I have thoroughly enjoyed my first three terms at Stanley Bay School and am looking forward to 2024 with this fabulous community. However, first I want to acknowledge our Year 6 students who we are farewelling, they are amazing! Each of them displays the school’s vision of confident, creative, curious learners who are connected to the community and the wider world. This has been developed with the greatest influencers: their whanau.

What I have noticed in particular about this year group is that many are well-traveled and love Crocs. I know that these great kids, carry with them a backpack full of memories and I look forward to seeing them again either in the community or as they journey through the local schools.

Teacher update:

Farewell

We are farewelling Miss Isabel Robertson and Miss Genevieve Thomas on the 12th December at 9.30am in the hall as part of the Junior celebration sharing.

Isabel is going on her overseas experience then settling in Australia. Isabel has been a superb New Entrant/Year 1 kaiako and we are going to miss Isabel’s guitar playing. After 5 years at Stanley Bay School, Genevieve is moving to Milford Primary School. Genevieve has organised our book weeks and is a superb year 1 and 2 kaiako. They will both be missed.

Welcome

We welcome three kaiako who start at the beginning of 2024: Shea Gentile to Room 14, teaching the year 2 children. She is a Canadian who trained in New Zealand. Lexi Fleming is joining our Year 3 and 4 team and is a Devonport local. Jinny Kim is an experienced New Entrant/Year 1 teacher.

Jinny and Lexi joined us on Friday at our Staff-only day, and participated in learning from Lucie Cheeseman about how we implement Maths and were part of discussions about getting ready for 2024 and in particular our discussions around how we will improve our house system that all students and staff are part of. We also celebrated Rita and Isabel’s graduation to be fully qualified teachers and heard hearty speeches from both Helen Pelham and Helen Stedman who have been their mentors over the last two years. A number of us also celebrated with them in the evening in the formal ceremony at Albany Junior High School.

Staff announcement

I am also very pleased to announce that Helen Stedman has accepted a school leadership position to be the leader of the Juniors.

2024 Class Placements

Choosing which class each child is placed in for 2024 has been a robust and structured process where teachers work collaboratively using their expertise, experience, and knowledge of your child to ensure that they will be placed in the best learning environment for their needs.

To place children in a class, we have used the following process;

• 2024 Team Leaders have worked with the kaiako to place children in classes. To do this, they have considered academic data, maturity, specific learning needs, friendships, relationship with the teacher, and any information that will support a favourable placement.

• Teachers have reviewed the placements and made numerous changes to ensure the best possible placements.

• Final class placement information will be sent home with the end-of-year reports on the 8th of December.

I appreciate this can be an anxious time for parents. However, I ask to trust the process and be assured that we have made every effort to place your child with the teacher we feel is most appropriate, to ensure that they have a productive and positive 2024.

2024 staff and class organisation

We have the following organisation in 2024, children will be going to their new class on Friday for a visit, That day reports are also open online which shows which teachers children have for 2024.

Junior School Leader: Helen Stedman

New Entrants/Year 1 classes:

Room 1 Miss Jinny Kim

Room 2 Mrs Helen Stedman

Room 3 Miss Carina Lee

Year 1 and 2 classes

Room 11 Ms Lisa Gillgren

Room 14 Miss Shea Gentile

Middle School Leader: Gail Moynagh (Years 3 and 4)

Room 4 Mrs McDonnell

Room 5 Miss Lexi Fleming

Room 6 Ms Gail Moynagh

Senior School Leader: Helen Pelham (Years 5 and 6)

Room 7 Mr Offner

Room 9 Mrs Pelham

Room 10 Miss Harvey

Music teacher/kaiko: Robyn Norwell

Drama teacher/kaiko: Lucy Bennet

Part-time teachers/kaiko: Vanessa Biddles, Julie Lattimer and Jill Cahill.

Learning assistants: Delwyn MacDonald, Vettinia Ross, Karen McKenzie and Keryn Van Shaik.

Scott Boniface is our Deputy Principal and will be teaching Science as part of our specialist programme on Thursdays.

Accounts: Janie Stone

Enrolment officer and international student programme: Rachael Hamilton

At the beginning of 2024 we will announce who has which responsibilities and portfolios in the school.

Kia pai te ra, have a great day.

Emma Tolmie

Tumuaki l Principal