Week 1 Term 3 2020
Tauranga Primary School Newsletter
Principal's Message
Tēnā koutou katoa
Ngā mihi nui, kia koutou katoa - Warm greetings to you all.
Kia ora koutou,
We hope you all had a wonderful school break with your children. I know that staff appreciated some time to refresh and prepare for Term 3 after a very busy and challenging Term 2.
A very warm TPS welcome to Mrs Eden Freeman, who has joined us, as our New Entrant roll growth teacher this term in Room 18. Welcome also to Mason Clarke, Tatum Mutu and Manmeet Mann who started recently at our school. We are glad to have you and your family as part of our TPS TEAM.
School Production: In Term 4 we are planning to present a school production "SPACE PROJECT, Voyage of the The Radiant Scarlett". All children except our newest New Entrants (Room 18) will be involved in this production. The demands of the practices and the two evening shows would be too challenging for our youngest students. Due to the lockdown, we have had to move our show on one week to the week of 16th-19th November. We will be performing in the Performing Arts Centre at Bethlehem College. The evening shows will be held on the 18th and 19th of November. It is essential that all children can perform; please diary these dates now.
We will hold auditions for the main roles soon and will all begin to learn the songs.
A school production is a considerable undertaking, with significant costs. We will be looking for businesses to partner with our school as sponsors for the show. Please contact me if you are interested in this opportunity.
If you haven't already please diary in the Teacher Only Day for this term - 21st August - and the Learning Conferences on the 17th September.
As always, thank you for your continued support.
Ngā mihi
Fiona Hawes
Breakfast Club at T.P.S.
We have to keep the breakfasts healthy, so only Weetbix and milk will be on the menu (no sugar/honey etc)
Please contact Cathy Ediker if you would like your child to be added to the list in the future:
Travel Safe Message
Traffic at our school gate after school continues to be a significant health and safety concern. We have approximately 450 students leaving the site each afternoon, and their safety is of paramount importance. While there is limited parking around the school, we are able to safely clear the site within 20 minutes through the following measures:
- 2:50pm-3:00pm optional "Pick up and Go" for Year 1 - 2 students. This option is only for those leaving site with their children - and is not a time to stay and play. Playgrounds are closed until after 3:00pm.
- 2:50pm-3:00pm Year 1 -2 students who remain at school will be supervised by teachers.
- 3:00pm remaining Year 1-2 students and all Year 3-6 students are released.
- 3:00pm crossings are staffed and staff are on duty.
- 3:15pm all children are to be collected from school. If you are unable to collect your child/ren by this time, please consider organising after school care.
- You can make arrangements with your child (Yr 3-6) to meet at an agreed school exit between 3:00pm and 3:15pm to make pick up easier.
- Consider parking a wee bit further away and walking in.
- Please park with consideration for our neighbours and their properties. Parking on the berm is not allowed in sign posted areas. The parking in 5th Avenue Family Practice is for patients only and Burger King parking is provided for customers only.
WOW Wednesdays
At TPS we have WOW Wednesdays
WOW stands for “Wipe Out Waste”. This means no glad wrap or food in wrappers such as chip packets, cheese and crackers in packets.
Each child with nude food on WOW Wednesday receives a house token.
We also run challenges to see which class will have the most nude food for the term (across the Juniors, Middles and Seniors).
During Term 3, our Eco Warriors will also be awarding house points on various days of the week when they notice students with nude food out in the eating areas.
WHY are we trying to reduce WASTE at TPS?
We want to create better habits to protect our Earth
Because we have learnt that all the plastic that has ever been created on earth still exists
Rubbish is bad for our environment
Sea life mistake plastic for food and it ruins their homes and kills them
We want to learn life-long skills to protect our precious earth
Our Eco Warriors help us by emptying our scrap buckets into our worm farm and composts daily.
We also do an annual WASTE AUDIT to track how the school is reducing our waste
School Lunches
From time to time, members of our school community experience some challenges. There are small ways that we can support our TPS families during tough times. One way to support others is by providing school lunches during term time.
We coordinate a register of parents who have generously offered to help us out by providing lunches. This could mean providing one lunch for a week, or one or two lunches on a specific day, or for a few weeks.
The need varies throughout the year and our office staff will let you know what is needed and when. Lunches are dropped off at the office before 10:00am.
The more people we have on the list the less each person needs to provide. If you would like to be added to this list please email admin@tauranga.school.nz.
These offers of help are greatly appreciated by the school and families in need.
- 28th July - Friends of the School (FOTS) meeting - 6.30pm
- 4th August - Board of Trustees meeting - 7:00pm
- 19th August- Show- And the winner is...
- 21st August - Teacher Only Day - school is closed
- 24th August- International Students' Trip
- 26th August- Tauranga Intermediate School Information Evening-Year 6 only
- 28th August - Whole school hangi
- 31st August - Funky Fun Day - Year 3 and 4 only
- 8th September - Board of Trustees meeting - 7:00pm
- 14th September - Reports go home
- 16th September- International Student Conferences
- 17th September - Learning Conferences 8:00am -7.30pm
- 23rd September- Photolife class and student photos
- 24th September - Te Puke Sports Exchange
- 24th September - FOTS school disco
- 25th September - Last day of term
- 12th October Term 4 starts
- 18th and 19th November - School Production week
- 14th December - Last day for school instruction 2020
28th July - Friends of the School (FOTS) meeting - 6.30pm
The big FOTS event this term is the School Disco.
New bus ticketing system - Bee Card
Before that date, we want to encourage bus users to go to the website www.beecard.co.nz and order a new card. For students, they need to register their card and enter their birth date. Then they will automatically receive free travel before 9:00am and between 2:30pm and 6:00pm on school days, and automatically receive the child fare of $1.60 per trip at other times. Without a registered card they will be charged a cash fare ($2.00) per trip on the yellow Bayhopper buses.
A big advantage of the new system for families is that they can create a family account, and then add all their family cards to the same account. That makes it far easier for them to keep track of balances and arrange top ups (including an auto top up facility).
COMMUNITY NOTICE BOARD
CNZ Digital Info Pack T3 2020
In today’s world, it’s essential for young people to learn how to create technology not just consume it. Coding NZ’s online lessons empower students with the tools they need and help give students the best chance at being successful in our increasingly digital age. Extend your child’s awareness and horizons. Sign ups open now at codingnz.com/signup
CAP Life Skills Course at St Peters Church
Our free Life Skills sessions will be running again for Term 3, starting on Thursday 30th July, and we are meeting as a group. We have made a change in that included in the Life Skills course will be the CAP Money program which uses an online budgeting tool. It is much easier to use than pen and paper and the group that did the online course last term were really positive about using it.
Contacts
Principal
Fiona Hawes
07 578 6222
Deputy Principal
Cathy Ediker
Assistant Principal
Robyn Caley
Junior Team Leader
Pam Wilkins
Middle Team Leader
Jason Morgan
Acting Senior Team Leader
Jo Howard
International Student enquiries
Cathy Ediker
Business Manager
Susan O'Neill
Office Administrator and Enrolment Officer
Barbara Turley