Term 4, Week 4 4/11/2024 - 8/11/2024
From the Principal's Desk
Greetings Parents, Caregivers and Whanau, Week 4, Friday 8th of November 2024
What a busy few weeks and a lot of new learning on the side. Sometimes when you think things can't get better they do! Firstly I can not stress the importance of our recent Teacher Only Day (TOD) with Kathryn Berkett. She helped us define what trauma is and what we can do to support help self-regulation. Looking at approaches and strategies that we can put in place as school and wider community.
Another positive from the day was to hear about our students, the "Super Enviro Heroes" read below and the work they did around our community. My challenge to all Whenuakite students on the next TOD, is to use the day to have a little break, do some fun stuff, catch up on work, learn or do something new and help to make your/our environment better. We live in a beautiful place, let's keep it that way!
Teacher Only Day - First Aid Training on Monday 18th of November. We have about 10 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 if you want more info.
My highlight from week 3 was the Puppet show "The Boy with Wings" and the "Bike Skills" programmes
Nga mihi, Gary Veysi, Principal Whenuakite School -principal@whenuakite.school.nz
Bike day and Puppet show
Working Bee and Property Projects
A huge thanks to the following community members who have helped with our mini working bee to work on some key projects around the school. Thanks to Rob Riddle, Ray and Ana van Beynen, Kimbo and Nic Jensen. Also a thanks to others who are donating goods or services to our school for a variety of up and coming projects.
If you couldnt make it and you can help with donations of supplies or can spare a few hours somewhere in the future let me know so I can organise the right job. Please be aware by all of us pitching in, saves money that we will direct back into more resources and learning support staff hours. Thanks Team!
Opening Ceremony
With the hard work of many and especially 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.
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. More tickets are available, just ask at the office.
Community Notices
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.
Three targets will be put in the Annual plan next year (1) Attendance and Engagement, (2) Numeracy and Literacy and we need community input for the (3).
Hahei Library
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 10am to 12pm.
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 books sales.
We welcome all resident 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.
Ear Clinic
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
Excellence in Being a K.I.T.E Kid Awards
Certificates presented to: -
- Room 1 - Roxy Dunn, Billy Dozell
- Room 2 - Jake McLaren, Havana Gordon
- Room 3 - Denny Stephenson, Jonty Browne
- Room 4 - Ari Hopkins, Kahu Gemmell, Inara Jamieson
- Room 5 - Charlie Bowen, Ounamu Shelford-Woodcock
- Room 6 - Karwyn Bahr, Nyx Jackson
- Room 7 - Louie Jensen, Awana Clow
Principal Awards were presented to Ana for helping at the working bee on the weekend.
Van for getting the last stump out. He gave up his Sports time to do it!
New Students -Felix Browne - A fantastic enthusiastic start to school you have made, keep up the great mahi.
Community
We had some awesome helpers for the Cooks Beach clean up:- Ana, Kayra, Noah, Florence, Alice Kassi, Noah, Louis, Alfie, Aurelia, Ashton + parents! I'm not sure I spelled all those names right...From Sophie
Our very own ENVIRO HEROS!
Sports Corner
Up and coming events
Term Four
Next week
Monday - CAKE Day for Year 7/8's
- The sailing programme starts for some of the Year 6 -8 students at Flaxmill Bay.
Thursday - Spring Festival
Events coming up in 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, Swimming Pool and Tech room