FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK
Kia ora Koutou,
As these beautiful sunny days continue we can feel the temperature cool down at each end of the day!! This starts to have a big effect on the pool temperature. Sadly we are rapidly, this year coming to the end of what has been a very short swimming season. Please keep sending your child with togs, but expect very soon to hear swimming is over!! We are so fortunate to have a pool still as many schools have given up the “school pool” as they are expensive to run but our Board of Trustees is invested in ensuring our children have every opportunity to swim and improve this skill.
Swimming at Northern Arena last week for the Year 5 – 8 students was a great success. We are currently evaluating the success in terms of progress and cost. If you still need to contribute to the cost, please do so this week. I have heard very positive stories of how good this week was and I would be interested in your thoughts as parents for the future.
Hibiscus Coast Interschool Swimming Year 5 & 6 – Thursday 25th March at Northern Arena. We wish the team of Emily Coupe, Harry Brown Hale, Ruby Rowley, Jett Lee, Seamus Avery, Caitlin Bailey, Aidan Krynauw, Nevaya Thrupp, Capri Fairhurst, Sahasra Datla, Connor Kerr and Neva Atkinson a great day competing in your races.
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING
Orewa Kahui Ako News – This year, as you will be aware, I am co-leading the community of learning with Mr Cameron Lockie, Principal of Silverdale School. We have been meeting with the other principals of Orewa Primary School, Orewa Beach School, Orewa College and Dairy Flat School and the four current across school leaders to use the survey information we collected to create new goals for the Orewa Kahui Ako.
Two programmes are being funded and implemented through the Kahui Ako into all our schools;
- “Changeup” programme; Change-Up is a group specifically aimed to assist children in primary school (7-11-year-old) who are having difficulty identifying feelings and managing their anger. This is a fun, group-learning environment in which group members can learn from one another whilst finding helpful strategies to combat anger outbursts. It is based on a “Cognitive Behavioural Therapy” (CBT) model which looks at feelings, thoughts and behaviour.
- Mau Rākau a traditional Māori martial art. This programme gives our boys an opportunity to learn the ancestral practices, values, and protocols of this martial art.
These goals will be actioned and driven by new teachers who are currently applying for the roles of “across school leaders and within school leaders”. These draft goals will be ratified by the new teachers appointed and then shared with everyone.
THIS WEEK
Bike a Thon is launched!! Well done to our FOWS group for getting this organised and online for us. The best thing is our own set of bikes are all back and maintained by Torpedo 7 so we are all able to practice for the day on Thursday 15th April so please start thinking about our first major fundraiser of the year, practicing cycling and starting to think about who could sponsor you. See below for more news but a HUGE thank you to Mel Mayes, Leslie Ann Linn and Nikki Browne for leading the organisation of the event.
NEXT WEEK
Book Week – Thank you Ms Stevenson for your enthusiasm and organisation to get this going this year. This was one of the events we had to miss last year because of Covid-19 lockdown, so this year it is time to celebrate BOOKS!! The theme is SPACE!! I wonder what Mr Irvine will wear for the annual book parade next week?
Learning Conversations – These are next week. Please ensure you have made a time to meet your child’s teacher with your child and have a conversation about how learning is going this year, set some learning goals, together with your child and the teacher. Remember this year has started three times and there may be some anxiety around this, everyone can contribute to this important conversation. If you are still unsure how to book a conversation please ring the office as there is always someone to help you.
COMING UP
Bike A Thon – Thursday 15th April – YAY! The official launch day for donations starts today, Tuesday 23rd March. This year we going online again with our sponsorship for Bike-a-thon. It was a huge success and I’m sure 2021 will be even better! Each student will have the opportunity to set up their own fundraising page, and there are great prizes and incentives for all students! This week you will receive a letter detailing all the information and how to register your child online. We have over 50 spot prizes to giveaway during registration! If you can’t wait for the letter – Just go to our School Fundraising Hub page at: https://wainuibikeathon.raiseit.co.nz/hub.
You will find the REGISTER link to set up their account on this page. You will need to choose your child’s classroom as their fundraising team, If you need any help email help@raiseit.co.nz for direct assistance. All student totals update in real time and your donors can leave you messages of encouragement. The online Fundraising Hub website can be viewed to see the top classes and individuals at any time. We understand that online may not be accessible for every student, so we will still have paper forms for cash donations and sponsorships available in the office. Please contact or collect from the office if you would prefer one of these. For a full list of prizes this year head to: https://wainuibikeathon.raiseit.co.nz/prizes. And a MASSIVE Thank you to SJA Honey as our EVENT Corporate Sponsor – NEW ZEALAND’S LEADING SUPPLIER OF WHOLESALE LIVE BEES TO THE COMMERCIAL BEEKEEPING INDUSTRY. Thanks to your sponsorship this year’s Bike-athon will be a SWEET success!
FINALLY
The new buildings are connected to Wifi!! This has completed the learning environment for these classes. New chairs have been added and some different furniture that encourages collaboration and different styles of learning will be added to complete this amazing space. The Kiwi team is now ready to celebrate and have an official opening!! We will keep you all posted as to the date and what that will look like.
Ka kite ano,
Gillian Bray
FOR YOUR CALENDAR
- Tuesday 23rd March – BOT Meeting – Staffroom – 6.00pm
- Wednesday 24th March – FOWS Meeting – 7.00pm – Staffroom
- Thursday 25th March – Year 5 & 6 Interschool Swimming.
- Friday 26th March – Tui & Kiwi Assembly – 2.00pm
- Sunday 28th March – Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon – Virtual at Wainui School
- Monday 29th – Wednesday 31st March – Book Fair.
- Wednesday 31st March – 3.00pm – 6.30pm & Thursday 1st April – 3.00pm – 6.30pm – Learning Conversations
- Thursday 1st April – Year 7 & 8 Immunisations (New Date)
- Friday 2nd April – Good Friday – Public Holiday
- Monday 5th April – Easter Monday – Public Holiday
- Tuesday 6th April – Day after Easter Monday – No School Today
- Friday 9th April – Kaipara Schools Summer Sports Day
- Monday 12th April – Pumpkin Judging – 12 noon.
- Tuesday 13th April – BOT Meeting – Staffroom – 6.00pm
- Thursday 15th April – Bike-a-Thon Day.
- Friday 16th April – Pukeko Assembly – 2.00pm.
- Friday 16th April – End of Term 1.
OTHER
ezlunch is celebrating turning 10! PARTY ON!! We don’t want the party to end! So we’ll be running another class party competition. Order ezlunch for delivery Now – 1 April and be into WIN! Party bags for your whole class including a $10 ezlunch voucher per child…. AND there’s 10 cupcakes for the school office!
Book Week – Monday 29th to Thursday 1st April – Our Wainui School Book Fair will be happening, this is an exciting week with the emphasis put on reading for pleasure. The fair will be held in the school hall and the opening hours will be Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 8.15am till 8.55am and then in the afternoons from 3pm till 4.30pm and Thursday from 8.15 am until 8.55am. Every book purchased earns rewards for the school, we are then able to use these rewards to purchase books for the school library. In the past this annual event has earned us close to $1000 in rewards.
Learning Conversations – You are now able to book your Learning Conversation/s for your child/ children via the School Interview booking system.
Click on www.schoolinterviews.co.nz and enter the Event Code: j369m
Step 1: Enter your email address, parents full name, number of students you are booking for and the students name/s. Click the “Go” button.
Step 2: For each student, select your child’s classroom under the first dropdown box and select their teacher under the second dropdown box. Click the “Go” button.
Step 3: Choose the time/s you would like for your Learning Conversation/s by clicking on a time slot that suits you. Missing checkboxes mean that the time has already been booked by someone else. Click the “Go” button.
You have the option to print out a copy of the time/s you have booked, a confirmation will also be emailed to you. You can view, change or cancel your booking by using the link in the email confirmation.
The Learning Conversations are being held on Wednesday 31st March from 3.00pm – 6.30pm and Thursday 1st April from 3.00pm – 6.30pm and are 12 minutes in length with 3 minutes in between Conversations.
If you need help making your booking/s please come to the office and ask. We will also have a computer set up there that you can use to make your booking/
Wainui – Louvres By Design – Pumpkin Growing Competition – It’s that time of year again- time to judge the pumpkins that you have grown. If you entered this competition last year by buying pumpkin plants from the Garden to Table programme, now is the time to bring them into school for judging. You have until Monday 12th April to bring them into school, judging will be on this day at noon.
The pumpkins need to be placed on the deck outside Kahikatea class (beside the office), with the child’s name attached to the pumpkin in some way.
Wainui School Winter Sport Registration 2021 – The season runs throughout Term 2 and 3. If you would like to play Netball, Hockey or Basketball for Wainui School, please sign up through the registration forms- links below. Please Note: Netball is for Years 1-8, Hockey Years 3-8, Basketball Years 5-8. Please complete Registration by Friday 26th March. If you have any questions please get in touch with Mrs Howard, Sports Coordinator – hhoward@wainui.school.nz
COMMUNITY
Waitakere Indian Association – Is hosting a community full filled festival on Sunday 28th March from 10am to 5pm at the Trusts Arena, Henderson. This is a free event for the community. Holi is a festival of colour which has been taking place for the last 16 years in West Auckland. To check out the Facebook Page – the link is https://fb.me/e/16MEmR8s7
