Happy Diwali

The final term of 2023 has started with many events, and some sunshine!  Please make sure hats are fully brimmed and named.  We really want to protect our tamariki from sunburn.  We do have sunscreen in the hubs, but you are welcome to provide your own if you wish to. 

We have enjoyed our school athletic sports at Newtown Park in the first week of school.  It was lovely to have the whole school there and to see so many whānau able to come along and support.  All our tamariki did extremely well.  This Wednesday a team are representing us at Newtown Park and will be competing against all other schools in Eastern Zone.  Congratulations to those named below.  We know you will show Manaaki, Whakapono, Pākiki and Hiranga.  Enjoy yourselves and make yourselves proud. 

A group of Onepū ākonga arranged a talent show.  What a great event it was with so much variety in the acts, from dancing, to mime, to magic tricks and music and even a chilli eating contest.  Ka pai tamariki.

We held the Kids Online Cyber Safety evening at the beginning of term, in place of our W.A.T.P Hui for the term.  Our whānau that attended have been blown away by the information that was shared about what can be accessed online, what tamariki can be exposed to, and what you can do as parents to protect your tamariki.  Personally the message about 'I don't want my child to miss out' struck home to me.  What do we not want them to miss out on?  Being exposed to explicit pornography, online bullying (that can go on throughout the day and night wherever you are), scams, predators, inappropriate games, language, photos and videos, to name but a few.  If you didn't manage to get to the evening, please talk to the parents who did.  I know that some of them went straight home and put in more rules about using devices, especially no devices in bedrooms or bathrooms, everyone keeps their device on a shelf, and apps that are for older age groups (most are for 13 or older) are removed from devices.  If you have an opportunity to attend one of these evenings I highly recommend that you do. 

The newsletter is published every two weeks on Tuesdays.  The newsletter is available on HERO and on our website.  In each newsletter some kupu will be shared with you to help with all of our understanding.  This week's kupu are all around the beach... tātahi- the seaside, the beach, one- beach, ika- fish, kauhoe- to swim, kaukau- to bathe / swim, mahana - warm, makariri-  cold, hoe - paddle. 

Below is a message about the Freyberg Street neighbourhood street trial installation this week.  This will be a fun street event for the whole community, come along. 

·        We provided lots of information about this project in the last newsletter – so you may want to check that one if you missed it. 

·        Weather permitting, you’ll notice changes happening at the intersection of Wha Street and Freyberg Street this week.  Changes are  

      being made at all four corners of the intersection using paint and plastic hit sticks to extend the pedestrian waiting spaces and create 

      two trial central islands on Wha Street.   

·        These changes – which are expected to take about two days – will encourage safer speeds and reduce crossing distances to make it 

     easier and safer for people of all ages and abilities to cross the road here.   

·        As part of the install, contractors JFC (John Fillmore Contracting) will also be altering some road markings in Freyberg Street, putting 

     up signs, and giving the planned new pedestrian zone near the school a coat of blue paint.  

·        Some of the new markings are likely to go in on Thursday night (2 November) in advance of the main work on the weekend.  It’s 

     possible the blue surfacing may also go in overnight. 

·        That means this part of Freyberg Street will be a work in progress this Friday as it is readied for the main installation work this Saturday 

     (4 November).  Please take extra care, and follow any instructions from the construction crew.  

·        On Saturday, traffic management will be in place and only people getting to houses in the street, and emergency services will have 

     vehicle access. 

Come down to the school this Saturday afternoon to help and have some fun – 4 November, 2pm–3.30pm (weather permitting) 

·        If you can, please join us to help with the planting and creative finishing touches.  There’ll be a barbeque, music, face painting, and 

     games.   

·        Walk, bike or scoot down if you can – or park in adjacent streets or further down Freyberg Street as vehicle access will be restricted for 

     safety reasons. 

·        Some of our students, and our Caretaker John, have helped develop a sea-themed concept and designs for a mural on the street to 

     bring life and colour to the planned new pedestrian zone adjacent to our entrance. 

·        We’re looking forward to seeing how this comes together.  Students will also be decorating three suggested safe walking routes from 

     Palm Avenue, Queens Drive and Wha Street to help encourage more children to walk, bike or scoot at least some of the way to and 

     from school.  You can see these on the map below. 

This is a neighbourhood trial to see if a different street layout could be safer and better 

·        We support the trial and have been part of a working group to plan it because we want to see if it makes a positive difference – and 

     helps more children get to school actively, safely and independently.  

·       The summer project is an opportunity to experiment and experience alternative ways of using the street.  It’s also providing real-life 

     learning opportunities for our children to help plan, install, try out, think and talk about street changes, as well as healthy, more 

     sustainable transport options. 

·        It’s also an opportunity for our neighbours to see how they find it.  

·      The Council has promised there will be a chance to provide feedback in term one, once everyone has had time to adjust to the changes. 

    This feedback will be one of the things considered to determine next steps.  

·       For those who need to, it will still be possible to drive in and out of this section of Freyberg Street from Queens Drive and Wha Street 

    ends.  But from this coming Monday, 6 November, until at least the end of term one, it won’t be a through route.  There will be a new 

    pedestrian zone near the school entrance and cul-de-sacs on each side. 

·      If you can, please help keep the amount of traffic in the street to a minimum.  The new pedestrian and turn around areas mean there           will be slightly less parking. 

If it rains  

·        If it is wet this Saturday, or there hasn’t been enough dry weather during the week to do the necessary advance work and painting, the 

     installation and afternoon event will most likely be postponed to Sunday, 5 November.  If the weekend is wet, installation will likely 

     happen next weekend. 

If you have questions, please email the Council team on kilbirnieconnections@wcc.govt.nz