We have had a busy longer first term with very settled class programmes and many positives to look
back on.
Our murals will be hung to begin Term 2 and the assembly to bless the School Pou was a special
occasion with our children presenting the School Haka together for the first time.
School swimming using the Swimsation Programme has been successful in developing our
children’s swimming skills across the whole school.
Thank you for the great response in filling out the swimming surveys. This will give us good
feedback for planning further swimming programmes. Thank you to all of the parents who have
helped support our class programmes this term with school swimming, our school walk as part of
Walk and Wheel Week, our Junior School Safe Walking and our wonderful summer sports parent
coaches who have taken teams.
We appreciate all the support we receive from parents to help make the most of our children’s
learning. The high attendance at parent interviews was a great example of school and families
working together to set learning goals for children.
Our Principal, Ros McQuillan-Mains has begun her sabbatical and study overseas and
Kaye Ballantyne will be Acting Principal for the first nine weeks of next term.
Please have a safe and happy Easter break. Term 2 begins on Monday 2nd May.

What amazing Tainui School Values Murals have been developed by our children as they expressed
their meaning in art form. A special thank you to Kaye Ballantyne who led this project and to
Robert Strang-one of our parents who volunteered to paint and varnish the value boards. It was a real
co-operative Tainui School effort with all children, teachers and parents being involved. The murals
will be installed in the courtyard area near Room 10 at the start of Term 2.

All parents and friends of the school are welcome to this special assembly to be held on Thursday
7 April at 2.15 pm. Initially we will open the assembly with the whole school presenting our School
Haka- Te Kura o Tainui at the entrance way to the school. Following this there will be a blessing of
the Pou-2 beautiful carved koru posts-which symbolise new life, strength, peace and growth of our
school community. We will move to the courtyard outside our new library to present the classes
Values Murals. The children and teachers have spent a lot of time planning, drafting and presenting
their art representations of our values with stunning results. A special thanks to all our parents who
have been helping with the murals.

We encourage all of our children to continue to walk or wheel to school. As a follow up to our
week in March the school will be participating in a School Walk on Wednesday 30 March
at 1.30 pm walking up Tahuna Road, along Tomahawk Road to the Terminus and back on
Spotiswoode Street, Norman Street and back to school. Parent help is needed and appreciated.
Please come and support this activity.
On that same day we will take another survey of how children come to school, to see how our
percentage is going.

Parent Interviews will be held on Wednesday 23 March from 3.30-5.00 pm and 6.00-8.00 pm and on
Thursday from 3.30-5.00 pm. This is an important time where parents and teachers focus on our
children’s learning and development. Literacy and Numeracy Goals will be set at this interview.
Interviews will be 10 minutes in length. Times will be sent home tomorrow Friday 18 March.

What an amazing, wonderful response to our special fundraiser day on Wednesday. Sarah and her PTA
team hosted the Saveloy Lunch which raised $645.20. Thank you for your enthusiasm and support.
Our kids market was a great success with children selling bracelets, sweets, stationery, lollies, books and
toys. A huge thank you to our teachers and parents who supported children producing and purchasing
items. The kids market made a total of $1,026.80 with the sum of $1,672.00 to be sent to the Red Cross
Christchurch Earthquake Fund.

We invite all our parents to-
Saveloy Lunch 12.30 pm
Our PTA is hosting a Saveloy Lunch on Wednesday 16 March at 12.30 pm. Saveloys will be $3.00
each or 2 for $5.00.
Kid’s Market 2.30 pm
Each class will be selling products and produce in the school courtyard. Please support their efforts in
raising funds for the Christchurch Earthquake by coming on the day. The cost of items will be 50c or
$1.00 each. Please ensure that your child has coins to purchase items.

On Tuesday 1 March the school observed the nation’s 2 minutes silence at 12.51 pm in the courtyard.
Prior to this we discussed how this was a time to think of and send our love to our Christchurch
families. After the school sang the waiata Te Aroha. At this difficult time we hope that the support of
our communities will give our Christchurch families the strength to cope.
On Wednesday 16 March the school plans to hold a Fundraising Day. The PTA will host a special
Saveloy Day lunch with all funds raised being donated to the Red Cross Earthquake Appeal.
Saveloys will be $3.00 each or $5.00 for 2.
In the afternoon at 2.30-3.00 pm classes will be having a Kids Stall-selling items and all funds raised
will go to the Red Cross Earthquake Appeal. We welcome all parents to both events on the day.
The children will be keen to sell their produce and products.

Thank you to all our parents who have been supporting children walking or using wheels to come to
school. Prior to this week a survey showed that 39% of our children walked or wheeled to school.
This week the survey will be completed again and we hope to improve our percentage of children
walking or wheeling to school. We are delighted with the response and we hope that this establishes a
pattern for future school weeks.

The school has planned a Walk n Wheel to School Week from 28 February to 4 March.
Within this week a Walk n Wheel to School Day will be held on Wednesday 2 March.
We will be promoting the school journey as an opportunity to exercise, spend time with family and
save on car running costs. We will be encouraging children to walk or wheel to school with a caregiver
or independently as appropriate. Children will be recording the days they walk ‘n wheel to school on a
card.