Kia ora koutou,

I hope you have had a lovely week, with a bit of sunshine, rain and wind sprinkled into the week so far! We were really pleased to see so many children with sunhats this week, so thank you to our families for helping with this.

This week at Puketaha, our focus has been on Courtesy. At Monday’s hui, we talked about what courtesy means, why it matters, and how it connects closely to our school values. For our tamariki, courtesy is something that needs to be taught, modelled, and valued before it becomes a natural part of who they are.

I shared a small example of courtesy that really stood out to me recently, a lovely young person offered to pick up my bags for me. My own child saw this and then offered to help as well. It was a great reminder of how kindness and thoughtfulness spread when they are noticed and appreciated.

Each morning, I’m lucky to be able to greet many of our students. Some give a confident greeting, with eye contact, and others even ask how my day is going. It’s a simple act, but it creates such positive energy and a real sense of pride when our students show courtesy towards others.

Here are some of the tangible ways our young people can show courtesy:

• Politely greeting people and making eye contact
  
• Using people’s names
  
• Asking others how their day has been
  
• Offering to help someone who needs it
  
• Using manners like “please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me”
  
• Being considerate of others by stepping aside or waiting patiently
  
• Saying “pardon” instead of “what?” if they mishear something
  
• Holding doors open for others
  
• Using a quiet voice in shared spaces
  
  

Courtesy is a habit and like any habit, it needs practice. Our tamariki have been putting these ideas into action this week, and teachers are keeping an eye out for students who are shining in this area.

When we focus on something, we start to notice it more often. Thank you to all our parents and caregivers for reinforcing these same values at home. Together, we’re helping to build a culture of respect and thoughtfulness here at Puketaha.

Thank you also for your support regarding the Strike Action yesterday. We hope you have a lovely long weekend and look forward to seeing you next week.

Ngaa mihi nui,
Nyree Olliver
Principal