28 March 2025

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE  

THE IMPORTANCE OF RESILIENCE 

As someone who follows Formula One racing, I have been reminded of the importance of resilience. If you have been following the news lately, you may have caught wind of a young Kiwi driver called Liam Lawson who has moved into one of the top teams in this sport and has had an incredibly challenging time.

In our school mission statement, one of our aims is to develop resilient children. In recent years, much has been shared about the challenges our young people are facing and the rise of anxiety. Resilience is a critical attribute that thankfully can be developed over time. Resilience in children is like a superpower that helps them bounce back from anything that life throws at them.

As Kathryn Berkett, an expert in child development, stated, "Resilience is not about being tough, it's about being adaptable and flexible." Kids have an incredible capacity to adapt and learn from challenges. 
Whether it's a setback in school, a friendship issue, or a disappointment, they have the innate ability to rise above and keep going.

Several years ago, we worked very closely with the Resilience Institute to develop a schoolwide resilience programme that is now embedded in our curriculum. As parents, teachers, and caregivers, it's essential to create an environment that encourages and supports the growth of resilience in children. By providing them with love, understanding, and opportunities to learn from their mistakes, we can empower them to face life's ups and downs with strength and perseverance.

We need to encourage them to embrace mistakes as learning opportunities and to believe in their ability to improve through effort and perseverance. 
Praise their efforts rather than focusing solely on achievements.

Building supportive relationships is so important for children. Strong, supportive relationships with caregivers, teachers, and peers create a secure foundation for children. Foster a nurturing environment that promotes open communication, empathy, and active listening, allowing children to express their feelings and concerns without judgment.

Resilient children are equipped with problem-solving skills that enable them to find solutions independently. Encourage children to identify problems, brainstorm possible solutions, and evaluate the outcomes. 
This empowers them to take ownership of their challenges and develop resilience in the process.

Let's empower our children with the tools they need to thrive and bounce back, no matter what obstacles come their way.

Kyle Brewerton
Principal​​​​​​​

IMPORTANT DATES ​​​​​​​

YEAR 7 CAMP

The Year 7 camp is just around the corner, students are getting pretty excited with only a few more sleeps to go until we head off on camp in week 9.

GREEN CAMP Monday 31st March - Wednesday 2nd April 
Room’s 11, 12, 13, 14, 26, 27, 28

BLUE CAMP Wednesday 2nd April - Friday 4th April 
Room’s 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18

A few reminders:

• Camp payments are now overdue, so if you need to talk to us about those, please contact the office.
• All medication should be in a clearly labelled container and given to the medical officer at camp. 
• If your child has dietary requirements that restrict them from certain foods, please ensure that the biscuits they bring along are also in a clearly marked container. 
• No electronic devices including phones are permitted. Students will be asked to hand in their phones to their teachers prior to the camp bus departure, and these will be handed back on return.
• We try to return all labelled lost property items. If unmarked items are found, Camp Adair will gratefully take these.otherwise these will be donated to Camp Adair
• Don’t forget to check those torch batteries!!

TABLE TENNIS 

This term we have been lucky enough to have the Auckland Table Tennis Association come along to the school to introduce our students to this fast paced and exciting game.

But this year things were a little different as we have welcomed our very own internationally ranked table tennis to RI, Lucas Alexandre. The exhibition usually starts with 2 of the adult players warming up and then showcasing their skills, but we were able to see Lucas in action at this stage, pitting himself against one of the other adult players.

Lucas did not disappoint with the variety of shots he could take, together with the distance from the table that he could play at. Then it was the turn of our students who were invited to take part to see if they could win the coveted table tennis bat for their class. Sadly it was not the students day, but then it was time for the teachers to show the students how things were done!  
This year it was Ms Lynch taking out the honours for room 17.

Table Tennis is such a great sport to be involved in so if you would like to learn more you can please visit https://www.tabletennis.net.nz

SOCIAL CHANGENCY 2025 

First initiative of the Social Changency for 2025.

A Race Unity Poster Competition.

YEAR 7's IN THE FOODS ROOM  

Year 7 students are developing fine food preparation and cooking skills. 
Actively working together in small groups and communicating well, they create delicious food. With knowledge of nutrients and wise shopping skills they are learning to make healthy food choices. Some recipes introduce them to new ways of bringing more coloured vegetables into their meals. 

We hope your child is confidently demonstrating these skills at home!

YEAR 8's IN THE FOODS ROOM 

Year 8 students kicked off the year with a Scrambled Eggs Masterchef-style challenge to refresh their memories of how to work in the Foods room.  
Using their knowledge and experience from Year 7 they have been making a variety of recipes to practice their measuring and knife skills as well as their use of the equipment and appliances. Fudgy Beet Brownie has been a hit and everyone enjoyed learning to make fresh pasta with a pesto sauce using silverbeet and herbs from the school garden.

YEAR 8 CAMP - ROOMS 19, 21 & 22 

On Monday, 10 March, Rooms 19, 21, and 22 departed Remuera Intermediate to Hunua Falls camp for 3 days.

The morning had a clear blue sky, warm sun and anticipation in the air; everybody couldn’t wait. Throughout the lengthy bus ride, the students sang songs and chatted about their excitement.  

On arrival, we put our bags away, departed camp, and began the five-hour scenic tramp. The views were spectacular! The remaining time was spent doing a range of activities ranging from lip-syncing competition, raft building, archery, and preparing for our Mexican fiesta and top town.

After three action-filled days, it was time to head back to school. 
While it had been a wonderful, although tiring, time with our classmates, it was certainly great to be back in our own beds at night.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS 

A lot has happened since the year started for the International Department! For starters, we now have a wonderful new International Hub space! It’s been great for fostering connections and creating a welcoming environment for our international students.

In February, we had the joy of welcoming a group of international students to our RI family—some new faces and some familiar ones. Among them, we hosted 15 short-term Korean students for four weeks, giving them a taste of Kiwi education and life. They stayed with local homestay families, took part in classes, and connected with both students and teachers, making it a great chance for cultural exchange.

The students also got involved in some fun cultural activities, trying their hand at poi and rākau, thanks to Whaea Ode. To help everyone bond, we held lunchtime activities like a Kiwi twist on Squid Games, including Gonggi (Knucklebones), Ddakji (Flip the Card), and Red Light/Green Light. We also tested our knowledge with a cultural quiz about Korea, and some of the Korean students even taught us K-pop dances, performing at their final assemblies - "Blackpink in your area!"

This experience helped our international guests improve their language skills, make new friends, and create unforgettable memories. We’re so glad we had the chance to host them and can’t wait for more cultural exchanges in the future!

SCHOOL ZONING

Proposed Minor Amendment to School Enrolment Scheme

The Ministry of Education has identified a need to amend our school’s enrolment scheme to accommodate new housing developments — Simplicity Living and The Hills Remuera at the Ellerslie Racecourse.

This proposed amendment aims to ensure fair and transparent enrolment processes for families in these areas. 

Below is the proposed amendment. We encourage our school community to review it. If you have any questions or feedback, please email the school office at admin@remint.school.nz by 30 April 2025.

REMUERA SCHOOL APP

You can download the free app from the App Store or Google Play. It works on both android and Apple phones. It sends important school messages and forms a big part of our school communications.  If you have not downloaded the App, please click this link http://remueraint.apps.school.nz/share/ 

Features of the App:

• You can subscribe to alert groups of interest to you and your child
• You can access the school calendar, news and events directly through the App
• We can send out targeted alerts to everyone with the App or to specific groups

ABSENCES

All absences need to be reported by 8:45am at the latest. To report an absence please:

• Use the 'Report an Absence' link in the top right corner on the school website homepage http://www.remint.school.nz
• Use the school app or phone the office on 09 522 9890 Option 1 
  Please do not email absence notifications to classroom teachers
   

ABSENCE NOTIFICATION

Your children’s safety is of paramount importance to us.  To ensure the safety of all our students, at 9:30 am if your child has not been marked as Present we will send out a text notification to alert you of his/her absence.  

We are aware many parents are simply very busy people and forget to notify the school so please respond with a Y and a reason for the absence/lateness.  Respond with an N if you have dropped your child at school or know that he/she was coming to school and we can investigate this promptly. 

Should your mobile number change, please notify the school immediately so that we can update our records accordingly.
 

PARENT PORTAL

Parents are able to use our portal to pay for their child’s donations and fees. We encourage anyone who has not already signed up to do so.  The address is https://parent.edgelearning.co.nz/

CONTACT US