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Newsletter T4W6
14 November 2025
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It was lovely to see so many of you at our senior athletics sports this week. Holding this event at Glendowie College was something new for us. For the most part the weather held out and gave our students a chance to shine on the track and in the field. A big thanks to Mr Kloppers who ran this event – with his normal military precision – for the last time.
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Mrs Robyn Sinclair, who first started at Glendowie School in 1996, will be leaving us at the end of Term 2, 2026. Mrs Sinclair has made an immense contribution to the school over many years in a variety of roles. Ordinarily we would not make such announcements this far in advance, however, given the importance of the Deputy Principal role we need time to conduct a thorough search for her replacement.
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We recently said goodbye to our music teacher Cheryl le Fevre. Mrs le Fevre worked one day a week for many years teaching recorder, ukulele and the basics of music theory with our students. We wish her all the best.
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This afternoon you will receive a separate message from me outlining some changes to the school uniform. Over the past year we have carefully discussed some possible changes that would give our families some more options around what their children can wear to school. We believe that the new options offer more comfort and look smart too. They will be available on our uniform providers website from the start of December.
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One of the great events on our school calendar is the Colour Run. The Colour Run is a few hours of non-stop fun with food, entertainment and lots of water and colourful powder. This year’s event will be on Friday 5th December. Please keep your eyes peeled for more information from the PA in the coming weeks.
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In the last newsletter we published an extensive amount of information about the measles outbreak in New Zealand. It is important to note that measles is a highly contagious disease and if you believe your child is showing some of the common symptoms it is imperative that you do not send them to school and that you seek medical treatment immediately.
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Paul Crowhurst | Principal
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The new board recently held their first meeting and have co-opted Susannah Graham as the Montessori representative.
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The next Board meeting will be held on Tuesday 2nd December, from 6.30pm in the boardroom. Anyone is welcome to attend and a copy of the agenda is available from the school office from 3pm on the Friday before the meeting.
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East Auckland Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon
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Register here for the 2026 Tryathlon
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We would like to invite you to our Junior Athletics Day on Tuesday 25th November.
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You are most welcome to have a picnic morning tea and/or lunch with your child during the breaks.
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Please make sure your child has the correct uniform, school hat and sufficient drink for the day in a named drink bottle. They will also need sunblock.
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Must wear their school uniform shirt. Non-uniform shorts are optional if your child has difficulty running in their school shorts/culottes/skorts. Running shoes optional.
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Must wear school sports uniform. Running shoes optional.
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Please note these are approximate times only.
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Looking forward to seeing you there!
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Athletics Day Y5-8 at Glendowie College
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Congratulations to all the athletes that were placed on the day! We saw some great athleticism and amazing sportsmanship. Good luck with the next stage when you will represent our school at Bay Suburbs (Year 5/6) and Eastern Zones (Year 7/8) . Our students that took part in the day had real fun. Many thanks to all our helpers on the day. We know that you have busy lives and to take time away from work is sometimes very hard.
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Bay Suburbs Touch Tournament
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On Tuesday 4th November two Year 6 teams (one boys and one girls) represented Glendowie School at Bay Suburbs Touch. This was held at Madills Farm, Kohimarama.
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Our boys team competed in a very strong field with most games decided by one point. We played 6 games, drawing three, winning one and losing two. Alvarez D scored the try of the tournament, challenging his inner Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Warriors winger) with a flying, one handed touchdown in the corner.
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The Glendowie girls lost our first game 3-1 but we improved each round, winning all the rest. We even beat a team who defeated our first round opponents! In the end, St Ignatius pipped our team for first place, but we finished a proud second and enjoyed a celebratory candy salad!
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We were very proud of our teams and the way we played for each other. It was a wonderful day!
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Year 1
Term 4 has been a delight as we investigated, celebrated, and explored traditions from around the world in our ‘How We Express Ourselves’ unit. We began the unit by inviting the children to bring in three objects or treasures, taonga, that represented their culture, celebrations, and family traditions. It was beautiful to see how proudly they shared their cultural clothing, favourite games, and even special traditions such as choosing their birthday cakes from the Women’s Weekly cookbook each year. The children enjoyed comparing their traditions and explaining to their peers the similarities and differences between them.
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“I brought my Chinese dress and that was the same Ethan, Vincent and Lisa.” - Miya K
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“I brought my tooth fairy note and then I compared my Christmas stocking with Amelia and her picture of Christmas cookies.” - Lucia Mapp
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The unit has come at a lovely time of year, as we were able to celebrate and explore Diwali, the Festival of Lights. The children loved learning about this joyful celebration and using beautiful, colourful sand and chalk to create vibrant Rangoli patterns out on the courts at the front of the school. It was a wonderful hands-on way to appreciate how colour, pattern, and light are used to express happiness and welcomeness during Diwali.
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“We celebrated Diwali with patterns.” - Amalia Z
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“ We celebrated Diwali to welcome new people into our school.” - Henry J
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Year 2 Inquiry - Where We Are in Place and Time
As part of our inquiry unit Where We Are in Place and Time, Year 2 students have been exploring the central idea: Artefacts from the past tell us what life was like. We have been developing our thinking and research skills by investigating how people lived in the olden days.
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We visited MOTAT, where we looked at old telephones and cars, and even got to ride on a tram! Zinny’s grandfather brought his working dial-up phones and Morse code machines. We had lots of fun dialling the phones, listening and talking, and sending Morse code for the first letter of our favourite foods.
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We also made our own butter to experience how people used to make it long ago — it was hard work but so much fun!
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'In the olden days, people used to wash their faces like this. They used a yoke on their shoulders with chains hanging on two buckets. Then they went to a river or a well. They got water in the buckets and poured it into a basin. Then they washed their faces.
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Nowadays, people wash their faces easily. This is how. You go to the tap and turn it on. Then you get a cloth. If you have one, you get it wet and wash your face.' - Oliver P
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'In the olden days, phones were so cool because you didn’t have to press buttons. They had a dial that you turned to call people. At the top, there was the part you talked and listened through. ' - Emily H
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'Nowadays, we go to the supermarket to get butter, but in the olden days, this is how people made butter.
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First, we need cream, a jar, salt, baking paper, a bowl, and gloves.
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Next, pour the cream into the jar.
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Then, shake the jar of cream until you see a yellow clump.
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Next, pour it into a bowl.
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After that, squeeze all the buttermilk out.
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Then, make the butter into a rectangular prism and wrap it in baking paper.
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Finally, put it into the fridge.' - Mason M
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Glendowie Parents' Association
We’re busily preparing for our final event of 2025 - COLOUR RUN! Friday 5th December, keep an eye out for more details over the coming weeks.
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Next opening will be Friday 21st of November, 8:30 - 9am
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There are no more PA meetings this year, we welcome anyone wishing to join at our February meeting.
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All the class WhatsApp groups are up and running, if you haven't been added yet please send us an email (glendowieprimarypa@gmail.com)
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Remaining 2025 Event Dates
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Colour Run - Friday 5th December
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Upcoming Events
- Tuesday 18th November - Bay Suburbs Athletics
- Thursday 20th November - Eastern Zone Athletics
- Friday 21st November - Second Hand Uniform Shop, 8.30 - 9am
- Tuesday 25th November - Y0-4 Athletics
- Wednesday 26th November - Performing Arts Assembly, 1.30pm
- Tuesday 2nd December - Board Meeting, 6.30pm - Boardroom
- Friday 5th December - Second Hand Uniform Shop, 8.30 - 9am
- Friday 5th December - Colour Run, 4.30pm
- Tuesday 8th December - Montessori Leaving Ceremony, 5.30pm
- Wednesday 10 December - Y4 Tryathalon
- Thursday 11th December - Y8 Leaving Assembly, 1.30pm
- Thursday 11th December - Y8 Graduation Dinner, 6pm
- Monday 15th of December - Class "Move Up" Day
- Tuesday 16th December - Non - Uniform Day
- Tuesday 16th December - Last Day of Term 4 - School finishes 2pm
- Tuesday 3rd February, 2026 - First Day of Term 1
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Community Notices
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