FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK
Kia ora tātou katoa,
Newsletter Focus:
- Welcome Back
- Final Term for our Year 8 students
- Young Farmer
- Thank You
- By-Election
- Admin Messages
Welcome back to Term 4! It’s hard to believe we’ve reached the final stretch of the school year already. This term is always a special one, filled with excitement and anticipation as we celebrate all the hard work and growth we’ve seen throughout the year. We’ve got lots of activities lined up, from our annual Ag Day, Christmas in the Country, and, of course, for our Year 8 students, their graduation!
This term is particularly significant for our Year 8 students, as it marks their final weeks here at our school. It is a time to embrace every opportunity, reflect on the friendships and experiences they have shared, and prepare for the next steps in their education journey. As they transition to High School, it’s important for them to focus on the skills they’ve developed and the lessons they’ve learned, ensuring they are ready for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
THIS WEEK
Young Farmer – This Friday, 18th October, is our school’s annual Young Farmer Competition, a valued tradition. The event highlights important skills like problem-solving, and practical know-how while connecting students to our rural heritage. It’s a great opportunity for our students to put their abilities to the test. The Years 1-4 competition (heats only to select a winner) will be held on the school field from 9.10- 11.45am. The years 5-8 competition (heats to select finalists) will be held on the school field at 12.25- 2.55pm. Below are the timetable of events for your child.
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The finals for Years 5-8 will be held at 2.00pm on Thursday 24th October.
Thank You – You will have noticed the fantastic new boulder retaining wall, footpath, and pedestrian crossing on Little Bush Road. A big thank you to Chad Mexted for his efforts in organising and overseeing this project to its completion. The pedestrian crossing is there to help keep everyone safe when walking to and from the field to the lower carpark, so please make sure to use it every time you cross the road. The pedestrian crossing will have an adult to supervise the crossing of the children before and after school. Please ensure you slow down in your vehicles when you enter the school grounds.
NEXT WEEK
Ag Day – Is next Friday 25th October, see below for the latest update. A big thank you to our very generous Ag Day sponsors as follows and the Kranenburg family for the donated frisbees.
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COMING UP
By-Election – A By-Election for our School Board is coming up, and nominations will soon be open. If you’re interested in standing for the Board we encourage you to consider putting your name forward. Keep an eye out for more information on how to nominate yourself or someone else!
FINALLY
A few reminders for all parents and caregivers:
- Absences & Bus Changes – For absences and/ or bus changes please leave a message on the school phone, email or text the school mobile number 027 525 1848. Please notify us of any student absences before 9:00 am, or if there are bus changes, let us know before 1:00 pm.
- Sunhats for term 4 as summer returns – Time to rock those sunhats that cover your neck and keep you cool! Be sun smart, slip on your hat, slap on sunscreen, and enjoy the outdoors safely.
- A message from GO Bus: Families must ensure that a parent or caregiver is with the student in the morning for pick-up and waiting for the student in the afternoon at drop-off. If no one is there in the afternoon, the student will be returned to school as per the bus company’s policy. Please do not chase the bus if it’s late!
- Lastly, a reminder to please not park in the disabled car park unless you have the proper permit. Thank you for your cooperation!
Finally, a huge thank you to all of our staff for their efforts in getting the new term off to a great start and ensuring a positive term ahead for our school. You are all very much appreciated.
As we move through the term, let’s keep living our school values and embrace E tū tāngata – standing strong together, where every student, whanau and members of our school community is valued and matters. By continuing to support one another, showing kindness, and working as a team, we can make this a term filled with laughter, learning, and memorable experiences. We look forward to seeing you all around the school grounds as we kick off what promises to be a fantastic Term 4!
Ngā mihi nui,
Sandy Blackburn
Deputy Principal
FOR YOUR CALENDAR
- Tuesday 15th October – Winter Sports Prizegiving – 5 – 6:30pm.
- Friday 18th October – Young Farmer Yr 1-4 – 9:10 – 11:45am
- Friday 18th October – Young Farmer Yr 5-8 Heats – 12:25 – 2:55pm.
- Thursday 24th October – Young Farmer Yr 5-8 Finals – 2pm.
- Friday 25th October – Ag Day & Country Fair.
- Monday 28th October – Labour Day – School is closed.
- Tuesday 29th October – Teacher Only Day.
- Friday 1st November – Kiwi Assembly – 2pm.
OTHER
Ag Day – Friday 25 October 2024 – Update # 12 – Only 2 weeks until Ag Day!!
Animals: We have 54 animals registered this year, a great turn out! I hope the bonding and rearing of your Ag Day pets went well in the holidays. I can’t wait to see them in the ring to show off what they have learned.
Stewards needed for the animal rings: I am looking for 2 or 3 stewards to put in the animal rings to help the judges on Ag Day.
The role of the steward is the most important support position in the ring. The work of the steward involves the tasks outside of the ring. The steward’s role requires good preparation and management of the children to ensure that they participate in all their events. If you would like to give this a go, please email me on [email protected]
Donations: A huge thank you to those who have been dropping off donations for Ag Day raffles and games. This week’s donation is a King sized bar of chocolate for the very popular Chuck-o-choc game!! If you don’t have time to make a weekly donation, you’re more than welcome to make a $30 donation to the school and we will do the shopping on your behalf (you can make this donation via Kindo as well).
Market Stalls: Thank you to those who have filled in the Market Stall form. There is still time to register if you wish to have a stall. Register your Market Stall table to sell toys, clothes, books, crafts, plants, preserves, old fashioned lollies (e.g. coconut ice, fudge, toffee, hokey pokey) OR second hand goods etc. If you would like to have a stall at our Ag Day please fill in this registration form Ag day & Gala Market Stalls Registration form.
Pet Eggs: If you haven’t reared an animal this year, then I can’t wait to see the pet egg habitat that you have created over the holidays. These come into school on Thursday 24th October (the earliest) or Friday morning of Ag Day and need to be put into the Kawakawa classroom before 9am ready for judging!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! You have been sent a google doc via etap as each class has a stall they are responsible for the day. Please put your name down to help in your class stall for one hour on Ag Day. It is all simple and straightforward and there will be instructions on what to do for the games, and how to run the food stalls. There will be PTA members helping you on the day, so you will not be on your own. We can’t run Ag Day without you, our volunteers, so thank you in advance for your help.
Cake Boxes: The cake boxes will be coming home next week – one per family. Please fill with yummy home baking of a cake, a slice, muffins, cupcakes (anything we can sell at the cake stall on the day). These can be delivered to school on Thursday before or on Friday morning of Ag Day itself. The cake stall will be set up in the hall.
I can’t wait to see you all there, enjoying the best school day ever!
House T-Shirts – Last day to order the new House T-Shirts is this Friday 18th October! They are available to order via Kindo or in the office for $20. The sizes range from 4 – 16.
Calendar Art – Reminder to order your Calendar Art. These products make great Christmas gifts and are a lasting memory of your child’s creativity.
The following can be purchased via KINDO.
Calendars $20
Cards $16
Diaries $20
Mouse mats $16
Sketch pads $16
This is a fundraiser for our school and your support with our fundraising ventures is always greatly appreciated. Teachers will email parents with links to the completed artworks. The artwork will also be on display in classrooms at our annual Ag Day and that will be the final day to order products. (Friday 25th October).
Hannah Longley – Child Adolescent Psychotherapist – Hannah is the Counsellor at Wainui School, click here for further information on the therapy she offers. Psychotherapy at Wainui
SPORTS RESULTS
– email your sports results to Miss Ludwig in the office, exo@wainui.school.nz
Basketball
Wainui Wizards vs Kingsway Lightning. Won: 24 – 14.
CERTIFICATES
At the last assembly, the following students received certificates for “Reflective”.
- Puriri: Jasper Holland, Harley Daverne (Resourceful).
- Karaka: Annabelle Buchanan, Isabelle Hulbert, Bentley McIntosh.
- Rata: Nixon Cooper, Gracie Erasmus, Walter Stannard.
- Rimu: Mary Gaitau, Jacob Vermeer, Jackson Neely (Relational).
- Matai: Brax Green, Jetroy Sankey-Tritt, Brock Williams.
- Pukatea: Chloe Epp, Sophia Rowntree, Aimee Clough (Resourceful), Maria Quintero Henao (Resilience).
- Kohekohe: Francesca Ellis, Lily Fincham, Harley James (Respect).
- Kowhai: Jack Grogan, Hunter Stollarz, Harper Reid (Resourceful).
- Nikau: Oliver Smithies, Zain Ouzoun, Kauri Herbert (Relational).
- Totara: Jakob Raikes, Mikaela Scott, Datsun Kockott (Resilience).
- Kahikatea: Liam Doherty, Ryder Gerrand, Noah Penman.
- Kauri: Harry Hill, Abigail Watt, Emerson Buchanan (Resourceful & Relational).
- Koromiko: Charlie Graystone, Scarlett Thew, Xavier Zhao.
- Pohutukawa: Lexi Albert, Ella Brea Wells-Lakeland, Hamish Fincham (Resourceful).
- Our amazing Hellyer Cup Winners were Maci Campbell (Nikau), Jasmine Flavell (Totara), Sophie Carr (Kahikatea) and Gabby Long (Kauri).
COMMUNITY
North Auckland Line, Whangārei- Auckland reopening – Over the past 20 months, KiwiRail have been working hard to remediate the North Auckland Line (NAL) from Whangārei to Auckland. This line has reopened and in the upcoming few weeks you may notice an increase of freight trains travelling through this section as we help settle the tracks in.
We are asking that you please remind students, friends, and whanau that it is illegal and extremely unsafe to enter into the rail corridor and to only ever cross the tracks at an official level crossing and never walk on, or across the tracks at any other point. Always expect trains and rail vehicles, they can come at any time of the day or night, and from either direction.
Tracks are for trains. Help us keep everyone safe and remember to only ever cross the railway tracks at an official level crossing and obey all signs and signals.
Here are the links to further resources:
Explore TrackSAFE New Zealand’s Safety Resources & Media
Stay safe around level crossings: take a look from the train driver’s perspective (youtube.com)
