Panui - Term 3, Welcome Back
What a term we have just had, and an even bigger one ahead!
We wrapped up Term 2 with a relaxed Puanga celebration, where the kura came together to share waiata and kai. Other highlights from Term 2 included the start of our mau rakau roopu as well as the arrival of our new court and turf, which has quickly become a favourite spot. We also had plenty to cheer about on the sports field during Term 2, with Tawhiti teams taking top honours in the South Rippa Rugby Champs, as well as the Winter Hockey and Football tournaments.
Now it's time to kick off Term 3! A big Tawhiti welcome to Kaelyn-Tui Renata-Karena, Parker Aston-Landers, and Jordan De’Ath, who are beginning their learning journey in Koromiko with Whaea Dee. Nau mai, haere mai ki te kura o Tawhiti! We’re also pleased to welcome Tess Lasike, who joins the Totara team as a Learning Assistant through to the end of the year.
This term is shaping up to be a big one, with the launch of Te Reo Māori extension groups and, of course, our school production of Finding Nemo. With all 300 students involved, it’s a massive undertaking of creativity and teamwork. Congratulations to all those who auditioned, and special shout-out to our lead cast: Hugo Dwyer as Nemo, Mason Clark as Marlin, and Cassandra Bond as Dory. They are backed up by a cast of 25 in supporting roles. A massive thank you in advance to our amazing sewers and costume helpers...we couldn’t do it without you! ;)
We’re linking our Finding Nemo production to classroom learning this term through a focus on the health of our local waterways. Students will take part in awa (river) investigations supported by the Taranaki Regional Council, helping them explore the role of kaitiaki in caring for our environment. Our senior students will also be diving into the topic of seabed mining, which is particularly relevant for our region right now, encouraging our learners to think critically about how human activity impacts marine ecosystems.
So all in all, our staff have been busy this holidays preparing for an action packed term of hands on learning.
Mid-year reports are now live and available to view on HERO. If you haven’t had a chance to check your child’s report yet, we encourage you to jump on and take a look.
Next week we’ll be holding our whānau hui (parent-teacher meetings) on Tuesday and Wednesday. These are a valuable opportunity to discuss your child’s achievement, progress, and how they’re tracking with the new curriculum. While there are higher expectations under the refreshed curriculum, we’re pleased to share that currently 78% of students are achieving in maths, 75% in reading, and 63% in writing. These results give us a solid starting point as we continue to grow and build on learning across the school.
As per our communication last term, school will finish at 2:00pm on Tuesday, and there will be no buses running. Please ensure you’ve arranged for your child to be collected at this time.
All interviews will be held in the school hall. While it’s not the perfect space acoustically, having everyone in one place will make it easier for whānau to find teachers and it means our classrooms can still be used for learning. Interviews start at 12pm on Tuesday and school remains open until 2pm. During this time, we have rotations in place with our release teachers and learning assistants.
If you haven’t already, please head to HERO bookings to make an interview time. So far, we have bookings for 70% of students, and we’re aiming for 100% participation.
We’ve got two fun events coming up — and we’d love your support!
First up is the School Disco this Friday, July 18th! Always a favourite with the kids, this is a chance to hit the dance floor with friends, enjoy the music, and soak up the fun. More info on times and details are below so get those outfits ready!
Then it's the adults' turn — our PTA Quiz Night is the following Friday (25th)! Rally your friends, brush up on your trivia, and come along for a night of laughs, friendly competition, and fundraising. These events are not only a great way to connect, but they also make a difference in what we can offer our tamariki.
Whether you’re dancing at the disco or debating quiz answers over a pizza, we hope to see you there!
Touch kicks off this term. Further details around registration will come home soon...
A huge thank you in advance to our awesome parent coaches who put their hands up to coach touch teams this term. It is a hard job at times but one that makes opportunities possible for our kids. We really appreciate the your time, energy, and enthusiasm.
Just a wee note in regards to teams for our Year 5-6 tamariki. This year we’ll be entering one competitive Year 5–6 team, with all other teams made up of mixed abilities. All senior classes will take part in sessions with Sheri and Linton during Week 1, who will then put the teams together from there. Whilst this is a slightly different approach to what we have used in previous years, it is one that our sports leads are keen to trial. The thinking behind this is that it will give experienced players the chance to develop strategy and teamwork alongside others at a similar level, while also giving everyone more opportunity to get involved and grow their game.
Any questions in regards to touch, please contact Linton. linton@tawhiti.school.nz