24 July 2020

Post date: Jul 23, 2020 10:28:55 PM

Nau mai haere mai and welcome to the second half!

I hope you have had a good break with the children and are keen to see where they go to in their learning, socialising, sporting, cultural lives this term. Term 3, to me, always has a distinct flavour, a different type of intensity with a mix of both stronger and lighter notes!

The stronger - the teachers know you and your children better and, likewise, you know them, routines are well established, mid year achievement has been carefully analysed and a new phase of planning and design begins. A bit like Puanga or Matariki - a new year in a way!

This term's focus is "I am a goal setter!" So, yes, a time of renewal! A bit like - I've been planted, I've been watered, I'm being nurtured - how far can I extend my roots, grow my stalks and sprout new buds in Part 2?

The lighter - the days start to get longer, eventually warmer, it's always the season for the Arts Celebration (this year scheduled for Wednesday 19 August and Thursday 20 August and some thinking required due to limited space!) and we are getting seriously into community events - Parent Drinks (Friday 31 July), a School Disco (Friday 14 August) ... and a few other ideas being floated to be confirmed...... watch this space!

Team sports are back in full swing, our country is continuing to do very well in keeping us healthy and safe, our building project is trucking on to plan, it just feels settled....... as a parent said to me on the last Friday of the holidays over the petrol pump, "The children are just really excited and so ready to be coming back - it just feels all so much more normal now."

I agree, we will continue to be as normal as we possibly can - although for Team WBS, at times, it proves a challenge!

Let's keep 'panning for gold' and 'finding the joy' as we learn and grow together, doing the best we can for the reason schools exist - the kids! - this term. Here's to it!