| | | | Click on the Calendar icon above to connect to our Live Community Calendar | |
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| | Calendar of Events through to Final Day: | | | |
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| | Thank you to all 130 parents who completed our survey. Unfortunately since setting up the survey we have been contacted by government auditors and informed we would be breaking the law to offer the proposal we had for a 50-50 deal with parents. We can’t purchase them and then sell them to you for half price as we have to be able to show the assets to the auditors when they inspect our accounts. It also defeats other purposes such as insurance cover - our excess is much higher than the cost of a new Chromebook. At present the best we can suggest is Hire Purchase payments to either Noel Leeming or PB Tech if you are really keen to provide a Chromebook for your child. We are incredibly disappointed that it has eventuated this way. Thank you for your support. Thank you also to those parents who did not support this but shared your comments and views. These were helpful and useful and we will keep them in mind as we go forward.
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| | Message from our WHS Board of Trustees: | |
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| | The Western Heights School Board of Trustees is very proud to acknowledge the significant achievement of Principal Ash Maindonald in being awarded a Woolf Fisher Fellowship for 2018. This Fellowship, awarded by the Woolf Fisher Trust, recognises and rewards excellence in educational leadership and teaching in New Zealand. The Board, WHS staff and our wider community is well aware of the dedication, skill, experience, passion and immense sense of caring that Ash brings to his role as Principal. We feel very privileged to have a leader of such talent at our school, and believe wholeheartedly that Ash is thoroughly deserving of this award. It is important to note that this award is conferred with an element of surprise - applications cannot be made for a Fellowship; instead, worthy principals and teachers are nominated, and recipients do not know that they are being considered for a Fellowship until the award is announced. Travel abroad is a major component of the award, with the opportunity next year to spend ten weeks visiting schools in Asia, Europe and the United States. It also includes a short time studying with other international principals at Harvard University. This will take place in term two of 2018. The Board of Trustees would like to offer Ash our sincere congratulations on this achievement. | |
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| | Indian Dance Troupe Perform at West Fest: | |
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| | | | The hard work of Mrs D’Lima and her wonderful talented and enthusiastic Indian Dancers paid off with an awesome performance at West Fest. Their performance was delayed two hours and it was a hot and muggy day but they all stayed focused - even the youngest dancers - and when their turn came to perform at last, they shone. | | | |
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| | Thank you to all the parent helpers and a huge congratulations to everyone involved. | |
| | Congratulations Newly Registered Teacher Lauren Nummy: | |
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| | | | Last week Western Heights staff celebrated Lauren Nummy achieving Full Registration status. Three years of intensive training and a further two years of successful classroom practice and ongoing professional learning is required in order to achieve Full Registration status. It is the equivalent of a five year degree, so it is a special occasion when achieved. Lauren is an outstanding person and practitioner. She is passionate about her profession, has a huge heart for children, is diligent and dedicated and is loved by children, colleagues and parents alike. We are very proud of her achievement and very pleased to have signed her up to a permanent position last year. | | | |
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| | Commiserations to our Tongan Friends: | |
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| | | | It is not strictly school related, but we do have many proud Tongan families in our Western Heights community. To all our Tongan families and friends we extend our sincerest congratulations on the outstanding achievements of the Tongan Rugby League Team - Mate Ma’a Tonga. Equally, our congratulations to the Tongan communities across New Zealand who celebrated your team, your culture and your heritage. It brought joy to me every time I saw a car, house or fence decked out in Red and White and the flag of Tonga. Finally, sincere commiserations to the Tongan team and community on the decision regarding the final play of the game. I am not a ref, but I have an opinion, and for me it was a match winning try. At the very LEAST they had to go upstairs and check it. No matter what the decision though, the final fifteen minutes of that game was the best 15 minutes of football ever. Mate Ma’a Tonga indeed. | | | |
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| | | | A beautiful instrument beautifully played. Mina popped in one morning recently to share a song, which I recorded and posted on YouTube so you can enjoy it too. https://youtu.be/PzlpxmagEJk
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| | Joan is an Auckland Softball Rep: | |
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| | We are really proud of our own Joan - in her final year at Western Heights. Joan started playing softball when she was just four years old. This season she trialed for U13 Reps for Auckland Girls Softball and was selected as a pitcher for the side. Awesome! | |
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| | A New Mum at Western Heights: | |
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| | We have a new mum at WHS with three new (ly hatched) children - in our Turtle Haven. Our children have really enjoyed watching the eggs hatch and the babies being fed. | |
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| | Hlaina Is Proud of her Learning - so are We: | |
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| | Waitemata Junior Rugby Sunscreen Fundraiser:
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| | | | The Waitemata Dynamite (Max and Flynn - “The Twins”) Rugby team are doing a fundraiser. They are selling bottles of sunblock for just $10. $10 for a 200ml Spray Cancer Society 50+ Sunblock bottle is a bargain. The RRP is $19.99, and it is currently on sale at The Warehouse for $16. Order forms available from our Office. | | | |
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| | Dare to Explore - Kia Māia te Whai:
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| | | | Explore the wonderful world of books and beyond with Kia Māia te Whai Dare to Explore, our free summer reading programme for kids aged 5 to 13 years! Join us as we explore all the wonders that our libraries have to offer. Challenge yourself, get reading and dare to explore! The Kia Māia te Whai Dare to Explore summer reading programme runs throughout the summer holidays (9 December – 17 January) and can be completed at home, on holiday, at your local library and with friends. Visit https://daretoexplore.nz/ to register now. | | | |
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| | Beautiful West Auckland Beaches Series - Whatipu: | |
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| | One of Auckland’s scenic gems, this 12 kilometre long black-sand beach is popular with surfers, walkers and fishers. There are caves to explore along the length of the beach, and the sands now cover an old kauri dance-floor which once hosted outdoor dances. Whatipu Lodge, a 140-year-old farmhouse behind the beach, provides self-catering accommodation and a one hectare campsite with pit toilets and running water.
Whatipu is located at the southern end of the Waitakere Ranges. Whatipu has no surf patrol, and as with all the beaches west of Auckland, swimming may not be safe due to rips.
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| | | If you’re no longer covered by your parent’s health insurance, your manufacturer’s warranty is over.
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| | Welcome to our Newest Western Heights Whanau | |
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| | The warmest of warm Western Heights welcomes to the fifty (!) new children who have been completing their Pre Entry visits over the past couple of weeks prior to starting here next year. We are delighted to have you join our Western Heights whanau and hope and trust you all feel right at home here, are happy, and Loving, Learning and Leading. | |
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