Celebration Day with thanks to Dr Warren Smith of Volleyball New Zealand on PhotoPeach

Federation Internationale de Volleyball thanks to Dr Warren Smith. on PhotoPeach

A Special Gift

On February 22 our violin teacher Julie Pettit was driving her car when all hallelujah broke loose. She arrived in our school grounds to join us to help comfort the children and each other. Julie was very worried about her own family too as they were in different parts of the city.
Yesterday she came into my office with  a truly stunning surprise. She wanted to give me a gift and I am all for gifts.
Julie plays first and second violin for The Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. She is an incredibly talented musician.
She had composed a beautiful violin accompaniment/solo to "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" and performed the piece in my office to a recorded c.d. with full orchestra and chorale backing.
I bawled my eyes out and just quietly, so did she.

 Thank you Julie for a very precious gift. It will remain as a highlight of my teaching career. My own concert.

Christchurch Care Packages

Care Packages from Tauranga Primary School. Thank you so much. You have no idea how special this makes us feel.

Belinda, Michelle and Nicki

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Yup that's me looking like a stunned mullet. I am sure it was just a cheap camera cos' I look way better than that.

The bags contain brand new books from Scholastics, pencils, toys and other goodies donated by businesses.

Today I met with Belinda, Nicki and Michelle (Erin was unable to be here.) These lovely women have approached businesses and contacted North Island schools to find ways to support our Canterbury Kids.
It was pretty amazing to look inside the boxes from the children at Tauranga Primary School to see what they had given to our children. Their little letters are gorgeous and speak from the heart. The children have an amazing understanding of the difficulty some of us have had coping and how frightening it has been for all of us. Kids can walk a mile in someone else's shoes and I thank their parents and teachers for helping them to appreciate what it is like for us.
Belinda, Nicki, Michelle and Erin you are now officially friends of our school. I am  struggling to find the right words to let you know how much this means to our children and to us as a staff. It's not like me to run out of things to say. Thank you.  Thank you.

"Canterbury Can"

Last week we organized Chris Williams to come to school to sing the Canterbury Can Anthem with the children. It was fantastic. Our children can sing!
We also took the opportunity to acknowledge the heroism of all of our staff and students. Each staff member was acknowledged with a certificate from the board for their actions on February 22. What a day!
Later that afternoon all of the children were given a chocolate bar donated by John Allen from Shell Garage Barrington.

Bill Earle our caretaker was presented with a special award. He has been solid as a rock for us over the past months and has gone way beyond the call of duty. Bill is one of the main reasons everyone was kept safe and why our school was able to open so quickly after so much damage. Sorry folks. You can't have him. Bill is one in a million and he is a West Spreydoner through and through.

John Allen, Friend of West Spreydon School

On February 22 one of our local businesses had a big shake down and stock fell off the shelves.Elvis Presley really could have sung, "I'm All Shook Up."
John Allen called in to see me and offered us all of the stock that they could no longer sell in the shop at the Shell Garage.
Our PTA has taken charge of  more than $2,000 of chocolate bars and  soft drinks.
They are sorting Easter raffles and goodies to sell.
On Saturday 16 April Volleyball NZ is sponsoring a huge community volley ball tournament with entertainment and a D.J. This has been organized through one of our parents, Dr Warren Smith. A good man if there ever was one and of course there was.
At that event the PTA will hold a sausage sizzle and by golly there will be some chocolate bargains.
We are very thankful for friends of our school who have thought of us and wanted to help our students.

John Allen take a bow (and I know your daughter spent hours sorting and packing the goods for us). You are a local hero. I know your wife had a role in this and we feel very privileged to have received so much from you.