1 September 2020

Kia Ora everyone,

Thank you so much for your support as we have transitioned back into school this week. Our children have once again been remarkably resilient and have been delighted to be back with their friends, playing on the playground  and back to learning in the classroom. 

There were a number of trips planned before going into Alert Level 3, some of which have had to be cancelled. This unfortunately, will become our new reality as we plan for events from now until the end of the school year. Your child’s teachers will keep you up to date with any changes. 

Today our senior school Whanau Harakeke will come home with details about our up and coming knowledge-a-thon. With such disruption to our fundraising with PTA planned initiatives and events we are organising an alternate fundraiser to help purchase chromebooks for classrooms and library books. We would normally receive a percentage of sales from the book fair, which would go towards the purchasing of new books for the library; however since the cancellation of the bookfair, we appreciate your support in helping us to still achieve this goal. Whanau Pohutukawa and Whanau Kowhai will also take part in fundraising through a more physical  activity and information regarding this will come out at the beginning of Term 4. 

Our Deputy Principal Nick Gill shared with us some thoughts during our leadership meeting this week. You may be aware that Chadwick Boseman (an American actor, famously known for his role in many movies including Black Panther) passed away last week following a 4 year battle with bowel cancer. The startling thing about this is that apart from his family, no one knew that he had been struggling and fighting the pain and struggles of this illness until it took his life. This serves as a reminder to us all that we don’t always know what people have going on in their lives. This year has impacted us all in various and complex ways. Within the last month and just within our small Woodlands Park staff we have experienced; close family members pass, close family members take their lives, close family members receive terminal diagnoses, family job loss, struggles with wellbeing and the overwhelming impact of what is going on in the world around us. I am sure that also throughout our community there is a similar reflection of these experiences. The message here is that how we interact with each other is vitally important. We know that one of the highest contributing factors to student success is the relationship between home and school. Keeping our interactions respectful, showing kindness and mindfulness with one another, remembering that we do not always know the struggles faced by individuals, will support our ultimate vision of being an inclusive, courageous and successful school. 

Nga Mihi, 

Nardz Stephenson 

Principal 

Afternoon Staggered Pickups (see map above)

2:30 -2:40pm – Whanau Harakeke (Yr 5/6) & families with children across the school.

• Rooms 6,7,8 & siblings – exit & pick up from Main carpark & crossing gate

• Rooms 19 & 20 – exit & pick up from the top gate (behind Room 20)

2:40-2:50 pm– Whanau Pohutukawa (Yr 3/4) 

• Rooms 14, 15, 16, 17, & 18 exit & pick up from the Rainbow Room carpark

2:50-3:00 pm– Whanau Kowhai (Yr 1 & 2)  

• Rooms 1, 2, 3, 4 – Exit & pick up from hall / pool carpark

• Rooms 11 & 12 – Exit & pick up from ‘Drazil’ gate (behind Rainbow Room)

• Rooms 5 & 13 children to be collected from the classroom.

3:00pm– children going to Buzz Club / Children walking or biking home

Please do not congregate at the school gates. Ensure 2m social distancing.

If you need to pick your child up early please wait outside the main gate and phone the office on 817 5140.

* Parents of new entrants in rooms 5 & 13 and any students requiring additional support may accompany their child to class. Please use the contact tracing app.