Kia ora Parents, Caregivers and Friends of the school,
School is a busy place to be and these last two weeks have been action packed.
- The year six children have had Technology Tasters at Bruce McLaren Intermediate and an open morning at Henderson Intermediate.
- The senior school have been planting trees as part of the Twin Stream project. The banks beside the stream to Corbans Art Centre are being transformed. It is a fabulous community project that Western Heights School are committed to for many years to come. If you would like to check out the work done, go to the end of Fitzwater Place and use the access walkway.
- This week the junior school have been down to the Corbans’ Art Centre for their Pacifica study as part of celebrating the cultural diversity of our school.
- The children are learning facts about New Zealand for the New Zealand-a-thon and are keen to gain many sponsors for the fundraising aspect of the event.
- The school choir performed at the Henderson Cluster Music Festival on Tuesday night. It was an enjoyable evening.
Keeping Ourselves Safe
Constable Stace will be conducting an information evening for parents and caregivers here at school on Wednesday 22 August at 7 p.m. This police promoted unit of work is used in a large group of schools and we feel it is important for children to know how to keep themselves safe. All staff members will be attending. Our children are the country’s treasures and biggest investment and need to be treated accordingly.
Home Stay Families Required - October
We need homestays for a Western Heights Korean group. We have a partner /sister school relationship with a number of Korean schools and we host their students during the year. This week, a group of educators from Korea came to meet me because our agent Charles Harn from Capt. Cook Tours is arranging for 20 of their pupils to stay here at Western Heights, for a month in October. Host families are paid $200 per student per week and if possible they would like each home stay to have two students,$400. Please consider this opportunity. I am flying to this area of Korea to meet the families at the beginning of September so that I can assure them that we will take good care of their children while they are in New Zealand. There are more groups planned for language experience in future years. We are working in partnership with Glen Eden Intermediate School as some of the younger pupils do return to GEIS as full time students in the following year. Call in to the school office or ring Joy on 836 1213 and leave details if you would like to host a student.
School Leave Pass
Leave passes have been introduced in the Waitakere area schools this week. This initiative was a joint project with the Henderson Police, the Principals Group and the Waitakere City Improving School Attendance Programme. There has been huge support from the shopping malls in Waitakere City and children could be asked to show their pass when out during school hours. You may collect a pass from our school office if you are taking a child from school between 9a.m. and 3p.m.
Sturges Bridge Development
The community information morning held here at school several Saturdays ago was well attended by the wider community. We will need to show patience during the Sturges Road Bridge development but can look forward to improved access and a better rail service when the work is completed. The project has donated some big native trees to the school to replace ones to be removed down by the bridge.
Board of Trustees
Preparation is being done for our huge Ministry funded building project and our new 10 year maintenance plan. You will be updated through the process. A group of staff and the BOT Chair are visiting a number of schools in Auckland to view their new buildings.
Cultural Celebration
We are celebrating cultural diversity here at school next Friday. Children and teachers will be encouraged to dress up in something that represents them and their heritage. More information will be coming home from each syndicate. Even though my ancestors sailed from Scotland in 1865, I will be wearing a kilt with maybe an All Black jersey. There will be a whole school assembly at about 9.40a.m.
Principal Awards
Kajal Kumar Brandis Wire Sanath MoreSiobhan Kelly Jeuin Shin Emily HowlettHoa Nguyen Joshua Hofman Callum DarrochGeorgia Malloy Casey Pram Emma BrownTaine Stirling Samantha Parker Ki Hwan KimVictor Pang Winnie Oh McKayla OhlsonKirat Kaur Storm Bloomfield Daniel BezantMichaela Coe Zoe Willetts Binu AbeysingheD’Zaiah Tumua Preston Karatau Trey HoeftLiam Macdonald Martina Vastagova Mina HamidiLeo Chung Dean Westman Matthew PosaJustin Fuataga Lois Peri Ethan BirchCasey Leupolu Francisco Huang Sagrika KumarNathan Middleton Shreha Singh Alexandria WilsonGeorgia Robertson Janeiro Moore Natalya TrenwithAlexandra Legge-Murray Helen Huang-ZhangLivingstone Sega-Taisia Taylor McGregor-Dawson
Scholastic Book Orders
Brochures will go out next week. Closing date is Friday 31 August. Make cheques payable to Scholastic N.Z. Limited.
School Photos - Wednesday 22 August
Order envelopes must be returned by tomorrow. Please make cheques out to Friis Photography.
Sports Photos - Thursday 23 August
Orders for these photos will be taken once we receive the proofs back. A further notice will follow.
Netball Photos - Wednesday 22 August
These will be held from 2.30p.m. Don’t be confused with general sports team photos being taken on Thursday 23. Managers, please remind players to pack uniforms, white socks, sports shoes and hair ties.
Netball Prizegiving - Wednesday 29 August
This will be in the school hall at 6.30p.m. Players to wear uniforms but bring a change of clothes as uniforms will be collected after presentations. Please bring a plate for supper. Families welcome and encouraged to attend. Presentations should be finished by 7.15p.m. and supper by 8p.m.
Henderson Intermediate School Uniform Raffle
Are you enrolling your child for 2008? Uniform Raffle tickets available at HIS Office. $5/ticket, drawn 31 August at 3.00p.m. Winner notified by phone and confirmation letter. Prize is a sweatshirt, polo shirt, skirt, shorts or trousers, PE shirt, PE shorts, cap or bucket hat, school socks.
Waitakere Bears Softball Club Inc. - Registrations
Starling Park, Glen Road, Ranui from 2 - 4p.m. on 18, 19, 25 & 26 August. Further information phone 836 5160.
SAUSAGE SIZZLE FRIDAY
Don’t Forget Anthony, Sona and Keysin World Vision Collection
