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ECS Update Term 3, Week 5 – Friday 15 August
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Kia ora Parents and Caregivers,
We are grateful for the members of our school community who have been nominated for the School Board. Thank you for your willingness to serve and contribute to the vision and direction of our school. Your commitment reflects the heart of Christian service – offering your time and skills for the benefit of others.
Voting papers and candidate information has been sent out this week. We encourage all families to prayerfully consider the candidates and to take part in the voting process. Every vote is an important way of supporting strong, God-honouring governance for our school.
A reminder that enrolments for all year levels in 2026 will close next Friday, 22 August. If you have children due to start, or you know families considering joining our school, please ensure applications are submitted before this date.
Thank you for your continued partnership as we work together to nurture and equip our students to grow in both faith and learning.
Blessings,
Alistair
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This newsletter contains information on the following:
- Important Dates
- Library Van Visit
- Papanui Club Carpark
- School Board Elections
- Paid Union Meeting – Early Finish Monday 25th August
- NCEA changes
- Cook Islands Language Week
- Year 5 & 6 Basketball Achievement
- 2026 Enrolments – applications close 22nd August
- Raising Neurodiverse Kids Evening
- No dogs on school grounds
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Monday 25th August – Early finish (12:30)
Wednesday 27th August – Cultural Day
Friday 19th September – Last day of Term 3
(The School Calendar including 2025 Term dates can be found here)
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What a great Book Character Parade last Tuesday for Book Week!
It was another coolish day for our library van van but it didn’t deter the many excited children lining up, eager to see what books were on offer.
Thanks to the parents who sent along library cards or numbers.
If you would like to organise a library card for your child, forms are still available from the school office or the library. No ID is required if you do it through school.
If your child borrowed books from the library van, they may be returned to the school library, or just return them to your local library and browse for some more! The due date is 3rd September. I’ll send a general reminder the week before.
Meantime, enjoy the books with your children.
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Friendly Reminder: Please Observe the Stop Sign
As you exit the Papanui Club carpark, please remember to come to a complete stop at the stop sign. This is essential for the safety of pedestrians on the footpath and for ensuring a smooth and respectful flow of traffic.
A reminder that the carpark is not owned by the school and continued access relies on us all using the space responsibly and safely.
Thank you for your cooperation and care in helping keep our school community safe.
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Update on School Board Election Process
Thank you to all who have been praying for the School Board election process. We’re pleased to share that several nominations have been received. Thank you to those who have put their names forward—it’s encouraging to see such strong interest and support from our school community.
This week you should have received an email with instructions re voting and information reguarding our 4 nominations. A copy of the candidate statements is also attached to this email.
We encourage you to continue praying for this process, and to seek God’s guidance as you consider who to vote for. Voting will close at 4pm on Wednesday 10th September.
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Paid Union Meeting – Early Finish Monday 25th August
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Over the past few months, the NZ Education Unions have been renegotiating employment contracts that affect all school staff. This morning we received formal notification that NZEI will be holding a series of union meetings for its members.
As a result, this will impact our staffing on Monday 25th August.
We kindly ask that, where possible, students are collected at 12:30pm (the beginning of lunchtime) on Monday 25th August.
A number of staff will remain on site in the afternoon, and we will provide supervision for students who are unable to be collected early. Supervision will be available until the usual end of the school day.
If your child(ren) will require supervision please fill in this form:
Supervision Request Form
Thank you for your understanding and support
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As you are likely aware, the Minister of Education, Erica Stanford, has announced a significant proposal regarding the future direction of our national qualification, NCEA.
What’s happening?
The Ministry has opened consultation on proposed changes to NCEA. This means that over the coming weeks, schools and communities are invited to give feedback and help shape the final decisions.
Who is affected?
There will be no changes for students currently in Year 9 and above.
If the proposal is adopted, the first students to be affected will be those currently in Year 8, who would:
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Complete a new Foundational Award in Year 11, and
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Work towards new qualifications in Years 12 and 13.
Where to find more information
You can read more about the proposal here:
Proposed Changes to NCEA
Want to talk about it?
While we don’t have any more details than what’s publicly available, we’re happy to support you in understanding how NCEA currently works and what these proposed changes might mean.
To help with this, I’ll be hosting a drop-in Morning Tea on Wednesday 20 August, from 9:00–10:00am in the staffroom. You’re warmly invited to come along for an informal chat and ask any questions you may have.
These changes could have a significant impact on many of our students, particularly those currently in Years 7 and 8. We encourage you to stay informed and be part of the consultation process.
Ngā mihi
Alistair
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Cook Islands Language Week
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Kia orana,
Last week was Cook Islands Language Week, and we were truly blessed to have students among us with Cook Islands heritage. We learnt about tīvaevae (quilts), which are made from brightly coloured fabrics and often feature geometric shapes, flowers, and animal designs.
Some of our junior classes enjoyed a special opportunity to design and create their own paper tīvaevae, guided by our senior students. These beautiful artworks will be displayed in the reception area, so feel free to stop by and admire the wonderful creations our tamariki have made.
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Year 5 & 6 Basketball Achievement
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This week our Year 5 & 6 Basketball team competed in the Canterbury Primary Schools Basketball Tournament.
They had a busy day playing six games and one game against the parents too!
Overall they won 3 games, drew 1 and lost 2 to finish 10th place
Congratulations to the team – What an amazing result!
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2026 Enrolments – applications close 22nd August
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Attention all parents! Are you thinking of enrolling your child at Emmanuel Christian School for 2026? Enrolments for all year levels are now open, but it’s essential to note that the deadline for applications is Friday 22nd August 2025. Visit our website at https://www.emmanuelchristian.school.nz/enrolment/ to access all the necessary information and submit your application. Take the first step towards giving your child a strong Christ centred education.
This includes applications for any children turning 5 during the 2026 School year.
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Raising Neurodiverse Kids Evening
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This is a free parent evening for parents to gain strategies and support for parenting children with ADHD and/or Autism.
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No dogs on school property
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Just a reminder that dogs are not allowed on school property. Please leave dogs in the car when you come to drop off or pick up your children or if you walk please drop off and pick up your child at the gate.
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