Willow Park School Newsletter

• Kids Book Donations - bring to office anytime!
• Monday 19 October: Mihi Whakatau for Term 4, 9.30am
• Thursday 22 October: Willow Park's Shakedown - Earthquake practice
• Thursday 22 October: FOWP Meeting - in person OR online!
• Read-a-thon starts on Tuesday 27 October until Monday 16th November

On Thursday 22 October, 10.20am, we will be joining in with the National Shakeout - the New Zealand-wide earthquake and tsunami drill. We have a special day happening at our school with lots of teachers visitng to see our Structured Literacy practice, so we are doing our Shakedown the day after the National one which is Wednesday 21 October.

At Willow Park School we are prone to earthquakes like the whole of New Zealand is, and so being prepared is necessary. We have a school Earthquake safety plan in place which is part of our Emergency Planning Resource. A copy of this procedure is up in classrooms around school to refer to.

Willow Park School Earthquake Safety Plan

The important initial part to practice with your class is the procedure when there is an earthquake:

In an earthquake Drop, Cover and Hold:

• Drop down on your hands and knees.
• Cover your head and neck.
• Hold on to your shelter.

Drop, Cover and Hold is the right action to take in an earthquake. It:

• stops you being knocked over,
• make you a smaller target for falling and flying objects, and
• protects your head, neck and vital organs.

Do not run outside during earthquake shaking or you risk getting hit by falling bricks and glass.

Practising Drop, Cover and Hold means you can quickly take the right action in an earthquake.

Teachers will be going over these procedures with their class in the run up before Thursday 22 October. Whānau can use these resources too if you feel your child would benefit with more information of practice with the procedures. It is also good to think about what your home plan is too. There are some resources below that may help you:

https://getready.govt.nz/emergency/earthquakes

If weather permits we will do the evacuation onto the netball courts as this is part of our process to ensure that classrooms and buildings are secure after an earthquake. Obviously the earthquake itself would be the trigger for an Earthquake drill, but then a continuous bell would be sounded to indicate the evacuation to the netball courts.

As parents who may be in school during the time of the National Shake Out, it is important to take part in the drill so as to model for the children. There are modifications for the drill if you are outside, in a car, have a disability etc. etc. so check out the resources at the link below:

https://getready.govt.nz/emergency/earthquakes/drop-cover-hold

Finally if you are wondering about the Tsunami Evacuation part, Willow Park School is not in an evacuation area so we do not have to complete this part! You can check your home at this link:

https://getready.govt.nz/emergency/tsunami/tsunami-evacuation-zones

We are beginning the rigorous process of planning placement for each student into a 2027 class. Should you have information that you would like us to take into consideration, please contact us using the guidelines below.

• Send an email to the Principal, duncan.m@willowpark.school.nz with the subject title: “Student Placement 2027”; (please DON’T TALK TO STAFF ABOUT THIS as it is impossible for us to capture all the conversations. We need it in one place so that it can be considered once and at the right time)

• Use bullet points (it makes it easier so we consider each point you want us to);

• Meet the deadline Friday 24 October, it is very difficult to make changes when we are further into the process;

• Understand that sharing your thoughts is optional;

• Understand that your information is considered as one part of a bigger picture; and

• Understand that we are unable to accept requests for specific teachers.

The process takes several weeks, with class lists drafted by teams after input from the 2026 classroom teacher. Children will be given the opportunity to identify four productive friends, for us to select at least one of these. For each class of children we consider:

• Student abilities (special needs and special abilities);

• Student leadership;

• Gender and ethnicity;

• Productive friendships;

• Teacher interests/strengths; and

• Any parent information provided.

After several drafts, class lists are checked by all team leaders before final sign off from the senior leadership team. This usually takes until the end of term 4, when the children take home their new class teacher introduction letter, and meet with their new class.

Our newly trained Year 5 Road Patrol Team have started their duties this week. They have made a fantastic start, and we are impressed with their punctuality and their focus on keeping everyone safe. We would also like to acknowledge the support of a small but dedicated team of parents who assist on the crossings.

There are several things you can do to help our team at drop off and pick up times.

Please:

• Slow down - 30kph is the speed limit around school crossings
• Don't stop on yellow lines, even to drop your child off. This restricts visibility for the children patrolling.
• Use the crossings, even if it means walking a bit further. Modelling this helps your child (and others) develop good road sense for the times that you are not with them.
• Be patient with our patrollers. They are still learning, and taking responsibility for the safety of large groups of children and adults is a big ask for 10 year olds. Your patience helps them to make the right calls and to feel confident in doing so.

Whether you're a new parent or an old friend, please join us to discuss the fundraising goal for 2027, what activities we want to keep doing, and ideas for new events.

When: Thursday 22nd, from 6.30pm
Where: Staff Room AND Online (via the Google Meet link in the link below).

Click here to add this event to your Google Calendar

- good quality second hand kids books, and complete puzzles and board games
- good quality second hand toys
- have you got access to a popcorn/candy floss/slushie machine we might use?
- business donations/sponsorships

Help us put on the best Gala yet by kindly donating any of the above. We'd also love any businesses, tradies, friends and whānau that might have a product, voucher, service/experience they'd consider donating for us to use at an auction, for prizes etc.

Click here to let us know.

Yummy treats or wonderful gifts? Why not both! Grab some Cookie Time cookies or a gorgeous gift pack trio of The Village Press extra virgin olive oils. Keep some, and give some as Christmas presents - every dollar raised going towards our fundraising goal of new maths and reading resources!.

Just head to Kindo to place your order, and we'll let you know when they're ready to collect from the Office in December, too easy!

Friends and family have FOMO?

They can place their own order via our Kindo Community Shop, and collect the goodies from the Office once they arrive.

Community shop link:

https://shop.kindo.co.nz/app/community-shop/Willow%20Park%20Primary%20School

This coming week our 2026 Willow Park School Read-a-thon will launch. We will be using Go Raise It, and there are some amazing prizes up for grabs, as well as providing an opportunity for all of our students to keep reading. Look out for the information in Mr Millward's hero post early next week for how you can get in early, sign up and be a reading hero!

2026 - School Term dates

Term 4 - Monday 12 October - Monday 14 December

For events check the Calendar on your HERO app.

Phone: 09 480 9236

Email: office@willowpark.school.nz
Location: 13 Compton Street, Hillcrest

Website | Facebook

Shannon Vincent & Co – Our Real Estate Sponsor

We’re delighted to have Shannon Vincent partnering with our school in an ongoing sponsorship role. As our exclusive real estate agent sponsor, Shannon provides generous support to our community through the following contributions:

• $1,000 donation each term - $4,000 per school year!

• 10% discount on Ray White commission rates* for school staff and families who list their property with Shannon.

• $500 donation to the school on every successful sale of a staff or family property.**

New Zealand's general election is on Saturday 7 November. This year, you must be enrolled by midnight on Sunday 25 October to vote. Unlike previous elections, you can't enrol on election day. If you've moved house recently, check that your address is up to date too.

Got older teenagers (18+)? If you have rangatahi who have recently turned 18 or will turn 18 before election day, make sure to check if they are enrolled so they can vote in their first election!

How to enrol or check your details: Enrolling is quick and easy online at vote.nz using a photo ID (NZ driver’s licence, NZ passport, or RealMe ID). Need help? Call 0800 36 76 56.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• Am I eligible to vote? If you are 18 or older, currently live in NZ, have lived here for at least one year continuously at some point, and are a NZ citizen or permanent resident, YES, you’re eligible!

• Are you trying to tell me who to vote for? Not at all! This is strictly non-partisan. Who you vote for is entirely your choice – all that matters is that your voice and your family’s voice are heard.

• Why should I vote if I don't care about politics? Decisions made by the government directly impact our schools, healthcare, local environment, and power bills. By voting, you help shape a future that supports your kids, whānau, and community.

• Where can I find neutral information on candidates/parties? Independent outlets like RNZ offer non-partisan guides on party policies, or you can check out Policy NZ’s website where you can select the topics you care about and see where parties stand.

Enrol to vote today and help guide Aotearoa into a great future!

Our indoor climbing programmes are designed to help young people build confidence, resilience, problem-solving skills, and physical fitness in a safe and supportive environment led by quality climbing coaches.

Programmes Available

Social Climbing

• Tuesday or Wednesday
• 4:00pm – 5:30pm
• Ages 8–16 years
• $10 per week + entry

Youth Development

• Monday 4:00pm – 5:30pm
• Tuesday 5:30pm – 7:00pm
• Ages 8–18 years
• $15 per week + entry

Squad Climbing

• Monday 5:30pm – 7:00pm
• Ages 10–18 years
• $20 per week + entry

These programmes run through the school term and cater for a range of abilities, from beginners learning the fundamentals of climbing through to experienced climbers looking to further develop their skills and technique.