Newsletter 22nd February 2024

Information

Before School Care: Lorna: [email protected]

After School Care: Karen: 027 223 5934

Piano/Drama: Susan Fraser: 021 378 007

Guitar/Drums: Paul Barry – [email protected], ph:  022 198 0044

School Uniform Shop on-site: Tuesday 2.45 – 3.15pm

Principal’s News

Dear parents,

Pride Values at Greenhithe School

Our PRIDE values are very important to our school. They represent the values we would love to see develop in all of our children. They are displayed around the school, in every classroom and on the pillars by our main entrance. The children can earn house points for being seen using our values around the school, both in and out of the classroom. These house points are added up and contribute to our house cup. Each fortnight the house with the most points flies their flag outside the office!  The children discuss the use of the values in their classes, learning what they mean, how they can show them and why they are important.

Our values support the growth of our young people, so they are ready to be the best they can as they move to their next school. If a child leaves with the values of perseverance, resilience, initiative, diligence and excellence and is able to show or work towards these values, then we believe they will be successful. 

Michelle Butler, Kelly Knowles and myself, as our senior leadership team, have special certificates that we give out when we see or hear about amazing use of the values in our school. These are displayed in the office and the children get a mention in the newsletter.  

So far the following children have been awarded certificates: Rewan Tonkin, Daniel Ford, Shaam Nathoo, Lennix McKenzie Huggins, Ryan Sun

Whanau Day

Thank you to those who were able to join us for Whanau afternoon. Our classrooms were full of families working together, which was lovely to see. A big thank you to the PTA for the ice blocks, which I know were very well received! 

Thank you to the people who joined us in the hall to support us with some ideas and feedback. We will now review and consider this. The feedback on the reporting was very valuable, as we began our review of school reporting. We still are waiting for any news on the new curriculum requirements, which may include some reporting criteria for us to adhere to. However, while we wait for that, it was good to get the ball rolling with some community consultation.

Orbeez (expanding water beads) – please do not send these to school with your children to play with as they can create an obstruction if swallowed. Thank you.

Donations

A massive thank you to those who have already made their suggested donation and activity contribution. You will have received the notification from the office with more details on making your donations. 

Our 2024 contribution requests remain unchanged from last year and are as follows:-

School Donation – $55 per term or $220 for the whole school year.  The amount for 3rd or subsequent children will remain at $37.50 per term or $150 for the whole school year.

Classroom Activity Contributions – $40 per term or $160 for the whole school year.

Kindo is our preferred method for all your school payments and the following pages have all the information you need for setting up your account if you are a new family to Greenhithe School or you were unable to set an account up last year.  We also have links for you to follow on our school website in the Community Connect section or in the drop down on the Info tab.

Ngā mihi 

Stephen Grady

Tumuaki/Principal

Greenhithe School

At Greenhithe School we are mentally healthy and feel a sense of belonging when we feel respected, valued and heard. Ideas and well being are valued, ensuring that everyone feels supported and appreciated.

Time is taken to build and nurture relationships.

Our Mitey Mediators from year 6 will be busy training at the beginning of the term to ensure they are ready to support our students in the playground at lunch times very soon. This year our Mitey Mediators will be nominating students that they see using our PRIDE values and Mitey skills in action, and the students will receive a certificate.

Greenhithe Kaitiaki will be busy at work this Friday, mulching our gardens and putting up our habitat feeders and homes in our Bug Shelter area at school. Thank you again to Bunnings Constellation for your kindness in supporting our school and students in providing resources to support our learning. 

From the Art Room

We learned about what the Polynesian peoples may have brought with them during their migration. We looked at a woodcut print by Michel Tuffery and then, after making some practice drawings, we created prints using foam.

We used cardboard as a sculpture medium to create faces.

We have been learning about abstract art. We looked at work by New Zealand artist Geoff Thornley and created our own abstract works.

We learned what ‘sgraffito’ means and we made our own sgraffito pictures of an underwater sea creature.

Greenhithe PTA

The Greenhithe School PTA are busy in planning mode for 2024 and would like to share some of the exciting activities we will be running.

As per our previous years we will run the Second-Hand Uniform sale and Pizza lunches, support the school athletics days and Cross Country with iceblocks and sausages.  There will be a School Disco, a Movie Night held in the hall which we will run a survey that the children can vote for the movie they want to watch, Quiz night for the parents, Summer Festival will go ahead in December as well. Over the course of this year the PTA will be organising a Greenhithe School cookbook and asking families for their favourite recipes plus we will have a Maths-a-thon to round out the curriculum during Term 3-4.

We meet monthly on a weekday evening to discuss all things related to school life, provide a forum for community feedback, and fundraise for additional school resources. Our ultimate goal is to continue to grow and nurture the great positive community we have within the school and wider Greenhithe.

Everyone is welcome and is encouraged to come and participate. All of these wonderful initiatives need community support, so please reach out via our email ([email protected]) to find out more!

Pop along to the next meeting on March 19 in the school staffroom.

Sports Corner     Korero hākinakina

WELCOME TO 2024

Welcome back to another year of Sport at Greenhithe School!

My name is Sharon Hilton-Jones and I am the Sports Co-ordinator. My office is located behind the Junior Sandpit.

This year my role has changed and I will only be responsible for all sport that is played outside school hours i.e. Touch, Miniball, Flippa Ball, Netball and Hockey. I will also be responsible for Rippa and the Kristin Winter Sports Day which is played within school hours.  

Charlene Boyd (Year 3 Team Leader) is responsible for all PE/Sport opportunities within school hours and she will be organising our Years 3-6 School Cross Country.

Natasha Alexander (Year 6 Team Leader) will be responsible for our School Swimming Sports.

Zara Fletcher (Year 4 and 5 Team Leader) will be responsible for our School Athletics Day.

‘Sports Corner’ is a regular feature in our school newsletter to inform and update our sporting events and successes. Please feel free to email me at [email protected]  with anything you would like included.

Our school website has all the information that you would need to know about the various sports that we offer students.

All registrations are done online through Kindo.  I also send an email out when each sport is open for registration.

SWIMMING SPORTS YEARS 4-6

The Senior School swimming sports will be held at school next Tuesday 27th February (saver day Thursday 29th February). All spectators are very welcome to attend. Here is a timetable of the day.

9am – 11am  YEAR 6 BOYS and GIRLS   

Freestyle – 1 length

Non-Competitive flutter-board races  – 1 length

Backstroke –   1 length

Breaststroke  – 1 length

Medley –    1 length each of  backstroke/breaststroke/freestyle

11-30am-12-50pm  YEAR 5  BOYS and GIRLS

Freestyle – 1 length

Non-Competitive flutter-board races – 1 length

Backstroke –   1 length

Breaststroke  – 1 length

Medley –    1 length each of backstroke/freestyle

1-15pm – 3pm   YEAR 4  BOYS and GIRLS

Freestyle – 1 length

Non-Competitive flutter-board races – 1 length

Backstroke –   1 length

Breaststroke  – 1 length

NETBALL

Netball is for all ages and genders. Games for Years 1-4 children are played on a
Saturday morning at Pinehurst School and for Years 5 and 6 children, games are played on a Wednesday after school at Netball North Harbour, Northcote. All competitions are for Terms 2 and 3.

Netball registrations are open on Kindo and  you will find all other relevant information there. I will be closing netball registrations on Thursday 29th February.

Please see below a netball clinic that is being run at our school on Saturday 2nd March just before we have our trials for Years 3-6 children on Tuesday 5th March. It is a great opportunity to brush up on skills before the netball season starts.

HOCKEY

Hockey is played after school on a Monday and is for all Years 3-6 children. Games are held at the North Harbour Hockey Centre, Bush Road, Rosedale. The competition starts in Term 2 and runs through to the end of Term 3. Hockey registrations are open on Kindo and will close on Thursday 14th March.

RIPPA

Rippa is played at Moire Park in Massey during Terms 2 and 3. It is for Years 3-6 children both boys and girls. We have two tournaments that we attend, and they are both during school time. This is a fun day and it gives children an opportunity to represent our school in a friendly non-competitive way. Registrations for Kindo will open shortly so keep an eye out for that.

REMINDER

When you sign your child up for a sport through Kindo, you will be asked to confirm you have read the Code of Conduct for Players, Parents, Coaches or Managers. It is important that you read through these for yourself and with your child, as our school places a lot of importance on our children representing the school with our PRIDE values. 

FINALLY…..

Thank you if you have already put your hand up for coaching or managing a Touch, Splash Polo or Miniball teams. We really can’t give our children the opportunities we do without your help. We also will be looking for parents to help with Netball, Hockey and Rippa so once these sports are opened on Kindo, please consider taking on a role with your child’s team.

KEEPING IN TOUCH

If there is anything that you would like included in the school newsletter, an achievement that you think is worth sharing, please email me at [email protected]   

Sharon Hilton-Jones

Sports Co-ordinator                                                        

Community Notices

AJHS Gala Day 2024

Date: Saturday March 16th

Time: 10am – 1pm

Location: School Field

Albany Junior High School has their annual Gala Day coming up on Saturday 16th March!

They are fundraising for their whare wananga – a house of learning. 

There will be carnival games, dunk the teacher, craft stalls, zuru target shooting, a bouncy castle for the littles ones, archery, human bumper ball games and much more. 

Food trucks will be serving up a feast; candy floss, double-dutch fries, karaage chicken and spit food to name a few, as well as the super popular bake sale. Look forward to seeing you there!

For information about becoming a stall holder ($40), please email [email protected].nz