1. Principal's News Term 4 Week 3

When this goes out I will hopefully be up the hill at Mt Somers.  As I'm not around school this week I won't have too much news but should have some good camp photos to show next week.

Staffing for 2020
Danique McRae will be leaving us at the end of the year and teaching at Papakaio School in 2020.

Congratulations to Jennifer Herbst who is the new Across School Teacher for Whitestone Kahui Ako, our community of learning.

We are employing two new teachers:

Sarah Mae Sollano - Sarah was born in the Philippines and has grown up in New Zealand.  She is bilingual.  She has just finished her teaching degree through the University of Canterbury based in Nelson.  She is a committed Catholic and has had a big part in her local community, volunteering and organising cultural events.  She will teach the year 3/4 class.

Leigh Thomas - Leigh is South African, is married to an airline pilot and has two children aged 15 and 17.  She is teaching at an International School in Hong Kong and has also taught in South Africa and the United Kingdom.  Her family have spent a lot of time in New Zealand and have already bought a house in Oamaru. She is very strong in creative digital technology, inquiry learning and environmental education and will be a very good addition to our team in light of the digital curriculum developments.  Leigh will be class-sharing in the year 7 class while Jennifer attends to her community of learning responsibilities.  Leigh will also work in other parts of the school.

So our staffing for next year looks like this (at the moment)

Junior Hub 1 - New Entrant to year 3 - exact configuration still to be finalised - Mrs Tua Misiloi and Mrs Leanne Brookes

Year 3/4 - Miss Sarah Sollano

Year 4/5 - Mrs Nicola Winders

Year 5/6 - Mrs Jen Streat

Year 7 - Mrs Jennifer Herbst / Mrs Leigh Thomas (also reading recovery release and some other release)

Year 8 - Mrs Sara Jones-Hogan

Part time release teacher - Ann Dooley

Please note that although there are more than one year group in some of our classes, the age range is only about 14 months.  If we chose straight year groups, at some point in the school we would have a class of well over 30 children.  Although I know people like straight year groups, we have the choice of that or smaller classes.  I think smaller classes sizes is a trade-off that most of us would think is for the best.

Communion of Saints

The children are learning about the Communion of Saints at the moment and there is information for parents on our Communion of Saints page.

God Bless and Aroha

Lorraine Frances-Rees