Willow Park School Newsletter

• Wednesday 28 October - Richard Stevens, local author of Captain Custard is visiting school
• Wednesday 28 October - Calendar Art orders close - FINAL!
• Kids Book Donations - bring to office anytime
• Read-a-thon starts on Tuesday 27 October until Monday 16th November

We’re launching our Read-a-Thon to celebrate the joy of reading while raising funds for maths and literacy teaching resources.

📖 READ — Challenge yourself to discover new stories and read more!

💰 RAISE — Sign up to Go-Raise-It and share your fundraising page with family and friends.

🏆 WIN — There’s over $1,000 in prizes up for grabs!

🤔🤔 WEEK 1 CHALLENGE: GUESS YOUR TEACHER’S FAVOURITE BOOK!

Think you know what your teacher loves to read? Enter each week for the chance to win a $20 prize! One correct entry will be drawn from each level: junior, middle and senior.

Let’s get those pages turning!

What happens when a simple moment of curiosity turns into a published book? Our Year 0/1 tamariki found out this week when we had a very special visitor at Willow Park!

We were so lucky to welcome Jamie-Lee Hall, an ECE teacher and author of the new children’s book Beyond the Pond, beautifully illustrated by Laura Bee. Jamie-Lee came in to read her story to our junior students, who were completely captivated. They had some brilliant questions about her characters, the illustrations, and the book-making process.

Jamie-Lee shared how a brief encounter with a grasshopper at her ECE centre sparked the idea for the book. She took the children through her journey of writing, collaborating with an illustrator, and publishing. It was incredibly inspiring for our students to see how an everyday moment can become a creative masterpiece.

At its heart, Beyond the Pond is a story about bravery, embracing who you are, and having the courage to take the next step. It sparked some wonderful discussions about trying new things and facing our fears.

We absolutely loved having Jamie-Lee with us and hope it’s the first of many stories she shares with Willow Park! ✨

Want to read it at home? If you’d like to learn more about Beyond the Pond or grab a copy for your family's bookshelf, you can visit Jamie-Lee’s website here: HERE .

Blast Off! Captain Custard is Coming to School This Wednesday 🚀

Get ready for a cosmic adventure! This Wednesday, we are incredibly lucky to welcome New Zealand animator and illustrator Richard Stevens to share his brilliant new sci-fi comic book, Captain Custard, with some of our students.

Richard will be talking to the children about how he created the comic, what it takes to be a motion designer, and the thrilling story of Captain Custard battling the mysterious "Hyper Droids."

Get your signed copy! Parents can purchase the debut 36-page, full-colour comic book for their children to enjoy at home:

• Pre-order for a signed copy: go to https://captaincustard.com, order as many copies as you want and use the discount code WILLOWPARK to remove the postage cost. You can then pick up your copy from Richard.

• Buy on the day: Copies will also be available to purchase on Wednesday for $15.00.

We are so excited to inspire our young artists and readers with this fantastic visit! What an awesome start to our Read-a-thon launch!

On Thursday the whole school took part in the National Shakeout. Children and staff performed the earthquake drill, and then evacuated to the netball courts. We were really impressed with the children's attitudes and safety during the drill. The exercise was a real success!

If you want more information so you are prepared n case of an emergency, please visit: https://getready.govt.nz/involved/shakeout .

In 2027 FOWPs will be fundraising towards a NEW SENIOR PLAYGROUND! This has been quoted at $180,000 and we would love to get us as close as we can - and we can't do it without your help and support!

We will be kicking off 2027 with the Gala, and would appreciate your donations.

The following you can drop off at the Office anytime during the school week

Good quality second hand:
- kids books
- puzzles and board games (complete)
- toys

But we'd also love to hear if you, your business or someone you know...
- has access to a popcorn/candy floss/slushie machine we might use?
- would donate any goodies/products, vouchers or could consider corporate sponsorship

Click here to let us know.

Last chance to get your orders in because they will close on Wednesday 28th (just before midnight) and will not be extended.

If there are any issues with the flyer, ordering, or if you misplace it or forget your code, please phone the office to ensure you have the right information on time to place your order.

Products will be sent home with the tamariki before the end of term.

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

It has been fantastic seeing spring netball, hockey, futsal, and table tennis get under way over the past two weeks! We love seeing so many of our tamariki stepping out to try new sports. Touch rugby and summer football are starting this Wednesday—we can't wait to see everyone out on the field!

Important upcoming Sports Dates

• Thursday 28th October- Year 5 / 6 Girls Cricket for those registered.
• Friday 13th November - Year 4 Athletics - Willow Park School
• Friday 20th November - Year 5 and 6 Athletics - Takapuna Athletics Club
• Thursday 26th November - Inter School Athletics Y 4 / Y5 / Y6
• Tuesday 8th December -9am -10.30am - Senior Sports Awards Assembly Y4-6
• Wednesday 9th December - 9am- 10.30am - Junior Sports Awards Assembly Y0-3

⭐North Harbour Primary Schools All Abilities Day- Thursday 5th November

Harbour Sport, Halberg and Beach Haven School are excited to announce the return of this amazing event!

The North Harbour All Abilities Sports Day is designed to create positive and meaningful sporting experiences for young people with additional support needs and disabilities, while strengthening links between schools, whānau, and local community organisations.

The event aims to build awareness, reduce barriers to participation, and create pathways for tamariki and rangatahi to engage in ongoing community activities that promote connection, confidence, and wellbeing.

Who: The event is designed for primary or intermediate school tamariki with additional support needs, disabilities or impairments. The day offers a welcoming opportunity to take part in a fun, inclusive day of activities and sports.

When: Thursday 5th November 2026 | 9:00 AM – 2:30 PM
Where: Birkenhead College

I am waiting for more information from the organisers on how to register.

Please email me if you are interested in registering your child and I will contact you with further information.

🥎North Harbour Softball After School Programme

6 week softball programme has had a delayed start due to low registrations numbers.

Now starting: Friday 30th October 3pm - 3.45pm on the school field so there is still time to sign up.

No experience needed- just bring your energy! If you

Bring running shoes, school hat, water bottle

Cost $57.50

Click here to register: Please sign up on: https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/532987

As always, please email me if you have any questions or queries.

Thanks,

Becky

becky.r@willowpark.school.nz

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!