Newsletter 20, Week 9 Term 4
Waiau School ⎪ 16th December 2022
End of Year Prize Giving/Celebration Event
Last night we held our end of year prizegiving and I was very impressed with the turnout of families, friends of the school and grandparents, some who travelled big distances to help us celebrate our learners.
Unfortunately two of our students were unable to attend due to illness but the rest of our school rose to the occasion and put on a wonderful display of their talents. It was lovely to see the proud smiles on our students’ faces as they each received their well earned accolades.
Best wishes to our wonderful Year 6 leaders. Last night you all made us proud by displaying confidence, leadership and gratitude.
Thank you to the Waiau Staff for putting together a memorable evening. There was a lot of behind the scenes preparation that went into the celebration event and everyone just got on and made it happen.
On reflection of my first year in Waiau, I commented at the prize giving that as a newcomer there is one word that sums up my first year here and that word is community.
It very quickly became apparent to me that our school is an important part of the Waiau community. It is where your children are future leaders in training, however, Waiau School does not have the sole monopoly on developing community minded leaders of the future. It takes a village to raise a child.
To our students, thank you for being who you are and for being a very, very important part of our community.
To the Staff and Board that work together to make our school ‘the best little school in North Canterbury’ thank you for all that you do. Our students are lucky to have you on their team.
On behalf of the Waiau Team I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Waiau School Cups 2022 Recipients
Well done to the recipients and winners of all our cups, awards and prizes!
Values Cup - For demonstrating outstanding Respect, Responsibility and Resilience: Miah Thomas
PH Miller Trophy - Thoughtfulness, Initiative and School Citizenship: Jorja Bush
Award for Tikanga Māori - Junior: Samantha Shroeder-Perrin
Award for Tikanga Māori - Senior: Quinn Anderson
Peace Clock - Outstanding Improvement in the Arts at Waiau School: Anikalee Leggett
Kiddy Cup - Music, Art, Drama and Dance: Issy Pinckney
Kaitiaki Taonga - A student that shows respect and care for our environment: Ella Armstrong
Kimber Cup - Academic Excellence: Issy Pinckney & Beth Harris
Noteworthy Progress Cup: Ruby Beens
RSA Trophy - Outstanding Improvement: George Lott
Sports Awards
Catherine Chaffey Cup - Padder Tennis: Victoria Kelly
Mason Hills Cup - Sports Endeavour and Sportsmanship: Noah Pemberton
Pettigrew Champion House Cup - Champion House: Annan
O’Malley Cup - For achievement in Swimming at Waiau School: Benji Clemens
Black Cup - Champion Girl Swimmer at Waiau School: Issy Pinckney
Burbury Cup - Champion Boy Swimmer at Waiau School: Henry Lott
Eastmond Trophy - Outstanding Progress in Swimming at Waiau School: Sophie Lawton
Mc Neur Challenge Cup - Swimming House Cup: Annan
MR & MRS CG GARDNER CHALLENGE CUP - Girls Athletics 1st: Victoria Kelly
JL Macfarlane Cup Boys - Athletics 1st: Quinn Anderson
Highfield Woolshed Visit
Recently we were given the opportunity to visit Highfield Woolshed. It was lovely for the students to build knowledge and make connections with another one of our local historic places. With Highfield being one of our three school houses, our students got to learn of the history and also enjoy the experience of the impressive wool shed in operation when James shore a sheep for us.
Thank you to Micheal, Solveig and James Northcote for having us to visit.
Year 6 Dinner
We recently celebrated our year 6 leavers by having a special dinner with our students and their parents. This is the 2nd year we have done this and it is a lovely tradition we would like to continue.
Top Team
Thank you to Top Team from Sports Canterbury for coming to see us on Wednesday for another action packed afternoon of team building and group challenges! It was lovely to have Rotherham School join us for fun in the sun.
Upcoming Events
Last Day of Term 4 - Finishing at 12.15pm Friday, December 16
Term 1 Begins - Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Room 2 Camp at Wainui - February 7- 10, 2023
Waitangi Day (School Closed) - Monday, February 6, 2023
Term 1 Ends - Thursday, April 6, 2023
Term 2 Begins - Monday, April 24, 2023
ANZAC Day (School Closed) - Tuesday, April 25, 2023
Trailride Weekend - April 29 – 30, 2023
Mainpower Waiau Community Pool
Mainpower Waiau Community Pool Summer Swimming Programme
January Summer Holiday Swimming Programme at the Waiau Pool
Small group sessions, for children Y1-7 of any ability with Caroline - Swimming New Zealand trained instructor and Austswim registered Aquafitness instructor with over 20 years involved in the Waiau swimming programme.
Times available Thursday & Friday mornings 0930-1200 Thurs 5/12/26 & Friday 6/13/27 during the summer holidays. The aim of these sessions is to have some fun and increase water confidence in preparation for the start of school swimming programmes in the new year.
A caregiver or parent is welcome to be in the water alongside young beginner swimmers.
Swim Coaching or Adult lessons: Times available from 11am Wednesday mornings 4/11/25
Technique, skills & fitness, or water confidence for adult beginners
Please contact Caroline Eastmond mceastmond@outlook.com to register for lessons or coaching
Early Morning Swimmers:
The pool is open from 7 am (weather permitting) on Tuesday & Thursday mornings for length swimming.
*The swimming programme is free to residents of Waiau and surrounding areas
*A $3 casual swim cost for non key holders will apply to all sessions on the programme*
Save the Date: The HDC Summer Pool Party is back- Wednesday January 18th 11-1pm
SWIMMING TIPS FOR PARENTS
Swimming is great for fun and fitness and an opportunity for you to teach your children important water safety rules. The summer holidays are an ideal time to get into the water. Parents as first teachers can help establish basic swimming skills and prepare children to take part in school swimming programmes and events.
- Provide lots of opportunities for having fun in the water-sprinklers in the garden, visit the river, lakes, pools, and water slides.
- Provide positive role models-swim with your children, or if you don`t swim take them out with people who do, other adults or older children.
- Give them heaps of support and encouragement-learning to swim takes time!
- Remind them of water safety whenever you are out and about, especially in unfamiliar places and situations their lives may depend on it!
- Add a new pair of goggles, a pack of sinkers or a kickboard to the Christmas stocking.
- Choose togs that fit snuggly-loose clothing is heavy & makes swimming harder
- Practice breath control in the water-blow bubbles in the bath, use a straw and blow bubbles in a cup, on the surface of the pool, under the water, as you go down to pick up sinkers
- Try letting the water run over their face and head in the shower, putting your face under the water in the bath, lifting your bottom off the base of the bath to practice floating
- Instead of “How long can you hold your breath” try “How slow can you blow your bubbles”
- Give younger children a straw and get them to practice blowing bubbles in the sink or a glass
- Floating –start by supporting them on their back whilst holding a board until they gain confidence and relax. Get them to sing their favourite nursery rhyme or count to 10 slowly whilst they float.
- For older children get them to practice floating on their back in deeper water for 1 minute and build up to longer times.
- Can they turn from front to back? Can they tread water for 1 minute?5 minutes?10 minutes?
- Sinkers start in the shallow water and for older children work into deeper water gradually, then add multiple sinkers, different colours etc. to make it harder. Can they keep their eyes open under water?
- Kicking with a board-encourage ‘long loose legs and floppy feet kick from the hip not with bent knees and lots of splash.
- Gliding and glide with a small kick-great for all levels to get a nice straight streamlined body position.
- Older children-practice diving. Jumping into the deep end, sitting dive, crouching dive, standing dive, racing dive.
- Try and get older children to swim a few lengths of each stroke every time they come to the pool before they start playing-swim fitness is quite specific and there is no substitute for a few laps!
- Encouraging more able swimmers-use time challenges, competition goals, introduce new strokes such as sidestroke or butterfly. New skills such as somersaults, tumble turns, racing starts, dolphin dives at a level they can manage.
- Take the opportunity to attend some swimming classes wherever you are over the holidays, or look online at the Splashsave programme or Water Safety NZ for more resources that you can use https://splashsave.org/ https://watersafety.org.nz/family-of-websites
Have fun, actively supervise, and teach your children how to be safe around water
Contact Us
Email: office@waiau.school.nz
Website: https://waiau.school.nz/
Location: Waiau School 11 Montrose Street, Waiau 7332, New Zealand
Phone: +64 3 315 6027
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Waiau-School/100057444370147/