Kia ora Whānau – Greetings everyone.
Over the past little while there has been concern about parking and dangerous behaviours by drivers before and after school. The issue of course is much wider.
In the space of one hour in the morning and 40 minutes in the afternoon we have a minimum of 550 adults and students trying to get into or out of a very small space at St Martins School. We have to do this so we should think about doing it in a safe way.
If you do have to drop children off by car then here are some things to think about:
- Plan to be on time to avoid potential congestion.
- Find a place that you know is less congested so your children can walk the rest of the distance to school. Practicing at the weekend could be a good idea.
- Think about car pooling. That way children can walk from one vehicle in a group safely.
If your children walk, cycle or scooter to school:
- Have a pre-determined route and identify any potential hazards they may encounter (hidden driveways, unsafe areas to cross etc). Practicing on the weekend is recommended.
- Organise for your children to walk, cycle or scooter with a friend or walk with them yourself.
- If your children are going to walk, cycle or scooter to school make sure they know the route to travel and again it is best that it is a public route and if possible for children to walk with someone else.
To support this practice Jenny Wood, our Road Safety co-ordinator, would love to hear from any parents who would like to lead a scooter train or walking bus. Please contact Jenny via email: jennyw@stmartins.school.nz
Much of this comes down to being prepared – planning well and being prepared for contingencies if you can’t find an immediate park. Ultimately this is about your children’s safety.
Last night St Martins School participated in Stage Challenge at Horncastle Arena. The Year 7 and 8 students involved along with Performing Arts teachers Trudy Rowe, Amy Kenel and Helen Murray had put a lot of work into the choreography to tell their story. There were many practices at school and then at the arena and this showed in the amazing way they all performed on the night. The lighting for the performance topped off a wonderful visual display. (See later in the newsletter for an item about the lighting team).
It is my completely unbiased view that the St Martins School performance stole the show and we look forward to many more wonderful performances from our talented students with the guidance of our fantastic Performing Arts team.
Kind regards
Rob Callaghan
