8 December 2023

This is the final full Newsletter. Next week, the last day of term, please expect a full list of starting back at school dates for Term 1 and plenty of end of term photos and messages, remembering school finishes at 1.00pm on the 15th. What a year! You will see and hear it in action at the WRAP next Thursday night at 5.30 pm - 6.30/45-ish.

We have our MCs, Breagha, Felix, Otis and Marcia, ready to lead us through a series of community sing-a-long moments, whole class items and a couple of traditional wrap the year up speeches on behalf of the Board and also myself.

We hope to be in the courtyard - so people like to arrive early, secure their spot, bring cushions, or small chairs, BYO picnic and drinks, or whatever best suits you.

Children stay with families and come up as required. The contingency plan for wet windy or cold is a ventilated Tautoru.... it's happened before! Fingers and toes crossed! It's something we all look forward to!

This week, Base Groups have been communicated with you and your child/ren. As you know, this teacher is your main communication/pastoral go to and children work with all teachers in the space depending on learning groups. It's a full team approach with many eyes, ears, strengths and passions in the mix.

We are thrilled to have such a strong Learning Assistant team supporting our teachers. Cloe, Kate and Kirsten will continue to support groups of children and 1-1, at times, bringing personal and professional strengths especially in working in the area of learning support and The Arts. This team will complement mainly the work of the Senior team next year - John and Rose. We have Suz, Hayley and Jess in Tautoru, and Carl and Beth in Autahi. Whilst numbers build in the lower end of the school, we are also in the position for Beth/Carl to provide additional support across the school and work with children they already know well. And, Jacqueline will continue to support the Juniors in her Reading Recovery role.

Teachers have been in the midst of planning across the school for 2024, seeking alignment and consistency in language and tools and working through different individual children's areas of needs so that we can get off to a flying start.

We thank Gillian, Gabrielle and Beth for spending quality teaching time in the Senior School in the second half of the year. Gillian - we wish you well in your family adventures down South; Gabrielle - we hope/aim to keep you on board one way or another..... and Beth - we have appreciated your flexibility!

We are also grateful for Brooke and her work in Autahi as a Learning Assistant in Terms 3 and 4 and know that she can take these experiences with her in bucket-loads as she goes back to continue with her studies. Also, Paula, we thank her for the 'sure can' for stepping in to provide additional support in Tautoru this term.

Steph and Carolyn - your steady experienced heads and hearts rule the front office. Steph, your range is large from plasters to parking complaints to some very heavy and brain hurting property and financial wizardry. I mean, wizardry!

Carolyn - you are always running ..... and are heavily relied on for your adaptability, for being there, your editing of reports, your Kindo this and thats, weekly reminders, brilliant timely weekly Newsletter and keeping the calendar rolling - and the amount of children you see in the medical room is unbelievable - it's a small room ..... and you help them all out with warmth and care. 

Here's to you in your final week of 2023 Worser Bay Staff - plenty still to do and you have it in hand! Come on, you know about the science of smiling = lifting moods, lowering stress and boosting immune systems!