Tumuaki / Principal News

This old place is starting to buzz with excitement. Some of the packing boxes and packing tape were delivered today and we are planning to pack up and get ready to move on. Last week we took a walk through the new buildings and teachers took lots of photos which they will be showing the children over the next few weeks. Don’t forget the information evening we are holding on Thursday 4 March, so that you have a chance to ask any questions that are pressing on your mind. 

Planning is already underway for the school hangi, to be held early April, probably after Easter. It will be amazing to be home and to share Kai together. We really are on the clock countdown preparing to go home.

Please take the time to check out the school website. If you click on Our History it will open up a raft of photographs taken from the school archive over many decades. Graham has been posting all of those photos  for us and updating the website. It is a fantastic history of our school. Sadly there are many gaps in the decades of photos. I’m hoping that some past pupils or past staff will have photos and contact us. It’s surprising how many ex-pupils do go looking for photographic records from their school years here. 

It is such a relief to know that the Covid- 19 levels have dropped again over the past few hours. It will always remain important for you to track where you have been. Please make a point of using the QR code or covid app. There is so much sickness in the school at the moment. It is really important to ensure that sick  children are kept home if they are sick. Clean clothes and high standards of personal hygiene are critical. 

Monday marked the 10th anniversary of the Christchurch 6.3 earthquake. It’s hard to believe that 10 years have passed. We know that many people are still suffering the consequences of this event. One of our staff members is part of the longitudinal Dunedin Study, and she is contributing to the research on the effects of trauma. 

We hope that you are all well and that over time your experiences will be able to assist others in times of distress. It’s certainly not something that any of us would like to experience again.

Thank you for your responses to the survey on year five and six, and year four camps. Your comments and observations were very helpful. We are now in a position where we have buildings that comply with health and safety and fire regulation. Our plan is to hold a year four,  overnight camp. We have just announced it to staff so they need a bit of time to process it, and to come up with some plans. Please watch the space for a future announcement.

Jared and I are sweltering in the leadership office, aware that many of the classes are sitting outside in the shade of the trees. Another fabulous reason to return home to classrooms that are fully ventilated.

Join with us as we count down the days to when we return home. Take care

Best regards Marriene