Principal's Message

Tēna koutou whanau,

Focusing on Our Value of Gentleness: The Power of Words

As we continue to focus on our school value of Gentleness (Manākitanga) this year, it is timely to reflect on how we bring this value to life in our everyday conversations—especially through the words and tones we choose.

Life can often feel fast-paced and overwhelming. It is entirely natural to feel frustrated when facing situations that seem beyond our control. Our tamariki experience these exact same feelings, particularly as they navigate the challenges of learning new skills, making mistakes, and mastering new concepts. When children feel stuck or stressed, our response can make all the difference.

Supporting our tamariki with a gentle voice helps create a safe environment where they feel understood rather than judged. A calm tone diffuses tension and signals to a child’s brain that they are secure, allowing them to process their emotions and focus on problem-solving.When frustration bubbles up, subtle shifts in our language can transform the moment. Here are a couple of examples of how we can use gentle words:

Instead of: "Stop getting frustrated and just try harder!"

Try saying: "I can see this task feels tricky right now, and that’s completely okay. Let’s take a pause and work through it together."

Instead of: "Why aren't you listening?"

Try saying: "It looks like there’s a lot going on for you right now. How can I help you feel ready to focus?"

Beyond modelling gentle language, we can also actively teach our children how to navigate moments of emotional overwhelm. Through our Mitey mental health education programme, our students explore practical strategies for understanding and managing their emotions. A core tool they learn is calm breathing—such as "belly breathing" or the "five-finger technique"—which helps soothe the nervous system when feelings become too big to handle.

We encourage you to practise these breathing activities together at home. Remind your tamariki that taking a moment to breathe resets our minds and bodies. When we slow down and steady our breathing, we give ourselves the space to respond to difficult moments with gentleness rather than reacting in anger or frustration.

Using a gentle voice is more than just speaking quietly; it is a conscious choice to lead with patience, empathy, and kindness. By pairing gentle words with calm breathing strategies, we empower our tamariki to handle life’s challenges with resilience and grace.

Ngā mihi nui,

Nikolai Solia

Principal

 Congratulations 

Warm congratulations to the Grubacki family on the arrival of their new son Aleksandar. Wishing you all much joy and happiness. 

Condolences..

We extend our sincere condolences to the Ortiz/Lim family on the passing of their father and grandfather, Our thoughts and prayers are with you all during this difficult time. 

Mission Fair! Payment Cards Available!

What is Mission Fair?

Each year, our senior students organise and run a fair for the rest of our tamariki, featuring a range of delicious treats, food stalls and fun games. It is always a highlight of the year and a wonderful opportunity for our senior students to show leadership while bringing our school community together.

Supporting Caritas

All proceeds from the Mission Fair will go towards Caritas, a Catholic charitable organisation that supports people in need around the world through humanitarian aid and development programmes.

Mission Fair Payment Cards

Payment cards are now available to purchase through Kindo. On the day, your child will receive their physical payment card to use to purchase treats and enjoy the games.

A Few Important Reminders

• Mission Fair is a student-only event held during school hours.

• Please keep an eye out for payment card purchases opening on Kindo.

Thank you for your support and generosity in helping our senior students prepare for this special day. We look forward to another fantastic Mission Fair!

School Notices and Events

Class Placements for 2027 

A message was sent out on Monday. In a few weeks we will be making decisions about class placement for 2027. These placements will be based on a variety of factors that influence learning, such as:

• current progress,

• social and emotional needs,

• and the interests and talents of our teaching team. 

Children are also given the opportunity to express tamariki in their year level, who they feel they learn best and engage with. 

Your contribution to this process is welcomed. We invite you to share your perspective on aspects that can support your child(ren)'s learning. 

Please do not request specific teachers, or to place your child in the same class as another specific child as it is usually not possible to fulfil such requests. Please understand that the final decision will be made by the school - and may differ from your request(s). 

If you would rather speak face to face about this, please feel free to schedule a time to meet with myself or Sarah. You are also welcome to email your thoughts: 

• Sarah Fountain, Deputy Principal (sarah.fountain@sfds.school.nz)

• Nikolai Solia, Principal (principal@sfds.school.nz)

Here is a link to the survey: Class Placement survey for 2027  This consultation will close on Friday 13th November, to allow us time to finalise class lists prior to the end of the school year. Thank you.

Movember Mission

This November, our school is getting behind Movember once again to raise awareness and funds for men's health.  Our very own Michael and Ronan will be growing moustaches in support of this important cause.

Movember works to improve men's health, with a focus on mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.  It's a great opportunity to raise awareness, encourage important conversations and make a positive difference in the lives of men and their families.

Last year, our school community raised a whopping $770 – an amazing effort! This year, we're hoping to smash that total and raise even more.

If you would like to support Michael and Ronan and this fantastic cause, we'd love you to make a donation through our fundraising page:

Link

Every donation, big or small, is greatly appreciated.  Thank you for helping us support men's health and make a difference!

Garden to table 

Garden to Table Chronicles: Going Green with Monster Pancakes!

What a wonderful fortnight we’ve had out in the garden and kitchen! With a magnificent bounty of lush spinach overflowing in our garden beds, our tamariki rolled up their sleeves for a delicious culinary challenge: Monster Pancakes!

The Great Green Experiment

Yes, they were brilliantly, neon-green—and yes, they were an absolute runaway success! By blending fresh garden spinach straight into the batter, the students whipped up a batch of nutrient-packed pancakes that looked like something out of a friendly monster story.

Topped with a generous dollop of our homemade berry and chia seed compote and a few friendly slices of banana, these green creations scored a unanimous 10/10 from everyone across the school. It just goes to show: never judge a vegetable by its colour! A massive thank you to our young chefs for being so brave and adventurous with their tasting.

Green Thumbs in Action

Beyond the kitchen bench, the mahi didn't stop. Our dedicated gardeners have been hard at work keeping our outdoor learning spaces thriving:

 The Watering Roster: Students have been keeping a close eye on our spring plantings, ensuring our thirsty seedlings get plenty of hydration as the weather warms up.

 Weeding Patrol: We’ve been tackling the weeds together, keeping our vegetable patches tidy and giving our upcoming crops plenty of room to stretch their roots.

A huge thank you to all our wonderful volunteers and students for keeping the garden looking so vibrant. Until next time, keep digging, cooking, and exploring!

— The Garden to Table Team

Dates to Add to Your Diary

Our  SFDS Events Calendar is the best way to stay up to date with everything happening at school — including PE days, special events, and other important dates. You can find the calendar by clicking on the link above or either on our school website or through Hero. 

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Tell us what you think! Your feedback helps us make sure we’re sharing the things that matter to you. office@sfds.school.nz