Newsletter Term 1 Week 9

NEWSLETTER

TERM 1 WEEK 9 2025

SENIOR ATHLETICS

Kia ora e te whānau, 

MANAWATŪ TOUGH KIDS:

This was an awesome day and our tamariki loved it. Thanks for all the support with transport. We couldn’t do it without your help.  

BIKES IN SCHOOL:

This has been an incredible opportunity.  After only 2 sessions some of our children are already experiencing bike riding success for the first time ever! Kerry & Esther have the patience of saints and are so positive with our tamariki! We have two more sessions, one on Monday and another one on the first day back after the holidays.  

ATHLETICS:

From Junior Athletics in Marton to our Senior showcase – we have had a great time developing the skills of our young sportspeople. On Friday (fingers crossed as the weather looks wet) we will take a group of student representatives to Hunterville to participate in the Interschool Athletics. Thank you for those offering transport – we gratefully accept.  

ONLINE PARENTING EVENING:

WOW! I am almost speechless about what I learned from Rob. It was an R18 presentation that every parent, grandparent and caregiver should hear. I can hand on heart say to our parent community, our children are ALL impacted by technology. Even children who don’t have any technology – if their friends or family members have access – then so do they. Rob shared real stories about what is happening right under our noses at a time when I was also working through a situation with a group of students at school involving R18 material being discussed and shared. I have had many discussions with parents and students over the past 10 days and the two hours I spent listening to Rob resonated as real concerns for our young people. They are often reacting in exactly the way the predator or perpetrators who have connected with them, want them to respond. It is all very concerning and confusing for our tamariki to be navigating these spaces.  They need your guidance. 

From now on each newsletter will have bullet points or links for whānau to do their own research. It will be a section that has tips, discusses filters or provides topics to open up conversations between you and your child.  From Roblox and Minecraft to Snapchat and TikTok – we, the adults in our children’s lives, can educate ourselves better to be their safe place in times of trouble.  

AS FAR AS NEWSLETTERS GO:

This is my last one for a while and the last one before the holiday break. As most of you already know, I am taking refreshment leave for the remainder of the year.

Megan Syme will be Acting Principal and Jen Weir will be our Assistant Principal – both of whom will be amazing and bring their own brand of fun and fabulousness to the roles!

I’m not ‘gone’ I’m just not going to be around as much, but you never know where I might pop up, like a garden weed! 

Mā te wā, see you soon,

Ngā manaakitanga, Kim Gordon. 

Scooters & Bikes at School

We are happy that our children use these methods to get to school. Once they reach the school grounds we expect them to push their wheels to the bike stands in order to avoid accidents and mishaps. If your child is unable to adhere to these guidelines we may have to ask them to discontinue bringing their bikes or scooters to school. Students must place their wheels in the stands as soon as they arrive. We discourage ‘other’ types of wheels as this can create unnecessary issues. Our bike track is for everyones enjoyment. Helmets must be worn at all times.

Uniform Code

All students wear the Bulls School polo shirt, polar fleece, a sport & Cultural top, and the logoed red bucket hat available from Academy Apparel in Palmerston North. Their ‘bottom’ is non-regulation other than a colour restriction to plain black (no writing, logos, stripes or other colours). Shoes need to be suitable for school wear.

Please name ALL clothing and shoes.

In Terms 1 and 4 of each year, red Bulls School bucket hats must be worn when outdoors.

If hair is long, we request it is tied back for safety, hygiene and practical purposes.

Hair styles and colours should be as natural as possible and avoid extreme ‘trends’

which may be seen as threatening.

Jewellery should be kept to a minimum and not pose any health or safety dangers.

SUBSCRIBE TO APP GROUPS 

Di has refreshed this and named each group with 2025 so you know it’s relevant and up to date. You will all need to join the groups specific to your tamariki.

This has important notices for either the whole school or specific groups eg: Bus Students, Sports, Cultural, Hubs, etc that you can join according to what your child’s involved in.

Many notices or reminders go out via the APP so it is an important tool for parents to be aware of what is due eg: permission slips and dates for events offsite, transport required etc. This is also an efficient way to provide absence notices.

In many cases, parental permission may be given via the app as well.