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Newsletter ~ 4 December, 2025
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From the Principal
Tena koutou ngā whānau, ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa,
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I was fortunate last week to attend the Year 8 Wellington camp with our wonderful Year 8 students. This camp is an excellent celebration of their time at Diamond Harbour School. Kat Pringle had organised a wonderful camp with a range of varied activities, including the usual Wellington experiences such as Te Papa, Weta Workshops, and Parliament. They were also fortunate to see a pantomime at Circa Theatre, go to the Wellington Aquatic Centre, head out to Bowling, and be challenged by an Escape Room. They also got to experience Wellington’s wind … especially in the evening as it whistled around the corners of our accommodation, Cumberland Hall university hostel. I would like to thank Kat for the massive amount of organisation that goes into this event, ensuring ākonga have a wonderful time, and also thanks to Simon, the parent who attended the camp.
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This newsletter is the final full newsletter for the year (even though we may have an update next week). It is hard to believe the year has gone so fast, but reflecting back, we have certainly achieved a lot. We have continued to embed our structured literacy curriculum and our related interventions. These have been very successful, especially in supporting ākonga reading fluency. We also had our first Film Festival, which was a lot of fun for everybody. We There are still a few things to go before we wrap up for the year. We have the Junior School Run, Jump and Throw, the Year 2 and 3 Beach Education trip, Year 8 dinner and our End of Year Celebration/Prize Giving all happening over the next couple of weeks. We are also going to empty the pool so it can be painted. We would like to thank the people and organisations who sponsored the Trust comedy event. Even though unfortunately, the event did not go ahead, the wonderful sponsors were happy to still donate their money. Specific thanks to Bayleys, Tim Dunningham and Liv Sinclair who left in their $5000 sponsorship.
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I look forward to seeing many of you at our end of year events. Have a wonderful couple of weeks.
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Year 8 Wellington Camp
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Kia ora everyone
We wanted to share all the awesome things we’ve been up to at our Wellington Camp last week. It was super busy but super fun.
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Day One – Early Start & Big Adventures
Thank you to all the parents for getting us to the airport on time. Even though it was an early start, everyone was excited and ready to go. After settling in at Cumberland House, we visited the Wellington Zoo. Because of the rain, some of the animals were hiding, but we still got to do a cool conservation workshop. We saw kea and wētā up close. After that, we went swimming at the swim and spa pools, then finished the day with a trip to the dairy.
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Day Two – Wētā Workshop & Te Papa
We started the day with an inspiring tour of Wētā Workshop. We learnt how movie props are made and saw lots of amazing creations. In the afternoon, we visited Te Papa to see the giant model soldiers from the Gallipoli exhibition. They were huge and incredibly detailed!
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The best part of the evening was watching the pantomime Robin Hood. It was so funny and some of us even got up to dance with the cast!
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Day Three – Beehive, Bowling & Space Place
Today was packed. First we took a small detour to Sky Stadium before heading to the Beehive. We toured Parliament, visited the Debating Chamber and even bumped into Erica Stanford in the press conference room.
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At lunchtime we walked through the Botanic Gardens for a picnic and a play, just before the rain arrived. Then we headed back to the harbour for ten-pin bowling.
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In the evening we rode the cable car back up to the gardens and explored Space Place. We checked out the exhibitions and saw a planetarium show about navigating across the Pacific using the stars. It was amazing.
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Day Four – Escape Room & Zealandia
We tackled the Atlantis-themed escape room this morning, it was so cool working together to solve puzzles. In the afternoon we visited Zealandia, which is an incredible eco-sanctuary. We were lucky to see tuatara and lots of native birds like kākā.
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Heading Home
We had the best time exploring, learning, laughing and trying new things. Everyone was great company and impressed the teachers with how organised and responsible we were every morning.
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Te Kōhanga Year 1 – Willowbank Adventure
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Te Kōhanga Year 1 were very lucky to head off on an exciting trip to Willowbank recently. The children took part in a fun and engaging Scavenger Hunt, exploring the park, searching for clues, and discovering some of Aotearoa’s unique wildlife up close.
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Back at school, we shared our favourite discoveries from the day. The Kiwi was easily the most talked-about animal, with many students amazed at seeing one in real life. The Tuatara came in a close second, sparking lots of great questions. There was also a long time spent peering into enclosures trying to spot the well-camouflaged Skink and Gecko.
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A huge thank you to all our wonderful parent helpers. Your time, support, and enthusiasm helped make this special learning experience possible. We truly appreciate it.
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EnviroAfternoon
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During EnviroAfternoon this week, Adderley worked alongside Ursi to learn about invasive weeds and how they impact our environment. After identifying common invasive species, students headed into our native forest to put their knowledge into action.
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They worked together to find and remove weeds and vines that were beginning to strangle our native trees. It was a big task, but the teamwork, care, and determination shown by the group were outstanding.
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By the end of the session, they had created a huge pile of removed weeds, clear evidence of their hard work and commitment to helping our local environment thrive.
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Ka rawe, Adderley! What an amazing effort.
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Volunteer Thank you Afternoon Tea
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This year has been packed with exciting activities, classroom adventures, and special events, and none of it would have been possible without our amazing helpers.
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Whether you joined us on a trip, supported learning in the classroom, or lent a hand behind the scenes, we want to give you a huge, heartfelt THANK YOU!
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To celebrate all the wonderful support you’ve given, we held a Special Thank You Afternoon Tea on Wednesday, 3rd December. It was fantastic to see those who could come along and share some treats, songs and smiles.
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For those who were unable to make it, please know that we are very grateful. We truly appreciate every moment you have given. We couldn’t run all the fun school activities, events, and learning opportunities without your support.
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Pool Key For Sale
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We’re excited to announce that our school pool will open to the public on Monday, 12th January 2026. The later start is due to some essential repainting work, but the good news is that pool keys will be offered at a discounted price this season.
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🔑 Key Collection
Keys will be available from Monday, 1st December 2025.
If you’d like to get ahead of the rush, you’re welcome to pay online before collecting your key, details are below.
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🙋♀️ Volunteers Urgently Needed
We rely on whānau support to help with pool opening and closing duties over the holiday period.
If you’re able to lend a hand, you’ll receive a significantly discounted key price of just $25 + a $50 refundable bond.
Every volunteer makes a big difference—if you can help, please email: office@diamondharbour.school.nz
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🗓 2026 Season Dates
Open: 12th January 2026
Runs through March (closing date depends on the weather)
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💸 2025/26 Pool Key Prices
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School Families: $50 + $50 refundable bond - $100 total
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Non-School Families: $100 + $50 refundable bond - $150 total
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Volunteers: $25 + $50 refundable bond - $75 total
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💻 Online Payment
If paying online, please use:
Account: 12-3482-0006256-00
Reference: Your name + “pool key”
Once payment is made, pop into the office to see Gabe and collect your key.
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Ngā mihi nui,
Diamond Harbour School
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Giving Tree Supporting Cholmondelay
Last Day 10th December
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It’s Giving Tree time!
As part of our cherished annual tradition, we have once again set up our School Giving Tree to support the wonderful work of Cholmondeley Children’s Centre in Governors Bay.
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Cholmondeley provides short-term, emergency, and planned respite care for children, offering a safe, supportive, and nurturing “home away from home” when families need a helping hand. Their work makes a huge difference in the lives of tamariki, and we’re delighted to support them again this year.
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If your whānau would like to donate a gift, please attach a small tag noting the suggested age and gender, if applicable, so the team can match gifts with children who will love them.
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Important date: This year, we’ll be delivering all gifts to Cholmondeley on 10th December, which is one week earlier than usual. This gives their fabulous staff plenty of time to sort and organise gifts so everything is ready for the children’s Christmas celebrations.
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Thank you so much for your generosity and kindness—your donations truly brighten the season for local children.
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Guitar Lesson 2026
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"Guitar, bass and ukulele lessons at Diamond Harbour School 2026!
Spaces available for fun weekly lessons in the new year.
Contact Pete Fleming at peterfleming@Hotmail.co.nz or 021 135 4343."
Thank you!
Pete
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Tea Towel Fundraiser
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Lost Property - End of year clean out
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We currently have a large collection of school uniform items, jackets, drink bottles, and other belongings waiting to be reunited with their owners.
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Any uniform left at the end of the year will be washed and used as spare clothing at school, and any other items will be sent to Goodwill.
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If your child is missing any part of their school uniform or other personal items, please pop into the office and check the lost property as soon as possible.
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We will also put lost property on display after our next school assembly.
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Please take a moment to have a look through the items. It would be wonderful to see everything returned to its rightful home.
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A friendly reminder to name all uniform items clearly, as this makes it much easier for us to return lost belongings in the future.
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What's Coming Up at Diamond Harbour School
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- Tuesday, 9th December - Junior School Run, Jump and Throw
- Wednesday, 10th December - Postponement date Run, Jump and Throw
- Thursday, 11th December - Year 8 Dinner
- Friday, 12th December - Diamond Challenge Assembly
- Monday, 15th December - End of Year Music Concert
- Tuesday, 16th December - End of Year Celebration and Prizegiving
- Wednesday, 17th December - Final Day for 2025 - School Finishes at 12.30
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Lunch programme $3:50 per week (a slight increase from the last few years) - Thursdays
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After School Care - contact the office at office@diamondharbour.school.nz
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What's Up In The Local Community
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SCHOOL FUNDRAISER!! XMAS HAMS!!
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IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN!
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Orton Bradley Cafe
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We have exciting news to share…The cafe will be open on Thursday mornings, Saturdays AND Sundays ‘till Christmas. Come along for some respite from your preparations or bring your friends for a Christmas catch up.
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Discover Ripapa Island: The Little Island with a Big History!
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Discover Ripapa Island: The Little Island with a Big History!
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This summer discover the secrets of the inner Lyttelton Harbour island of Ripapa Island.Nestled against the southern shore of Whakaraupō (Lyttelton Harbour), Ripapa Island was once the prime location for a fortified pa of Ngāi Tahu. Later, it became a bastion against potential Russian threats.Explore on-site displays delve deeper into its rich history. An amazing experience
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PRICES:
$40 – Return
Adult 16 years and over $20 – Return
Child 5-15 years
(Under 5’s cruise for free)
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Operates one Sunday per month December -> March.Summer 2025/26 Schedule:DATES:
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7th December 2025 (9am - SOLD OUT, 11:30am - SOLD OUT)
11th January 2026
22nd February 2026
15th March 2026TIMES (total trip time is 2 hours including cruise to and from island):9.00am until 11:00am
11:30am until 1:30pm
2pm until 4pm (7 December 2025 - extra sailing!)The boat departs B Jetty, Lyttelton.
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Important notes:30 passengers max. per trip
Trip is unfortunately not suitable for wheelchair users due to no path access and wharf access
Eating is not permitted on Ripapa Island
Bring a torch to explore the tunnels as they are not lit.
Bring a camera to take some fantastic photo’s.
We also recommend that you should also bring warm clothes as it can be cool on the island especially with the prevailing sea breeze.
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(Ripapa Island can be booked other times for groups of 10 or more, email lyttelton@blackcat.co.nz to enquire)
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What's Up Outside Diamond Harbour
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Our 2025 Christmas Car Raffle is back!
For just $20 a ticket, you’ll go in the draw to win a 2021 Toyota Corolla GX 2.0L Petrol CVT Hatch, valued at $25,990.
Only 4,000 tickets available – that’s a 1 in 4,000 chance to win!
Your prize includes:
3-year warranty
AA Roadside Assistance
New Warrant of Fitness
2 months’ registration
A full tank of petrol – ready to drive away!
If you would like a ticket, please get in touch with our fundraising team at fundraising@cholmondeley.org.nz
Don’t miss out on the chance to make this Christmas unforgettable.
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Landscape-Seascape of Te Nukutai o Tapoa Naval Point
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You're invited to explore an inspiring exhibition showcasing the visionary work of Lincoln University's Landscape Architecture students as they reimagine Te Nukutai o Tapoa Naval Point. The body of work invites the public to experience innovative design responses that explore new possibilities for human and nonhuman life to thrive together at the interface of habrou and city - redefining how people, ecologies, and coastal processes can coexist in a time of climate uncertainty. Designs respond to the dynamic charter of Whakaraupo Lyttelton Habour, proposing creative interventions that blend ecological restoration with public access, recreation, and cultural expression reflected in te ao Maori. Visitors will encounter imainative mappings, 3D visuals and drawings that challenge conventional coastal design and velebrate the interconnectedness of marine and terrestrial systems.Join us to see how future landscape architects are engaging with one of Canterbury's most iconic coastal sites.
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The Dyspraxia Support Group is a charitable, non-profit organisation, committed to providing support, practical advice, and educational programmes for those who support and care for children, youth and adults affected with Developmental Dyspraxia/DCD. This neurological disorder affects at least 6% of the population.
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If you wish to learn more regarding our child and youth programmes we hold in Christchurch or just learn about dyspraxia/DCD, please feel free to contact us.
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