Boards and boards

Matariki celebrations will this year be in week 6 with our usual line-up of lantern festival and beach clean-up. If you can assist with lantern making or repairs please let Wendy know.

The school is about to run Keeping Ourselves Safe (KOS). This is a positive personal safety (child protection) programme that aims to provide children and young people with the skills to cope with situations that might involve abuse. It will help them keep themselves safe in their interactions with other people. The programmes are planned and taught by the classroom teachers and the local Police Education Officer, working in partnership. A meeting for parents/caregivers with the school's PEO Kerry Fegan is being held next Tuesday afternoon.

The school's other health theme this term is food and healthy eating. The aim is assist students to make informed choices about their eating.

We presently have a large percentage of students making the most of our smooth asphalt with skateboards and scooters being ridden around the school. Senior students are setting up a Warrington Wheel-being Way workshop in the technology shed and are keen to run an after school wheels group. The group aims to meet at school from 3.30–4.30pm on a Monday with pedestrian free riding, access to simple plank ramps and the workshop open for scooter, skateboard and bike maintenance. If your child is keen to join in or you have skills riding or maintaining a small wheeled vehicle come and join us at 3.30pm this Monday.

Nominations close next Thursday 16^th for people wishing to stand for the Warrington School board of trustees. This is a great opportunity to be involved with the school and shaping the educational landscape of Warrington – go for it and put your name forward!

Quinoa and cricket

Daylight saving has ended and it's great having more light in the mornings, no excuses now for arriving at school with clothes inside-out!

Our cricket teams finished off the summer sports season with some great games at the inter-school tournament. Winter sports have now begun with the school fielding both hockey and mini-ball teams and many students involved with Saturday sports. For a small school we have some very sporty students.

Room 1 students have now harvested and processed their Quinoa plants, from 6 plants we have 2 cups of this highly nutritious grain. We also have left over seed for further plantings. Our next step is to decide on the best recipe to trial.

This weekend is the 'Blueskin on Show' event, the school will be running the cafe and we will need your support to make this a successful fundraiser!

Also this Saturday, educators from around New Zealand are joining marches and rallies because of concerns about the impact the Government’s education policies are having on children and their learning. Whether it's the rushed and flawed implementation of National Standards, the botched implementation of Novopay, the hasty mergers and closures of schools in Christchurch, the imposition of league tables or the introduction of charter schools that don't have to employ qualified teachers. The Government is being asked to stop, look and listen to the voice of educators and school communities.

Educators from around the country want a strong, vibrant, well-resourced public education system that invests in our children. The intention is to stand up for kids and defend our world-beating education system from failed overseas policies based on privatisation, competition and a one-size-fits-all approach to children's learning.

Unfortunately I am unable to join this rally on Saturday as I will be attending the 'Blueskin on Show' event. However this rally has my full support and if you have any comments or would like to discuss any of these topics please come and talk to me at the show.