Kia ora e te whānau
Welcome back to 2024! Welcome to a new look website and a new look newsletter! I hope you have all had a restful break and are ready for a fun filled term of learning. It has been wonderful to see our families returning as we welcome new members to our whānau. The playground has been full of chatter as children share in the excitement of their new classes and teachers. Not to mention a few of their adventures over the summer break.

Last Thursday offered a fantastic opportunity for teachers to connect with whānau and to share in our stories about what makes us who we are. The Powhiri on Friday provided an excellent platform for our new Year 6 Kapa Haka leaders to shine as we welcomed new families and our new team leader, Jackie van Erven.

During our Teachers Only Days the staff participated in some professional development and completed some work around the Government's "Teaching the Basics Brilliantly" where students in Year 0-8 will be taught for an average of an hour a day in Reading, Writing and Maths. Throughout the term we will be sharing with you via our newsletter some of the amazing things we are doing in Reading, Writing and Maths here at Windy Ridge.

It's great to be back, but what's even better?   The sound of children in the classroom and on the playgrounds and field. Welcome back everyone. I look forward to chatting with you at our Picnic on the Green - which is an event not to be missed.

Nga mihi nui

Tracey Bullen
Acting Principal

Kia ora,

Welcome to 2024 at Windy Ridge School. My name is Marie Cheeseman and I am the chairperson (or presiding member as it is officially called) of the Windy Ridge School board. I currently have two children at Windy Ridge, as well as two older children, one at Glenfield Intermediate and one at Glenfield College. I have been on the board since 2017, and was the board chairperson in 2020-2021. I am looking forward to taking on this role again and hope that I can put my previous experience to good use. 

One important job for a school board is employment. The board is the employer of all staff at the school, but while recruitment and employment of most staff members is usually delegated to the principal, it is the school board who are responsible for recruiting and employing a principal. We have all been so incredibly lucky to have had Tracey Bullen as our acting principal since the end of term 3 last year, and are now looking for a permanent principal to take the helm in term 2. 

Some further information on the role of the board is included here:

If you ever have any questions for the board, please feel free to email BOT@windyridge.school.nz.

I look forward to seeing you all around school throughout the year, and at our Picnic on the Green on the 15th of February.

Ngā mihi,

Marie Cheeseman

This week we take a look at the ... teachers. That's right, teachers are learners too! 
Last week the teachers spent time engaging in professional discussion around The National Government One hour of Reading, Writing and Maths policy. We highlighted what this means for us at Windy Ridge - so be on the look out in this "Learning Spot" section of the newsletter to celebrate our successes.

We had a guest speaker Arletta van den Bosch, who came and spoke to us about Neurodiversity. Arletta is an experienced Integrative Child Therapist and has worked in many fields ranging from counselling and intervention specialist through to public speaking and mentoring. Arletta is an engaging speaker and teaching staff were able to gain knowledge and identify strategies for working alongside our Neurodiverse tamariki.

Mandy from Creative Matters also joined us for some Professional Development in the Visual Arts. Teachers produced a collaborative piece of artwork as well as developing new skills to bring into the classroom. 

HERO is the new platform for Windy Ridge School. Through HERO you will be able to ...
* report an absense
* send your teacher an email
* access the school newsletter
* receive reminders of up and coming events
* receive notifications and updates on your child's learning

Staff are busy receiving training and learning how to use the platform. This is a very exciting shift away from eTAP and SEESAW as HERO provides a one stop shop for all our school needs. Please have patience while we up-skill ourselves and learn to navigate a new system.

In the mean time you can ... 
Download the HERO app today

To begin your Hero journey with us, please download the Hero by LINC-ED app from the app store or alternatively open your browser and enter go.linc-ed.com and select ‘new user’. 

To login, you will need to enter the email address you used when enrolling your child at Windy Ridge.

Note: use the keywords Hero LINC-ED when searching for the app. For further information please visit: https://our-hero.com/nz/users/families/

As you know schools can be a busy place around pick up and drop off time. Please help us to keep all our tamariki safe by reading the following reminders:
1. Use the designated crossings to cross the road
2. Keep your speed to 30km/ph or lower around schools
3. Park sensibly, not on yellow lines or over driveways
4. Please do not use the carparks to drop off/pick up your children - this is a high traffic area

If you choose to bring your dog onto school grounds it must be on a leash and under control at all times. Please pick up your doggy doo and be mindful of the comfort zone of others.

Thank you to all our whānau who are working with us to keep our tamariki safe - let's continue to keep Windy Ridge a safe environment for everyone.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It sets up our minds and bodies for learning. Breakfast clubs offers children Weetbix and fruit everyday in the Gardens (over in team Kotare). If you are able to assist with Breakfast Club from 8.30am - 8.50am please contact Jane Brown on jbrown@windyridge.school.nz.

Kickstart Breakfast programme delivers free breakfast to 1400 schools around New Zealand https://www.kickstartbreakfast.co.nz/ The KickStart Breakfast Programme is a joint initiative between Fonterra, Sanitarium and the Ministry of Social Development. The programme is designed to positively impact child well-being through providing access to nutritious food at school.

We are always needing cans of fruit to enjoy with our breakfast. All donations of fruit would be gratefully accepted through the office.
Thank you

For over 30 years Life Education has been teaching health and nutrition in schools throughout New Zealand. Every year over 250,000 children from 1,450 schools are involved in the Life Education programme. Through lessons in our mobile classrooms children learn about healthy eating, being a good friend, good and bad substances and how their body works.
We support and offer schools an integrated programme utilising a shared planning approach to ensure we are meeting children’s learning needs.

We welcome the Life Education Caravan to school from Monday 25 March - Thursday 4 April. Everyone will enjoy 2 sessions in the caravan with Grace, our educator and Harold. At Windy Ridge we will be focusing
* making sensible decisions
* making and maintaining friendships
* healthy body, healthy mind.

This term Basketball and Touch will be starting up - Register online at KINDO today.

Basketball - please register today
Tuesday venue - TBC
Wednesday Venue - Eventafinda Stadium
If you are in Year 2/3/4/5 and 6 and would like to represent WRS at Basketball please head over to KINDO and register today.

Year 5/6 Girls will play on a Tuesday evening. Competition starts Tuesday 5 March
Year 3/4 Mixed will play on a Tuesday evening. Competition starts Tuesday 5 March
Year 2 Mixed Beginners will play on a Tuesday evening. Competition starts on Tuesday 5 March.

Year 5/6 Mixed will play on a Wednesday evening. Competition starts on Wednesday 6 March

Touch Rugby - please register today
If you are in year 2/3/4/5 and 6 and you would like to represent WRS at Touch Rugby please head over to KINDO and register today. Games will be held at Kaipatiki Park starting on Wednesday 14 February through to Wednesday 20th March.



Rippa Rugby Taster sessions

North Harbour Sport will be joining us in Term 1 and providing Rippa Rugby Taster sessions. These sessions are designed to encourage movement and to develop large ball and co-ordination skills. Every child in the school will have the opportunity to participate in 6 x 40 minute sessions

Please make sure your child is wearing comfortable clothing on the day.
Tuesday 27 February and Friday 12 March
Tuesday 5 March and Friday 8 March
Tuesday 12 March and Friday 15 March

Term One - Thursday 1 February - Friday 12 April
Thursday 1 February - Whānau Connect Day
Friday 2 February - First Day of school
Tuesday 6 February - Waitangi Day - SCHOOL CLOSED
Friday 29 March - Good Friday - SCHOOL CLOSED
Monday 1 April - Easter Monday - SCHOOL CLOSED
Tuesday 2 April - Easter Holiday - SCHOOL CLOSED
Friday 12 April - last day of term - 3pm finish

Term Two - Monday 29 April - Friday 5 July
Monday 3 June - Kings Birthday - SCHOOL CLOSED
Friday 28 June - Matariki - SCHOOL CLOSED

Friday 5 July - last day of term - 3pm finish

Term Three - Monday 22 July - Friday 27 September
Friday 27 September- last day of term - 3pm finish

Term Four - Monday 14 October - Tuesday 17 December
Monday 28th October - Labour Day - SCHOOL CLOSED
Tuesday 17 December - Last day of school 12.30pm

Order online by Wednesday evening to receive your fresh delish healthy sushi. https://sushiday.co.nz/product-category/sushi-packs/

Cut off 9pm Wednesday 

See special term deal

If you have a child ready to start school and have not completed an enrolment application, can you please contact our School Office as soon as possible or complete an online enrolment form https://enrolments.linc-ed.com/apply/NZ/1575

We have a school zone, which means that anyone wishing to enrol a child from out of our school zone, will have to go into one of our ballots. There is information on this process on our school website. https://www.windyridge.school.nz/51/easy_pages/16-enrolment-scheme

If you know of any students living in zone who are due to start with us, please ask his/her parents to get in touch with the School Office.

Along with a new year and new levels there is always a time of adjustment and finding our way around again.
Please click on the link for a copy of our school map.

We welcome you all into our classrooms every morning from 8.30am - 8.50am and after school from 3pm - 3.15pm - we would love to see you.

Piwakawaka Team
P1 = Nicola Tyler, Team Leader
P2 = Jenny Law
P7 = Debra Lewis
P8 = Jude Tabuteau and Shirley Crosby

Kotare Team
K1 = Joy Marshall and Caroline Andrews
K2 = Jackie van Erven, Team Leader
K3 = Caroline Walker

Tui Team
T1 - Jane Brown
T2 = Ash Prasad, Team Leader
T3 = Hannah Ross-Thompson and Sue Ogden

John Casson is an experienced music teacher offering lessons at Windy Ridge Primary on Thursday mornings. If you are keen and want to learn the guitar please email the office.

We would like to remind you that in Terms 1 and 4 of each year, children need to wear a named hat at morning tea, lunchtime and during any outdoor activities. Can you please remember to pack a hat in your child's bag each day.

Children who do not have a hat to wear at school will need to play in the shade.