Welcome Back to Golden Sands School

Kia ora whānau,

A big welcome back to all our returning students and also a special welcome to the new faces joining our Golden Sands community this year. There is great energy buzzing through the learning communities and we are excited to see them filled with learning once again.

The start of the year is always a time of fresh starts and new friendships. Our kaiako (teachers) have been working hard to prepare vibrant spaces for your tamariki and we can’t wait to embark on this year’s learning journey of discovery together.

A Special Welcome: School Pōwhiri

To officially welcome our new students, staff and their whānau into the Golden Sands community, we will be holding a Pōwhiri at 8:45 AM this Monday 9 February. We invite all new families to gather by the main school gates shortly before we begin. This is a significant way to start your journey with us, marking the transition as you become part of our school family. We look forward to sharing this special occasion with you and following it up with a cup of tea to get to know one another.

Staying SunSmart at School

With the summer sun still shining bright, we want to ensure everyone stays safe while enjoying the outdoors. A friendly reminder that sun hats are compulsory in Terms 1 and 4.

Hats: Please ensure your child has a wide-brimmed or bucket hat (labeled with their name!) every day.
No Hat, No Play: Students without a hat will be asked to play in the designated shaded areas to keep them protected.
Sunscreen: We encourage students to apply sunscreen before school, and we have stations available in classrooms for top-ups throughout the day.

Keeping Our Community Safe: Parking & Drop-offs

The safety of our tamariki during the morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up is a top priority. To keep traffic flowing smoothly and safely, please keep the following in mind:

The Drop-off Zone: This area is designed for a quick "kiss and go." Please stay with your vehicle and move as far forward as possible to allow others space behind you. If your child needs help getting out of the car or carrying gear, please find a standard parking space instead.

Accessible Parking: We ask that everyone respects the disabled parking bays. These are strictly reserved for whānau and visitors who hold a valid disability parking permit. Even if you "only plan to be a minute," please leave these spaces clear for those who truly need them. Your cooperation helps ensure our school remains accessible and inclusive for everyone.

We are looking forward to an exciting Term 1! Keep an eye on our newsletter and social media for upcoming events and assembly dates.

Ngā mihi nui,

Melanie Taylor

Principal

Teacher in the Paddock Term 1 2026

This is an amazing opportunity for students to attend the Teacher in the Paddock’s One Day Farm/Forest School Programme.

This is an outdoor interactive Education Programme, where children can be children with nature, the farm and family life. There is the opportunity for interaction with animals, gardening and food production, and learning through the exploration of forest and wetlands. As part of a small group, children have one on one exposure to daily life on a small farm. They will acquire life skills that will give them confidence and resilience for the challenges in today’s world. Operating during school time, this programme provides an opportunity to break from school one day a week and connect with nature and each other.

The programme will run one day a week for 8 weeks starting week 2 and costs $621 per child (including Kindo fee). It is suitable for all ages. Children come to school at their usual time and get taken out to the farm by minibus and return before the end of the school day.

For more information about the programme please visit https://teacherinthepaddock.co.nz/about/.

Places are limited so all expressions of interest, or any questions should be emailed to Carol Ballinger cballinger@goldensands.school.nz

NEW School Instagram page

We're trying to create new ways to communicate with our school community, so if Insta is your thing please follow our new school page - https://www.instagram.com/goldensandsschool/

Other ways we communicate:

Newsletter - emailed fortnightly, primary method of communication to our families
Website - school calendar updated regularly, Parent Portal page, general info
School App - student absences, reminders, general info
Facebook closed group (request to join) - reminders, sports events, general info
Instagram page - reminders, general info
Sports Info - sports calendar & website page or email sport@goldensands.school.nz

Facebook (Click here to join our GSS Facebook group)

If you have not joined our Facebook group, please search for it and request to join. This is a closed group so you will be asked who the children you are connected to are. We share lots of real-time information here with photos and updates included.