Building Updates
Our much-anticipated new building is due for handover towards the end of February. We are looking forward to an official opening and blessing, which will take place with the support of Te Ātiawa, our mana whenua. As part of this process, Te Ātiawa will also be working alongside the school to name all the buildings, ensuring that our spaces reflect the rich history and values of our community.
Unfortunately, progress on some of our other building projects has been delayed. The Ministry of Education has put the library redevelopment on hold while further assessments take place. For now, the white wrapping will remain, and we do not expect to have access to the library for some time. In the meantime, a temporary library will be set up in the middle block, though this will not be open until mid-February.
Similarly, work on the middle block has also been paused while the Ministry reconsiders its options. We are incredibly frustrated by this unexpected backtrack and we will continue to advocate for the best possible outcomes for our school community.
Mathematics Curriculum Update
After a review of different structured maths programmes last year, KNS has selected ‘Maths No Problem’ as our preferred approach. Teachers carefully considered how different options aligned with what we know about good teaching and what each programme offered. We are confident that this programme will be an excellent fit for our school.
Our staff spent a teacher-only day at the start of the year exploring the new curriculum, and later in the year, we will begin embedding this new programme into our teaching. To help whānau understand the changes, we will be holding an open morning later in the year where parents can learn more about the new curriculum.
Welcoming Caro Wills and Liv Llodra
We are delighted to welcome Caro Wills (Whāea Caro) as our new school principal. A mihi whakatau will be held on Tuesday 11 February to formally welcome her. Parents and whānau are welcome to attend. This will be held on the turf beginning at approximately 11.45am. Unfortunately, if the weather does not allow us to hold the mihi whakatau outside there will not be space in the hall for parents and whānau to attend.
We also welcome Liv Llodra to our teaching staff. Liv has moved from Queenstown and is part of our Year 7 team. We are excited to have her join our school and look forward to the contributions she will bring.
Changes to School Communication
This year, we are making some changes to how we share information with our school community. Teachers and teams will now send out weekly newsletters via HERO, which will include reminders, updates, and a spotlight on learning. To streamline communication, we will also be reducing the number of whole-school newsletters we send out.
Thank you for your ongoing support. We look forward to a fantastic year ahead!
Nga mihi nui,
Caro, Laura and Phil
