Term 4, Week 5 11/11/2024 - 15/11/2024

From the Principal's Desk

Greetings Parents, Caregivers and Whanau,                                                 Week 5, Friday 15th of November 2024

Teacher Only Day - First Aid Training on Monday 18th of November. We have about 5 FREE spare spaces for anyone who would like to upskill and have some fun with the Whenuakite team. If you help us as a Coach, Manager, etc consider coming on this day. Let me know asap by contacting the school if you want more info.

My highlights from week 4 were our Year 8's visit to Mecury Bay Area School for their transition, our Year 6 -8 students completing a Water Wise Safety programme and in week 5, the Sailing programme up and running again. A huge thanks to our relievers who have helped cover when we have had sickness and continue to run the amazing programmes set up by the teachers. My 2 new favourite games - Tails and Gaga ball.

We are in the process of organising classes and teachers in rooms for next year. We have an increase in student numbers and for next year we will be funded at 162 students (This is very close to where we need to be to run 8 classes. This has meant an increase in our teacher entitlement and the application for a permanent teacher. Please be aware all our Super Amazing teachers are still here next year taking the same age groups. I am excited and privileged to continue working with these very dedicated and professional colleagues! 

Nga mihi, Gary Veysi, Principal Whenuakite School -principal@whenuakite.school.nz

It's getting hotter, remember your hat! A huge thanks to Tim for supplying the school with extra sunscreen

Out and about at Flaxmill Bay

"Rich, Real and Relevant" learning

Opening Ceremony

With the hard work of many and especially Blair (our builder) and Matthew (Caretaker - Grounds man, painter and a jack of all trades) we will be having an Opening Ceremony for areas in the school on Wednesday 20th of November. Anyone invited. Starting at 11.45am at the entrance of the school.

From the  "Mighty foundations a great tree of knowledge can grow"

Cooks Beach Carnival

Reminder -Jar Toss at the Cooks Beach Carnival

Please remember to bring along your jars of goodies so we can have awesome results for our Jar toss. Last year we had over 500 jars which was incredible and so contributed greatly to our school's fundraising. We appreciate all your contributions to this fun event. We also have spare empty jars available. There is also an in-school competition where the class with the most jars will receive a prize and HOUSE POINTS given out for best ideas!!!

Reminder to return sold Daisy Dung tickets to the office by 22nd November. 

Teaching position 2025

Job Advertisement: Teacher at Whenuakite School

Position: Permanent Teacher
Start Date: Monday, 3rd February 2025

Whenuakite School seeks a passionate and fully registered New Zealand teacher to join our dedicated team. We are looking for an educator who thrives in a collaborative environment and is committed to building positive relationships with students, colleagues, and the wider community.

Key Qualifications:

• Experience working with a collaborative team 
• Understanding of and commitment to the Positive Culture 4 Learning framework
• Ability to articulate and demonstrate your strengths
• Willingness to co-lead various initiatives and areas within the school

We encourage prospective candidates to visit our school to understand our community and values.

Application Process: To apply, please send your cover letter, CV, or professional growth cycle, including three referees, to The Principal; principal@whenuakite.school.nz by 5pm on Wednesday, 20th November.

Board of Trustees (BoT) updates

This is the time of the year when we start reviewing how we have gone this year and start updating the strategic plan for the next 3 years. This is based on assessments being completed now. This means we need students at school to complete to give us the most up-to-date and accurate data to decide what steps we should take with resources and funding allocations for 2025.  We will have a "3 Year Survey" out soon on all aspects for community feedback and this will be used to help the school (Management - Day to day running) and the BoT (Governance - Strategic direction). In turn, this will support the new BOT when elections happen next year.

Being a K.I.T.E Kid Awards

Certificates presented to: -

• Room 1 - Olive Hansby, Jack Carter
• Room 2 - Fae Charles, Brodie Hopkins
• Room 3 -  Layla-J Moala, Zoe Dalgety
• Room 4 - Lacey Fraser, Lily Blomfield, Fleur Eggmann
• Room 5 - Digby Palmer, George Roach
• Room 6 - Pippa Buchanan, Mya Orbell
• Room 7 -  Ruby Bougen, Harsimrat Kaur

Principal Awards -  Zac Pauling - Excellence and effort in all his work.                                                                       

Community

Mobile Ear Testing Caravan

In the Lee St Carpark - opposite the Cinema. 

Monday 4th November and Monday 16th December 3pm-430pm DROP IN ONLY Tuesday 5th November and Tuesday 17th December 730am-5pm BY APPOINTMENT AND DROP IN CLINIC Wednesday 6th November and Wednesday 18th December 730am1030am BY APPOINTMENT AND DROP IN CLINIC 

Please phone 07 838 3565 to book an appt

Come Join Our Library!

The Florence Harsant Community Library in Hahei

The late Florence Harsant is well known for starting the wonderful community library that bears her name in the village of Hahei.  The Hahei Library is located adjacent to the Hahei Community Centre at 52 Hahei Beach Road, Hahei and is now run by volunteers and open 6 days a week (Monday – Saturday) from 10 am to 12 pm.

We are very proud of our library, which has some 11,000 books; General Fiction, Thrillers/Mysteries, History, New Zealand authors, Biographies, Gardening, Cooking, Travel and much more.  We also have a huge Children’s and Young Adult Library which includes books by local Coromandel Peninsula authors and illustrators.

We regularly purchase new books for both children and adults, with the help of reviews, requests and recommendations. Our members and the wider community kindly donate books throughout the year that we add to the library or sell in our book sales. We welcome all residents and ratepayers from the Mercury Bay South area (Hahei, Cooks Beach, Hot Water Beach, Whenuakite, Boat Harbour and surrounding areas) to visit and join our library. Membership is just an annual fee (1 June - 31 May) of just $20 for the entire household.

Sports Corner

Football Prizegiving

On Wednesday the 30th of October we held the Whenuakite School Football Clubs Prizegiving.  It was wonderful to see all the teams come back together to celebrate another wonderful football season.  We are so proud of all our players, they have all given their all, improved their skills, showed wonderful teamwork and had so much fun.  Thank you to all the wonderful parents who give up their time to get their kids to practices and games.  And a special thank you to all the amazing coaches and managers who have given their time and energy, we all appreciate you so much!  A special mention to our Under 12's team who went undefeated for the entire season, well done!   Thank you to Cam and Tere Johansen who came along to present the Dennis Johansen Memorial Trophy to this year's deserving recipient Farai.  We are so blessed to have you still involved in our club and keeping Dennis' memory and legacy alive.  

We hope all our players enjoy the summer break and we look forward to seeing you all again for next year's football season.

Congratulations to our trophy winners:

Under 6 Mini Kickers:

• Chase Hayward : Player of the Year
• Jonty Browne : Most Improved Player
• Ezra Shortland : Most Valuable Player (missing from photo)
• Denny Stephenson : Most Valuable Player

Under 8's

• Kahu Gemmell : Player of the Year
• Jack Drewitt Fisher : Most Improved Player
• Wyatt Wood : Most Improved Player
• Indi Hayward : Most Valuable Player
• Ashton Auricht : Most Valuable Player

Under 10's

• Levi Nicholson : Player of the Year
• Valerie Drewitt Fisher : Most Improved Player
• Katelyn Wood : Most Valuable Player

Under 12's

• Charlie Bahr : Player of the Year
• Cale Field : Most Improved Player
• Nate Walsh : Most Valuable Player
• Farai Gray : Dennis Johansen Memorial Trophy

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Up and coming events

Week 6

Monday 18th of November - Teacher Only Day (TOD) for our First Aid training

Wednesday 20th of November - Opening Ceremony for the Learning Support Space. Starts at 11.45 am

Week 7

Monday 25th of November - Purangi Estuary Science field trip

Tuesday 26th of November - Rocky Shore field trip

Wednesday 27th of November -All welcome to the Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting at school at 3.15 pm. 

Friday 29th of November - Constable Brian Connors visits to work with Bus wardens