|
|
ECS Update Term 3, Week 8 – Friday 5 September 2025
|
|
|
Kia ora Parents and Caregivers,
This weekend we celebrate Father’s Day, a time to give thanks for the many men who play such an important role in the lives of our children. For some, that may be a dad or grandad but for others it may be an uncle, older brother, mentor, teacher, or family friend. We want to acknowledge and honour all those who provide encouragement, guidance, and care – helping our young people grow in confidence and faith. Their presence and support reflect something of God’s love and faithfulness as our Heavenly Father.
We are also thankful for the parents who have offered themselves for our upcoming Board Elections. Serving on the Board is a significant commitment and a wonderful way of contributing to the life of our school. We encourage you to prayerfully consider the candidates and to take part by casting your vote – every vote is an important way of strengthening the future of our school community. Please note voting closes on Wednesday 10th September.
Thank you for your ongoing support and prayers. May this weekend be filled with gratitude, encouragement, and blessing for your whānau.
Blessings,
Alistair
|
|
|
This newsletter contains information on the following:
- Important Dates
- School Board Elections
- Secondhand Uniform Sale
- Strum, Strike and Blow
- Rotary Speech Competition
- Chinese Language Week
- Give Tennis a go at Bishopdale Tennis Club
- Tuning in to Kids and Tuning in to Teens course
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday 10th and Thursday 11th Sept – Uniform Sale
Friday 19th September – Last day of Term 3
Monday 6th October – First day of Term 4
Friday 12th December – Last day of Term 4
(The School Calendar including 2025 Term dates can be found here)
|
|
|
|
|
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.
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.
Thank you to those who have already voted, the returning officer has let us know that while a number of votes have been receieved there is a majority of parents who have not yet taken this oportunity.
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The fundraising committee second-hand uniform sale is coming up next week.
When: Wednesday 10th September 8.30-9.30am and 2.30-3.30pm
Thursday 11th September 8.30-9.30am and 2.30-3.30pm
Where: Te Ngahere Room (used to be K3 in the junior block)
Payment is by Cash or Internet Banking (to be completed at the time of purchase).
If you have any uniform items you would like to donate to the fundraising committee these can be dropped off at the Office. Please ensure all donated items are clean and in good condition. All funds raised through the secondhand uniform sale will also be going toward a new playground.
|
|
|
|
|
On Wednesday 80 students from Emmanuel performed with 1600 students from schools all over Canterbury in the Strum, Strike and Blow Concert in the Wolfbrook Arena to a sell out crowd!
Congratulations to all our students from Year 2 to Year 10 who performed! Behaviour at the morning Rehearsal and evening concert was impeccable!! Congratulations to our brave soloists for the evening, Sam on trombone, Yiling and Kimberly on recorders, Anna and Saskia in singing, and Lucinda on xylophone – they were outstanding!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rotary Speech Competition
|
Last Thursday, three Year 7 students — Lilyana Kerkhoven, Bert Klaassen, and Karsten Honkoop — and three Year 8 students — Jayden Ling, Caleb Braun, and Eden Bell — represented our school in the preliminary round of the Rotary Speech Competition. This event involved 11 schools and 75 students in total.
A huge congratulations goes to Karsten Honkoop, who was selected to compete in the finals at Heaton Intermediate School last night. Karsten delivered an engaging and persuasive speech on Why Football is Better than Rugby and was awarded a Highly Commended for his efforts.
We are incredibly proud of all our students who represented our school so confidently and with such enthusiasm. Ka pai!
|
|
|
|
|
|
你好 (nǐ hǎo)!
This week we have been celebrating NZ Chinese Language Week with a variety of rich learning experiences. We were blessed to have two Mandarin-speaking parent volunteers who read stories in Mandarin to our younger tamariki. Our Year 3 & 4 students learned the Chinese idiom 拔苗助长 (bá miáo zhù zhǎng – “Helping the plant to grow by pulling it”); our Year 5 & 6 students were introduced to 守株待兔 (shǒu zhū dài tù – “Guarding a tree stump to wait for a rabbit”); and our Year 7 & 8 students studied an ancient poem about Mulan. Students in Years 3–8 also explored the fascinating origins and evolution of Chinese characters and had the chance to try their hand at Chinese calligraphy.
At our Middle School assembly, students were taught basic Mandarin phrases by our Mandarin-speaking student leaders and enjoyed a lively chopsticks challenge. A special thank you also goes to our student volunteers, who visited every class each morning to teach the “phrases of the day.”
We concluded the week with a fun scavenger hunt — a fitting way to wrap up our celebrations. Our tamariki thoroughly enjoyed exploring the beauty of the Chinese language and culture, and we are grateful to all who helped make this celebration both meaningful and memorable.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Give Tennis a go at Bishopdale Tennis Club
|
Bishopdale Tennis Club are running a “Love tennis” event at their club which is a nationwide event on Sunday the 7th of September from 10-2pm. There will be games, prizes, sausage sizzles etc . There is also a colouring competition poster for which there will be prizes and the winners go into a nationwide draw to win even better prizes. Any new members on the day get a half price sub. This includes any senior members who want to play tennis/pickleball also.
The colouring competition poster is attached below.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tuning in to Kids and Tuning in to Teens course
|
Join us for Tuning in to Kids and Tuning in to Teens, 6-session group programmes designed for parents and caregivers of children aged 5-13 years old. These sessions focus on practical skills to navigate the ups and downs of your parenting journey.
- Learn how to better understand and manage emotions, for both you and your child.
- Discover ways to strengthen your relationship through emotional moments.
- Get tools to help children express and handle their feelings.
- Gain strategies for problem-solving and setting appropriate boundaries.
Each session includes videos, group discussions, role-playing, and home activities.
Click on the link below for more information.
https://manaake.health.nz/tuning-in-to-kids/
|
English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
French
German
Italian
Maori
Portuguese
Russian
Samoan
Spanish
