Monday 18th March, 2019

Kia ora whānau

Today we had a day focused on love. We talked about the tragic events that happened in Christchurch on Friday and the love that everyone has shown since. We talked about the compassion and love that the people of Canterbury, New Zealand and across the world are showing for our city, the victims and the victim’s families. We talked about the amazing people that helped on the day - the police, the ambulance officers, doctors and nurses at the hospital and the people on the streets who selflessly helped others. We talked about our school values and how these were being used by so many people after the event.

The children then decided they wanted to write cards to express their support and respect. Some wrote to the Muslim community, some wrote to the police, some to the hospital staff or ambulance officers.

As a school, we know that no matter what race, what religion, what your background is, we are one big whānau and we wanted to express our love, sympathy, empathy and gratitude to the victims, the victims families and the support staff.

Arohanui,
Maree Lucas
Tumuaki/Principal

School Notices

New Students
Welcome to Charlie and Toby! We are so thrilled to have you as part of our whānau.

Paid Union Meetings
Due to the events on Friday the meetings have been cancelled this week to enable teachers more time to be in our kura with their tamariki.

Support
As I mentioned in my previous email here are some suggestions and support services available to support families and our entire community at this time:

- How to talk to your kids about trauma (The Parenting Place) 
- Free Text 1737 = Free call or text anytime to speak with a trained counsellor

Please feel free to contact us if you need any extra support or guidance.

Godzone
On behalf of George and the whole Tiki Tour team, thank you so much for all of your support. It was so lovely knowing our students, parents and community were tracking them along the way and getting just as frustrated as us when the tracker wasn’t working! Even though it wasn’t quite the outcome they were hoping for, they definitely did themselves and us very proud.

Communication
We ask you to please try to keep communications with teachers and myself to school hours as much as possible. We are getting more and more text messages in the evenings and on weekends. I try and promote work/life balance as much as I can, so encourage our staff not to work during these times. We would love to talk to you face to face or via the phone, but after that email is our preferred communication. If it is a message for the bus or urgent for that day, then text message is fine.

Preschooler Morning
We welcome all preschoolers on Wednesday 27th March from 9-10.30am.

Year 0-4 trip to Amberley
Year 0-4 will be visiting the Hurunui library and Bloomfields Preschool on Monday 25th March in the afternoon. Please send along car seats on this day.

Omihi School Farm Race
A huge thank you to the fundraising committee who have helped to put this together - Jane, Kate, Amy and Megan. Thank you to everyone who is volunteering on the day. There are still spaces if you would like to volunteer.

Race Registration
There are two options to register and receive your race number. You can come to Omihi School:
Friday 1pm-3pm or
Sunday 7.30am-8.30am

Sponsors of the race
Thank you to the following sponsors for donating prizes or products for our event:

Downer - traffic management
FMG - $150 hamper, plus caps, drink bottles
BNZ - drink bottles and piggy banks
Countdown Amberley - bananas and lollies
Mainpower - drink bottles and $2 per entrant
Icebreaker socks
5 x $50 Fire and Ice Hanmer Springs voucher
Push Bikes, Rangiora - $200 worth of vouchers
Stirling Sports, Rangiora prize pack
$50 Bax and Berg from Banks family
2 x $25 Little Vintage vouchers
Airbnb vouchers from Te Amo family
$100 worth of vouchers Pita Pit
McCafe vouchers
Goldpine, Amberley
Black Estate - 6x wine and B&B voucher
Commodore Hotel - One nights accommodation, including breakfast
Vege’n out - 2 x $25 voucher
4 x $25 vouchers from The Good Home, Pegasus
2 x $50 Black Estate voucher from the Sloss family
Touchdown rental car
PURE
Aaron Harris Electrical - sponsoring the signs and water containers.
Stoneycreek - a number of prizes
Envisage - $50 voucher
Sherwood Estate - 6 bottles of wine
$100 voucher for The Office Café at the Old School Collective in Waikuku
Surf lesson with Surfwise at Waikuku Beach
2 x yoga sessions at Active Zen Yoga in Pegasus
1 x health coach session at The Health Project soon to open at the Old School Collective Waikuku
Water cups donated by Hazeldine Family
BBQ Tool set, chilly bin, picnic set donated by the Esler family
Haircare products from Tanglefoot Lane
2 x Adult passes to Mt Lyford
Farmlands - 2 x $50 vouchers, tape, spray
4 x meat packs from Washcreek Organic Meats
Norwestor voucher
North Canterbury Vets
2 x Broomfield School tea towels
Hunting and Fishing, Kaikoura

The Glenmark Lions will be there to give everyone a cup of pumpkin soup or a sausage when you finish.  They will also be selling them to spectators.