Principal's Page
Kia Ora Friends
Welcome to term two. There is much planned for this term. It should be a busy, engaging, and rewarding time of learning, fun, and opportunity for us all.
It is always a good feeling to be back - to see our children's smiling faces (and our staff's), share some hugs, news and high-fives, and just celebrate being back together again.
We hope and trust you were able to get some fun family time together over the holiday period. Certainly, the weather up here was pretty awesome for most of the holidays.
We took a trip to Christchurch for our nephew's 21st. We left on a balmy day in shorts and T-shirts and arrived to bitterly cold wind and rain, reminding me of yet another reason why I love living in Auckland in general and the wonderful West in particular.
We are proudly flying the ANZAC flag from our flagpole for the next week. ANZAC Day fell in the last week of the holidays, so we are flying it for the first week of school to ensure we remember everything this day stands for.
ANZAC Day holds significant importance for all New Zealanders as a day of remembrance to honour the sacrifices of the ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) who fought and died in Gallipoli during World War I.
This day commemorates the landing of the ANZAC forces in 1915. It has evolved into a day to pay tribute to the courage and sacrifice of all those who have served their countries in wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations.
ANZAC Day serves as a time for us all to reflect on the values of courage, perseverance, and mateship embodied by the ANZAC spirit, which are tied to our national identity - how we see ourselves.
As teachers, we see it as an opportunity for children to learn about the history, significance, and values associated with ANZAC Day so that they can pay tribute to past sacrifices and develop a deeper understanding of the principles of peace and the importance of remembering history.
On a personal note:
When I lived in Kaiapoi I had the priviledge of working with a group of talented young athletes, coaching football with them for nine seasons. They started as Under 4's and finished with me as 12th graders when I moved back to Auckland in 2014.
I had mostly the same group for most of those years. They loved, lived and breathed football and were unbelievably keen, focused, and desperate to learn and grow.
My team played club football in Christchurch and were also the North Canterbury Rep team competing at South Island Tournaments. As such they beat the full Canterbury team 4 - 0 as just one highlight. They played a grade ahead of their age all the way through and were unbeaten for several seasons - conceding just 3 goals one season.
They all went on to either provincial of National academies. Tiaki - my son - being the youngest to make the National Talent Centre via special dispensation.
One went to the USA to play Collegiate fotball there, one (Lochlan) is a full time professional footballer in the third tier in English football, and one now represents New Zealand. She is Macey Fraser, and she has just become the most expensive female footballer signed from Australasia - at around $150,000. This is double the previous record held by a woman who plays for the Australian national team.
I am incredibly proud of Macey. The percentage of young athletes who go on to make a career out of sport is very small. It requires passion, determination, focus and a total love for the particular sport. Macey had all of that and more and I look forward to following her career in the USA Women's Football League.
We have a Ministry Mandated Teacher Only Day on Friday May 31 - there will be NO school for children on this day - but lots of learning happening for teachers.
Over the years, we have worked hard to keep school costs as low as possible and avoid fundraisers asking for money from our community.
Sadly, we have needed to change this policy for this year. Thus we have sausage sizzles twice a term and a FunRun fundraiser this week - on Thursday.
We had really hoped to clear $20,000 from this event. So far, we have reached that figure as a gross total, but once prizes and costs are subtracted, we will be below our target.
At present, about a third of our students are actively engaged in gaining sponsors. If every child who has not yet raised any money was able to raise just $10 each this week, we would go close to hitting our target. A minimum of $10 raised gains a prize, so it is worthwhile for everyone.
You can still sign up sponsors for up to one week after the actual run, so If you can make one last effort to grab a sponsor or two before April 9, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
As always - if you have questions or concerns about anything school-related - email me at macash@mac.com, and I will get back to you asap.
My very best regards to you all,
Ash Maindonald
Principal.
