December 16 2024, Week 10
Principal's Message
16 December 2024
Kia ora koutou
As we end the school year of 2024, it's hard to believe how quickly the year has flown by! With the summer break approaching, we are all looking forward to some much-deserved sunshine and relaxation.
Today we had the last of our transition sessions with the teacher and class for 2025. Please understand that we are unable to make changes to the class placements. Our teachers have devoted a significant amount of time and effort to carefully craft the class lists. This process has involved extensive discussion and consideration of various factors to ensure the best possible learning environment for all students.
We appreciate your understanding and support for these decisions and ask that you trust us to teach your children and create a safe and positive learning environment with them. Today your child will bring home an introductory message from the teaching team with the class list. All children are in learning spaces whereby they mix and mingle with one another throughout the day, and are often taught by all teachers within the team for specific subjects. While for some, it may be difficult, this is an opportunity to develop resilience, and cope with change.
Last Friday, we had a fabulous evening celebrating our talented Year 8 students. It was a wonderful opportunity to reminisce about shared memories, recognize their success, and take pride in the young individuals we are preparing to send off to secondary school.
As part of their final year, students have the opportunity to vote for peers who exemplify our school values. This year, we are pleased to announce the following Year 8 students who have been recognized with Values awards:
C - confident (whakamanawa) - Harriet Small
H - hikohiko (active) - Sam Olliver
A - auahatanga (creative) -Eleanor Zablocka
M - manaaki - Isaac Baty
P - pataitai (curious) - Roman Busby
Principal Special awards:
Values Champion- Tommy Mackie
Sporting Excellence - Oliver Healy
Outstanding Contribution to Northland - Evie B-C
Congratulations to all of our year 8 students! We are incredibly proud of you and look forward to seeing all the amazing things you will accomplish in the future!
As we farewell this year’s year 8 students, I would like to acknowledge those of you who are also leaving Northland School with your child, some of you after many, many years of involvement. We appreciate your contribution to Northland School and the time you have given to help out in different ways.
Anslow, Buick - Constable, Busby, Cruden, Donoghue, Dye, Harvey, Healy, Lindher, Matthews, McGrath, Meijer, Milkop, Norwood, Pike - Bain, Scanlon, Sentosa.
I’d like to thank the Board who work really hard to support everything that goes on in the school. The Board continues to work behind the scenes to set school direction and support the staff of Northland School. Thank you Jono, Presiding Member, Richard, Rose and Judith for your mahi and to both Nikki and Jacqui, who resigned last month.
Thank you to our Home and School Committee, Joanna, AJ, Bridget, Jo, and Ashleigh who raise funds for us to use in our classrooms, who run our disco, parent quiz night and fundraisers. There are many of you who have assisted this group to have success and help out to lighten the load. We look forward to some new initiatives for 2025.
As we wrap up the year, our staff and students would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the parents and volunteers who have supported us throughout 2024. Your contributions have been invaluable, and without your help, we would not be able to offer many of our programs and enriching learning experiences.
We are especially grateful to those parents who have provided supervision and transport for trips, assisted with road patrol, swimming sessions, engaged with our maths enrichment and code club, and shared your talents in music. Your willingness to present to classes and step in whenever we needed assistance has made a significant difference in our school community.
As we approach the end of the year, I want to take a moment to express my thanks to our dedicated staff. Your commitment throughout the year, along with the new learning experiences and challenges we’ve navigated together, has been truly commendable.
Thank you Charles for beginning your teaching career at Northland and we wish you all the best for your future and to Jackie, thank you for teaching our youngest learners during the last two terms.
Looking ahead, there are exciting opportunities awaiting us in 2025. However, it is essential that we all take the time to pause, relax, and recharge during the upcoming break.
Thank you for your continued support and involvement. Wishing everyone a restful and rejuvenating holiday season!
Ngā mihi nui
Andrea
Northland CHAMP
During the year we have continued to develop our expectations and Northland CHAMP acknowledgements. The Student PB4L committee has worked with Emma and provided feedback on what is being developed across the school. They suggested a visual representation for Northland CHAMP’s and we are delighted to share this with you.
Last year all students created a bird together in their rōpu. Eleanor Z has used these as inspiration in her design and leaves a wonderful image for us to use as we embed the Northland CHAMP further in 2025.
Please note the sunhat and the colours that are the same as our values. What an amazing artist Eleanor, and a great legacy.
End of Year Board Update
As we head into the Christmas and summer break, the board would like to take a moment to reflect on the year and acknowledge the incredible efforts of our staff. Their dedication and hard work have been instrumental in providing a nurturing and enriching school environment for our students.
A special acknowledgment goes to all of our parent volunteers throughout the year including the Home and School Committee and the many parents who have offered their time and skills at various occasions and events throughout the year.
On 14th November we wrote to you in a HERO post notifying you of the resignations of some school Board members, in that, absent significant interest in a bi-election from the community, we intend to fill these vacancies by selection. This process has now concluded with less than 10% requesting a bi-election. We have, at the same time, heard from a few people keen to serve the school community as parent representatives on the Board.
We are excited to introduce our new board members Katie Clemens-Seely, Deborah Quinn, Jane Clunies-Ross. Their fresh perspectives and enthusiasm will undoubtedly bring positive changes to our school community. We would like to extend our thanks to Nikki and Jacqui for their service and dedication.
Thanks also for responding to the parent survey, the conversations and emailed feedback. The school has come a long way and this is down to the hard work of the leadership and staff over four years. The board recognises the progress and shifts made in all of the pou. You will see at the bottom of this section a more detailed summary of the survey.
The Board will be communicating about donations and fees in the New Year. The school appreciates all donations received. The communities investment, through donations, in the schools Structured Literacy programme meant that we were well placed for the focus and roll out of the new structured literacy programme nationwide this year.
Attendance remains a key focus for us and the school encourages all parents to be familiar with the Ministry of Education requirements on attendance. Going to school every day is important for students to develop skills for lifelong learning.
Lastly, it has been a successful year for the property portfolio, and with the completion of several projects we are on top of our maintenance and capital programme. These improvements have enhanced our school facilities and created a better learning environment for our students. The board's focus in 2025 will be on finishing the work on the playground upgrade.
Thank you for your ongoing support. We wish you a restful holiday season.
Jono, Richard, Rosie, Judith, Andrea
School Security and Property over the break
If you are around school over the Christmas period and find any damage to school of significance, please email me or leave a message on the school phone, andreap@northland.school.nz or 044757596 so I can take any action that may be required.
The school phone will also be diverted to a member of the senior leadership team over the break if you need to report anything.044757596
Our school office is closed from 12:30pm on Wednesday 18 December and reopens on 28th January 2025 8.30 a.m. - 3.30 p.m.
From 13th January there will be carpet being installed in Kāka rooms and Autex wall covering installed in Kākā and Ruru iti. Our caretaker Tony will also be checking the grounds and buildings over the holiday period.
Over the break all teachers will be taking time away from devices and emails. The Senior leadership team will be back on site from 23rd January and I am expecting the rest of the staff on site from 27th January.
2025 Dates for the start of the year
On the afternoon of Wednesday 29th January, from 2 - 3:30pm classrooms will be open for you to meet the teacher, connect with other parents and children. This is also an opportunity to bring in stationery.
Next year, the bell will go at 8:50 am instead of 8:55 am. There will be 10 minutes for administration and then lessons will begin at 9:00am.
We want to make sure we have three blocks of 90 minutes across the day for the explicit teaching of Reading, Writing and Maths and the other important curriculum areas. Children will be marked late after 8:50 am, so we encourage everyone to aim to be at school from 8:30 am.
Before School Care will start on January 30th from 7:30 am -8:30 am in the Library. Please email the office for further details, office@northland.school.nz
2025 Term 1 and 2 Dates
Term 1 - 30th January - 11th April ( Kāhui Ako MOE Teacher Only Day Curriculum 21st March )
Term 2 - 28th April - 27th June ( MOE Teacher Only Day Maths Curriculum Friday 30th May)
CAMP DATES
Year 7 / 8 Camp - Term 2 Kaitoke 6th May- 9th May 2025
Year 5 / 6 Camp - Term 4 Forest Lakes 29th October - 31st October 2025
Stationery for 2025
From feedback within our school community we have reverted back to families providing stationery for the school year. We will be posting each Year group's stationery requirements on the school website next week and on HERO.
You can also order through OfficeMax or you can make a day of it and take the lists to whichever stationery provider you like, we will have a small supply at school for students to purchase as they use up the books throughout the year. We have some items (code books, book bags) that the school will purchase and enter onto your Hero accounts. Below is an instruction video on how to order through OfficeMax.
** New entrant students, starting school in 2025, stationery will be purchased by the school and ready in their classes for the year to begin.
From Year 5 onwards children are encouraged to have their own pencil cases with their named pens and pencils, erasers etc.
Please find attached an instruction video on how to order through OfficeMax.
Any queries please let us know, thank you
Northland Kidz Club -Last Day of School
MEETING THE KIDS AT 12 NOON ON THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL, WEDNESDAY 18/12/24
We'll be meeting the kids as usual at the Tiger Turf, at 12 noon on this day. The kids need to bring their lunch – we'll provide afternoon tea and will be having our usual end-of-year Christmas Party. We'll be finishing at our usual time of 6 p.m.
Our fees are the same as for our usual afternoons : Regular ($16 per child), Casual ($20 per
child).
Contact Lisa on 022-680-3075, Jan on 022-140-2612, or e-mail ( nkc.jan@gmail.com ).
Enjoy your Christmas holidays !