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ECS Update Term 2, Week 5 – Friday 22nd May 2026
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Kia ora e te whānau,
I was struck by a powerful thought during a devotion I heard this morning, reflecting on the familiar promise in James 4:8: “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” Sometimes, we imagine drawing near to God as a passive, effortless experience. But a quick look at the life of Moses tells a very different story. Think about it; Moses was in his 80s when he was leading Israel. Yet, he repeatedly climbed Mount Sinai, a grueling, physical ascent up a rugged mountain, just to spend time with God. It took serious, repeated effort. Moses had to actively choose to respond to God’s calling and make the climb, over and over again, to meet with the Creator. And every single time Moses made the effort to draw near, God faithfully met him there.
As parents, our days can feel like climbing mountains of a different kind, juggling schedules, work, and the massive responsibility of raising the next generation. It takes intentional effort to step out of the daily grind to invest in our own growth and faith. But it is worth it. Not only does this time build our own faith and relationship with God, but it is also out of this fullness that we are able to serve, to be generous, and to invest in others, planting the seeds that God uses to see His kingdom expand.
“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” – James 4:8
I want to personally encourage you to come to our upcoming combined Christian Schools’ Parents Event featuring Dan Paterson.
Dan is an incredible speaker who brings immense wisdom, clarity, and heart to the joys and challenges of navigating faith and family today.
I want to acknowledge that it takes effort to clear the calendar, arrange childcare, or head back out the door after a long day. But if you are able, I would encourage you to join us for this event. More details, including how to register, follow later in this email. We would love to see you there.
Ngā mihi,
Alistair
Alistair McKinnon
Principal
Emmanuel Christian School
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This Email contains information about:
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- Important Dates
- Te kupu o te wiki – Word of the week
- Staffing Update
- Keeping Our School Community Healthy: When to Stay Home
- Parent Event – Answering Tough Questions in the Home
- Bikes and Scooters on the School Grounds
- Teacher Only Day 29 May and Early class finish Wednesday 3rd June
- Notice from Public Health Nurse
- Scholastic Book Club Orders
- Ezlunch Orders
- Hot Chocolate stand
- Lost Property
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Friday 29th May – Teacher Only Day
Monday 1st June – King’s Birthday
Wednesday 3rd June – Early finish (2:15pm)
Wednesday 3rd June -Combined Christian School’s Parents Night.
Wednesday 10th June – School Photo Day
(The School Calendar including 2026 Term dates can be found here)
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Te kupu o te wiki – Word of the week
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This week’s te reo Māori word of the week.
We would encourage you to try to use these at home.
This weeks word is: Kātahi te mea pai! (How good is that!)
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We have two staffing changes that we would like to share with you.
After a very long connection with Emmanuel Christian School, Louise Morrison will be finishing her time working in the office at the end of next week. I know that many of you have benefited from Louise’s support, help, and care over the years. She has been involved in so many areas; from processing school accounts and helping with uniforms, to caring for injured students, fundraising, and so much more. While we will very much miss having Louise as a regular part of our daily team, we know that after a short break she will still be in and out, supporting us in different ways in the future. Thank you, Louise, for all you have done, much of which has been behind the scenes. Your care, faith, and commitment to serve have truly blessed our community over many years.
I am also very pleased to let you know that Mrs. Jo Highsted will be joining our teaching team for Terms 3 and 4 this year. Jo will be working in the New Entrants / Year 1 area as we continue to support our growing school roll and the number of new students starting as they turn five in the second half of 2026. Throughout the appointment process, Jo’s energy, vibrant personality, and deep faith were clearly evident, and we look forward to welcoming her to the team.
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Keeping Our School Community Healthy: When to Stay Home.
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At our school, we love seeing our ākonga (students) in class every day, learning and catching up with their friends. Regular attendance is incredibly important for their progress and wellbeing! However, as we manage the usual bugs that circulate, we also need to balance this by keeping our school environment safe and healthy for everyone.
A friendly reminder about tummy bugs: If your child has experienced vomiting or diarrhoea, Health New Zealand guidance requires them to stay home from school for at least 48 hours after their last symptom. We know it can sometimes be a bit tricky to decide when a child is ready to come back, but viruses that cause tummy bugs spread very easily in classrooms. Giving them that full 48-hour window ensures they are completely recovered, have their energy back for learning, and aren’t at risk of passing anything on to their classmates or staff.
Another common illness a is Hand, Foot and Mouth. In this case the medical advice is that children should stay away from schools (and early learning centres) until all blisters have dried up so that these are not infectious.
What to do if your child is unwell:
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Let us know: Please contact the school office as early as possible to report their absence and the reason for it.
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Need advice? If you are ever worried about your child’s symptoms, you can contact your GP or call Healthline anytime on 0800 611 116 for free, 24/7 health advice.
Thank you so much for your support in keeping our whole school community healthy, happy, and ready to learn!
Further guidance can be found here: Ministry of Health -Advice to parents (School Attendance)
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Combined Christian School’s Parents Night.
“Answering Tough Questions in the Home”
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We would love to see many of our ECS families at this event as we join together with other Christian school communities across Canterbury. You are welcome to invite friends who do not have children at Christian Schools, please just ask them to register and use Emmanuel as their school when asked, or include theiir numbers with your registration.
We are privileged to have Dan Paterson speaking on:
“Answering Tough Questions in the Home”
Dan brings years of experience helping families, students, and young adults engage with faith and the big questions surrounding Christianity. This promises to be a practical and encouraging evening for parents.
Event Details
While the event is completely free, we kindly ask that you please RSVP/register by 29th May so we can plan and accommodate everyone appropriately.
RSVP Here: (Or Follow QR Code on Poster)
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Bikes and Scooters on the School Grounds
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We love seeing so many of our students active and riding to school. However, we have noticed an increasing number of students riding their bikes and scooters while on the school grounds before and after school. To keep everyone safe, all bikes and scooters must be walked once inside the school gates.
We will be talking to the students at school to remind them of this, and we would greatly appreciate it if you could reinforce this safety message at home. Thank you for helping us keep our school site safe for everyone!
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Teacher Only Day 29 May and Early class finish Wednesday 3rd June
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On Friday 29th May School will be closed for a Teacher Only day. Staff will be using this time to work on the implementation of the curriculum changes currently underway.
On Wednesday 3rd June classes will finish at 2:15pm. This is to allow staff to travel to a combined Christian Schools professional development session. These chances to gather together with staff from across Canterbury is really valuable as together we grow together as a community. Looking to do our part in serving God within our Christian School communities.
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A notice from the Public Health Nurse
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Kia ora koutou,
My name is Natasha and I am the Public Health Nurse for your school.
The Public Health Nursing Service (PHNS) work with tamariki and their whānau where health and wellbeing concerns impact on their home and school lives.
Please contact me if you have any health concerns for your tamariki.
waea pūkoro: 03 383 6877, 021 576 248
īmēra: natasha.graham@tewhatuora.govt.nz
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Scholastic Book Club Orders
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Closing date : Friday 22nd May, 6pm
If you didn’t receive a brochure we have some at the Office and they are also available online on LOOP.
If you would like to order any of the books, this can be done online on LOOP. For your first time you will need to register in order to make a Book Club LOOP login.
We cannot take orders/payment via the Office so please order online.
Instructions are on the back of the brochure.
Once orders close, they will be sent to school and will come home with your child. On all orders the school earns 15% in scholastic rewards which benefits our school library.
Emmanuel Christian School does not endorse all material that is available for purchase from Scholastic Book Club. Please use your discernment when selecting reading material for your child.
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Our school now uses Ezlunch, part of the Kindo platform, for all online lunch orders.
Ezlunch offers a simple, mobile-friendly way for families to order fresh, tasty lunches from the same local providers you already know and love (Sushi Factory on Wednesdays, Subway on Thursdays).
The ordering process is quick, payments are secure, and delivery to school is reliable and easy.
Parents can order using the Kindo app (iPhone and Android) and choose from a range of convenient payment options including card, bank transfer, Google Pay, Apple Pay and more. The system also includes helpful allergen alerts and automated reminders, so no one misses out on lunch day.
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Marshmallow Mayhem – Hot Chocolate Stand
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The ECS Fundraising Team is opening a Hot Chocolate Stand for students in Years 5–10 every Thursday from 8:25am by the shed on the middle school side of the school.
Hot chocolates will be sold using concession cards, with 4 hot chocolates for $10.
To order your concession card, payments can be made to the school fundraising account: 06-0870-0073625-00
Once payment has been made, please email your child’s details to ecsfundraiser@gmail.com and we will organise their concession card.
We can’t wait to share some Marshmallow Mayhem and make chilly mornings a little warmer!
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We have had a Metro Bus card which is inside a New Zealand Flag Purse handed into the school office (picture below).
If you know who this belongs to, please send them to collect this from the office.
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