Friday 22nd May 2026 Newsletter
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Friday 22nd May 2026
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
Kia Ora Parents & Whānau,
It has been another full and energetic week at school as our students wrapped up their final round of practice before this afternoon’s Cross Country. They’ve shown real grit and enthusiasm over the past few weeks, and a special mention was made to several students who have consistently stood out with their effort and determination. We’re crossing our fingers for great weather and a course that isn’t too muddy. A huge thank‑you to all parents for your support and for helping transport children up to Waikaia - your willingness to help makes these events possible. We’ll share our Cross Country results in next week’s newsletter.
Next week, some of our children will also be taking part in the Freeze Ya Bits busking competition in Gore. Ms Finlayson has been working hard with the group, practising a range of songs and building their confidence for the big day. Again, thank you to our wonderful parents for helping us get to these opportunities and for always backing our students in these types of events.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Mihi mahana,
Andrea Holt
CLASS CERTIFICATE RECIPIENTS
Maggie - for great determination during Cross Country practice. Charlie - for an exceptional day of learning and being respectful on Wednesday.
Robbie - for being a good sport and team player. Liam - for demonstrating commitment and positivity while preparing for Cross Country.
Marcos - for pushing through challenges with a positive attitude and strong determination.
Harvey - for great determination during cross country practice.
PRINCIPALS AWARD RECIPIENTS
Pippa - for showing resilience and maintaining a positive attitude throughout
training sessions.
Ayaansh - for being a very positive, respectful, responsible and hard-working member of Piwakawaka.
Hugo - for being the sun in someone else's cloud by cheering them on and
making sure they are not alone.
BIRTHDAYS
Happy birthday wishes this week to Taylor, Ava, Ollie and Thinuli. We hope you all had fun
celebrating your birthdays.
(Ava absent for photo)
CROSS COUNTRY PRACTICE
FOR EXCELLENT EFFORT AND PARTICIPATION
IN RUNNING IN PREPARATION FOR CROSS COUNTRY
DONNALILY, OLLIE, JERROL AND LIAM
CALENDAR OF COMING EVENTS - TERM 2
Thursday 28th May - Freeze ya bits off Busking Competition in Gore (more information to follow)
Monday 1st June - No School - King's Birthday
Wednesday 3rd June. - Northern Cross Country
Wednesday 10th June - Firewise
Thursday June 25th - Visit to Riversdale Arts Exhibition
Friday 3rd July - End of term 2
TERM DATES 2026
Friday 3rd July - last day term 2
Monday 20th July. - first day term 3
Friday 25th September. - last day term 3
Monday 12th October - first day term 4
To be confirmed - last day term 4
WET WEATHER PREPARATION
With the grass now getting wetter and muddier, it might be worth popping a spare set of clothes into your child’s bag, especially if they’re one of those children who loves getting stuck into the mud. This helps keep everyone comfortable and avoids any chilly, soggy afternoons. Thank you for your support.
SCHOOL UNIFORM
If you have any old school uniform at home that your child has grown out of, we’d love to help pass it on. You’re welcome to offer it to other parents, or you can drop it into the school office and we’ll make sure it finds a new home. Thank you for helping us support one another and keep good‑quality uniform in circulation.
SMART ASSESSMENT TOOL – TRIALLING THIS YEAR
From this term, our teachers will be using the Smart Assessment Tool, a digital platform that gives us clearer, real‑time information about each child’s progress in reading, writing, and maths. It helps teachers identify strengths, track growth over time, and plan next learning steps with greater accuracy. This tool will sit alongside our usual classroom assessments and support us to make well‑informed decisions about teaching and learning.
We are trialling this tool throughout 2026 and we will keep you updated as the year goes on about how it is supporting teaching and learning across the school.
PHOTO PUBLISHING PERMISSION FORM
We still have several of these forms not returned. Please return to the office by Monday.
SWIMMING POOL - KEYS RETURNED TO THE OFFICE PLEASE
The swimming pool is now closed for the season and we would appreciate it if all keys could be returned to the office.
KORIMAKO Another great week of learning and activities in our classroom. Students have been busy practising for the upcoming busking competition as well as training hard for Cross Country. This week, students were also given their login details for Scholastic Maths and 3P (Reading Eggspress and Mathletics) to use at home to support their learning. Parent support is greatly appreciated, as regular practice at home will help students build confidence and make progress. Thank you for guiding and encouraging your child with their home learning activities. Wishing everyone a wonderful and relaxing weekend.
Ngā mihi,
Anish Krishna Korimako Class Teacher
PIWAKAWAKA Kia ora,
This week in Piwakawaka, we have been warding off colds. Aside from that, we have completed a good amount of learning in reading, writing and math, as well as continuing to prepare for Cross Country and Busking.
Have a great weekend,
Nga mihi
Judy Finlayson.
Piwakawaka Class Teacher
TUI Kia ora whānau,
This week we have been exploring phonics sounds, continuing with ‘cvc’ words, ‘’ and ‘th’ sounds. With maths we have been focusing on number formation, addition, subtraction, and fractions. With writing we have been focusing on letter formation of ‘w’ , including the ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’, and ‘when’ of a sentence. We have also been practicing for Cross Country and everyone has done so well putting in the effort and they should be really proud of themselves!
Ngā mihi, Natasha Humphrey
Room Tui Kaiako
HOT CHOCOLATE RECIPIENTS
This weeks recipients enjoying their
Hot Chocolate with Mrs Holt are -
Pippa, Ayaansh and Hugo.
TEACHING POSITION AVAILABLE - TERM 3 START
Balfour School is excited to announce a fixed‑term, part‑time teaching position due to roll growth in our New Entrant class. This role begins 20 July (Term 3) and concludes 10 December 2026.
We are a vibrant, close‑knit rural school that values strong relationships, personalised learning, and a holistic approach to education. Our staff, students, and community work together to create a warm, supportive environment where children thrive.
We are seeking an experienced New Zealand registered teacher who is innovative, enthusiastic, caring, and passionate about working with our youngest learners. Strong literacy and numeracy capability is essential, along with a genuine love of teaching and learning.
If you’re excited about joining an amazing team and working with wonderful children, we’d love to hear from you.
Please send your CV, cover letter detailing your areas of strengths and application form to: principal@balfour.school.nz
COMMUNITY NOTICES
