Update 31 May

Kia ora koutou

Three cool things:

1. Last week we launched an initiative called "Coats for Kids". Our aim has been to provide all our children who need one with a warm, high quality, Macpac jacket this winter. Macpac have been fantastic and offered to provide us with jackets for $50 - an amazing price. Over the last few days we have been seeking sponsorship to pay for the jackets. This morning I spoke with Kate Twigg, an ex-pat kiwi living in Sydney. Kate and her friend Marissa Dikkenberg organized a fundraising event at the North Bondi RSL involving performances from a variety of artists, auctions and guest speakers. They have offered us $15 000 for this project. This is fantastic news. With our other sponsors we have now met our target and can order the jackets. I'll keep you up to date as we progress towards delivery.
2. Today our class photos are being taken. Steve from Heritage Photography has offered to provide all class photos for free to our families this year. This is a very generous gesture and one that I am sure all our families are grateful for.
3. We are now in the final 20 in The Palms $100 000 giveaway. Please encourage all your friends, relatives and contacts to go online to www.thepalms.co.nz and vote for Freeville School. We also need people to spread the word via Facebook, Twitter, whatever, so that we get as many votes as possible. First prize is $50 000 and there are five other prizes of $10 000.

Kind regards

John

Update 19 May - The Playground Project

He mihi matakuikui ki a koutou katoa.

It has been a pretty exciting and amazing day today.

You will be aware that last year we demolished our old adventure playground that stood outside what was then Rooms 9 to 12. Our School Fair last year was the beginning of our fundraising efforts to replace that playground with a new and exciting playground for our children to use.

Clearly we are not able to raise funds from within our community at this time. We know that people are struggling financially, and its just not going to happen.

A couple of things have happened over the last week to make the provision of a new playground something that we can again look forward to with anticipation.

Firstly I was contacted by our architect, Ross Maguire. Ross had designed an adventure playground for another school and has offered to gift the plans to us. Awesome! This is a generous offer that will save us a significant sum. Regardless we are still looking at a goodly amount. Mmmm....a bit daunting!

Today I was blown away by a phone call from New York. Graeme Lindsay, a member of the board of directors of the American New Zealand Association rang me. He has offered the American New Zealand Association's support to raise the funds necessary for our new playground. The first event they are organising in association with Kea ( a Kiwi ex-pat organisation) is a hangi at the New Zealand Embassy in Washington. Can you believe it?

I am just so humbled to think that ex-pat Kiwi's, in the U.S.A, are doing so much to help our school. We are so fortunate. It just amazes me.

To find out more about the American New Zealand Association have a look at their website www.americannewzealand.org

Isn't is great to have something to smile about? It will be great to see something being built rather than being demolished.

Keep safe and warm.

John

Update 17 May

Kia ora koutou katoa

We were delighted to have a visit at school today from Mark Solomon, head of Ngai Tahu. He is a very busy man and it was great that he took the time to come and visit our school.

A few notes, updates and reminders:

• Please remember that on Thursday night at 7pm and on Friday morning at 9 am we have arranged for Parenting Workshops to be run by the Methodist Mission. These workshops are free but please RSVP to Jan in the office so we can arrange catering.
• Good news! Today work started on replacing our badly damaged netball court.
• We send a huge thank you to Pak n Save Sylvia Park, U-Pic Products of Dunedin and the Franklin Baptist Church from Pukekohe who have donated snacks, soup and flasks that will be given out to the children today.
• Many thanks to Marina View School from Auckland and Tawa Primary School in Wellington who have donated the fruits of their fundraising directly to Freeville School.
• Please remember that the washing machine in the new relocatable classroom is available for you to use.
• Sporting Chance Grant - If you have a child playing sport, or want your child to play sport but can't afford equipment or subs please talk to your child's classroom teacher. They have a grant form and you can apply to have those costs covered.
• Food parcels - If you need help with Food Parcels please call 0800 HUNGRY or go to the Delta Trust, North Avon Rd near Standmore Rd, or visit the Salvation Army. They are happy to help.
• Remember we have the Methodist Mission advocates here at school every Monday morning from 8.30am to 9.30am. They can help you to access any assistance you might require.
• The Earthquake Response Centre at St Faith's Church is the place to go for information and assistance on a wide range of earthquake issues.
• I have heard that if you have heating issues the best thing to do is to go to the EQC Hub on Bower Ave and see them directly. You'll have more joy than telephoning.

Nga mihi ki a koutou

John