Term 3, 2026

Principal Update:

Kia ora whānau,

Last term was a busy and exciting time at Ridgeview! It was fantastic to see all the progress in our gardens and the rich learning taking place across the school. A special highlight was our Market Evening – such a fun and valuable experience for our tamariki. They learned a great deal about business, budgeting, and planning. A huge thank you to everyone who came along and supported this event.

Our gardens are looking amazing, full of beautiful vegetables that our students have planted with care. We’re looking forward to harvesting and sharing the produce with our school community over the coming weeks.

This term, we’re going on a journey around the world! Each class will focus on a different country, with a key lens on culture and traditions. Our big question for the term is:"How can understanding the similar factors that make up cultures and traditions help me to understand that all cultures are unique?"

The key concepts we’ll explore include:

• Understanding how different cultures ensure the sustainability of their traditions and ways of life
• Recognising that while every culture is unique, they are often made up of similar components such as food, language, art, and customs

Our whakataukī for this term is:He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata!What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people!

This speaks to the power of human connection and the value of relationships. It's a reminder that what truly matters is not material success, but the people around us and the communities we build.

Each class has chosen a country to explore:

• Koru: South Africa
• Pitau: Mexico
• Pakari: Japan

We’re excited to see where this learning takes our tamariki, and we’re sure they’ll come home with lots of fascinating stories and knowledge to share.

To celebrate the term's learning, we invite you to join us for our Performance Evening on Wednesday 18 September, where each class will share their learning through dance, song, and visual art. We look forward to seeing you there!

Ngā mihi nui,

Cassey Prentice

Principal

Welcome to New Our New Families:

This term we are thrilled to welcome four new students and their whānau to Ridgeview School. It’s always exciting to see our school community grow, and we’re looking forward to getting to know each of you better.

Our junior class is filling up quickly, so if you have a child turning five this year and are planning for them to start at Ridgeview, we encourage you to get in touch with the office as soon as possible to complete enrolment. Early enrolment helps us with planning and ensures a smooth start for your child.

We are open for new enrolments across all year levels, so if you know friends or family looking for a school where every child is known, valued, and supported—let them know that Ridgeview is the place to be!

To warmly welcome our newest families, we’ll be hosting a Welcome Afternoon Tea on Wednesday 23rd July at 3:10pm. We invite you to come along, meet the staff, and connect with other whānau.

Albany Junior High School – Open Evening

If you are considering Albany Junior High School for your child’s next step in learning, they are holding an Open Evening for prospective families:

• Date: Wednesday 23 July, 2025
• Time: 4:30pm – 7:00pm
• Location: 19 Appleby Road, Albany

This is a great opportunity to tour the school, meet staff, and learn more about the learning opportunities and environment at AJHS.

For more information, visit:🔗 AJHS Open Evening Details 

For our Year 6 we will be collecting information around where you planned to take them next year to ensure that all our year 6 students are enrolled for 2026. It's best to complete enrollments to next year this term. 

Term 3 Tissue Donations

As we head into the colder months, we’d love your support with tissue donations for our classrooms. If you have a spare box at home, or wouldn’t mind popping one into your trolley during your next shop, we’d be very grateful!

Every little bit helps to keep our tamariki healthy and comfortable this term—thank you in advance for your support!

Term 3 Absences

Term 3 is often when colds and bugs make the rounds, and we understand this can affect your child’s attendance. If your child is going to be away, please ensure you contact the office and let Kalene know, so we can record the absence as justified.

The Ministry of Education has released helpful guidance for parents on how to decide whether your child is well enough to attend school. You can view this advice here:🔗 Is my child well enough to go to school? – Guidance for parents

Thank you for helping us keep everyone healthy and safe this winter.

School Board Elections – Coming Soon

School board elections are just around the corner!

Every three years, parents and caregivers have the opportunity to elect parent representatives to the school board. These representatives play an important role in shaping the direction of our school and supporting student success.

More information about the nomination and voting process will be sent out soon, including key dates and how you can get involved—either by standing for election or voting for your preferred candidates.

Keep an eye out for your nomination forms and further details. If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to contact the school office.

Student Conferences – Week 3

Date: Thursday 31st July, 2025We are holding our Student Conferences in Week 3 to discuss your child’s academic progress, goals, and next learning steps.

During these conferences:

• Students will share their learning goals and work
• Teachers will discuss how they are supporting students to achieve these goals
• It’s also an opportunity to discuss any questions or comments you may have regarding the mid-year progress reports

We strongly encourage all whānau to attend. If you are unable to attend on Thursday 31st July, please contact your child’s classroom teacher directly to arrange an alternative time.

👉 Book your time by filling out this Google Form:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdve0t26_XQ-PbAh39oqsW__aV6un4qFBcXEcdWsgYvUnwnjA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=102392390813603205067

We look forward to seeing you there and working together to support your child’s success.