Dear Parents, Caregivers and Children,

Welcome back to Term 2! I hope you all at some stage managed to get a chance over the Easter Break to enjoy a bit of time with loved ones. So far, it has been a wonderful start to the term, both weather wise and energy, our children have come back full of experiences and stories to share. You can't help but smile when you listen to the joy and enthusiasm they have when telling you their stories of Easter. 

Over the break we based ourselves at Waihi Beach as we travelled over to Mt Maunganui each day for a Basketball Tournament our oldest son was competing in. The experience was first class for lots of reasons. Firstly, I learned so much about the game of basketball, a game I am enjoying more and more each day. The other element was the genuine effort these hundreds of boys and girls from around the North Island were putting in. The effort was obvious and it was there because each child really cared about their team and the game they were playing. It was an environment that not only represented ability, but also effort and reward.

For me this was a reminder of the very basic message and learning that should be important to us all. When we try and put in the effort we more often than not get the reward and as educators it is the effort we must consistently look to embrace and acknowledge.

I took the opportunity to explain this message of effort at our assembly first thing Monday morning. I chatted to the children about how our willingness to care and put in effort is 100% up to ourselves. By in large the learning we do and the joy and satisfaction we experience when we achieve comes down to what we put in. In the long run, those that care enough to try, get rewarded, not to mention that caring is was makes us who we are. The teachers and I would really appreciate you talking to your child/ren about effort and finding contexts that make sense to them. The more we (home and school) share the same common language, the bigger the difference we are able to make for each child. 

Like always we really value the conversation with you. If there is anything you feel needs further discussion or clarity, please do see your child’s Guardian Teacher first and then of course myself if that is needed.

We look forward to another great term.

Warm Regards

Geoff