS
– email your sports results to Miss Ludwig in the office, exo@wainui.school.nz
Netball
Wainui Yr 2 Sapphires vs Marina View Mystics. Won 11-1. POD: Lily Lyth. Coaches Award: Sophie Starr. Sportsmanship: Willow Davis.
Wainui Yr 7 Galaxy vs Waioneke Falcons. Won 20-3.
Wainui Gems vs Murray’s Bay. Loss 4-7.
Wainui Stars vs Pinehurst Cookies and Cream. Won 7-4.
Wainui Jets vs Torbay Suns. Loss 4-1. PODS: Romi Van Loggerenberg & Eva Albert.
Hockey
Wainui Yr 7/8 Tomahawks vs Takapuna Blue. Loss 3-2. PODS: Travis Dunning and Tahia Ballhorn.
Basketball
Wainui Yr 5/6 Hawkes vs Red Beach Hoops. Won 7-2.
Wainui Y5/6 Thunder vs OPS Heat. Won 16-6. POD: Kobe Oliver.
CERTIFICATES
At the last assembly, the following students received certificates for “Manawanuitanga (Resilience)”.
- Puriri: Karson Pollock, Charlotte Baxter, Odin Morton (Reflective).
- Karaka: Bentley McIntosh, Braxton Price, Ava Gerrand.
- Rata: George Gaitau, Hazel Wilson, Gracie Erasmus (Respect).
- Rimu: Emily MacLennan, Lily Lyth, Romeo Kneijber (Relational).
- Matai: Dante Broederlow, Logan Venter, Jetroy Sankey-Tritt (Relational).
- Pukatea: Fushsia Harris Vail, Leané Conradie.
- Kohekohe: Elea Johnson, Thomas Pengelly, O’Rylee Greening (Reflective).
- Kowhai: Megan Uhe, Austyn Reid, Hans Evans.
- Nikau: Vincent Bryant, Hunter Francino, Kauri Herbert (Respect).
- Totara: Teddy Callaghan, Landen Semenoff, Noah Hill.
- Kahikatea: George Anderson, Karlo Baulcomb, Kaes Kadlec (Relational), Jaydon Gaitau (All Values).
- Kauri: Caleb Moors, Adelle Wells-Lakeland, Nalia Searle-Pauli.
- Kawakawa: James Pallatt, Soul Dixon, Morgan Price (Resilience and Respect).
- Pohutukawa: Alfie Patel, Talia Flavell, Lexi Albert (Resourceful).
- SENCO Awards: Tristran Krull, Queenie Zhao.
- Our amazing Hellyer Cup Winners were: Lily Fincham (Kohekohe), Hunter Stollarz (Kowhai), Bella Bartrom (Pukatea).
COMMUNITY
Snowplanet Saturday Snowsports Program – We are pleased to announce a weekend learn to ski and snowboard program for 4 weeks of Term 2.Saturdays 9.30am-11am. 4 weeks starting Saturday 8 June, 15 June, 22 June & 29 June Ski and Snowboarding – First timers right thru to intermediate/advanced riders. Open to ages 5yrs to 13yrs BUT if demand for an older group happy to create a group with older students if numbers are$280 (includes 1.5hr group lesson, 1.5hour access to the snow and 1.5hour ski/snowboard, boots and helmet hire). Clothing and gloves can be hired for $21 and $8 respectively.
*Limited spaces* Click on the link below and select 8 June to complete your booking.
https://bookings.snowplanet.co.nz/book/groups-schools-parties/schools/term-programs/523
This is a great opportunity to learn and improve before the snow falls around the country.
