Newsletter Term 2 Week 10

Kia ora e te whānau,

Week 10! It has been such a busy term – but then we say that every term! I don’t have any holiday plans other than refueling for Term 3!  I hope you get to enjoy spending some time with your tamariki.  

MATARIKI CONCERT: As we head to our end-of-term Matariki Celebration we look forward to hosting our whānau.  Our tamariki have been working hard on a variety of performances and this Friday is a whole school effort. You will love it I’m sure!

The information poster is above.  We invite you to come along around 10am to visit your child/rens hub. Our amazing BSSG will cook you a breakfast muffin so you can learn and share kai alongside your tamariki. At 11am we will break for morning tea (tea and coffee will be provided) and then students will head back to class at 11.30am to get ready to head to the Scout Hall for their performance. This will begin at 12pm and finish around 1pm.

Matariki has grown into an incredible learning opportunity that develops each year as we respond to the voices of our tamariki about what inspires them to learn. Across the school there has been creative learning, developing knowledge about space, planets, stars, the solar system, learning from around the globe, te taiao or the environment learning, dance, art, drama and so much more.

BSSG: Huge thanks to our BSSG. This is a small group of Mums and Nanas who do a BIG job – either in the form of fundraising or giving back to our community like providing breakfast on Friday and running discos.  We have the BSSG to thank for funding our new school signs and for paying for the whole school to participate in the Footsteps programme. 

TRANSPORT: Huge thank you to all of those who have supported us with transport throughout the term – without you, we might not be able to offer all of the opportunities we do. 

REPORTS: Our mid-year reports went home this week and early next term we will set up student/teacher/whānau hui so that we can connect. 

IWI ENGAGEMENT: Our iwi connections continue to grow and develop and we are super proud to have the support of Matua Mike who was our kaikorero for the Cultural Festival last week. You will also see that Pou Tahu had an amazing day at Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa yesterday learning a host of new skills alongside hundreds of other students across the rohe. These learning opportunities are becoming more frequent and include staff learning. We have a teacher’s only day in the school holidays where we will get to hear more local pūrakau to add to our Tutaeporoporo narrative. It’s a win/win for us all.   

PERMISSION LETTERS: Next term is another busy one and some permission slips or expressions of interest are already going home with our tamariki – keep an eye out for them.  

FAREWELL: The last word for the term is a huge farewell to Claire, Whaea Claire, Mrs Dunlop…we are excited for you and Phillip to be heading off to your next adventure in Australia and we wish you all the very best. Thank you for everything you have done for our tamariki, the passion you have shown for the environment and for teaching ukulele. We will end with a direct quote from Claire that has become a favourite in the staffroom….

I AM enthusiastic but not I am NOT an expert!

Ngā manaakitanga, have a safe and happy holiday break, Kim Gordon, Tumuaki.