Principals Message

Tēnā koutou whānau,

We are already heading into Week 4, and our learners have been working hard from day one! With a few changes to our timetable this year, students have quickly adapted and are thriving in their learning. It’s exciting to see the rich learning happening across the school and the development of strong learning vocabulary in our classrooms.

One highlight has been the science taking place in every room—students have been exploring fascinating concepts about soil and the earth, and their enthusiasm is fantastic to see.

Our swimming programme is also in full swing, helping students build confidence in the water—an essential skill for life in Aotearoa and an important part of our health and PE curriculum.

This year, one of our big goals is to develop resilience in our learners and encourage them to embrace the challenge of learning.

We want our students to understand that struggle is part of the learning process and to have the confidence to work through challenges with determination and effort. Parents can support this at home by asking questions like, “What did you struggle with today?” or “What did you have to work really hard on?”—and celebrating their efforts when they share their challenges.

We are also continuing to develop Te Reo Māori across our school. Attached, you’ll find a list of common Māori words that you can use at home to support this learning.

Ngā mihi,

Cassey Prentice

Tumuaki

TOGS, SWIMMERS, BATHING SUITS - Whatever they are called in your whānau please make sure that your child has them prepared for swimming lessons, teachers will communicate what days they are swimming. Please ensure that all items are well named so we can ensure nothing goes missing.

Additionally we have a small number of spare togs and towels at the office, if your child borrows these they will come home with a note requesting that they are washed and returned. If your child is unwell or unable to swim please send the teacher an email that day by 8am to ensure it is received or send a note with your child.

Pōwhiri - Welcome

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the families who joined us in welcoming our new parents and children to our community. Your support and presence made the occasion truly special.

We are incredibly proud of our speakers—Jaxon and Finn, who represented the Tangata Whenua, and Grayson, who spoke on behalf of the Manuhiri. With just one week to prepare, they developed, learned, and practiced their whaikōrero, delivering them with confidence and mana.

A special mention to our Karanga girls—Azaiylah, Pam, Iylah, and Elsie—who led the proceedings with great poise and confidence.

Thank you all for making this event so meaningful!

Maths No Problem

Exciting News: Maths No Problem!

We are thrilled to introduce Maths No Problem, a Ministry-funded resource designed to support the implementation of the new maths curriculum. Every child in our school now has a textbook, a workbook, and access to online content—giving them the tools they need to achieve their best in mathematics.

Our kaiako/teachers are also well-supported with a comprehensive teacher’s guide to help them deliver the programme effectively. In addition, we have invested in a range of hands-on equipment to bring maths to life in the classroom, making learning more interactive and engaging.

The feedback from both students and teachers has been incredibly positive so far—our learners are enjoying the programme and feeling more confident in their maths skills!

How Parents Can Help To support our students in reaching their maths goals this year, we encourage parents to regularly practise basic facts at home. When children memorise these facts, they can focus on solving more complex problems during maths lessons instead of working out simple calculations.

Thank you for your ongoing support in helping our students succeed!

Road Safety

Keeping Our Students Safe – Road Safety Reminder

Road safety around our school is incredibly important. We expect all members of the Ridgeview community to use the pedestrian crossing before and after school, setting a good example for our students.

After school, all students must wait for the teacher on duty to help them cross the road safely. We ask that parents support this by role modelling safe road-crossing habits, driving carefully past the school, and adhering to the 40km/h speed limit in the school zone.

Unfortunately, some drivers come around the corners too quickly, creating a hazard for students walking home. To help improve safety, we will be working with our local constable to explore ways to make this area safer for our tamariki and whānau. Later this term, she will visit our school and work with our student leadership team to develop a Safe Roads campaign for Ridgeview.

Please help us spread the word by sharing this message with neighbours and whānau who may be driving near the school during drop-off and pick-up times. Your support makes a huge difference in keeping our students safe!

Friends of RidgeView FORs Group

Join the Friends of Ridgeview (FORS) – An Exciting Opportunity!

We’re excited to get the Friends of Ridgeview (FORS) group up and running this year! FORS is a parent support group that works together to find ways to help our school. Whether it’s organising fundraising or community events, helping in classrooms, supporting road safety, running working bees, or promoting sustainability—there are so many ways to make a difference!

As a small school, parent involvement has a huge impact on our students. We understand that many parents have busy schedules, so there are plenty of flexible ways to contribute, no matter how much time you can give.

Interested? Come along to our first meeting on Thursday, 20th February at 5pm. This will be a chance to meet, share ideas, and set some goals for the year ahead. We’re also looking for a parent keen to take on the role of leading the group—if this sounds like you, let us know!

Please RSVP to casseyp@ridgeview.school.nz to confirm your attendance for planning and catering purposes.

We can’t wait to see what we can achieve together!

Facebook Page

Stay Connected – Follow Our School Facebook Page!

We encourage all whānau to follow our Ridgeview School Facebook page to help grow our online presence. A strong digital presence makes it easier for new families to find information about our school and see the great things happening in our community.

On our Facebook page, we will share:

✅ Learning highlights from around the school

✅ Celebrations of student success

✅ Important notices and reminders

✅ Community access to the pool updates

✅ Upcoming Te Reo Māori pronunciation videos to support whānau and showcase student learning

This is a fantastic tool, and we’re excited to use it more effectively this year!

Important: Student Permissions: If there are any changes to your child’s permissions regarding their name or photo being used on our website, Facebook, or in the newsletter, please email the office at office@ridgeview.school.nz. Protecting the privacy of our families in the digital space is a top priority.

Thank you for staying connected and supporting our school!

Pizza Lunch Friday

Please order through the office for your child's pizza lunch on Friday. We are trying to head towards a cashless school so if you are able to make payments using the bank account please do. Order forms will be sent out on Thursday and need to be made by 9am Friday morning to ensure orders are processed.

Ridgeview School Newsletter

Respect, Excellence, Positive Relationships

Issue 2 · 16 Feb 2025

In this issue