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Newsletter Term 3 Week 1
Fernside School - July 19, 2026
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Kia ora koutou e te Whānau,
Welcome Back to Term 3!
Welcome back to school for Term 3! We hope everyone had a safe, refreshing, and enjoyable winter holiday, finding some time to relax and recharge despite the chilly weather.
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A Term 3 Challenge: Braving the Cold by Choosing Kindness
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As we head into the deepest, coldest part of winter, Term 3 always tests our collective energy. When the mornings are frosty, the days are short, and indoor lunchtimes keep us closer together, it can be easy to let our standards slide. This term, we challenge all our students to use our GROW values to guide how we navigate these winter months—and most importantly, how we treat one another.
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The truth is, kindness is completely free, yet its value is immeasurable. It costs absolutely nothing to offer a warm smile on a freezing morning, include someone in an indoor game, or speak words of encouragement. While we cannot control the winter weather, we can completely control the environment we create inside our school.
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This term, let’s focus on these daily challenges:
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Respect & Kindness: When cold weather forces us inside and our spaces feel smaller, how can we show extra consideration? A simple act of kindness or a polite word costs nothing, but it can completely turn someone's day around.
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Working Together: Can we look out for classmates who might be feeling a bit under the weather or struggling with the winter blues, ensuring our classrooms and playgrounds remain inclusive and warm?
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Gratitude & Optimism: Can we focus on lifting each other's spirits? When we choose to find the good in others and express appreciation, we bring our own sunshine to the coldest winter days.
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Let’s not just "survive" the winter term—let’s conquer it together by proving that genuine kindness can easily outshine the cold.
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School Interviews This Week: Partnering Together for Success
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Our school interviews are taking place this week, and we look forward to sitting down with you. We know that "the most powerful support for learning happens when school and home work together."
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These interviews are a fantastic opportunity to connect and discuss your child's journey, focusing on:
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What is going well: Celebrating their current achievements and strengths.
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Areas of growth: Identifying where they can stretch themselves.
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Learning goals: Setting clear, focused targets for the rest of the year.
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Working together: Aligning how home and school can support their progress side-by-side.
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As we navigate significant national changes in education, our commitment to your tamariki remains completely unchanged. We will continue to know every learner deeply, celebrate every success, and support every single child to take their next confident step forward.
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Through Gratitude, Respect, Optimism, and Working Together, we will ensure every child continues to GROW.
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Over the Holidays: Enviroschools Leaders Make a BIG Difference
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We are bursting with pride! Led by our wonderful kaiako, Anita Ward, our amazing Year 2/3 Enviroschools students have officially taken their classroom learning out into the real world and caught the attention of the local council.
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After learning about the endangered native birds that call our local braided rivers home—like the beautiful wrybill (ngutu pare), banded dotterel, and black-fronted tern—our students noticed a big problem. These precious birds nest right on the gravel riverbeds between September and January, making their eggs and chicks incredibly vulnerable to 4WD vehicles and dogs.
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Instead of just talking about it, our tamariki decided to take action. They launched a petition calling for a seasonal bylaw to restrict vehicles and dogs during nesting season, and they even presented it directly to the Waimakariri District Council.
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Their hard work paid off—Mayor Dan Gordon recently visited the school to acknowledge their incredible mahi, and the council is officially investigating the bylaw. You can check out the full news article or listen directly to the radio broadcast below to hear Anita Ward discussing this amazing journey:
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A massive thank you to our community for supporting the petition, and a huge congratulations to our young enviro-leaders. You have shown us all that no matter how small you are, you can make a BIG difference for our environment.
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Production Kudos: A Massive Thank You to Jane and Team!
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While many of us were winding down for the break, an incredible amount of work was happening behind the scenes. We want to extend a massive thank you to Jane and her amazing production team.
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Writing an original production from scratch and organising the logistics is a monumental task. Thank you, Jane, for your vision, creativity, and tireless dedication to giving our students an unforgettable experience on stage. Your effort perfectly models the Working Together spirit of our school. We cannot wait to see it all come together this term!
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Property Update: Holiday Upgrades & What’s Next
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Over the winter break, our school grounds were busy with a different kind of activity! A huge shout-out goes to the team at Waghorn Builders for their hard work in freezing conditions to replace the roof over Kātote and upgrade our water cylinder. We truly appreciate their efficiency in keeping our school warm, dry, and safe.
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Looking ahead to the next holidays, we have more exciting property projects lined up. We look forward to the upgrade of our amphitheatre and the pool sheds, ensuring everything is refreshed and ready for action when the warmer months arrive!
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Strategic Planning Evening... Have Your Say
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We have already gathered valuable feedback on the 'Why', 'What', and 'How' of what you would like to see happen at Fernside School. Tonight provides an opportunity to build on that feedback, explore your ideas in greater depth, and help refine and develop our Strategic Plan with more detail and clarity.
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As we look toward the future, your voice is an important part of shaping the direction of our school and ensuring our core values of Gratitude, Respect, Optimism, and Working Together continue to anchor everything we do. We would love to see you there to collaborate, share your perspective, and help us guide our students forward.
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Details: Tuesday 4th August 6.30pm in the school Library
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Wine, beer, and nibbles will be provided.
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Term 3 Dates to Diary
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Tuesday 21st July: Parent Teacher Interviews
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Thursday 23rd July: Parent Teacher Interviews
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Monday 27th July: Virtual Parent Information Evening Ski Trip- Link to come
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Wednesday 29 July: Ski Trip - Day 1
Thursday 30 July: Ski Trip - Day 2
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August
Monday 3rd - Friday 7th August: Scholastic Book Fair
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Tuesday 4th August: Strategic Planning Evening in 6.30pm Library
Tuesday 4th - Friday 7th August: Food for Thought - Whekī Hub
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Thursday 6th August: PTA Meeting 7pm in Staffroom
Monday 10 August: Junior Cricket Skills Session - Kiwakiwa/Kiokio/Kātote Hubs
Monday 17 August: Teacher Only Day with Rob Proffitt White (school closed)
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Wednesday 19th August: Cantamath- Horncastle Arena
Tuesday 25th August: Rakahuri Winter Tournament
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September
Thursday 3 Sept: PTA Meeting 7pm in Staffroom
Tuesday 8 Sept: Shelter in Place Drill
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Monday 14th Sept - Tuesday 15th Sept: Production at Ohoka School Hall- Details to Follow
Friday 18 Sept: Science Road Show - Kōrau Hub
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Please check the calendar regularly for updates.
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