A warm welcome to out new students:  Eden Rickard, Dominic Bycroft-Jenkins, Cooper Robson, Jade Lenihan, Tyrell Hill

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Children,

The first day of term is always one of my favourites. The team and I enjoy having the children back and sharing the neat activities and events we have planned for the term. 

This term we continue to support our children and each other with the power of team. I love the move that education has taken over the past decade. A move away from competition and towards collaboration. Knowledge is best served when it is shared, celebrated and enjoyed by many. The application of new knowledge is a gift you can give others. 

Our children are natural adopters of this philosophy and it brings us all much joy when we see the excitement in both seeing children learn something new and then finding the excitement in sharing it with others. As learning is very much a social process. 

As a community we must continue along this vein. Building collaboration, supporting the growth of many. We all benefit as individuals from this model.

There may always be the mindset of competition amongst a small few, who may try and divide and conquer. Hold onto knowledge and prevent collaboration through feeling somewhat threatened. However, in our learning community and children I take comfort with being part of a team that we are very much the adopters of collaboration and knowledge sharing. 

Below I have shared another blog from Seth Godin. It is a well worded view point about the value in working together. Maybe something our politicians could take stock of also.

On behalf of our team we are all looking forward to continuing partnering yourselves to ensure we have a great final term of 2020. 

We are not the enemy (if we try)

Fewer than 1% of our population works hard to divide us. To pit people against one another for their selfish aims.

These are the pundits, divisive politicians, media companies and short-term trolls who have decided that schisms and fights are a good way to achieve their aims.

But if everyone is demonizing the other, then everyone is the enemy to someone.

We end up spending our time fighting each other instead of fighting for the things that really matter. We end up focusing on the current thing while something more important shrinks away in the background.

It’s possible to be fierce, fierce in your dedication to change, to what’s right, to making things better–without finding the source of your power in the destruction of others.

We ought to be fighting inequality, corruption and inefficiency. Working to stamp out ignorance and missed opportunities while creating access and possibility. Keeping our promises and making things better.

Every system is improved when it’s in sync, and the narcissism of small differences is a seduction that keeps us from focusing on creating real value by doing important work.

Realizing that things can get better (they can always get better) opens the door for productive conversations, conversations that aren’t based on prior decisions about what team someone is on, and instead, on putting our shoulder to the work, taking responsibility and actually making things better.

We can fight injustice without becoming pawns in a boxing promoter’s game.

Students are in school when ultraviolet radiation levels are at their peak. Sun protection is an important part of being Sunsmart.

Please send your children along to school with a hat to wear outside at break times.

On Tuesday our children who have been caring for their lambs, kid goats, chickens & calves brought them along for the morning.  Gumboots, raincoats & umbrellas were the order of the day but the rain did not stop our children going through their paces with the jduges. Congratulations to our children for their performances on the day and to the parents and family members who supported them.  Thanks to Laura Clausen & Stephanie Philburn for helping with organising the day.

Puketaha School is a member of the Hamilton North Agricultural Group who provides our judges and equipment for running the day, they also hold a Group Day for all of the schools in the group on Monday next week. 

True Group Fitness Sessions at Puketaha School

The Gymnastics Academy - Term 4 Classes