Dear Parents / Caregivers

I trust you enjoyed a lovely long weekend. There was plenty of viewing available of Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London. An amazing achievement for her Majesty.

This week, through New Zealand schools, we are celebrating ‘Support Staff Week’. This is an opportunity for schools to acknowledge the Support Staff who have an important role in the school to support students, teachers and parents. We are very blessed to have an amazing Support Staff team who carry out a large number of roles supporting our entire school community. We are very grateful for all that they do, and always with a smile. Our thanks to:

Suzanne Bell-Booth, Rose Douglas, Janine Evaroa, Anita Foster, Tracy Foster, Wilma Hilhorst, David Kelly, Julie Kelly, Michelle Kim, Angela O’Grady, Lisa O’Grady, Megan Street, Lizzy Thoresen, Sommohini Wrigglesworth.

The following topics will be covered in this weeks Principal Message:

• Cereal Dominoes
• Thrill Zone
• Rippa Rugby Tournament
• Wet day Pick-Up

Ka manaakitia e te Atua

Alister Bridgman

Tumuaki

What great excitement was had throughout the school on Friday morning as boxes of cereal were transported to the hall for what is becoming our annual Cereal Domino Race. 

There were 361 boxes donated by our amazing families. What a generous gift we have to give our North Shore families in need. 

Thank you to our awesome Atawhai & Special Character leaders who set up the course four times so we could all watch and be safe.  Well done.

Once again thank you for supporting De Paul House and St Vincent de Paul. 

Thrill Zone

Reporter: Janine L

Yesterday, we had an exciting day at the Thrill Zone in the hall. There was an Escape Room! On the first activity, we had an iPad, and we had to scan symbols from our Action Packs. We had to solve riddles. If we didn’t understand what the riddles were about, we could ask the “goblin” for hints. But unfortunately, that meant that he would have to subtract some points. If we asked for hints, then he’d show us where to find a coloured crystal that he had placed around the hall, and beside it, there’d be a hint. ?

Some of the answers for the riddles were for cracking a code to get the word, “Porta”. It was a lot of fun for us, and the children. Everyone worked as a team, and all the groups finished the first activity.

The second activity involved algebra. We were all given a paper and a lock. We had to figure out the number to open the lock. ? On the paper, it said: ‘C+D=5’ and three other equations. We had to solve these problems in order to get the correct answer. In the end, the number 1906 unlocked the hidden treasure. Inside the lock, there were 3 gems. ? The groups that worked well as a team, were the first to complete their quests. Every group succeeded when they worked as a team. ? We all enjoyed the activities and we would love to try another one!!

Our thanks for your patience at Pick-up on a wet day. We are in the season in which there is a high chance it will be raining at pick-up time. Parents are welcome to come into the quad to meet their children. Teachers will call the children from their learning space.

Alternatively parents can arrive after 3 pm, when the gate will be open, and do the drive by pick-up. If this is the option you choose, please have a sign in the windscreen with your child’s full name and home group number. The teacher on duty will call your child down, as they will be waiting in their learning space, out of the rain. 

This process takes slightly longer and we are grateful for your understanding and support.