In today’s newsletter we have the following:
Senior Leadership Team
Principal News
Kia ora e te whānau,
A very warm welcome to Term 2! It’s been a positive and high-energy start to the term, and we’d like to take a moment to reflect on some recent highlights as well as share a few important reminders.
“Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi”
I use this whakatauki to celebrate our Āhua for this term Manaakitanga, it talks about collaboration, working together and celebrating everyone’s worth or strength. So far this term, I have shared my idea of one of our descriptors for Manaakitanga, ‘I am kind and empathetic’ as well as celebrating those from history that have shown this. I look forward to our community celebrating this āhua.
New to school survey
All of our new Year 7 students completed a new-to-school survey in the first week of this term. Below is the data:
The data is pretty good. It suggests the work that we have done with our tauira (students) around our values refresh is working, with a score of 3.7 out of 4 for this question.
Another very positive thing that pleased us as a school, was the scoring of tauira who has a positive and healthy friendship (3.4 out of 4), and I feel like I belong (3.2 out of 4).
Although at the bottom the question around being stretched and challenged has seen an increase up to 2.9 out of 4 (Last year 2.7), we know that this is a key area for us as we move into term 2 and the expectation is that we are putting robust learning opportunities in front of our tauira.
Celebrating our Year 7s and EOTC Week
We want to give a big shout-out to our incredible Year 7 tauira who recently took part in an unforgettable EOTC (Education Outside the Classroom) week. From rock climbing and archery to bivvy building, outdoor cooking, and raft building, the experiences were not only fun but also deeply valuable.These activities offered our students the chance to challenge themselves, build resilience, work as a team, and grow confidence outside of the classroom. It was wonderful to see so much enthusiasm, laughter, and support for one another. Ka rawe, Year 7!
Year 8 Speeches – Voices of the Future
Our Year 8 tauira have been working hard preparing and delivering their speeches, showcasing their growth in confidence, communication, and critical thinking. It’s no small feat standing up in front of your peers and sharing your ideas, and we’re proud of the maturity and thoughtfulness they’ve brought to the process. These learning moments are foundational as our young leaders continue to develop their voice.
Term 2 and Devices Reminder
As we head into this new term, a reminder that bringing a charged device to school each day is essential. Chromebooks or laptops are a key tool in how we support learning, collaboration, and access to resources. Having their own device, enables students to work efficiently and stay engaged in their learning. If you are experiencing any challenges around device access, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the school for support.
AIMS Teams Announced
We’re also excited to announce our AIMS Games teams for this year! Congratulations to all those who have been selected — we know how much hard work has gone into getting to this point. To those who didn’t make a team this time, we want to remind you that this is not the end of the road. Every experience is an opportunity to learn, grow, and come back stronger. We’re proud of all our athletes for putting themselves forward.
House Spirit and Term 1 Winners
Lastly, a huge congratulations to Wai House, who took out the Term 1 House Award! Your energy, teamwork, and commitment to our school values really shone through. Keep that spirit alive as we dive into another exciting term together.
As always, thank you for your continued support. We love partnering with our community to create the best learning environment possible for our ākonga.
Kia haumaru te noho
Jason Pocock
Principal ANI
Deputy Principal News
Kia ora e te whānau,
ICAS Exams at ANI – 2025
We’re pleased to once again offer students the opportunity to participate in the ICAS academic competitions this year. These optional online assessments in English, Maths, Science, Writing and Digital Technologies are a great way for students to challenge themselves and gain feedback on their higher-order thinking skills. All exams will take place on-site in Term 3.
For full details, including dates, costs and how to register, please refer to the letter that was sent out on Hero earlier this week.
Year 8 Speech Competition – This Coming Monday
Our talented Year 8 students have been hard at work crafting and delivering persuasive speeches as part of our annual speech competition. After presenting in class and team rounds, our finalists will take the stage this Monday to compete in the Year 8 Grand Final. It’s always a highlight on the calendar and a fantastic opportunity for students to showcase their confidence, creativity, and communication skills. Our Year 7 students will have their turn in Week 8 — we look forward to hearing their voices then!
Ashley Triana
Deputy Principal – Curriculum
Kia ora koutou,
My short property update for this newsletter focuses on the completion of the remodelling of our teaching spaces. We now have Autex acoustic panelling installed throughout all teaching and learning areas from Rooms 1–16, including the ESOL and SENCO spaces. This marks the final phase of the work I’ve been leading over the past 15 months on our 10-Year Property Plan — a fantastic milestone to wrap up what has been a very busy period here at ANI.
Our students and staff now benefit from freshly painted rooms, new carpet in some areas, new hot water taps, upgraded switchboards, and new roofing. These improvements ensure that our kura is well-positioned for the future and maintained to a high standard.
After speaking with many students and staff about the refurbishments, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Everyone is enjoying the refreshed spaces, with the added bonus of significantly reduced noise levels thanks to the sound-absorbing properties of the new materials. I’ve attached a few photos of the updated spaces below and encourage you to take a look around next time you’re at school.
Looking ahead, our property focus now shifts to the development of a new 3-Year Property Plan. This gives us the opportunity to explore and plan for all the things we’d like to introduce to further enhance our school environment. The plan is in its final stage of preparation, after which we’ll be consulting with our wider community to gather feedback on what you believe should be included.
This consultation will help us better understand how to meet the needs of our whānau and ensure our site is accessible, welcoming, and fit for purpose.
Watch this space for your chance to have your say!
Have a great weekend, whānau.
Scott Boniface
Deputy Principal – Community
Student Achievement
Principal Awards
Jin Tian - New Zealand representative!
One of our incredible students, Jin Tian, was selected to represent New Zealand to compete in the Fujairah 2025 World Taekwondo Cadet Championships in Fujairah, the United Arab Emirates.
She competed in the female under 41kg division, and her division had over 40 athletes from all over the world.
Jin Tian performed so well that she placed 16th among 45 countries’ national athletes. She is the first female cadet athlete who has represented New Zealand and competed at this World Championship.
Jin Tian, we are all very proud of your outstanding achievements.
Best wishes for continued success from your ANI Whanau.
Ethan P is cast as Oliver Twist!
Ethan P has been cast in the APAA production of Oliver and will be appearing as Oliver at the Bruce Mason Centre on 5 & 6 July.
The leads are double cast and Ethan is Oliver Twist (in Cast Bullseye) in the performances below:
Saturday 5 July at 2pm – Cast Bullseye
Sunday 6 July at 6.30pm – Cast Bullseye
Please go along and support Ethan if you can, and tickets are now online at Ticketmaster, linked here.
Ex-student's children's book coming out soon!
ANI alumnus Lauren Middleton is having her debut middle grade fiction book published by Bateman Books on June 3rd.
“Someone is stealing sheep from the sleepy town of Dargaville! When Pippa’s woolly best friend Lulabelle gets snatched, she goes on an extraordinary adventure to get her friend back with the help of ex-professional-weightlifting policeman Mike Te Hira.
There will be tickle fights, angry phone calls to the mayor and a gumboot-throwing competition. Will Lulabelle be found safe and sound? And what is that ominous creature scurrying through the trees?”
This rollocking, snort-out-loud with laughter book is aimed at children aged 8-12. It will be available in bookstores from the 3rd of June, or can be preordered here.
Dream to Dish: Our Kumara Harvest for Matariki Soup!
Before we even had a garden, Jason (our Principal) had a dream of warm, nourishing kumara soup shared together for Matariki 2025.
The wonderful Nicole, in her former life as a science teacher, took that dream to heart and began sprouting kumara back in July 2024, tucking slips into jars and windowsills like tiny promises of what was to come.
Fast forward to December: the sprouted slips were planted into upcycled tyres, tucked into rich soil and cared for lovingly over the hot summer months. Thanks to a generous grant from Bunnings, our new irrigation system kept the plants hydrated and thriving while we were away.
And now, in May 2025, we’ve harvested them—some of them enormous, earth-covered treasures pulled from the tyres with pride and muddy hands.
Now, they rest in a cool, dark space, sweetening themselves up, getting ready for the moment they fulfil Jason’s Matariki dream.
Ten months later, and we’re one step closer to soup this Matariki—and even closer to realising a shared vision of sustainability, community, and connection through kai.
Nicola Redshaw
Tree Planting at Windmill Park
Our Sustainability Club rolled up their sleeves and got stuck into some amazing mahi alongside our dedicated Auckland Council Park Rangers. Together, they cleaned up the park, collecting an impressive mountain of rubbish before tackling the rocky soil to plant around 200 native trees!
A huge thank you to Jamiee and Joanne (one of our fantastic student teachers) for stepping in at the last minute to lend a hand. This was a first for our Year 7 students, and they rose to the challenge with energy and enthusiasm.
If you see any of our Sustainability Club members around school, please give them a big congratulations for their efforts in helping to make our community a cleaner, greener place to be.
Nicola Redshaw
Staff
Cracking Open Learning: Chicks Hatch at School!🐣🐥
This term, something truly eggstraordinary happened at our school — we welcomed a very special delivery of living eggs! Over the course of two weeks, students had the rare and egg-citing opportunity to witness the miracle of life as fluffy yellow chicks hatched right before their eyes.
The Living Eggs programme provided us with a fully set-up incubator and a batch of fertile eggs. With curiosity and care, students watched the eggs closely, noting changes and counting down the days. Then, to everyone’s delight, tiny beaks began to tap through shells, and the chirping of newborn chicks filled our ESOL Room — we were eggstatic!
The first chick to hatch made quite the entrance — popping out right in the middle of a fire drill! Naturally, we named this little pioneer Fire. Our only girl chick was next, and she was promptly named Kentucky (yes, we had a few clucky laughs about that one!). Over the following day and a half, six more chicks joined them, bringing our total to eight adorable bundles of fluff!
The experience was more than just cute — it was eggucational! Students explored the life cycle of chickens, learned about animal care, and engaged in scientific observation. It sparked thoughtful discussions about responsibility, empathy, and the needs of living creatures. Our ESOL learners were pecking away at a full project around chicks and chickens, using new vocabulary, writing stories, and lots of questions.
The excitement was un-flapp-able! There was a constant stream of students flocking to the ESOL room, all eager to be chicken monitors. Whether it was feeding, cleaning, or simply watching, everyone wanted to get a peck at the action. Of course, the highlight for many was getting to gently hold a chick and feel its soft feathers and tiny heartbeat. For some of our tamariki, it was their first time being so close to a farm animal — a moment that truly hatched new memories.
At the end of the programme, the chicks are rehomed to approved farms where they can spread their wings and live happily ever after in safe and loving environments.
Thank you to everyone who helped make this eggceptional learning experience possible. It reminded us all that some of the best lessons come from nature — especially when they come wrapped in a shell!
Reception Reminders
Dear Parents,
We kindly request your assistance in reminding your children that our office is a professional environment and must be treated with the utmost respect at all times. It is essential that all students maintain their best behavior while in this space.
Students should not enter the reception area during school hours unless necessary and must not use it as a place to socialise or skip class. Additionally, we ask that parents report to reception when signing out students or arranging pick-ups during school hours.
Please plan pickups outside of break times or coordinate with the school in advance to avoid any delays. Classrooms and device cabinets are often locked during breaks, so this helps us ensure your child can retrieve their belongings promptly. When you arrive at reception, provide your child’s name and room number so we can arrange for them to be brought to you. Additionally, please remember to sign your child out of school, as it is crucial for health and safety to know which students have left during the day.
We also want to please remind you that if a student is late to school, they must sign in at reception.
We appreciate your cooperation in maintaining the respect and appropriateness of this space.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
Cait and Gabi
Free Period Products:
As part of a government-funded initiative, we’re offering free pads and tampons for our young ākonga | students in the reception bathroom!
We understand it can feel a bit overwhelming, especially if it’s a student’s first time getting their period, and we want to make sure they feel as comfortable as possible.
Please let your student know they can access these products at any time, and they’re welcome to take some home if needed!
If you have any questions, please speak to Gabi or Cait in reception!
Cait and Gabi
ANI Community
ANI PTA
Next Monday 19 May the first official fundraiser for the PTA will be announced!
No spoilers, but it will be a great learning opportunity for all of our students and some great prizes will be up for grabs.
Nga mihi
Scott Boniface
Deputy Principal in Charge of Community
Dental Van Visit 2025
The dental van is coming on the 16th of June until the 27th of June to see the children under their care. Parents will be called to gain consent.
Upcoming Events for Week 4, Term 2, 2025
Notices from our community partners
Road Safety and Traffic Rules Awareness Program(FREE ONLINE) for Schools
Approximately 1.3 million people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes. Between 20 and 50 million people suffer non-fatal injuries, with many incurring a disability as a result of their injury. Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5–29 years.
The main reason behind these road accidents is not following or knowing traffic and road safety rules.
Trafficquiz.com is a free-to use website developed with the aim of spreading awareness regarding traffic rules and road safety rules. Through trafficquiz.com, students can learn and test their knowledge about traffic and road safety rules in an entertaining way, i.e., by playing quizzes. Teachers and parents can also use trafficquiz.com regularly to refresh their knowledge about traffic, road safety, and child safety rules.
The benefit of being online is that trafficquiz.com can be used anytime, anywhere, on any device.
The links are as follows:
1. For Age group (5 to 9 years)
2. For Age group (10 to 15 years):
3. For Parents (Child safety quizzes):
4. For Parents and Teachers (Traffic & road safety rules quizzes):
