The joy of teaching

Ah, the smell of the wet grass, the sound of leather on leather and the joy of a goal.
It's winter sports season and today I was out on the field, in the rain, with our year 5 and 6 children to help them prepare for the games ahead. Friday sport is an institution at Fendalton school at I'm very excited to be taking the A and B football teams to Hagley every Friday this term. It is great to be working directly with the children again.
This Principalship lark is all very well but there is nothing like being with the kids! It reminds me why I became a teacher in the first place, watching children have fun, learn and work together as a team. It is very easy in my job to find yourself knee deep in paper work, finances and systems and lose touch with what it is really all about, the children.
So roll on next Friday and the start of the season!

Well done girls.

Congratulations to the blue Milo cricket team who are now officially the best girl's cricket team in Canterbury. A match report of yesterday's victory in the final is online at Canterbury Cricket.org.

Perhaps we have a few White Ferns in the making! Well done girls.

Team Paul were super

Team Triathlon took place in school yesterday and it was great fun. Loads of children and adults took part in the swim, cycle and run event including the much anticipated first appearance of Team Paul. We won't dwell on the unceremonious dismount from my bike or the fact that we came last in the men's event. Instead let's celebrate the fact we were the top teachers' team and that falling off my bike at the end was entirely intentional and well practised....honest.

The Team triathlon was another example of the Fendalton community coming together to support the school and our children. Once again Paul Norton did an outstanding job of organising the day and making sure that everyone had a fun and safe day. Thank you Paul.

Triathlon

Last Wednesday 150+ children took part in the individual triathlon at school. This amazing event demonstrated the incredible resilience and self motivation that our children posses. Children overcame fear of the water, the lack of their own bike or simply the challenge of making it all the way round. All those who started the event managed to complete the course on water, bike and foot and they were cheered the whole way round by parents impressed by their determination.

This week the team triathlon takes centre stage with both adults and children taking part. I will be cycling for "Team Paul" (Paul Norton, Paul Page and myself) so come along and cheer us and the children along from 9am on Thursday.

West Zone Athletics

Last Thursday I was able to make a quick visit to see some of our children compete in the West Zone Athletics championships. It was an amazing event with schools from all over Christchurch competing in all the major disciplines. I only managed to catch our relay teams in action and was delighted to see us come away victorious in all 5 of the races I saw. What impressed me most though was the support provided for the athletes by their peers and parents. It was great to see such impressive school spirit but also fair play towards the opposition. Congratulations to all our athletes but also all our supporters.