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Newsletter ~ 26 March, 2026
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From the Principal
Dear Parents, Whanau and friends of Diamond Harbour School.
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I trust this finds you enjoying the beautiful weather we have had of late.
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Driving over the hill in the mornings, there have been days when the light is just beautiful.
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It makes me appreciate what you have here.
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To that end, I have also been asking the question - What makes Diamond Harbour School special?
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This is to inform a redrafting of the school's Strategic Plan.’
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Our older children have alluded to ‘the place’, i.e. the hills and harbour, and I think they are right.
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Strategically thinking, the challenge is to embrace that within what the school offers, not only across the curriculum but beyond.
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Recent community consultation will also assist in informing strategic thinking for the next wee while.
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This is a job best left to the appointed Principal.
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Recent newsletters have drawn attention to school uniforms and the expectation of children wearing them. Thank you to those parents who abide by this policy and send their children to school every day in school uniform.
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To the few who don’t - please make an effort to do so.
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You have plenty to be proud of at DHS, so be proud of the fact by wearing your uniform.
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The term disco is to happen on Friday, the 27th in support of the pool fundraising.
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Thank you to those who have offered to help.
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There is plenty of good research that shows a direct correlation between parent engagement in school and children’s success.
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At my last Board meeting, I will also report attendance for the term.
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Congratulations to the number of children who have been at school every day this term.
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Children’s attendance at Diamond Harbour School currently exceeds national expectations.
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Thank you for the opportunity to get to know your school, your children and you.
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It had been a long time since I had driven to Diamond Harbour, but I am very pleased to have done so this term.
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I am sorry to not carry on, but as explained in my last note to you, family wins out.
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May I extend to you all my very best wishes, and I know that the school will blossom under new leadership.
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You really do enjoy a very special place.
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Pīoke Visit From Dr Sarah Kessans
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On Thursday, 12 March, Dr Sarah Kessans came to Diamond Harbour school for a visit. If you don't know who she is, here's a quick explanation: in 2016, she applied to be an astronaut for NASA along with 18,000 other people. She didn't think she would get that far, but that quickly changed when she got into the top 50 applicants.
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Dr Sarah Kessans first started talking about herself, then she started talking about her life as a scientist and how she genetically modifies vegetables and is trying to create kelp into ketchup for the ISS.
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After that she talked about LUCY, which is this protein crystallisation lab she designed to launch LUCY up to space on the Atlas V rocket. She did this because it can be very difficult to grow protein crystals on Earth, but in microgravity it is much easier. She also let us hold and touch one of the protein crystallisation labs that had been to space!
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Lastly, she talked about her experience as a top 50 applicant for NASA. She showed us pictures of her and the rockets and said how astronauts take weeks learning how to do stuff in microgravity. Before she left, she gave us stickers.
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South-East Swimming Zones Competition
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On Monday, the 16th of March the 8 people who qualified for Swimming Zones went into town to compete in races. The Zones were held at Jellie Park, so a fair bit to drive. When we all arrived, we all met up behind the counter and waited for the last few to get there. When we got to the allocated pool, we all sat down on the stairs a lot like the Pioke seating area at School. It took a long time for the races to start, but when they did it went up in year groups from 5-8. First it was Freestyle, Breaststroke, Backstroke and finally Butterfly. It sounds pretty straightforward, but it took forever because there were at least 20 different races for each category, split into girls and boys. Kate, who had been running Swim Squad for us on a Wednesday morning, did an awesome job of training us and encouraging us. Everyone enjoyed Zones, although no one made it to Canterburys, it was good fun, and all of us really learnt a lot about their techniques for different strokes!
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Visits from Roger - Christchurch Amateur Radio Club
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In the morning, Roger came to visit our school to talk about radio communication since we’re communicating with the International Space Station via radio in early Term 2. He talked about radio signals and the history of radio. He also brought a taser, which was disguised as a penguin! It was really interesting seeing the taser being used. It also scared the whole class since he didn't give any warning, and it was much louder than expected. After he explained the history of radio and how radio signals work, we got to choose groups of 3 for a game. We were all given a radio to communicate. The task was to find the golden question mark, which he called the spy, which was at one of the 20 sites in the school. We all came up with 2 code words to tell Roger through the radio if the site was clear or if we found the spy. We used the phonetic alphabet to communicate the site, so for example we would say “ Team 6, Bravo 14” and then the code word for ‘clear’ or the spy. We did around 4 games of this, and each time a different team won. If we won, we had to replace the spy at a different site and wait inside until another team found the spy. After the games, we returned the radios as it was nearly morning tea and Roger had to go.
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South Island Primary School Basketball Tournament
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A huge congratulations to Maddie, who has been selected to represent Christchurch at the South Island Primary Schools Basketball Tournament as part of a Year 7–8 girls’ team — an incredible achievement!
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What makes this even more special is that Maddie is currently in Year 6 and was invited to trial against older students. Not only did she rise to the challenge, but she was also selected based on both her skill and her outstanding sportsmanship.
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This is a fantastic accomplishment and a real testament to Maddie’s hard work, determination, and positive attitude on and off the court. We are very proud of you, Maddie, and wish you all the best for the tournament!
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Cycle Safety
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Our Year 6 students recently took part in a two-day Cycle Safety programme, designed to build their confidence and skills when riding on and around roads.
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On the first day, students focused on the fundamentals of bike safety. They learned how to check that their bikes are roadworthy, practised important control skills, and discussed key road rules. This session helped everyone understand how to stay safe while riding and how to be aware of their surroundings.
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The second day was an exciting step up, as students headed out onto local streets to put their learning into practice. Under careful supervision, they rode in real traffic situations, practising signalling, navigating intersections, and making safe decisions on the road. It was fantastic to see their confidence grow as they applied their skills in a real-world setting.
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All students showed great responsibility and enthusiasm throughout the programme. A big thank you to the instructors from the Christchurch City Council who supported this valuable learning experience
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Pool Fundraiser Disco
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“Get ready to blast into the future and imagine Diamond Harbour School in 81 years!” 🚀
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To celebrate our school’s 81st birthday, we’re throwing a futuristic disco where imagination takes over! What will school look like in the year 2107? Will you arrive as a glowing robot, a space explorer, a high-tech athlete, or a hologram human? The future is yours to create!
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📅 Friday 27th March
⏰ 6:00 – 7:15pm
💲 Cost: $5 per ticket
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Dust off the glitter, grab the glow sticks, and get ready to shine on the dance floor. The bolder, brighter, and more creative, the better! 🌈
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Tickets will be available from the school office from Monday.
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There will be prizes for best costumes plus spot prizes on the night—so bring your A-game!
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💰 Don’t forget to bring money! There will be food, drinks, and glow sticks available to purchase on the night. Check out the price list below so you can plan ahead.
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💧 This disco is a fundraiser to help repair our school pool, so every ticket and treat you buy goes towards getting our pool back in great shape!
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Let’s celebrate 81 amazing years with grooves, glitter, and a galaxy of fun!”🕺
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Jonah Project Visit
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Last week, the Jonah Project visited our Kindergarten and Te Kōhanga (Years 1–3) students, sharing their knowledge about the many whales and dolphins found around Aotearoa New Zealand. Students learned about these incredible marine mammals and discovered practical ways they can help protect them.
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One of the highlights of the visit was a large inflatable whale, which gave students a hands-on opportunity to explore and better understand the size and features of these magnificent creatures.
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We believe that the more children learn about the amazing marine mammals right here along our coastlines, the more inspired they will be to protect them and the ocean they call home.
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The programme covered a range of important topics, including how to respond to whale strandings, ways to care for our marine environment, and an introduction to the whales and dolphins found in New Zealand waters.
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Amazing Local Fundraising Event
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An amazing local fundraising event coming up!
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It will be a great family day out for an important cause.
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Art Tuition 2026
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🎨 Art Tuition 2026
Discover your creativity with professional artist and illustrator Rebecca Gibbs.
Join our relaxed, inspiring art sessions designed for all skill levels.
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$25 per session, all materials provided.
Limited spaces available!
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To book, call 021 250 1596 or visit www.rebeccagibbsillustration.com
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Junior Learn to Sail – Optimist
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Term 1, 2026 courses now available for booking - last few spaces.
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Learning to sail is an empowering activity for children. Alongside being outside in nature and learning the fundamentals of sailing, children learn boat setup, maintenance, and basic repair. Sailors develop valuable life skills including independence, resilience, teamwork, and problem-solving. The sheltered waters of Charteris Bay provide an ideal location for children to experience sailing for the first time.
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Courses include on-shore theory, rigging, launching, on-water coaching, fun activities, capsizing, and boat retrieval. Parents are expected to stay at the club and be actively involved. This also provides a great opportunity for adults to learn new skills. Green Fleet sailors are encouraged to participate in club day sailing every second Sunday during the season, in addition to Monday and Tuesday instruction.
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Children must be at least 8 years old, comfortable in deep water during capsize situations, and have basic swimming skills. If a child cannot swim 50m in a lifejacket, the course organiser and coach must be informed.
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Learn to Sail programmes run after school in Terms 4 and 1. This year, the annual Spring Clinic will be integrated into the Term 4 programme, opening the season with a full day of training for all participants.
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Football in the Harbour
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We’re excited to get football back up and running in the Harbour again this year!
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Based on feedback from families that took part last year, we’ve looked into the option of joining the Cashmere Technical competition.
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We’ve put together a short questionnaire with a bit more detail on what we’re thinking might work.
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Diamond Harbour Karate
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Ever wondered if you like Karate? Want to build confidence, strength, balance and speed ?
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Give Karate a go, first two lessons are free, no clothing or cost, just come along to the Diamond Harbour Community hall and give it a try.
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What's Coming Up at Diamond Harbour School
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- Friday 27 March - Pool Fundraiser Disco 6 -7.15pm
- Friday 27 March - Diamond Challenge Assembly
- Tuesday 31 March - EnviroAfternoon
- Wednesday 1 April - Celebration of Learning
- Thursday 2 April - Last Day of Term 1
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What's Up In The Local Community
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The Quail Island Easter Egg Hunt is back from Friday 3 April through to Sunday 19 April 2026.
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DATES: 3-19 April 2026
PRICE: $20 return for both adults and kids (children under 5 free)
WHERE: Quail Island (in Lyttelton Harbour) including return boat trip
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Due to huge popular demand, our annual Easter Egg Hunt hosted on beautiful Quail Island is back once again! Taking place over the entire school holidays including Easter with adults at kid's prices. It's the must do Christchurch activity for the holidays! Search Quail Island for the hidden letters to discover our secret word and exchange your answer sheet for delicious Easter eggs for the kids plus submit your entry form to win one of three Akaroa Nature Cruises. Plus, as a special treat over Easter Weekend (Easter Friday 3 April till Easter Monday 6 April) the Easter Bunny will handing out the Easter Eggs plus there will also be special spot prizes! On your journey around Quail Island discover along the way, old shipwrecks, cheeky native birds, bays to explore and hidden caves! The Easter Bunny is getting prepared to leave thousands (yes thousands!) of delicious chocolate eggs with us!! Tickets are limited! Making this the hottest and tastiest Easter and school holiday activity in town.
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SCHEDULE & PRICE ADULTS AT KIDS PRICES
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$20 return – Adult 16 years & over
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$20 return – Child 5-15 years
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What's Up Outside Diamond Harbour
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YOUNG STARS – APRIL 2026 Know a young star in Christchurch? This April, it’s their time to SING • DANCE • PERFORM Our Musical Theatre Holiday Programme is open for ages 7–18, ending with an exciting showcase concert on stage!Monday 6th April-Wednesday 8th April 2026 9am-3pmWith a showcase concert on Wednesday 8th April at 5.45pmThe Black Box Theatre, Christchurch
$99 Early Bird now open. Strictly limited spots Sign them up here: https://forms.gle/e2Vv188SPPFsRC5N8
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