Newsletter Week 1 Term 1
Lauriston School 7th February 2023
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Kia ora koutou ma whanau Kotuku Lauriston and welcome back for the new school year, 2023!
It was so nice to catch up with students and whanau yesterday morning as everyone arrived back at school - fresh with holiday stories to share and celebrate together, along with high excitement and readiness for the year ahead.
Our whakatauki for the year ahead is framed around the word ‘Kahukura’ and reads as “Ma te Kahukura ka rere te manu”. This whakatauki speaks about the support we need from each other to succeed. Sometimes we say, with the feathers of the bird, so it can fly. As children transition through the school they symbolically grow more feathers of knowledge which enable them to make progress-READY for success. Likewise, we each have a role in making this place what it is, in contributing to the whole. We cannot succeed alone and must work together to make a difference in helping our students achieve their very best. 2023 is the year of “Kahukura” as staff work together in sharing the roles and responsibilities in sustaining our success and reputation as a school. It is also a year that continues to foster “Kahukura” partnership with the community through its elected Board of Trustees Members and our parent body which makes up the Lauriston School Support. Our school is humming, and we can all feel proud of the positive contributions that each and everyone of us have made over the years to our school. Despite the recent restrictions placed on our school through the adoption of a new enrolment zone, our school continues to flourish attracting new families to our school-based on the narratives you as a community have shared with one another in celebrating our point of difference and success. As school roll determines school resourcing and staffing-this positive trend ensures our school can continue to operate as it has over the past 4 years. “He maunga; te tangata-every person is a mountain and represents the heights of potential.”
The staff and I have spent the past two weeks meeting to discuss and finalise our planning and preparation for 2023.
We are very much looking forward to the year ahead and to updating our community further once we are able to confirm some key dates connected to 2023 early next week. The dates to be confirmed include 2023 Staff only dates, end of year E.O.T.C trips and camps, alongside an upcoming opportunity for us to farewell the 2022 Year 6 Leavers who were unable to be farewelled at the end of last year due to the impact of COVID on our community. This date will be determined following consultation to go out this week with the respective families of these children, to find a date that best fits circumstances at this time of year, in either late February or early March once the demands and busyness of harvest and transitioning into a new school have subsided.
Until then, you will see our school calendar already contains much information around what opportunities students, whanau and community can look forward to this year.
Today’s newsletter contains important information and reminders for Term 1, and note that the school website should be completely updated by the end of Week 2.
Last year, I wrote to advise our community of the Staffing arrangements for 2023. Unfortunately, I regret to inform you that Mrs Wendy Atkinson has made the decision to move on from Lauriston School and will not be returning as the Reading Recovery teacher this year as previously planned.
Wendy has devoted over 20 years teaching service to Lauriston School and our staff. BOT and community will be planning an evening in early March to acknowledge and celebrate her time at Lauriston School. As her final Year 6 students had created a gift to present Wendy for the end of 2022, we will look to acknowledge Wendy at the same time as the event being planned for our Year 6 leavers from last year.
In the meantime, a new Reading Recovery teacher will be sought to fill this vacancy as soon as we are able.
Please see the updated summary of the staffing for 2023 as follows:
Staffing 2023
Kaihautu/Principal-Mr Colin Brodie (Principal sabbatical Term 2)
Kahukura Kaihautu/Deputy Principal-SENCO-Miss Georgie Turpie (Acting Principal Term 2)
Kahukura Kaiarataki/Assistant Principal-Miss Laura Twiss (Acting Deputy Principal Term 2)
Mt Alford-Miss Georgie Turpie Y0-1 Kaiako/Teacher
Mt Harper-Mr Jason Taylor Y1-2 Kaiako/Teacher
Mt Hutt-Miss Danielle Chalke Y3 Kaiako/Teacher
Mt Winterslow-Mrs Elyse Adams, Mr Colin Brodie Y4-5 Kaiako/Teachers (Mrs Elyse Adams Term 2)
Mt Somers-Miss Laura Twiss, Y5-6 Kaiako/Teacher
Deputy Principal Release teacher-Mrs Julia Davey
Beginning teacher/Mentor teacher release-Mrs Julia Davey
Kaitakawaenga-Literacy Support Teacher, Reading Recovery-To be appointed for 2023
Release teachers-Mrs Julia Davey, Mrs Libby Chambers, Mrs Rosalie Flemming
Support Staff:
Tania Wallace-Kaiawhina/Teacher Aide
Heni Raroa-’Nan’-Kaiawhina/Teacher Aide
Trudy Tarbotton-Kaimahi/ Office Administrator
Gail Ballantine-Kaimahi/Cleaner
Jeff Nowell-Kaimahi/ Caretaker & Groundsperson
Nga mihi nui
Colin Brodie
Lauriston School Principal
Welcome
We then also welcome two new families into our community. Matthew Harnett and Zoe Vaughan have enrolled their daughter Violett and Richard and Diana Fridd have enrolled their daughter Arabella both also as new entrants into the Mt Alford classroom. We wish you all a long and happy association with the Lauriston Community.
Bring on the Presents
This week we have Wilbur Cairns who will turn 9 on Thursday - we hope you have a super day!
Administration
Activity Accounts
We run an activity account for every family that we add stationery items, uniform and other small costs to as they arise. This account can be viewed at any time through your child's HERO page so you can keep track of where you are at. Because of this I don't tend to send statements out unless necessary if no payments have been made. If you are struggling to meet payments, please call Trudy or Colin to discuss options.
As we go through these unprecedented times with COVID and the general rise in the cost of living, if any families wish to set up a regular automatic payment, (even if it is just $10 a fortnight - it all makes a difference) please feel free to do so. We already have a few families that do this and they certainly find it helps when having to purchase a more costly item like uniform.
Upcoming Events
- BOT Meeting - Monday 13th February
Week 3 (20-24th Feb): Swim week with EA Networks. EA Networks tutors will be coming out to school daily to take every child for a lesson. Please make sure children have togs each day even if the weather is not looking great.
Week 4 (27th Feb - 3rd March): Wheels Week and Triathlon. Children bring their bikes on Monday and leave them at school for a fun week of wheels activities. The triathlon is on the Friday of this week (3rd March), parents are welcome to come and watch.
Merino Jerseys and Sports Shirts
Unfortunately the Merino Jersey's have increased to $90
Regular Off The Bus
Swimming Togs
The children will be swimming every day at school as weather permits so please make sure you send them to school with their togs, towel and goggles in a named bag. If for some reason your child can not be swimming, please advise their classroom teacher.
Sunhats
Contact Us
Office Hours
Monday – Friday 8:30am to 3:30pm
Email: admin@lauriston.school.nz
Website: https://www.schoolwebsites.school.nz/lauriston/contact-us/
Location: Lauriston School Church Street, Lauriston 7776, New Zealand
Phone: +643 302 4799