Parents & Friends of Dio

Looking at the fast-approaching summer holidays and wrap-up of 2021, the Parents and Friends Committee want to say a huge thank you to all our volunteers, recognising the effort of this wonderful Dio community.

Over the past year, the committee and all our volunteers have worked hard to host events in record numbers, to bring new and exciting concerts to our School to fundraise for both the Junior School playground and School Cafeteria, and to proudly serve in our café. The end result has been fantastic as we see how much can be accomplished with a great group of volunteers. For the Dio Café, being able to utilise parent and student volunteers is a special ingredient in creating a warm and friendly environment in the heart of the School.

Parents have few opportunities to find themselves in the thick of the action of a school day, but that is exactly what they get when rostered on café duty. What starts as a quiet morning meeting other parents and our staff and getting to know the flow of the kitchen, changes with great haste come morning tea and lunch times. Whether seeing the faces of so many senior girls (wondering how they’ve all grown so tall) or delivering the Junior School lunches to the eager hands of the littlest ones (so excited to be on lunch duty and allowed to visit the Senior School themselves), it really is a treat to be in the midst of it all for a few hours. We love having our parent volunteers in the café and greatly appreciate the time they take to be a part of this community and join in the café chaos.

Students are also jumping on the café roster and the timetable slots are in hot demand. Not surprisingly, the girls are quick studies on the till, they know their way around the product and it’s always service with a smile. What started as a small handful of girls serving at the tuck shop during off-peak hours, has grown to a huge schedule of girls helping in the café during breakfast, morning tea, lunch and after school. The students enjoy the

chance to participate and we love having them join us behind the scenes.

For the Parents and Friends Committee, having an extended network of parent and student volunteers is critical for bigger events and busy times of year. Whether we need an extra pair of hands on an Open Day BBQ, behind the bar at a concert, or designing marketing material on screen, knowing that we have so many parents and students willing to pitch in makes it all possible. These events are not just a time to roll up your sleeves, they’ve always been a great chance to get to know other parents, staff and students across the School and participate in the wider school community. A huge thank you goes out to all those parents who have pitched in at events this year.

Finally, a special thank you to our committee. 2021 has, in fact, been one of our busiest years, despite lockdowns and calendar shuffles. The P&F Committee come from across all year groups, each bringing their own ideas, interests and energy, to form a group excited to work together and keep the parent community linked. From the first Welcome Picnic to the last Year-End Cocktail Party and from the early morning of the Father Daughter Breakfast to the late night of the Queen Concert, this committee has worked tirelessly and with great spirit to create memorable events. We’ve had a lot of fun along the way and I’d like to express my personal thanks to each and every committee member for all that they contribute in both time and energy. I do believe these moments have not only forged strong friendships but have also helped to strengthen the Dio parent community.

As always, we extend the invitation to join us, whether in the café, at an event, or on the committee. We look forward to seeing you in 2022.

Robin Bell pfa@diocesan.school.nz

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