Windy Ridge School Newsletter
2 November 2022
Term 4 Week 3
KINDO: online school shop (click on KINDO to register)
Manaakitanga-Respect, Manawaroa-Resilience, Atawhai-Kindness, Honore-Integrity
Kia ora, Hello, Kamusta, Hola a todos, As-salāmu, alaykum, Kumusta, Annyeonghaseyo, Ni Hao, Konichiwa, Namaste, Zdravstvuyte, Ciao, Cześć, Szia, Hallo, Bonjour, Salut, Shalom, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Talofa Lava, Malo e Leilei, Kia Orana, Kia Ora Koutou
OPENING MID 2023
News from the Principal
Ahakoa ngā uaua, kia toa, kia kaha, kia manawanui
When you find things in life are difficult, be strong, stand tall and be of great heart.
Kia ora koutou katoa,
Maximising learning engagement and success
This week, I have been out of school attending the MAC (Māori Achievement Collaborative) Conference. Our school is a MAC school with us working alongside MAC facilitator, Brenda McPherson. The conference has been hugely stimulating on so many different levels. Professor Melinda Webber from Auckland University and Alex Barnes a researcher and evaluator with Te Wāhanga and a part of the Māori team of the New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) spoke particularly to my heart and connected with the work that we do at Windy Ridge. They talked about the importance of validating every students’ culture, ensuring emotional safety, validating successes and building strong community connections to maximise learning engagement and ensure success for all students – Māori, Pasifika and pakeha. From a Windy Ridge perspective, I felt that many of these dimensions are already front and centre in our school’s practice and an important part of our ongoing strategic vision. Through our Te Reo, Paepae and Mana work we validate culture, language and Tikanga. Through our learning stories and real-time reporting, we strive to validate success; and in our post-Covid world, we are working hard to rebuild community engagement.
One area that Alex Barnes also talked about was co-governance – involving parents, whānau and community. This is an area that we have been actively thinking about, and as a result, have decided to commence the new school year with a Whānau Connect Day (3 February). Here, we will invite parents and students to come together to share information about themselves with the aim to set up a stronger student, teacher, and whānau relationships from day one. As we approach the end of this term, we will send out scheduling information and arrangements about how the day will work. We look forward to the opportunity to share kōrero and build successful relationships with one another.
While we are thinking about the beginning of next year, can you please let the office know if you aren’t returning in February. We are deep in planning our placements for 2023 and need to have definitive numbers.
Ka kite anō au i a koutou.
Jonathan Lambert
Tumuaki – Principal
This Friday 4th November, we are taking part in Gumboot Friday, raising money for a charity focusing on free counselling for children who need to access it across Aotearoa.
The details are:
• Gold coin or online donation – all funds go to charity. – Our direct page link is: https://givealittle.co.nz/
• Wear gumboots – no pressure to buy some – children can wear other boots or shoes if they don’t have gumboots – children can decorate their gumboots at home if they wish
• At 11:45-12:30, there will be some games and activities around the school for the children to join. There will be activities such as : ◦ ‘gum, gum, boot’ – like duck duck goose ◦ Three-legged races in gumboots (their own) ◦ Gumboot toss (their own) ◦ Get the beanbag in their gumboots
• Colouring sheets and art activities Children can bring spare shoes in case their feet get sore. This is the last fundraiser for the year, let’s make it a great one.
Term 4 Events
3 November – Photolife – class and individual photos. Please return your sibling photo requests to the office by 2nd November.
4 November – Gumboot day fundraising – Changing attitudes around Mental Health.
8 November – Soccer clinics at school.
17 November – Junior Athletics Day – 11.30 am to 2.30 pm for 5, 6 and 7 year olds.
18 November – Senior Athletics Day – 9.30 am to 12.30 pm for 8, 9, 10 and 11 year olds and whole School track finals in the afternoon.
24 November – Cluster Athletics Day – this event is for the first and second place getters of the 8 – 11 year old events.
9 December – Junky Monkeys Loose Parts Play Day
16 December – Junior Prizegiving – Piwakawaka & Kōtare Iti from 9.30am-10.30am – Senior Prizegiving – Kōtare Nui from 11am-12.30pm.
Sun Hats
As we have done in the past, and as we move into summer we ask that Tamariki have a hat to wear when outside while at school during Term 4 to offer protection from the sun.
School Hours
Please remember that the school hours are 8.30am to 3pm. Please remind your children that if you drop them off before this time they are expected to wait in the shelter area. The very earliest that they can be dropped off is 8.00 am. Any earlier and they will be taken to the Skids Before School programme and parents will be invoiced. This is a health and safety issue. Also, we are having some concerning issues with students playing on the front footpath and road areas during unsupervised times. This is also a health and safety issue. We would not want to see any of our students harmed in any way.
Road Patrol
We have a new roster starting this week. However, we are very short of parent supervision. Anybody can be an adult supervisor and it only requires 20 minutes of your time, either in the morning or the afternoon. Training will be provided. Please contact Jane Brown jbrown@windyridge.school.nz or Jenine Maxwell jmaxwell@windyridge.school.nz
PTA News
The PTA are selling Juicie Tubes at lunchtime on Friday 4th November 2022
Juicie Tubes $2.00
Available in Lemonade, Tropical and Wildberry
We are trying to go paperless, so please order via KINDO.
Please contact the School office if you would like support to register on KINDO school payments.
Sushi Thursdays
https://sushiday.co.nz/ – online ordering closes every Wednesday at 9pm.
My Kindo App
Order on the go with the mykindo App
Have you downloaded the myKindo app? Faster when you’re on the go…
No passwords are required! Simply login, then add your PIN or use Face ID or Touch ID.
myKindo App on Google Play
myKindo App on App Store
Skool Loop App
Term 4: Monday 17 October – 16 December
Public Holidays: Term 4: Labour Day, Monday 24 October
School Term Dates 2023:
Term 1: Friday 3 February (Whanau Connect Day) – Thursday 6 April
Term 2: Monday 24 April – Friday 30 June
Term 3: Monday 17 July – Friday 22 September
Term 4: Monday 9 October – Last day of the year TBC
Public Holidays: Waitangi Day Monday 6 February, and Easter: Good Friday, Easter Monday and Easter Tuesday, Anzac Day – Tuesday 25 April and King’s Birthday – Monday 5 June Labour Day – Monday 23 October
sKids Before and After School Care
sKids Term 4 Out of School Care is now available to book, visit www.sKids.co.nz/Windy_
Cheryl (Programme Manager)
Community Notices
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Birkdale North Music Centre 2023 enrollments now open.
We have an Open Day on Saturday 19th November between 10:00 am to 11:00 am. (10:30am to 11:00 am – meet the instruments, orchestra and concert band performance at the hall.)
The Music Centre is for all children from age 6 to 12 years old. We provide recorder, keyboard, clarinet, trombone, trumpet, saxophone, flute, violin, cello, guitar, drum and ukulele group lessons.
Please visit our website for more information. info@
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Highbury House have a range events coming up for all ages & parents to attend
raising awareness & money for I AM Hope.
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