23/08/2026
Tēnā koutou, Talofa lava, Malo e lelei, Nihao, こんにちは, 안녕하세요, Zdravo, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Kia ora whānau, नमस्ते, As-Salam-u-Alaikum,
Kia ora whānau,
Welcome to Week 6 Term 3 2026.
We had many sports and cultural events last week. We were all so proud of our Tongan group for their performance on Friday, and Katrina for her solo rendition of the Tongan national anthem on Monday. Well done to all those that competed in the Winter Sports tournament. It is a busy day, with many hearty games played. We also had a team attend the gymnastics competition in Mount Roskill on Thursday. They really enjoyed the day and did really well. On Friday, 4 students attended the Henderson Cluster Speech Competition at Henderson Valley School. These children were passionate about their topics and worked hard on their speeches. We are very proud of you all.
This week on Friday we have an optional dress up day, just for fun. The theme is Mismatch Day. Wear something that doesn’t match, just for fun.
Next week is International Language Week. We will start the week with a flag raising ceremony, and end the week with a short performance in assembly and a shared kai at lunchtime on Friday. Dress in cultural clothing is always welcomed.
Our BoT are currently developing our 2027-2030 Strategic plan and goals. We do these under our 4 headings Connect, Learn, Create, Share. We base these on many things, such as whānau hui feedback, government priorities, student voice, ERO next steps.
These are our draft goals under Create:
CREATE
To create environments which reflect and enhance quality practice.
Govt Priority 4
Core Strategic Goals
Inclusive & Inspiring Environments: Design classroom spaces, pedagogy, and interactions that reflect high-quality practice, foster belonging, and promote inclusion.
Innovative Student Experiences: Create rich learning pathways that cultivate student curiosity, courage, and exposure to new talents and opportunities.
Specialised Professional Capacity: Build staff expertise in specialized learning support, therapy-informed practices, and responsive pedagogy to meet diverse learner needs.
One of our strategic goals is to engage in acts of service to the community. We are currently working on our Manaaki Whānau day, the Friday before Labour Weekend, 23rd October. There will be NO SCHOOL that day, but we invite all whānau to come along, join in the fun and take what you need. Everything is free on Manaaki Whānau day. We are currently seeking donations and commitment from local agencies to come along. More information will come, but in the meantime if you have donations please email [email protected].
Our school roll has continued to grow, which is great, however this means we need to begin ballots for out of zone enrolments. Those that wish to enrol for 2027 and are out of zone will need to apply through the ballot process. The forms can be accessed by asking at the office.
We continue to work hard on our school attendance. The current government has placed increasing pressure on schools in regards to this. It is important that we increase our attendance towards the goal of all children attending school 90% of the time (or more). This week we have our first series of pizza parties for 100% attendance. We have the highest number of children achieving 100% attendance that we have ever had. Well done everyone!
In a few weeks, on Thursday September 10th, we have our Student Led Conferences. School finishes at the normal time of 2:45, and the conferences go from 2pm-6pm. Please book a time on the Hero app. Please bring your child. They will be showing you some examples of their learning at stations set up around the classroom. This week we are sending home your child’s reflection book. These books are used for weekly goal setting. Please take a look, sign the comment sheet and return the book to school. (If your child recently started at Sunnyvale they may not have one, that’s o.k).
Have a great week,
Whaea Katie
IMPORTANT DATES
September 10th Student Led Conferences
September 1st applications for Out of Zone 2027 enrolments open
Staff Only Day 23rd October Manaaki Whanau Community Day No school
Labour Day 26th October
WEST FEST October 29-30th
Year 6 camp Nov 4-6
School Wearable Arts Show Nov 11th
November 16th Jon Parsons Internet Safety Years 4-6
Friday December 11th Last day of 2026
