School Newsletter
14 August 2025

Kia ora e te whānau | Greetings all

Wow how lucky are we to be a part of this beautifully diverse community! Our Cultural Day was such a stunning day of colour, culture, stories and kotahitanga as the children got to experience so many different things from so many cultures. The Switzerland chocolate fondue was a hit with the kids, along with origami, Brazilian mask making, Indian dance, Chinese lanterns, and writing in so many different languages. 

We were thrilled to receive these very kind words from a parent who was capturing the day on her camera for us. We'll share these images with you soon.

It was an intense day — so many children and activities happening at once — but it was truly a pleasure to be among them, observing and capturing everything through my lens and artistic expression. It was beautiful to see how each child was immersed in the experience, focused and engaged in what they were doing.

I was especially touched to see the older students stepping into a role of guidance and support, helping the younger ones through the process. I believe it’s incredibly important for them to take on that sense of autonomy and leadership — and I personally love that this is something the school values and nurtures.

Ngā mihi nui,

Sarah and the team 

Year 0-2

The Year 0-2 team have been very busy for the first five weeks of this term getting stuck into learning! We are showing great determination when we are stuck in the learning pit. Our teachers are working hard with us to learn our sounds and latest spelling patterns. We are loving seeing all the great home learning too! Remember that our home learning links directly to what the learners are working on in the hubs, we know this is the most relevant type of home learning. Home learning is best when it reinforces current learning. Thank you for being so involved in your child's learning!

In Year 1 we have been enjoying our parent involvement in our morning provocations. Check out our photos of our learners being exposed to writing in different scripts/languages.

In Year 2, we have launched our concept breakthrough groups. Ask your learners to tell you what they were selected for as a result of their persuasive writing!

We also had a very well-attended Maths Parent Workshop - here are the slides that we used. Thank you to all those parents who came along to partner with us!

Year 3-4

In our Year 3 & 4 Village, learners have been travelling the world without even leaving the hub! We’ve begun exploring the vibrant cultures of Japan, China, and Brazil, discovering their traditions, stories, and art. From this inspiration, we’ll be creating unique artefacts from each country, which you’ll be able to see (and read about) at our end-of-term celebration.

Our informative report writing is in full swing, with learners practising how to organise facts and present them clearly for an audience. These reports will sit proudly alongside our artefacts so you can enjoy both the story and the creation.

Earlier this term in reading, we’ve been stepping into the shoes of different characters through plays, seeing the world from their perspectives and understanding their motivations.

Some hubs have also been busy with money matters — exploring how different coins can make the same amount, and putting this knowledge to work in fun, real-world problem-solving challenges

Year 5-6

In Year 5-6, the learners have been busily preparing their speeches around the theme of Whenua, with the whakatauki, 

Whatungarongaro te tangata, toitū te whenua | As people disappear from sight, the land remains.  

This is the annual speech competition held across Auckland Schools. Learners have shared their speeches either in small groups, literacy groups or to their hub. A huge congratulations to the nine learners who made it to our finals and performed their speech in front of the whole Year 5-6 cohort and some parents. It has been amazing to see the learners in the learning pit, challenging themselves with not only their writing, but also standing up and speaking in front of others. 

Three learners have been selected to represent Stonefields School at the Remuera Schools final. We wish Matteo, Dihini and Maddie all the best for next week. 

In other news, we have our upcoming trips to the Auckland Museum, where we will be making meaning about the many cultures that make up Auckland. This learning will help us in our preparation for the Kotahitanga Cultural Celebration, happening in week 10. Learners will use inspiration from the museum trip to opt in to their Break Through projects. They will choose to create either an artefact, a piece of visual art or a digital artwork, to represent a culture that is important to them. We look forward to seeing the finished products displayed at our end-of-term celebration.  

Intermediate 

Our Intermediate orators have been applying their understanding by performing our speeches within literacy groups on the subject of whenua. It has been so wonderful to see their willingness to put themselves in the learning pit and push through the nerves to speak to a large group.

Congratulations to all our learners who made it through to our speech finals and an extra special congratulations to Diyashna who went on to represent Stonefields School at the interschool finals.

Meanwhile , we are continuing to track our steps to walk Aotearoa and have just passed Larnach Castle , while learning all about its origins and history.

Also following on from last week's insight inside our Hubs, here's a look inside our Intermediate hub last week as they were crafting their speeches. Yes the volume is turned on! 

Parent Workshop - Reading For Fun: fostering kids who want to read!

Thursday 11 September, 3:15pm, Library

Children who want to read will be better readers and better readers will want to read more so how do we get our kids onto this cycle of success?  Parents from all age groups are invited to a discussion about ways that we can encourage a love of reading at home, at school and for life.  You will leave with practical suggestions and resources that you can use straight away.

Mid-Year Achievement Data 

At the end of Term 2, you received a mid-year achievement report for your child. Since then, we have been analysing this data from across the school and are now sharing this analysis with you to highlight areas for celebration and improvement. View the analysis here. 

St John's Walking School Bus

Over 35% of our school community live in the St John's area. We'd love to help facilitate some walking school buses for this area to help get as many kids out of cars and getting some exercise on the way to school. We envisage:

• One walking bus to start at the corner of College Rd and Strong Street, then continuing down College Rd to school.

• A second bus starting on the corner of Felton Mathew Ave and Howard Hunter Ave, then continuing down Howard Hunter Ave, Merton Rd, then Morrin Rd down to school. 

We would need parent helpers each day on both routes to help make this happen. Are you able to help one morning a week? Or do your children already walk from this area and perhaps we could put you in touch with other families? Please get in touch!   

School opens at 8.30am

A reminder that school is not open until 8.30am. If your child is at school before this time, they are not under the school's supervision. Kelly Club is available for before school care, open from 7am. 

Scooters and Bikes at School

It's great to see so many kids riding bikes and scooters to school. What a great way to start the day! 

Please note, when your child gets to school, these must be placed in the scooter and bike racks for the day. With 675 children on-site, plus younger siblings during drop-off and pick-up times, it is not safe for bikes and scooters to be ridden on school grounds during school hours. We welcome you to ride these on school grounds, supervised by a parent, before 8.30am and after 3.20pm. Don't forget your helmet!

Thanks for your support in keeping kids safe! 

What’s Been Happening in Sport

It’s been an action-packed two weeks for our Stonefields athletes! From pounding the trails to fast-paced basketball showdowns and football friendlies, our learners have been giving their all - and making us proud!

Cross Country

A huge congratulations to our eight runners who represented Stonefields at the EZ Cross Country this week! You showed amazing grit and determination as you tackled the challenging 3km (Y7) and 3.5km (Y8) courses. Well done for rising to the challenge and giving it your all!

Tamaki Basketball

We had seven teams in action at the Tamaki Basketball event, and it was a joy to see you all playing with such passion, teamwork, and respect. Your positive sportsmanship towards other Tamaki Cluster teams truly stood out—thank you for bringing your mana to the court. Ka mau te wehi!

Eastern Zones Basketball

Our Year 7-8 Basketball team took on a full day of competition at the Eastern Zones. With many of our players already involved at club level, it was a rewarding experience to spend the day immersed in a sport they love. What an outstanding effort; well done team!

Football

Yesterday, our AIMS Football team welcomed St Heliers School to Stonefields for a friendly pre-AIMS practice match. It was wonderful to see you playing with such teamwork, focus, and spirit on the field. These kinds of games are a great opportunity to build connections, test strategies, and grow as a team, and you did just that. Ka rawe!

Kelly Sports Multi-Sport

Our younger learners have been exploring a range of sports through fun taster sessions with Kelly Sports, discovering new ways to stay active, get fit, and enjoy physical activity. We love seeing the enthusiasm and energy you bring to each session! See more on this below...

Kelly Sports Multi-Sport Taster Sessions

Some of our learners have recently enjoyed participating in taster sessions offered by Kelly Sports’ multi-sport program. Those who took part were excited to bring home a poster highlighting the range of sports on offer. This fantastic opportunity is open to all students from Years 1 to 6 who are keen to get active, have fun, and explore a variety of sports. Please take a moment to review the posters below and be sure to sign your learner up if they’re interested in joining.

• TalkTime | Friday 15 August | 9am Te Pātaka Ako 

• Friday Cafe | Friday 15 August | 3pm 

• School Discos | Friday 15 August | Junior 5.45pm and Senior 7.15pm

• Tongan Language Week  | Monday 18 - Friday 22 August

• Tamaki Rippa Rugby (Year 5-8) | Wednesday 20 August | sign up here 

• Whānau Hui | Wednesday 20 August | 6pm

• Pasifika Talanoa | Wednesday 20 August | 6pm

• Visitor Tour | Thursday 21 August | register here  

• TalkTime | Friday 22 August | 9am Te Pātaka Ako 

• Friday Cafe performances | Friday 22 August | 3pm 

• Junior Assembly (Year 0-4) | Monday 25 August | 2pm, Hall 

• BandQuest Competition | Monday 25 August | 6.30pm Bruce Mason Theatre 

• Auckland Museum Trip - Hub 12 | Tuesday 26 August

• Photolife Teams & Groups | Wednesday 27 August

• Auckland Museum Trip - Hub 13 | Friday 29 August

• TalkTime | Friday 29 August | 9am Te Pātaka Ako 

• Friday Cafe | Friday 29 August | 3pm 

View our School Calendar to keep up to date with all events

After-School Activities and Holiday Programmes

There are many sports, art, and cultural activities available both on-site and in our community. Check out our Community Noticeboard for more details.