1. Principal's News Week 5 Term 1 2019

Resilience
Once again our children showed excellent examples of resilience at our swimming sports yesterday.  It's wonderful to watch some of the children who train or have natural swimming ability - poetry in motion.  It's equally wonderful to see the ones who have struggled giving it their best go.  Also those in the middle who do well but never win - there's a special type of resilience in that group.  There was a small group of children who really didn't want to do it but did it anyway - and they were pleased with themselves.

All learning involves some difficult or uncomfortable moments.  The term "grit" is often used for the personal resilience that helps learners of all ages get through the difficulties of learning.   If we want our children to be lifelong learners we need to encourage them to have grit.  We applaud the resilience of the children who train at the swimming pool every morning.  We equally applaud the resilience of the children who pushed themselves out of their comfort zones to give it a go.

Many thanks to the parents who helped at swimming sports yesterday - we can't do it without you.  A big thank you to Paula Brien who once again organised this event for us.

Whitestone Wipeout - The Mud Run - Saturday 23rd March
This is a fabulous event.  Everyone who participated last year had a ball.  You can sign up at the Whitestone Wipeout Facebook page or through hard copy entry form at the school office.

Our Home and School President, Rebecca Heffernan, supported by the trusty committee, has put a lot of work in behind the scenes to enable this to happen but they need help.  The Home and School need helpers on the day to be marshals and also a few people on the Friday afternoon for set up.  This is a major fund-raiser for the school and it would be great to share the load a little.

Home and School New Fundraiser
The Home and School has come up (thanks to Rebecca again) with another new fundraiser:

Race Course Cafe
WE ARE HOPING ALL OF OUR FAMILIES WILL BE ABLE TO PUT A COUPLE OF HOURS INTO THIS ONCE A YEAR
Here's some information about it:

* The Cafe has been run by a group of Racing ladies voluntarily for 10 years.

* It averages around $1000 a meeting.

* This season the cafe will cater for 10 Harness meetings.

* It will be run on a roster with H&S committee along with people from the school community, they would be asked to do a shift of maybe 2/3 hours. The mornings would consist of set up making sandwiches and then the lunch time and afternoon shifts will serve and keep cabinets stocked.

* The menu is very easy we sell, sandwich packs, pies, savouries, cheese rolls, hot chips, fish, sausages in bread, cakes, hot and cold drinks.

* We know dates for the whole racing season 1 August to end July so we will be able to give people good notice.

* Race days are mostly Saturdays with some Sundays and a couple of Tuesdays.

* The good thing about this as a fundraiser is you already have a captive audience as the Harness club are running the entertainment and the people, trainers and drivers need to eat. We have nothing to do a part from order some food and prepare and serve, no advertising etc.

* We take over fully at the next meeting in May. 

If you are able to help with either of the above activities please contact Rebecca directly or through the school office.

Caterpillar Rescue Crew

We're having lots of fun with gardening and caterpillars at the moment:

God Bless and Aroha

Lorraine Frances-Rees