Newsletter Week 9 Term 1 2023
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Week 9, Term 1 2023
Welcome to Week 9! It is incredible how this term is flying by and we are heading into the holiday break already. It has been a busy but fantastic term and there is some great progress being made by Karāpiro School students who have been making the most of the opportunities we provide for them.
The staff would like to say a huge THANK YOU to Mr Churstain for keeping our school pool sparkling over the summer term. Looking after a school pool is a daily job and we appreciate the work you do to keep everything ticking. The pool will close at the end of this term. If you have a pool key, please return it to the school office. We will issue new keys for the 2023/24 summer season later in the year.
THANK YOU also to Marty from Dingo Services for grinding the tree stump outside the school house. A little birdie told us he was trying out some new gear (we are very happy to be guinea pigs for things like this!) Thanks for helping us out.
Birthday Girl - Congratulations Music Teacher June McKenzie 80 years young!
Staff News - Wedding Bells!
The Karāpiro School staff team would like to congratulate Lynda and her fiancé Issam ahead of their upcoming wedding in the school holidays. We are all very excited for the two of you and wish you the happiest future together. The staff are planning a ‘kitchen tea’ on the morning of the last day of school - stand by for a bit of fun! Parents are welcome to join us - 10.30am in the staff room.
Beach Education Trip - Wednesday 5th April
We are very excited to be heading to Papamoa Beach Surf Lifesaving Club next Wednesday for our Beach Education. The school bus will be leaving school at 8.30am and we recommended children arrive at 8.15am so they can use the bathroom and have a briefing with teachers so the bus can leave at 8.30am sharp.
Below is a repeat of the information sent home on the permission form: As part of our Health curriculum programme Pohutukawa and Kowhai students will be taking part in a Beach Education programme at Papamoa Beach Surf Lifesaving Club on Wednesday 5th April. We will travel by bus (Karāpiro Charters & Tours) and be leaving school by 8.30am (sharp) and aiming to return by 4pm.
Beach Education is unique to all other water safety programmes as it provides students with a real experience of Surf Life Saving with qualified instructors. Students are immersed in a Surf Life Saving environment with hands-on experience of beach and surf conditions - that means they will be participating in water activities in the surf environment. The day will involve theory, beach activities and water activities.
Students will need to bring: Togs/wetsuit, towel x 2, warm clothing, shoes, a large packed morning tea, and a water bottle (one that can be easily refilled), school hat, sunscreen, and any medication that your child needs (to be handed to your classroom teacher on the day).
We are planning a 'fish and chips' lunch for everyone on the day which will cost $5 per person which will be invoiced separately. Parent helpers who would like to attend can also order lunch for themselves for $5 per person which will also be invoiced.
There are no other costs for this trip other than $5 per person for lunch. The school thanks 'Jumble Around' for providing us with a grant to cover the cost of the bus (approx. $800) and the school will cover the curriculum cost of the Beach Education instruction.
Student Led Conferences
Teaching staff are looking forward to meeting with families to discuss your child’s progress and learning so far this year. Student led conferences will be held on Monday 3 April and Tuesday 4 April from 2.30pm-5.30pm. To make a booking please use the following link: Student Led Conferences Booking In addition to the teacher, your child has an active role in the meeting and will be practising talking about their learning and sharing their learning goals with you. If you have any questions regarding the conferences please let us know. If you are unable to attend during these times please contact your child/ren's teacher to arrange an alternative time to meet.
School Hours Survey
As you know, the Karāpiro School Board of Trustees is committed to our school vision, which is that our school is a safe and happy learning environment for our students. To this end, the Board continues to lobby for safe roads around our school (see the Safe roads update below).
As a Board we are exploring an idea - and it is only an idea at this stage - that we think has the potential to alleviate some issues school families and staff are facing on the roads - in particular at peak times when the road is congested.
The Board wishes to explore a change to our school start and finish times: moving from a 9am start to 8.30am, and finishing at 2.30pm instead of 3pm.
Before any decisions are made, we want to explore this fully with our families and staff to find out what the potential impact such a change might have on your family. Please answer the survey below and let us know your preferences and use the space at the end of the survey to give us some feedback. I will collate your responses and provide it to the Board for discussion at the next Board meeting on 9 May. It is not expected that a firm decision would be made at this meeting, as further consultation may be required, but it will be tabled for discussion. Your link to the survey: School Hours Survey
School Charter
Our 2023 School Charter has been consulted on and you can find the latest copy on our website Charter 2023
Safe Roads Update - What’s happening?
The school has met with a number of stakeholders to share our concerns about road safety in the area around the school. Despite the government announcing changes to roading work plans recently, our roads remain in the top 1% for government safety concerns requiring attention. We share this view and to this end, in recent weeks I have met with the following groups:
Stantec - They are subcontracted to Waka Kotahi for the roundabout installation and SH1 corridor safety upgrade and I am in communication with them. Progress is being made towards the installation and an update will be made to the public in the coming weeks.
Road to Zero – I have raised the issue of speed, noise and carpark safety with this group who is focussed on state highways. I am looking for furthering lowering of the speed limit outside the school, solutions for double glazing classroom windows to reduce road noise and funding assistance for a SH1 fence (between the school carpark and SH1).
Waka Kotahi – On behalf of the school community I have completed a ‘Social Impact Survey for Stakeholders’ which will feed into the Social Impact Assessment Report for the long term realignment of the expressway (extension).
School Donations
The school Decile System has been replaced by the Equity Index. As a result of the change Karāpiro School is now eligible for the Ministry of Education’s (MoE) School Donation Scheme, whereby the school receives a roll-based payment from MoE in lieu of the school asking for parent donations. Parents will be pleased to know that the school will no longer be asking parents for school donations or curriculum-related costs. For more information you can check the MoE website
Book Week
Get your dress-ups ready! A reminder of our parents, grandparents and special friends day on Friday 31 March. Bring a plate for morning tea and bring a favourite book or two to read with the children. Please see the invitation below for details:
Music Lessons
Music lessons are available at school on Thursday’s during school hours. We support this being available to students as we know the benefits learning an instrument has to education.
June MacKenzie is available to teach both individual and group lessons in guitar, ukulele, piano and keyboard. If your child is interested in learning an instrument and does not have access to one please let us know as there may be the option to loan one from the school. Lessons are $160 per term. Please contact June Mackenzie on 021 136 0583 if you are interested.
Karāpiro School Community PlayGroup
Our PlayGroup schedule for term one and two is now up and running and on the flyer below. Please share with friends and family and anyone you know who might like to come along and join us. Please also note the transition dates for our new students starting school with us.
School Gardens & Sharing Shed
We are looking for some help with our school gardens on a regular basis. Please let us know if you have some time to spare to support us with some general weeding of the car park gardens and gardens in the school grounds. We would really appreciate your support!
We are also looking to set up a ‘sharing shed’ where we can swap surplus food - does anyone know of someone who could build one for us?
Leamington Sports Club
Leamington Sports Club invites you to register for the 2023 winter season, we offer Netball, Hockey and Rugby. Please register using the following links:
Hockey:https://www.sporty.co.nz/leamingtonrsc/Junior-Sports-Registrations/junior-hockey-player-registration
Rugby: https://www.sporty.co.nz/leamingtonrsc/Junior-Sports-Registrations/junior-rugby-player-registration
Please come along to a muster at our club on Carlyle Street on Sunday March 5th at 2pm . You can try on uniforms, talk to our volunteers, kick, throw or hit a ball around and get to know our club. There will be games, food and drink and lots of friendly faces. We would love to see you there! If you have any questions please contact Lara Connors or Sam Ward on leamingtonjuniorsport@outlook.com
Keep an eye on our School Calendar which has been updated for the new term ahead.
As this is our final newsletter for Term 1 we would like to take the opportunity to thank our families for their wonderful support this year. We wish you an enjoyable holiday break with your children and will see you again when Term 2 begins on Wednesday 26th April (the day after Anzac Day). Happy Easter!
Ngā mihi
Tina-Maree and the Karāpiro Staff team
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