In today’s newsletter we have the following:
Senior Leadership Team
Principal News
Kia ora e te whānau,
Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa. I hope you are all keeping well and enjoying the crisp but beautifully clear autumn days we’ve been having lately.
We are officially in the middle of an incredibly busy term here at Auckland Normal Intermediate. There is so much vibrant energy around the school, and while it’s easy to focus on the action happening outside the classroom, I want to take a moment first to acknowledge the incredible mahi (work) happening behind the scenes by our teaching staff.
Supporting Our Hardworking Staff
Our teachers have been doing an absolutely amazing job managing the increased requirements placed on them recently—particularly regarding the implementation of the new curriculum and updated reporting expectations.
While I fully support many of the educational initiatives introduced over the last few years, it doesn’t take away from the massive amount of extra work required to bring them to life seamlessly. Our staff have evolved their practices beautifully, ensuring this transition is smooth so that our tauira (students) continue to get the best possible experience and, ultimately, the best possible outcomes.
In fact, our recent academic testing already shows great growth from the start of the year! We are incredibly proud of this progress, and I want to extend a huge thank you to our whānau for supporting our staff as we keep our expectations high.
Incredible Attendance News!
Speaking of whānau support, you may have seen our recent attendance data. For Term 1, our attendance rose above 80%, sitting proud at 83%! This is well above the target the government has set for schools.
Ngā mihi nui e te whānau—we know that excellent attendance doesn’t just happen by magic. It is the support, routine, and motivation you provide at home that ensures our students get to school every day.
We have worked hard as a community to improve this, resolute in the knowledge that greater attendance directly leads to better outcomes. Thank you for partnering with us to make this happen.
Finding Our Voices: Speech Competitions
Moving on to some of the events you can see happening around campus: over the last month, our school focus has been on speeches. Every single one of our tauira completed a speech or oral presentation.
We know that for some students, public speaking is incredibly exciting. However, for many, it creates huge anxiety. Standing up to speak in front of just one or two people is hard enough, so doing it in front of a class, a team, or an entire year level can be utterly nerve-wracking!
While it was fantastic to celebrate our finalists (four in each year level), I want to pay a special tribute to the students who really stepped up, accepted the challenge, showed resilience, and completed the task with huge success. Whilst managing the anxiety and nerves of delivering a speech. Ngā mihi to the parents and caregivers who undoubtedly had some long, encouraging conversations at home to motivate and support them through the nerves.
Action Beyond the Classroom
Alongside speeches and academic demands, our students have been absolute champions across a huge range of co-curricular activities:
- Sports: Our Central Zone teams have been working tirelessly, practicing and playing hard in Football, Water Polo, and Futsal.
- William Pike Challenge: This rōpū (group) has been out hiking the beautiful Waitākere Ranges, completing community service, and diving into their passion projects.
- Sustainability: Our green-fingered group has been working hard in the school garden, and it is truly starting to take shape.
- School Ambassadors: Many of our tauira proudly represented ANI at our contributing primary schools recently, highlighting what intermediate life looks like. The feedback from the staff at those schools was exceptionally complimentary!
- Arts & Academics: Our passionate writers had a wonderful time attending the Auckland Writers Festival, and our Māori and Pasifika Maths Challenge rōpū has been competing left, right, and centre.
Looking Ahead: SMART Reporting & Production
As we hit the midpoint of this extra-long term, I’m sure a few of our students (and parents!) might be feeling a bit jaded. Fortunately, the weather has been on our side, and there is still so much to look forward to.
Later in the term, our Central Zone sports will continue, our school production will be heading heavily into rehearsals, and we will be rolling out the new SMART reporting system required by the government.
We are genuinely excited about the data we will be able to share with you through this new platform. It will allow whānau to have more detailed, written feedback about exactly where their child is at and what can be done to support them. We will do everything we can to ensure the language and information is fit for purpose and easy to understand. Think of this new narrative around “home support” as a helpful guide to allow us to work even closer with you. If you ever feel unsure or find it difficult to interpret, please just let us know.
A Note on Rangatiratanga
During our recent assemblies, I have been talking to the students about what Rangatiratanga really means. At ANI, Rangatiratanga looks like someone who is an upstander, who shows resilience, who perseveres through the tough stuff, and importantly, who asks for help when they need it.
Thank you all for your ongoing energy, partnership, and support as we navigate the rest of this busy term together.
Kia kaha, kia māia, kia manawanui.
Ngā mihi mahana,
Jason Pocock
Tumuaki/Principal
Auckland Normal Intermediate
Deputy Principal News
Attendance Update: Every Day and Every Minute Counts
Every day at school is an invaluable opportunity for our learners to grow, connect, and succeed. Research from the New Zealand Ministry of Education (MoE) consistently demonstrates the direct, undeniable link between consistent classroom presence and both academic achievement and social well-being. Simply put: every day counts.
Currently, our school-wide attendance is sitting at 79.80%. MoE guidelines define “regular attendance” as above 90%, which means our current average places us in a space where we need to work together to lift our numbers. When we look closer at the data, a student sitting around the 80% attendance mark misses an average of 1 full day every week. This quickly translates to 9 days absent per term, or a staggering 39 days of lost learning across the school year—which is nearly eight weeks of missed instruction.
It is also vital to recognise the massive impact of accumulated time missed through small delays, such as regular lateness or leaving early. Based on a 6-hour school day, the numbers tell a striking story:
- 10 minutes late per day equates to over 8 hours of missed classroom time per term, meaning your child loses more than 1 full school day of learning.
- 30 minutes late per day accumulates to 25 hours per term, which means missing at least 4 full school days of vital instruction and social connection.
Every single minute inside the classroom helps our learners build momentum, routine, and a sense of belonging.
Introducing Our Term Attendance Prize Draw!
To celebrate our students who are showing great commitment to their mahi and showing up ready to learn on time, we are excited to launch a brand new attendance initiative this term.
All students who have fewer than 5 days absent across the entire term (keeping them safely inside the regular attendance bracket) will automatically go into a special prize draw to reward their consistency.
- The Prize: We have 10x $10 tuck shop vouchers up for grabs to use right here at ANI.
- The Draw: The lucky winners will be drawn in Week 10 of this term.
- Notification: You will know if your child has successfully made it into the draw because you will receive a confirmation post on Hero to celebrate their entry.
We want to see all our learners thriving, and pushing past this 90% mark is a goal we can easily achieve together. We also understand that barriers to attendance or morning routines can sometimes arise. If your young person is struggling to make it to school on time, please do not hesitate to reach out to their Dean or our student support team. Let’s partner together to keep our attendance strong, our expectations high, and our whānau supported.
Student Support: Navigating the Digital World Together
As our learners navigate an increasingly complex digital landscape, ensuring their safety online is a vital piece of collective mahi (work) between school and home. At our kura, we see firsthand how digital tools empower creativity and connection, but we also acknowledge the unique challenges these spaces present to our rangatahi (youth).
To support our whānau, we highly recommend aligning with New Zealand’s Netsafe guidelines to build safe, positive online habits. Netsafe emphasises that the single most powerful tool we have is open communication. We encourage you to have regular, non-judgemental kōrero (conversations) with your teenager about their digital lives—ask them about the apps they use, who they are interacting with, and how they manage their privacy.
Key steps you can take at home include:
- Setting clear boundaries: Establish designated screen-free times and zones, particularly keeping devices out of bedrooms overnight to protect sleep.
- Promoting a positive footprint: Remind your young person that what goes online stays online, encouraging them to act with the same values of respect digitally as they do in person.
If your teenager encounters cyberbullying, scams, or distressing content, Netsafe provides excellent, free, confidential support and resources for parents. Let’s continue to work together to guide our online citizens to act with integrity and care.
Qustodio: Keeping our Students Safe Online FREE FILTER!
To help you support your child’s digital safety, we are pleased to share that you can now use the Qustodio Parent App to supervise your child’s online activities on their school-managed device outside of school hours.
What does Qustodio do?
The Qustodio Parent App gives you visibility and control when the school device is at home. With it, you can:
- Set screen time limits
- Filter inappropriate web content
- Manage access to specific apps
- Monitor YouTube usage
Is there a cost?
The core online safety and filtering features listed above are completely free for you to use through the school—please disregard any mentions of a temporary trial period. However, if you wish to upgrade to Qustodio Premium for advanced features (such as location tracking or call monitoring), you can choose to do so via an individual paid subscription.
Ready to get started?
Creating your account is quick and easy:
- Visit: https://ani.onlinesafetyhub.nz/parent/articles/getting-started-with-qustodio
- Enter the email address that the school currently has on file for you.
- Connect to your child’s school account.
Once connected, you can download the Qustodio Parent App to your mobile device or continue accessing it via the web. You can also invite another parent or guardian to help you supervise your child’s online activity.
Explore more resources on our Online Safety Hub
Beyond the Qustodio setup, the Online Safety Hub website is packed with a wealth of other helpful guides, expert advice, and information for parents. When you visit, you can explore dedicated sections covering important topics such as:
- Social Media & Gaming: Tips on popular apps and keeping gaming healthy.
- Screen Time & Parental Controls: How to balance digital life at home.
- Bullying & Wellbeing: Advice on handling online safety issues and supporting your child.
- App Reviews & Help: Up-to-date breakdowns of the latest online trends.
For a step-by-step walkthrough on setting up your account, please visit the Qustodio Getting Started Guide.
Thank you for partnering with us to keep our students safe and smart online!
Dillon Rungan
Deputy Principal
Amphitheatre
Kia ora e te whanau
We are delighted to share that the new shade sail over the amphitheatre has been successfully replaced! Bruce Banbury has worked tirelessly on replacing many old boards and sections of the seating area. This upgraded structure provides an excellent, weather-protected outdoor area for our students. It is already proving to be a highly versatile space, offering much-needed room for outdoor lessons, a shaded spot for lunch eating, and an ideal gathering point for student meetings.
It is absolutely fantastic to see so many students actively cycling and scootering to school and making full use of our bike shed facility. We fully support active transport, but student safety remains our top priority.
We have noticed a concerning number of students riding their bicycles without helmets. This is not only incredibly dangerous but is also against the law. Under the New Zealand Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004, it is a legal requirement for all cyclists on New Zealand roads to wear an approved safety helmet that is securely fastened. We ask that safety expectations are strongly reinforced from home—please ensure your child has a compliant helmet and wears it correctly every single day. A high-vis vest is strongly recommended so that students are seen easily by motorists
Car Parking and Parental Drop-offs
A reminder regarding school gate safety: please do not drive into the school grounds at either the Poronui Street or Disraeli Street gates for student drop-offs or pick-ups.
These entrances are high-pedestrian zones where our students are walking and cycling. To ensure everyone’s safety, please utilise the plenty of safe drop-off options available outside of the immediate school campus boundaries.
Thank you all so much for your ongoing support in keeping our school environment safe and welcoming. We wish all of our whānau a wonderful, safe, and enjoyable long weekend ahead.
Nga mnihi nui
Scott Boniface
News from our Deans
The Balancing Act
As we move further into the term, we’ve noticed our students are super busy and engaged in the many opportunities we have on offer at ANI. From the sports field and music rehearsals to academic clubs and social events, their calendars are filling up fast!
At times like these, sometimes it can feel like the calendar is “too full” and we have to remind ourselves about balance. At this age, students are still learning how to manage their “body battery.” Finding the sweet spot between high-energy activity and restorative downtime is a skill that will serve them for life.
Tips for Student Wellbeing
- Prioritise Sleep: Growth spurts and brain development at the intermediate age require rest. A good wind-down routine (no devices at least 30 mins before bed) is a game-changer.
- Learn the Power of “No”: It’s okay to skip an optional event if the tank is running low. Helps them show up better when it needs to be a “yes”.
Conversations to Have at Home:
Checking in doesn’t always have to feel like an interview. We thought of a few low-pressure conversation starters to gauge how they are really doing:
Ask: On a scale of 1 to 10, how full is your battery today?
Why: Gives them a simple numerical way to express complex feelings and check in
with themselves.
Ask: What are you most excited about this week, and what’s one thing feeling ‘heavy’?
Why: Identifies stressors before they become overwhelming.
Ask: What does your body feel like when you’re too busy? (e.g. tired eyes, grumpy, restless?)
Why: For self-awareness, it helps them connect physical sensations to their mental state.
Our goal is to support our students to be the best they can be. We are committed to helping them become well-rounded individuals. When a student feels balanced, they’ll have the foundation to thrive.
Wishing you a balanced and restful week ahead.
The Deans Team
ANI Facebook Page
Just a reminder to parents and caregivers that events such as sports, chess and any other competitive activities will be reported on the ANI Facebook page linked here.
Please check out the wonderful achievements of our exceptional students.
Lynley Sheweiry
SLT Executive Admin
Student Achievement & Learning
Principal Awards
Arts and Culture
Year 7 Artists
Our Year 7 artists have been hard at work creating stunning, high-contrast flower drawings!
Before starting, students practised learning to mix colours to create a vibrant palette. They then sketched their floral designs using bottles of black PVA glue to create raised, 3D outlines. Once the glue was set, they filled the shapes with rich chalk pastels, blending the pigment to create smooth gradients. Because the chalk wipes clean from the glossy glue lines, the bright colours pop beautifully against the bold black borders.
Emma Purchase
Visual Arts Teacher
ANI Thing is Possible: Bringing Our School Production to Life
Production is a special and exciting opportunity for our ANI students.
This year’s production, ‘ANI Thing is Possible’, has been written especially for our kura and follows students as they settle into life at ANI, navigating the twists, turns, challenges, and surprises that come with finding their place.
Because production only happens once during a student’s time at ANI, it requires a high level of commitment, teamwork, and creativity from everyone involved. Students will not only perform, but also help shape the production as a living, breathing work of art by challenging the script, contributing ideas, and adding their own voice where appropriate.
We would also love to warmly invite our wider community to be part of bringing ANI Thing is Possible to life. Productions are only possible with the generosity, creativity, and support of many people, and we would be so grateful for any help whānau or community members may be able to offer. This could include support with choreography, music, costuming, set building, props, koha donations, or connecting us with someone who may have skills, resources, or time to share. Every contribution, big or small, helps create a richer experience for our students.
Please contact Nicole Astrella at nastrella@ani.school if you are interested in supporting this exciting kaupapa.
Further information about rehearsal schedules, performance dates, and ticketing will be shared with whānau as the production develops.
Nicole Astrella
Arts and Cultural Coordinator
Auckland Writers Festival
Some of our lovely student librarians had the opportunity to attend the Auckland Writers Festival and hear from Aotearoa’s finest authors!
They learned how to build a hero in their own stories with author Graci Kim and heard from Kenneth Chapman on his long journey to becoming an author.
Science Comes Alive at the Roadshow!
Kia ora e te whānau
There is a growing focus on science, and I am excited for the positive impact it will have on students across the country. Our students recently had the opportunity to visit the Science Roadshow hosted at Cornwall District School. This initiative, supported by the Ministry of Education, provides excellent learning experiences for ākonga and demonstrates how alive and relevant science is in our everyday lives.
This year’s themes included astronomy, fair tests, physics, kitchen chemistry, nutrition, sight and illusion. I had the absolute pleasure of taking 24 of our students, and I was incredibly proud of them. Their behaviour was amazing throughout the day as they listened attentively to the presenters, answered questions thoughtfully, and fully immersed themselves in the exciting, hands-on displays. It was wonderful to see their high level of interest and genuine engagement with every interactive challenge. We had a lovely time exploring, discovering, and learning together. It was certainly time well spent, as many students wished it were longer. What a lucky teacher I am!
See below for some snapshots of the displays and our young scientists in action.
Ngā mihi nui,
Mrs Rampersad (Y7 & 8 science teacher)
ANI 2026 Speech Competitions
What an incredible day of eloquence, persuasion, and talent we witnessed on Monday at our annual Speech Competitions! The journey to the finals was no small feat; every single student put their best foot forward, competing first within their classrooms and then across their teams, leaving us with heaps of amazing speeches along the way.
Year 7 Competition
The day kicked off in the morning with our talented Year 7 finalists. The audience was treated to four informative, entertaining, and persuasive speeches:
- Asher McB (Rm 3) – Why we shouldn’t do homework
- Yenuka R (Rm 5) – Why we should all visit Sri Lanka
- Elena T (Rm 13) – Every school needs a dog
- Ethan L (Rm 15) – Kids are smarter than adults!
While our panel of judges stepped away to make their incredibly tough decision, the crowd stayed entertained, solving a range of entertaining riddles with Ms King.
A massive congratulations to Asher McB (Rm 3), who was named the deserving Year 7 winner! His delivery was very clear, he managed to project his voice beautifully and his arguments were well thought through.
A special shout-out to Nicole (Rm 12) and Shaun (Rm 11) for doing a fantastic job MCing the Year 7 competition.
Year 8 Competition
The standard remained high as we transitioned into the Year 8 competition at midday. Handled beautifully by our MCs, Head Boy Sid and Head Girl Aaysha, four finalists stepped up to represent their respective teams:
- Thea M-D (Rm 21, Matai) Why Culture is important
- Stephen Y (Rm 12, Rimu) – Everyone should play an instrument
- Dhriti S (Rm 8, Rimu) – You’re never too young to change the world
- Wendy J (Rm 20, Matai) Why we shouldn’t have school uniforms
While the judges deliberated, our Kapa Haka group treated us to a powerful performance to bridge the gap, which was followed by two more superb guest speeches from Akshiththa (Rimu) and Douglas (Matai).
A massive congratulations to Thea M-D, who took out the top spot with a powerful speech about why culture is important. She beautifully incorporated te reo Māori throughout her speech, using it with confidence, authenticity, and deep respect for the language and culture. She spoke with immense mana and pride, honouring her identity and sharing heartfelt connections to her whānau and her koro. I was especially moved by the way she spoke about her koro and the important role he has played in her life, as it added a deeply personal and meaningful element to her speech.
A Huge Thank You
An event of this scale relies on a brilliant community effort. We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the whānau who came along to support our speakers, as well as our esteemed guest judges who volunteered their time and expertise:
Year 7 Judges:
- Jason Pocock (Principal, ANI)
- Alison Spence (Principal, Kohia Terrace)
- Nicola Zimmerman (Kohia Terrace)
- Jacob Markham (Kowhai Team Leader)
Year 8 Judges:
- Caroline Chawke (Principal, Papatoetoe South School)
- Mayleen Gaustusa (DP, Papatoetoe South School)
- Dillon Rungan (ANI Deputy Principal)
- Brooke Tuialii (ANI SPEC)
- Special thanks to our time keeper, Miss Olivia (ANI librarian)
Ngā mihi koutou to all our courageous participants. You gave our judges a very tough choice and made our entire school community incredibly proud!
Selina Striebich and Sanha McGill
Literacy Curriculum Leads and organisers of the speech competitions
Sustainability
Over the past few weeks, our Sustainability Club has been as busy as ever. After more than six months of carefully tending to our kūmara, we were finally able to harvest it. When we first planted the kūmara, it was touch-and-go for a while, but plenty of worm juice from our wormery helped the plants thrive. It is fair to say we ended up with a bumper crop! We are now looking forward to making kūmara soup to help celebrate Matariki in a few weeks’ time.
Our garden is looking fantastic at the moment, especially with the new mulch pathways we are currently laying. We were lucky to have help from Mr Pocock and some of the William Pike students, who did an amazing job assisting with the project.
On Wednesday, we also planted five citrus trees, which will become an exciting part of our long-term vision for our Food Forest.
Lastly, some jars of our delicious honey are still available for sale at the office. We ask for a $10 koha to help us continue buying more equipment for the garden.
Nicole Redshaw & Bry Minton
Sustainability Leaders
Māori and Pasifika Math Challenge
Renée Dale
After School Classes
Staff
We are delighted to continue our partnership with Mitey to grow and support the mental health and well-being of all our students.
Mitey is an evidence-based approach to mental health education for primary and intermediate-aged children in Aotearoa. Mitey is the sole purpose of The Sir John Kirwan Foundation and was designed by NZ teachers and the University of Auckland.
Mitey is aligned with the NZ Health and PE curriculum as well as the Mental Health Education Guidelines. Learning outcomes are embedded into everyday learning, to ensure children are equipped with the age-appropriate skills, knowledge and understanding they need to recognise and respond to mental health issues in both themselves and others before they enter teenage years. At ANI, we also have a particular focus on Mitey learning during the last two weeks of each term through our “Who We Are” Inquiry units.
Mitey supports over 320 schools across NZ, and we are excited and proud to be a Mitey school!
The following link will take you to a video explaining the importance of being a Mitey School – Link
School Counsellor Services
At ANI, we believe student well-being is central to successful learning. The intermediate years are a time of significant growth and change, and we are committed to ensuring every ākonga feels supported, safe, and connected during this stage of development.
As part of our wellbeing programme, ANI offers access to school counselling support for all students. Counsellors provide a warm, non-judgmental space where students can talk, reflect, and develop strategies to support their emotional well-being, relationships, confidence, and problem-solving skills.
If you selected “Yes” for counselling consent on your child’s enrolment form, your child may self-refer to counselling support at school if they feel it would be helpful. At times, counsellors may also gently check in with students as part of our proactive wellbeing approach, even where there are no significant concerns.
Counselling sessions take place during school hours, usually for around 30 minutes, with care taken to minimise disruption to learning. Participation is always voluntary.
Counsellors follow the New Zealand Association of Counsellors (NZAC) Code of Ethics, meaning student privacy and confidentiality are a priority. Information shared in counselling remains confidential unless there is a risk of serious harm or the student gives permission for information to be shared.
We value strong partnerships with whānau and, wherever appropriate within ethical and confidentiality guidelines, we will communicate with parents and caregivers to help support students both at school and at home.
If you have any questions or would like further information about counselling support at ANI, please contact Anna at counsellor@ani.school.nz.
Ngā mihi nui,
Anna, Dillon, Roz, Jue, Rey and River
ANI Counselling & Wellbeing Team
Upcoming Events for Week 7, Term 2, 2026
Upcoming works on St Andrews Road, Gillies Avenue and King George Avenue
Jess Black
Stakeholder Communications Advisor
Transport and Infrastructure
ANI Community
ANI PTA Zoom meeting & Social
- Our next PTA meeting is Tuesday 2 June at 7pm on Zoom. Please email Scott Boniface, ANI DP, if you would like the link: sboniface@ani.school.nz
- The next school social is planned for 17 June and all information is below.
Natalie Cassidy
Chairperson of ANI PTA
Notice from Mount Albert Grammar School
In-zone Enrolment Process
Please click here
- Completed online application form
- Child’s New Zealand Birth Certificate (or if born overseas, their Birth Certificate (in English translation), Passport, Residency status, and date of arrival into NZ)
- Child’s latest school report
- Statutory Declaration Form 1 – (this form is on our school website)
- Three (3) CURRENT forms of utility accounts that clearly show the parent’s name and address (first form of proof of address = 1. Electricity invoice, second form of proof = 2. Fibre/Broadband invoice, third form of proof = 3. Water invoice or Rates invoice or Full Tenancy Agreement + Bond receipt email from Tenancy Services)
- Health Form – (this form is on our school website)
Notices from our community partners
