School Uniform Shop on-site: Tuesday 2.45 – 3.15pm
Dear parents and caregivers,
I’d like to start my final newsletter of the year with an acknowledgement of all of our PRIDE Certificate winners of 2023. Seeing our school values demonstrated in so many different ways is fantastic to see. These last two weeks have seen PRIDE certificates go to: Devin Mcentee, Daniel Ford and Rewan Tonkin.
I’d also like to congratulate 2 year six students who were awarded our graduate certificate displaying our school vision throughout their time at Greenhithe School. These two students are:
Jasmine Thomson and Zachary Stephens
Farewell To Year 6 Children and Their Families
Firstly I’d like to thank our year 6 students. I have enjoyed being their principal, watching them grow, face challenges and develop into amazing young people ready for whatever challenges await them in their futures. They have made huge contributions to our school and I thank them for being great role models for our year 5 children. I also look forward to hearing about the children’s successes at their next schools.
I’d also like to acknowledge the families who are leaving us this year, many of whom have had long associations with our school. We hope to see you at our Summer Festivals in the future. Thank you for all your contributions to our school.
Last night we held our Graduation celebration for the year 6 children. This was a wonderful evening and I know the children enjoyed their evening. As a part of this event we present our award winners for 2023.
Our award winners for 2023 are:
Principals Cup for Outstanding Academic Achievement- Max Wang
Lupton Family Cup for Diligence-Emily Zhao
Cup for Excellence-Reagan Highet
Greenhithe Lions Citizenship Award-Pippa Craddock
Greenhithe School Citizenship Cup-Deacon Harrison
Digital Recovery Cup for Excellence in Mathematics-Matthew Chen
Digital Recovery Cup for Excellence in Writing-Max Wang
Excellence in the Arts-Harriet Cotty
Overall Sports Cups –Nyah Slade/ Maddison Boyd
2024 School structure
Mrs. Morrison, Mrs. Hooper, Mrs. Walsh and Miss. Philip.
Mrs. Mowat, Mrs. Strombeck and Mrs. Sussex
Mrs. Boyd, Mrs. Fitzgerald, Ms. Erceg and Miss. Barnston-Wells.
Mrs. Sam (who will be teaching art throughout the school in 2024), Mrs. Gunston, Mrs. Chichester, Mrs. Hilton-Jones and Mrs Patterson will be part of our teaching team and undertake elements of classroom release time for our teachers.
2023 Classes and Teachers
Today the children have spent time in their new class for 2024. This provided an opportunity for building new relationships that will support their learning next year. While the children will be familiar with their classmates, as our classes do collaborate for many learning experiences, they may not have all their friends in the class. The teachers have identified relationships and friendships that work to enhance and promote effective learning, while ensuring each child is well supported in their new class. Our teachers and the Senior Leaders spend many hours putting these classes together based on many factors, including the children’s working relationships in the classroom, learning requirements and groupings within the class.
This is an opportunity for building new relationships. While the children will be familiar with their classmates, as our classes do mix for many learning experiences, they may not have all their friends in the class. The teachers have identified relationships and friendships that work to enhance and promote effective learning, while ensuring each child is well supported in their new class.
Please help your child to see the new class as an opportunity for new friendships, while morning teas, lunchtimes. Year group collaboration for learning experiences or sports will help maintain friendships where some of their friends may not be in the same class.
As we come to the end of another year, I would like to say a few thank yous!
Firstly, our amazing staff. I am so grateful to have a team of such dedicated, passionate and caring educators working to realise the potential of your children. I am very proud of our team.
I would also like to thank and acknowledge the contribution of our parent community. We thank you for your support with everything you do for our school and the children. Whether this is joining us on a trip, attending a sports event to cheer on the team, managing or coaching a team, supporting our PTA events or being one of our road crossing supervisors, I thank you for your support of our school.
I’d like to also acknowledge the work of the Board. They are dedicated people who work closely with the leadership of the school to continue to improve learning outcomes for all of our tamariki at Greenhithe School.
I would like to thank our PTA team, what an amazing group you are. Our Summer Festival was epic! It was a great community and school event. This was our first full Summer Festival since 2019! Your work throughout the year has been thoroughly appreciated. I’d like to give a special mention and acknowledgement to Sjaan Evans, for her leadership of the PTA. I have enjoyed working alongside you all and it has been a privilege to see your dedication to the children of our school.
Being on the gates at the start and end of the day is a highlight of the year for me. I love the way the children chat, share their achievements and just greet me each day with a smile. I have loved watching each child work diligently and show perseverance and excellence throughout 2023. I am so proud of every one of our children. They remind me on a daily basis why my job is the best one in the world.
The summer break is a time to catch up with whānau and reset. I have family visiting from the UK, so I’ll be hitting many of the tourist spots!
I hope the summer break allows everyone to relax, enjoy the holiday and return in February safe and ready for an exciting 2024.
Greenhithe PTA Updates
PTA Year in Review 2023
As we head into a break from school activities and hopefully a restful and sunny holiday period, the team here on the PTA would like to extend our appreciation for the support of the School Leadership, the teachers and admin team, and of course, our wonderful families. Without this support, the PTA would not be as successful as it has been.
Every year, we try to plan activities that will be fun for our kids, keep the parents engaged, and support events that the school is running. This year we have sold juicies, pizzas, and hundreds of sausages, held a disco and a quiz night, resold uniforms, supported the wonderful school production, held a Read-athon and of course saw the year out with the Summer Festival.
All of these activities have been managed by passionate parents who come to the PTA meetings and just want to give our kids the very best. Thank you to the PTA team, who work so tirelessly, bring so much life and enthusiasm, and create such a welcoming environment.
This year we have managed to fundraise a whopping $46K. – this money has been used to put in a brand new playground for the Junior School and will be used to purchase more Kapa Haka uniforms.
So in 2024, we hope to continue this amazing work and really hope to see more of you coming to the meetings and helping out in our events that we are running, as we have had such great support this year. Our AGM will be held on 13 February 2024 at 7pm in the School Staff Room. All welcome!
Thanks to everyone,
Greenhithe is a MITEY School
At Greenhithe School we are mentally healthy and feel a sense of belonging when we feel respected, valued and heard. Ideas and well being are valued, ensuring that everyone feels supported and appreciated.
Time is taken to build and nurture relationships.
Our kaitaki have been working right up until the end of the term. Harvesting vegetables and cleaning up our habitat areas for the long summer holidays. They have also finished the signage for their areas and are so proud of what they have all achieved this year!
They are excited that the habitat areas they designed have been successful, with birds nesting, wetas in the hotels, and lizards sunbathing in the Lizard Lounge area. Go Greenhithe Kaitiaki!
Sports Corner Korero hākinakina
Congratulations to our Miniball tems who have finished their competitions and had some outstanding results.
Our two Year 6 teams have had a wonderful year of Miniball with some great results.
Our Year 5 Miniball team played an exciting final in their grade which went into overtime and unfortunately they lost by one point. However we are super proud of them and here is a picture of them with Mrs Knowles and Mrs Butler who went along to support them.
The Year 4 Greenhithe Lightning won their 3rd and 4th place playoff in the Y3-4 Gold league. They beat Beachaven Primary 26-17. This is a team that they’d lost to in round robin play. Gold league is the top basketball league in the region and the team finished 3rd of 88 Y3-4 teams. They are very lucky to be coached by David Lynch and managed by Jillian Hedgman.
Our Year 3 team in their first Semester of Miniball placed 8th in the Blue Grade.
Congratulations of our two Splash polo teams who did incredibly well playing their hearts out on a Sunday afternoon.
Our Year 6 team coached by Carole Strombeck, placed 5th in the Gold grade and our Year 5 team placed 2nd in the Bronze grade. Here is a photo of the team coached by Justin de Ridder. Thank you to both of these coaches for all of your hard work.