From The Principal's Desk

Dear parents and caregivers

 This term has flown by!

The students have been busy problem solving and creating wonderful installations. Not only portraying our Learner Profile (of the 5Cs) but demonstrating it at the same time!

Our students have been on some great trips to support their learning and you will see the photos of these in the newsletter.

In everything we do, we try to ensure that we are enabling our children to gain further insight into how they can be confident, connected, caring, creative and communicative individuals who are learning how to navigate their changing world.

Speeches

A definite way to evidence confidence and communication, along with creativity and connecting to the audience has been our school speeches. It was my privilege to be part of the judging team of our year 5 and year 6 students. Their topics were well prepared with good delivery. Along with a good dose of humour in some, from camping to boogers, to laughter itself!

Fiorenza Nustrini's speech topic was "Mellons Bay Memories".

For the past six years, most of us have been coming to Mellons Bay School to learn and to grow. I wonder how many of you share my memories.

I started school at the end of 20 13 in year zero with Mrs Charlesworth. Did you know that the school ran out of summer uniforms? But I was lucky that Mrs Mellor's daughter, Holly, lent me her spare dress.

My second day of school was Athletics day and of course since I didn't know what it was, I came last in everything I did. But the photos showed I was enjoying it so I guess it went well. Mrs Charlesworth didn't come back the next year.

Mrs De Border, or as we called her Mrs DB, taught me in year 1. We had a book parade and I went as Rapunzel. Basically all the girls in our class went as princesses. We also had a dance festival. Who remembers the songs we danced to? They were Butterfly and Move It Like This.

We normally got free time in the afternoon, and we always played the same game, teachers. We always had the same role and I was the teacher's pet. No, not that kind of teachers pet! I was an actual pet like a mouse or a cat. Mrs DB retired at the end of that year.

Year 2 was with Mrs Goile in room 9. Our class mascot was Scaredy Squirrel and the best thing was to be able to take him home for the weekend. We were easily pleased in year 2.

Many photos were taken of me this year! First for The Village Cookbook and more - this time in my PJs - for the New Zealand Herald, for the Kids First pajama donation. Mrs Goile has retired but still relieves sometimes.

I moved to the middle school and was in Miss Morrison's year 3 class. We had another book parade and started Field of Dreams swimming. I joined Kapa Haka for the first time. It was really cool being allowed to wear my hair out. Miss Morrison has moved overseas to Australia.

My year 4 teacher was Mrs McInally who had taught both my brothers, so that was really cool. I bet you can all remember our overnight stay at the Auckland Zoo. I loved going behind the scenes and seeing what they kept for the animals to eat. Mrs McInally no longer has a class but she still comes in to relieve.

Hey, I've just realized that my first five teachers are no longer at this school. I hope it's nothing to do with me...or maybe it's something to do with one of you...

My year 5 class in room 20 had two teachers - Mrs Jacobson and Mrs Holland. Highlights this year included year 5 camp, art journal, student agency, netball field day and mindfulness but the biggest highlight for me was having baby Meika visit us in the classroom! She even came to visit us at camp, in her pajamas. So cute!

Mrs Mellor, my year 6 teacher, also taught both my brothers so I knew 2019 would be a fantastic year. Year 6 camp was full of amazing experiences and memories of it will stay with us for a long time. Now we are in year 6 we are role models for all the younger children and I enjoy spending time with the juniors in the library on Thursdays.

Next year we will all go off to different intermediates and then to different high schools. Some of you I will see again and again but some not so much. But who knows in the future? Maybe we might work together one day, maybe one of you might teach one of my children, maybe one of you might become Prime Minister! But we will always be connected by our time at Mellons Bay School.

Chess

For the past eleven years, Dr Anthony Booth has come every week in a lunchtime to share his knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm for Chess.

We are very lucky that he has given this time and committment. In fact we were the first school that he started with, when Alan Foy was the Principal. Over the years he has expanded to help out Willowbank School, Owairoa Primary School and Cockle Bay Primary School. At eighty one years of age he is now going to spend the time with his wife – he made a fantastic contribution to Chess and our children

We would like to thank him very much for all the time and commitment that he has given to our school and our children. Through the local Chess club Mr Booth has organised Mr Hansley to come next year so that we may continue this tradition.

Building

The new classroom block is looking good. It was due to originally be finished at the end of this term, but as many of us know, these things can go over time. We are now expecting the building to be finished on Monday 25 November, which is our school week 7. This is great timing as we have now planned for our installation art trail date for the same week. This will be a great time to come and walk the trail with your child/ren, enjoy a picnic tea or buy a sausage and coffee/drink while you admire the wonderful installations . We look forward to seeing you on Thursday 28th November from 5-7.00 pm. 

Survey

Thank you to our parents who completed the reporting survey. We had 146 responses which is fantastic, so thank you for your time. We have gained some valuable data and will try to put this into place for our reports for next year. We will be reviewing how we go about information sharing and building learning partnerships.

Please click here to view the survey results.

PTA Parent Night

The PTA "Old School Cool" parent night was a very enjoyable event with many fantastic prizes,  not to mention costumes!

It was wonderful to see the community supporting our school, while having a great time enjoying each other's company. We appreciated all the effort that went into this by the PTA, along with the support of our parents.

As part of the silent auction, we were able to take some of our students to breakfast. I had breakfast with Max Kramer, Antonia Pearce came with Mr Harder, and Jacinda Burnett came with Mrs Costello.

I would just like to say that all the children were polite and very well behaved and I would be proud to take them out to breakfast again.

Max showed wonderful manners,  opening the door to The Apothecary for me and again on the way out; manners will always see you a long way in life.

Thank you to our PTA for all their effort this term. I'd also like to thank our teachers and staff for their hard wok throughout the term.

Please travel safe in the holiday break, enjoy your time with your children and we look forward to a great term 4.

Ngā Mihi

Colleen Margison

Principal 

News Bites

Kindo is here!!

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