|
|
Newsletter:
Term 2 - Week 2
|
|
|
|
|
What a great couple of weekends we’ve had in the city since the start of the new school term. Post-quake family life has seen an enjoyment of new facilities as they have opened over the years, but the new stadium certainly feels like an apex moment since the rebuild began. Te Raekura Redcliffs kids, born post-earthquakes, are growing up in a pretty amazing place – you can see why so many visitors, whether for supercars or super rugby over the last 'super' fortnight, are pretty envious of Ōtautahi | Christchurch right now.
|
Head out from the city in any direction and you have a connection to the Port Hills, the ocean, and the Southern Alps. We’ve had some amazing mornings coming into school and seeing that connection in all its beauty. We’ve captured a slice of that in some new footage of our school – check it out here.
|
Zooming back into our Redcliffs school community, it is humming to start the term! We’ve had a wonderful start – well-rested and focused young people, looking out for each other and getting into their learning and routines for what will be a big term ahead, with our school production the highlight.
|
Thank you for your time last week in attending our learning conferences. It was a great chance to reflect on the start of the year and set a focus for the new term. At the end of this term, we will be reporting on our students’ progress and achievement at the halfway point in the school year. This is a change from previous years and will require a bit of understanding around what the report consists of. We’ll share a more detailed look at this as we get closer to the midway point in the year. We believe our new reporting framework will provide good information for you at home and a better understanding of where our children are in their learning.
|
School reports will be released at the start of Term 3, timed as we did with interviews last week. We feel that at the end of a term there is so much going on in school and whānau life that it’s important to give this the space it needs. With that in mind, please take time, if needed, to discuss your child’s learning with their classroom teacher – that learning partnership between home and school is a key element of a successful year.
|
Staying within our school community, please get behind our PTA’s second iteration of the Used Sports Gear Sale. This will be held on Sunday 17th May in our Matanui | School Hall, with a streamlined donation drop-off setup. This was such a success last year and has the potential to grow far beyond Redcliffs, so please promote it within your own networks where you can.
|
If you cast your eye over the school calendar, you will see we’ve locked in our key fundraising events for the year, so be sure to keep those dates free. Battle of the Bays #2 is locked in for mid-November, and our Swamp Thing Golf event will be returning in early Term 4. These are great opportunities to connect as a community and support our kura.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sports Stuff
|
Four Redcliffs students competed in the Canterbury Optimist Regatta just prior to the term break, held at Charteris Bay. The event featured two days of racing in light, tricky winds on Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō.
|
Angus Tomkins and Archer Clark represented Naval Point Club Lyttelton, while Jack Hatton and Lewin sailed for Christchurch Yacht Club. Archer, Angus, and Jack competed in the highly competitive Open Fleet alongside 15 other sailors, including high school-aged and NZL representative competitors. After five races, Jack placed 10th overall, Archer finished 5th, and Angus secured an impressive 4th place.
|
It was Lewin’s first regatta, competing in the beginner Green Fleet, where he took out 1st place!
|
|
All of the Redcliffs sailors enjoyed hanging out together and it was a fantastic weekend for everyone involved.
|
|
Sport Calendar dates Term 2 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
After School Basketball opportunity at Cowles Stadium
|
|
We’re excited to share details of our Term 2 After School Basketball Programme
|
-
|
Start Date: Monday 4th May 2026
|
-
-
-
-
-
|
12+ years (skills development): 5:30–6:15pm
|
|
The programme focuses on fun, skill development, confidence, and enjoyment of basketball, and is suitable for both new and existing players.
|
|
Further information and registration can be found here:
|
|
Here are some dates for your diaries for Term 2:
|
|
Year 1-8 Cross Country Thursday 7 May, PPD Friday 8 May.
|
|
Year 5-8 SE Zones Cross Country May 26, PPD Thursday 28 May.
|
|
Year 5-8 Artistic Gymnastics Wednesday 10 June.
|
|
Year 5-8 Canterbury Cross Country Wednesday 17 June.
|
Year 5-8 SE Zone Basketball Comp Tuesday 23 June
|
|
Please keep checking the sports website for up to date info.
|
|
Parent help: I will send out a doc early next term for any parent helpers available to marshal at our cross country event. So if you’re free we would love to have you there.
|
Also you will notice there are no dates for winter sport- there is a conversation happening about how this will look this year and I will update you when I know more.
|
If your child earns a sport badge throughout the year, you can fill out the form on the sports website. If you are unsure of the sports badge criteria you will find it on the top of the form.
|
|
|
|
Student Achievements to Celebrate
Congratulations to the following students who have received puawai awards:
|
|
Manaakitanga: Kairo, Lily and Ida
|
|
Excellence: Jess, Soleil, Oscar, Fin and Uly
|
|
Responsibility: Luca, Ella D. and Felix
|
Resilience: Nico, Maija and Leon M.
|
|
A warm welcome to our new students who started at the start of Term 2:
|
|
Anna, Penelope, Saxon, Walt, Celine, Georgia, Tiaki, Āria and Zara.
|
|
|
|
Policies for review this term
We have a number of policies up for review this term.
They are:
|
-
|
Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC)
|
-
|
EOTC Governance Roles and Responsibilities
|
-
|
EOTC Risk Assessment and Management
|
· Enter the username (redcliffs) and password (beach).
· Follow the link to the relevant policy as listed.
· Read the policy.
· Click the Policy Review button at the right hand top corner of the page.
|
· Select "Parent".
· Enter your name (optional).
· Submit your ratings and comments
|
|
Thanks for the review submissions for Sun Protection and BYOD policies last term. We will discuss at governance level and share any outcomes with you in due course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Garden to Table News
I’m thrilled to have started Garden to Table for 2026 this week, in Year 4. Between now and the end of the year, four classes will visit the program for seven weeks each. It will be fabulous to work with Years 3, 4, 5, and 6 in the garden and kitchen spaces, guiding children to grow, harvest, prepare, and share delicious and nutritious kai.
|
Garden to Table is a program that relies heavily on both human and tool resources. I’d love to ask for your help in both regards.
|
The program runs on Tuesday afternoons from 12:50 to 3 pm. If you wish to volunteer your time at a session, even if your child’s class doesn’t attend, please email me your expression of interest at chessa.crow@redcliffs.school.nz. Grandparent volunteers are also warmly welcomed.
|
I’m kitting out both the kitchen and garden spaces and would appreciate donations of second-hand items in good, usable condition. If you were thinking of doing a clear-out of the kitchen cupboards or garden shed, we would be extremely amenable to receiving your second-hand tools and equipment. We are looking to source the following items:
|
|
Muffin trays (mini and regular)
|
Compost and garden soil (we have three big beds yet to fix up and some fruit trees to plant).
|
Donations can be dropped off Monday-Thursday at the big stainless bench outside of Te Urunga.
|
|
Many thanks in advance! Chessa
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Office notice - lost property
|
|
Host Families Required for International Students
Te Raekura Redcliffs School is hosting a small group of nine students from Jingshan School in Jinan, Shandong, China in August this year as part of an exchange program that is run by One World Education. The group of Year 7 and 8 students will be hosted at Te Raekura for a week, during which they will require accommodation with a New Zealand host family.
At this stage, we are expecting students to arrive on Sunday 2nd of August and depart on Saturday 8th August. By acting as a host family, the expectations are that the students are provided meals and a safe place to stay, as well as transport to and from school daily. It is often appreciated if two students can be hosted by the same family, but this is not mandatory.
If you are interested in becoming a host family for a student, or students, in this group, please email me (international@redcliffs.school.nz) and I will send you a Homestay Application pack with further information. You certainly don't need to have a child in Year 7 or 8 to apply. Families that are approved and act as hosts are currently reimbursed at $350 per student, per week.
|
Thank you for supporting our international visitors.
|
|
|
|
Library News
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sibling Photo Booking 2026
The Heritage Photo team will be at our school on Tuesday, 12 May 2026 for your school photos.
Sibling photos will be taken before school starts between 8.15am and 8.50am. To make a sibling booking, please click the link below or scan the QR code. After they have photographed our school and edited the images, they will send you an email with a link to view and purchase your sibling photo.
|
|
Registrations close on Monday, 11 May 2026.
|
|
To make a booking please click here. Alternatively, please use the QR code below to access the booking system.
|
|
|
|
PTA
|
|
|
Our next PTA meeting will be on Monday 11 May at 5:30pm.
|
|
We also would like to inform you that all the Friday meetings have been cancelled.
|
|
|
|
Everything Else...
Yoga Classes 2026
|
Jane Acland is continuing her offer of yoga classes to our community this year, with all proceeds donated to support Creative Arts Therapy at Te Raekura. The goal is to ensure this therapy receives funding so it can continue to support the mental health of our kids.
|
|
Classes will be focused on developing strength, flexibility and restoring a sense of calm.
|
|
No experience necessary; it will be suitable for beginners.
|
Feel free to invite your friends from outside the Te Raekura Redcliffs School community too!
|
|
When: Weekly at 6.30 - 7.30pm on Tuesdays. Tues 21 Apr - Tues 30 Jun.
|
|
Note: No classes on 12 May.
|
|
Where: Te Raekura Redcliffs School hall
|
|
Cost: Total = 10 x classes, or $100 for the term or $15 per casual class.
|
|
Bring: A yoga mat, a firm blanket to sit on. If you have yoga blocks and/or strap please bring those along.
|
Wear: Clothes you feel comfortable moving in, bare feet.
|
Please deposit funds into the below account and email Jane at aclandjane@gmail.com to confirm your spot.
|
|
Jane is a certified, experienced yoga teacher and mum to Angus (8, Waipatiki), Isla (7, Te Urunga) and Sophie (4).
|
|
|
|
Kelly Club
|
|
|
|
|
|
2026 School Term Dates
|
|
|
|
Community Notices
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Get Free Canterbury Rams Basketball Tickets!
Take the family out to see the Canterbury Rams as they play the Otago Nuggets on Sunday, May 3. Get a free bronze junior ticket (16 years & under) for every adult bronze ticket purchased!
When: 3:00pm | Sunday, May 3
Where: Parakiore Recreation & Sports Centre
|
|
|
|
|
|
Get Active with the Canterbury Rams
Rams Game Day Clinics are fun, high-energy basketball sessions led by Canterbury Rams players and coaches, perfect for boys & girls of all abilities in school years 3-9.
Registrations for the next Game Day Clinic on May 3 are open now!
|
|
After the clinic, players and families can head straight into the Canterbury Rams home game at Parakiore Recreation & Sports Centre. Please note: Game tickets are not included and must be purchased separately via Ticketek.
|
|
|
|
Thanks to our Supporters!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
