29 October 2025 Week 4
Principal's Message
Kia ora koutou
Welcome to Anya who has joined us this week in Ruru iti.
Yesterday Kōtare set off to Forest Lakes camp in Otaki, everyone was excited and ready to experience lots of outdoor learning. We anticipate by Thursday afternoon on their return they will have plenty of stories to tell and be ready for a good sleep.
We are aware that there are a number of cases of measles in the Wellington region with Wellington Girls and Wellington College being identified as locations. It is a timely reminder to check immunisations are up to date for both children and adults. Please read the measles section for more information.
This Friday is the last of the Western Zone competitions for the year and we have 60 children taking part in the Athletics. For a small school this is a great number of students who are eligible to compete in field and track events. We wish those taking part all the best.
Next week we have the Education Review Office in school for two days. They are focusing on attendance, achievement and the implementation of English and Maths curriculums across the school. We look forward to welcoming Andrea and Melanie on Tuesday morning with a mihi whakatau and invite you to attend from 9-9:15 in Te Kōhanga.
Please take time to read the October Update from the Board. Next week, we'll be sharing our Community Survey on HERO. Your responses are essential, as they will directly inform our key priorities and strategic direction for 2026.
With 165 Northland families, we're aiming for a 70% completion rate or higher—that means we need at least 116 families to have their say! Every completed survey will be entered into a draw for a $50 gift card, with a new winner chosen each week the survey is open.
Finally, if you have any questions or concerns about your child, please follow our process to ensure the right people can address things efficiently: start with your Classroom Teacher as the first point of contact, then the Team Leader/Deputy Principal if unresolved, and finally the Principal if further support is needed.
Ngā mihi
Andrea
New - Measles Update
Update from Health New Zealand
New - Board Update October 2025
Our Board update for October 2025.
New - City Mission Pack the Bus 2025
We are Packing the Bus for the City Mission 2025 - The Bus will be here on Monday 24 November - we are accepting donations now all unwrapped and a list below to give you some guidelines. Last year was an amazing event, it was wonderful to see the generosity of our community.
Update - WZ Athletics Day
Students that have qualified for WZ will have received a Hero post message with details, please check this for transport arrangements to Newton Park for this Friday 31st October, thank you.
Repeat - Health Programme
This term, our Health programme will focus on friendships and citizenship, incorporating aspects of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE). This learning is essential for students (ākonga) to understand themselves and develop the skills for healthy, positive relationships.
The programme enables students to:
- Explore their identities and wellbeing.
- Develop interpersonal and communication skills.
- Engage in critical inquiry about relationships, gender, and sexuality.
We respect the right of parents to make decisions about their child's participation. All teams will be providing you with a brief of the lessons and the days they will be taught in the team newsletter. If you would prefer your child not be part of specific aspects of these RSE lessons, please notify your child’s teacher promptly. An alternative learning focus will be planned for them during this time.
New - Student Health and Safety
How to pack a decent school lunch
It’s important to maintain fitness and health in the developing years at Northland School, and there is no better time to think carefully about your dietary choices. In every lunchbox there are a few changes and additions that can keep your school meals healthy and filling. So here are some tips for improving your food for the day:
You need to pack at least two fruit items with whatever is in season. Pick fruits that are high in fructose and fibre, as when it is the right time of year they make for very energising, healthy parts of a lunchbox
Pack something with protein, whether that be through meat such as tuna or beef, or beans such as edamame, pinto or even green beans
It is not completely necessary to pack a sandwich but it may be a very good lower effort option for those who have little time
It is necessary to pack some sort of carbohydrates such as rice, bread, or pasta
Sugary items are completely fine in moderation, and it is not a terrible thing to pack something with high energy and small doses of caffeine
It is recommended that you pack some complimentary vegetable such as carrots, celery, or cucumber
Don’t be afraid of seasoning! If you are not used to eating large deposits of carrots or veggies, feel free to add salt, or even spices such as paprika or cayenne, depending on your preference
Do your very best to lower packaging usage and make vey good sure to take home any food or packaging scraps. If you have fruit or vegetable waste, or packets, make sure not to leave them on school grounds
At the end of the day, it’s also about what is quickest and easiest, (as well as what’s cheapest) and whatever changes you can make and enjoy, are not just encouraged, but also rewarded by the health benefits.
If you still have trouble with satisfying yourself with enough food, just remember it isn’t always just about the amount of food you consume, but rather the density and caloric intake of the food you eat. Blueberries contain at least 11 times less calories than average chocolate products of the same weight.
Vincenzo Bain, Year 8
Repeat - 2026 Enrolment
To help us with our planning for next year we do need to know the number of students who will be attending. If your child is in Year 1 – 7 and is leaving at the end of the year, please let us know as soon as possible. If you have children due to start at Northland School in 2026 please check with Ann in the office to ensure that we have these details recorded. If you know of children from other families who are likely to start next year, please encourage their parents to contact us. The more information the school has about potential in-zone and out-of-zone enrolments the better equipped we are to provide the best possible class organisation for the coming year.
Below is a link to the online enrolment form:
Term Dates
The bell rings at 8:50 am. Any student arriving after this time will need to sign in at the office and will be marked late. We encourage students to arrive by 8:30 am to meet with friends and get ready for the day. Lessons will begin at 9am.
- Term 4 - 6th October - 17th December
- Strike Action - Thursday 23rd October - School Closed
- Labour Day - Monday 27th October - Public Holiday
2026 School Terms
- Term 1 - 2nd Feb - 6th April
- Term 2 - 20th Apr - 3rd July
- Term 3 - 20th July - 25th Sept
- Term 4 - 12th Oct - 16th Dec
Before School Care available from 7:30 am -8:30 am in the Library. Please email the office for further details, office@northland.school.nz