Kia ora

Winter is now upon us with Takurua:  The Season of Stillness.

In a modern, fast-paced society, the traditional Māori approach to winter offers a brilliant lesson in wellbeing.

A Time for Rest:  Just as the earth cools and slows down, it is traditionally a time for people to rest, be gentle with themselves, and gather strength.

Here are some recipes for those cold winter nights. 

Kūmara & Watercress Stew:  A Harvest Classic

Pure comfort in a bowl.

Traditionally, winter (Takurua) meant relying on the hard-earned autumn harvest.  This rich, hearty stew pairs the natural sweetness of stored kūmara with the peppery punch of fresh, wild watercress (wātakirihi).

Perfect for a slow Sunday night with whānau (family).

Ingredients:  Cubed red and gold kūmara, wild watercress (wātakirihi), diced pumpkin, onions, garlic, vegetable stock, and a splash of coconut cream.

Method:  Brown the onions and garlic.  Add the hard vegetables and stock, then simmer until tender.  Stir in the coconut cream and fold the watercress through right at the end so it wilts but stays vibrant.

Rēwena Bread:  The Ultimate Slow Food

Golden, sweet, and deeply satisfying.

Winter is a time for stillness, making it the perfect season to tackle Rēwena (traditional Māori sourdough).  Made from a fermented potato starter, this dense, sweet loaf requires patience—but rewarding your home with the scent of fresh bread is worth every second.

Perfect for dipping into hot soups or slathering with melted butter.

Ingredients:  A starter made from boiled, mashed potatoes and flour, mixed with extra flour, water, a pinch of salt, and a little sugar.

Method:  Feed your potato starter over a few days.  Mix it into a dough, let it rise in a warm spot, and bake until the crust is golden and sounds hollow when tapped.

Our new strategic plan will be shared with our community at Matariki, marking our next steps forward.  The date set for this celebration is July 1st, with a postponement day of July 2nd. 

Contents:

• What are they learning?

• Attendance 

• Transparent Partnerships:  Awhinatia 

• Reporting

• Vision in Action

• Sport

• 3.00pm Pick-up

• Dates to Diary

“What are They Learning?" 

Today, at 10.15 am, I walked around the school, going into each hub and learning space.  I quickly took a snapshot so you can see the learning that happens every day. 

You will notice some of the classes are learning as a whole class, some are as small groups, some are learning through play, some are eating to keep their energy up, some are at tables, some are on the floor, some are listening, some are sharing, some are watching, and some are reading or writing.  So much learning in every hub. 

Attendance

As part of government priorities, there is a focus on attendance and on reaching the expected 80% attending for 90% of the time.  This is to support optimum learning for all ākonga. 

If ākonga (learners) have been absent for five days in a term, it is marked as an early concern, and you will usually be sent a letter on HERO, a phone call, or a catch-up to let you know.  If ākonga have been absent for 10 days, a letter is sent home through HERO, and a conversation is arranged with you.  If absences continue for up to 15 days in a term, a meeting is called with you, and we devise a plan for attendance improvement.  If tamaiti are absent for more than 15 days, then we need to call Attendance Services for support. 

We have had quite a lot of illness at school in the last two weeks.  If your child is ill, please keep them home so they can recover more quickly and not spread anything!

We understand there are often extenuating circumstances, and usually whānau let us know so we don't need to send letters or schedule meetings. 

Our Vision in Action

At the heart of everything we do is our school vision:
Waihangatia ngā Ākonga Tino Pai – Building the Best Learners.

At Lyall Bay School, we are committed to being a place where every child and adult feels safe, respected, and valued. This sits at the heart of our values of Manaaki, Whakapono, Hiranga, and Pākiki, and our shared expectations to Be a Learner, Be Respectful, and Be Responsible.

Yesterday, we had a call to go into 'Lockdown' after school.  There were tamariki at After School Care, at SPLAT!, waiting for Pridelands pick-up, and playing on the playground.  All of the tamariki responded quickly and quietly.  They showed manaaki to their peers by making sure everyone else felt safe, they showed whakapono by looking after themselves and others, making sure they were in the right space and using quiet voices.  They showed pākiki by listening carefully when we had updates for them, and they showed hiranaga with the high expectations they had for themselves. 

This call was a shock and very unexpected, especially when our emergencies are usually drills.  The tamariki and staff all showed how prepared they really are in a real emergency, ka pai tō mahi. 

We made sure that all whānau were communicated with, and we let them know as soon as the lockdown was lifted. Thank you, whānau, for not trying to come and get your tamariki.  In cases like this, we have to follow our policy and use the advice of the police.  If we ever have an emergency, you can be assured that you will be kept up to date through HERO.  We do ask that you stay safe, away from the school, and do not call us, tying up the lines.  Please ensure all your details at school are up to date. 

Here is more information from the Ministry about emergency events Emergency events - Ministry of Education 

Sport

Interzone Cross Country

Today we had a group of runners representing Lyall Bay School and the Eastern Zones at the Primary Sport Wellington Interzone Cross Country.  We are awaiting the confirmed results to be sent through. We would like to acknowledge the strong display of hiranga by the following tamariki:  Lottie, Eli, Natey, Jacob, Liv, Xavier.  Ka pai tō mahi!

Term 3 Sports

We are starting our preparation for term 3 sports.  The options available are just for year 3 students and above.

We offer three afternoon/weekend sports in term 3 – Volleyball and Mini-Ball.  Our Netball teams continue playing from Term 2.

Please read the information below and if your child is interested in playing a sport, please register using the links as soon as possible so that we can arrange the teams.  The final day for registrations is Friday 26th June. 

Please note that if you have any outstanding fees for Sports, you will not be able to register for term 3 until payment has been received.  

Volleyball – Year 5/6 – all genders

This is run by Wellington City Council in Term 3 for 11 weeks at the Kilbirnie Rec Centre.  There are 6 players on the court.  The cost is $50 per player.

Year 5/6 – play on Tuesday between 3.30pm and 5.30pm.  The season begins on 21st July and ends on 22nd September.  

If you are interested in playing Volleyball for Term 3, click this link to register:  Term 3 Volleyball registrations

Mini-Ball – Year 3-6 – all genders

This is run by Wellington Basketball for 8 weeks in Term 3 at Ākau Tangi Sports Centre.  There are 5 players on the court, playing a modified version of Basketball.  The cost per player is to be confirmed as the cost per team is now $700 from Wellington Basketball.  Once the teams are confirmed, the cost will be sent to players' whānau.  There is an additional Basketball New Zealand Levy that will need to be paid prior to the first game – this information will be sent out early next term.

Year 5/6 – play on Monday between 3.30pm and 6pm.  The season begins on 3rd August and ends on 21st September.

Year 3/4 – play on Tuesday between 3.30pm and 6pm.  The season begins on 4th August and ends on 22nd September.

If you are interested in playing Mini-Ball for term 3, please complete the registration form by 5pm Friday 26th June.  Click this link to register:  Term 3 Miniball Registrations

If you have any questions regarding term 3 sports, please email:  jo.graham@lyallbay.school.nz 

Picking up tamariki after school:  a reminder to you all that the centre lines on Freyberg St are not a parking area.  It is very dangerous for your tamaiti if you park here.  They can end up running in front of traffic, and car doors opening into traffic.  If there are no parks outside the school at 3 pm, please park further away and walk to the school.  There is parking on Palm Ave, and you can use the walkway to get here faster. 

We have also noticed cars doing U-turns before the turning area.  Once again, this is dangerous as cars are looking for parking, not for U-turning vehicles.  Please use the designated turning area to keep everyone safe.

We also ask that you use either of the crossing areas for drop off or pick up.  This is great role modelling for tamariki, as well as a safety measure.