A lovely warm welcome back to school everyone!  Our roll now stands at 102 students and we especially welcome new students Stella, Ari and Anita into Room 1 and, of course, our new teachers Bruce Whitwell and Liz Wijnands (pronounced Wynans).  We hope you all enjoy being here at Ngatimoti in 2010.  
In addition to some classroom changes, we have some timetable changes to get used to:
 Interval will now be from 10.15am – 10.30am
Lunchtime now runs from 12pm – 1pm

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Our final school day is next WEDNESDAY 16 DECEMBER.  On this day, we have an assembly which begins at 11.30am and will finish at approximately 12.30pm.  The buses will leave straight after the assembly.  Parents, grandparents and extended families are most welcome to join us in the hall.
To our Year 8 students and parents:  Please join us in Room 1 for a farewell morning tea at 10.30am.
At our final assembly we will also farewell Ms Bridger and Debs Godsiff.
  Thank you both for all your work at Ngatimoti School!
To begin 2010 our staff will be:
Hall teacher    Juniors – Year 1    Amy Dell
Room 4    Years 2 & 3    Heather Reid & Jo Hadley
Room 3    Years 3 & 4    Liz Wijnands
Room 2    Years 5 & 6    Bruce Whitwell
Room 1    Years 7 & 8    Steve Dunn
Congratulations to Amy Dell, who has secured a permanent position with us at Ngatimoti School.  Amy will be on leave on Wednesday 16 December and so will not be present at our final assembly.
2010  Students are expected back at school on Tuesday 2 February at 9am.  Lunchtimes in 2010 will be from 12 noon until 1pm.  Interval will be from 10.15-10.30am

The Ngatimoti Curriculum With the revised NZ Curriculum coming into effect in 2010, our staff have been busy adapting it to become our Ngatimoti Curriculum.  The BOT and staff believe strongly in the parent input component, however I have some concerns with this.  With so many students coming from such diverse backgrounds I find school can become a difficult place for some.  We have high expectations at school and these are reflected in our RIVER values (Respect, posItive, innoVative, Excellence, Responsible).  Attitudes and behaviour are a significant component of our school curriculum and we would appreciate your support with this.  If students come to school tired and hungry, then they begin their day on a back foot. If students have parents working alongside them and encouraging them, then school can in part be an extension of home.  It is important for us to work together, and in this way our students – your children – will have the best possible primary education.  Ali