Chelsea School BoT Newsletter

Dear Chelsea School family,

In the warm embrace of our school spirit, we write to you today to address both the challenges and triumphs that have recently shaped our term 3. The news of our much-loved principal's resignation has undoubtedly sent shockwaves through our community, leaving us with mixed emotions and a sense of uncertainty.

However, amidst this unexpected change, we must also celebrate some of our successes. Firstly, the opening of our fabulous new playground has been a significant success. This exciting addition to our school provides a safe and enjoyable space for our students to play, learn, and grow.

Our recent school production, which showcased the remarkable talent of our students and the dedication of our staff, is another noteworthy accomplishment. Furthermore, the successful conclusion of another Te Wiki o te reo Māori, is worth celebrating. This annual event plays a vital role in promoting the revitalisation and appreciation of the Māori language and culture within our school and the wider community. As we stand at this juncture, we acknowledge the road ahead, filled with both opportunities and challenges, and reaffirm our commitment to nurturing the growth and development of our students while fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for all.

Block 7

The rebuild of Block 7 has been a challenge that the Board and the Senior Leadership Team had not anticipated would take such a long time to work through the process and get the project moving forward. As a result, a request for explanation was sent to the Ministry of Education and their delegate attended a Board meeting to update and clarify why we have had to wait 10 months for very little progress. We can now say with confidence that, after some consenting issues, we have been able to resolve our frustrations and work will commence to rebuild Block 7 in late October.

We appreciate that this has been frustrating for the wider school community, and trust that you will be as happy to see construction start as we will be.

We're making a big splash of gratitude to the North and South Trust and Air Rescue Community Service for diving into our cause with their generous support. Thanks to their help, we're ready to dive deep into some much-needed pool remediation. Our goal? To ensure that our pool becomes a haven for children and the community to learn to swim once again, creating a space where everyone feels like a true water guardian.

This project is a bit like an Olympic swim meet – extensive and full of excitement! There's still a lot to tackle, including adding some much-needed "heating" to keep the water cosy, fitting a sleek new "thermal pool cover" to keep things warm and help with energy efficiency, giving the changing rooms a makeover with fresh "flooring," and last but not least, putting up a shiny "new fence" to keep everything shipshape. Projects of this magnitude require a dedicated team effort, and we couldn't do it without the support of grants like these. We've got a few more grant applications in the pipeline, and we're also eager to collaborate with the PTA to secure funding for the remaining items.

While we hope this project flows smoothly, we'll keep you posted on the progress and updates, especially if we can make a big "splash" by having everything ready for summer and a key available to hire.

First and foremost, we want to express our deep gratitude to the families who have generously supported us through their voluntary donations, especially in light of the ongoing challenges posed by the cost of living crisis. We would like to emphasise the crucial role that these donations play in the context of schools like ours, which fall within the decile 10 category.

While we are fortunate to serve a vibrant and engaged community, it is important to acknowledge that there are funding disparities between government allocations and the actual resources required to maintain a standard of excellence in education. It is here that your donations come into play as they effectively bridge this financial gap.

Your contributions empower us to go beyond the limits imposed by budgetary constraints, enabling us to offer enriched educational programmes, employ additional staff members, and acquire essential resources that significantly enhance the educational experience for our students. It is through your unwavering support that we can both maintain and elevate the exceptional educational environment that we hold dear.

Once again, we extend great appreciation to all the families who have contributed to our cause, recognising the profound impact your support has on our school community and the educational journey of our students.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the PTA for their tireless dedication to fundraising and orchestrating events that enhance our school community. These events are not only a heap of fun, bringing joy to all involved, but also help us to fund things we wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise.

Nevertheless, events like the upcoming Creepy Carnival truly flourish when bolstered by the active involvement of parents, and as they say, many hands make light work. This year, we invite new faces to step forward and lend their support. We encourage parents to consider volunteering for at least one event annually. Your participation goes beyond merely supporting these occasions; you get to know others in the Chelsea community and invest in the shared growth and happiness of our Chelsea Whānau.

The Board has received notice from New Zealand School Trustees Association that the midterm elections date has been set for the 15th of November 2024. This year we will have two parent representative roles to secure members for. We are fortunate to have enlisted CES as our Returns Officer to ensure the elections process is run smoothly. This year's voting process will be an exclusively digital process.

Calls for nominations will open later this month, with the closing period for nominations set as midday on the 11th of October. Separate correspondence from CES will be sent out in the coming weeks with instruction on nomination process.

Parent representation is an extremely important part of the board, bringing together experience from business and community to help shape the direction of our school, while working hand in hand with the school's leadership team. If you are interested or have questions please feel free to reach out and we would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

As we bid farewell to this eventful term, we want to wish each and every member of our Chelsea School community a safe and enjoyable spring holiday. It's a time to rejuvenate, spend quality moments with loved ones, and recharge for the adventures that await in Term 4.

Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication.

Ma mahana me te mihi.

With warmth and gratitude.

Paul Wynyard (PM) , Katie LeVert , Simon Keepa , Martin Ma , Rebecca Hedges, Akshay Trivedi

Chelsea Primary School Board of Trustees