Kia kaha - do your best * Kia māia - be courageous * Kia manawanui - have a heart

Kia ora koutou,

It has been a beautiful week here at Puketapu School with our SOMADD (School Of Music, Arts, Drama and Dance) Learning Theme in full swing.

I love walking around our kura seeing our students singing, making props, creating art, dancing and creating performances.

‘Music is life, that is why our hearts have beats’ - Anon

This week we had our ukulele teacher, Rachel Sandilands, perform to our students at lunchtime and she was joined on stage by some of our talented ukulele musicians. We also had a dance and drama group from New Plymouth Boys' High School working with our Kauri team - some great sounds coming out!

We were saddened to hear about the deaths of three of our educational colleagues from Devon Intermediate who were killed in a car accident on Tuesday. Our hearts and love go out to their whānau.

Ngatai Walker
Principal

We want to communicate with you about how our End of Year activities will look during Alert Level 2 COVID restrictions for our school.

We have taken advice and guidance from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health when making these decisions:

• Education at Alert Level 2

• Events and Entertainment at Alert Level 2

If COVID levels change and we have to modify the organisation of these events, we will be in communication with you.

MEET YOUR 2022 TEACHER - Thursday 2nd December @ 2.00 - 2.50 pm

(At Level 2 = Staff & Students Only)

This week in our Staff Hui, our teachers have been working collaboratively on creating the first draft of our 2022 class lists.

From listening to their conversations I have been hugely impressed by how well they know their learners (academically, socially and emotionally).

On Thursday the 2nd of December all of our students get to meet their 2022 class and teacher (via Zoom or Video for any of our new teachers that are currently out of Taranaki).

We do this so that our students and staff start to get to know each other early and we can see if we’ve got it 100% right or if we need to make some changes.

SOMADD COMMUNITY CONCERT - Friday 3rd December @ 1000 am

(At Level 2 = Staff & Students Only)

We have happy and sad news for our 2021 SOMADD Community Concert. Our happy news is that we are still able to have SOMADD here at school. Our sad news is that we will not be able to have parents & whanau watching live. Due to COVID Alert Level 2 restrictions, we will be performing just to our own students and staff during the day. We are working on having this event live-streamed and recorded for parents and whanau so they can see their tamariki performing from the comfort of their own homes or workplaces.

YEAR 8 EOTC CAMP - Wednesday 8th - Friday 10th December

We are really excited to be offering our Year 8’s an End of Year Camp experience here in Taranaki. While we couldn’t go to Finlay Park in Waikato due to COVID, our Year 8 teachers have been working hard to organise another camp for our Year 8’s. Mrs O and her team will be getting in contact via HERO with all the Year 8 parents soon to communicate the key information and dates for this cool EOTC experience.

YEAR 8 GRADUATION - Friday 10th December @ 6.00 pm

Yesterday I was reading about how our local Taranaki High Schools have had to change their End of Year prize-giving and graduation events - https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/300448664/covid19-taranaki-principals-get-creative-to-farewell-seniors.

We are currently looking at having a Year 8 Graduation Whanau Picnic on our school grounds, where we will be following COVID Alert 2 protocols (social distancing, if you have cold or flu symptoms then please stay home, and contact tracing). After our Whanau Picnic, our Year 8’s have asked to have a Graduation Party where they can dance and have fun with their friends, which we will be holding in Kauri 2 from 7.15pm - 8.30pm. The Year 8’s would like to have this party just for them as a special end to their time at Puketapu School, which we think is a really cool idea.

FINAL ASSEMBLY - Tuesday 14th December @ 1000am

(At Level 2 = Staff & Students Only)

We will be hosting our 2022 Final Assembly on our outdoor stage and quad. This is a great chance to celebrate the year with all of our akonga and staff. Unfortunately, we will not be able to have parents and whanau watching live due to COVID Alert Level 2 restrictions, and like our SOMADD Concert, we will be working to live-stream and record this event for parents and whanau.

Totara 4 & 5 sunhat champs

Friday Funday!

On Friday last week we raised over $140 for Gumboot day. We also celebrated Paula and Kim's joint 100th Birthday (50 + 50) and dressed up nice and bright.

These wonderful girls from Totara 4 & 5 went around all of our classes to collect for gumboot Friday. Thanks Addison Leathley, Lucy Nicholas & Briar Walthew.

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday Paula & Kim

Happy Birthday to you

BLAKE YOUNG LEADER AWARD

This year Puketapu School had the privilege of nominating three Year 8 students for the Blake Young Leader Awards.

These three students have shown our school values for the environment and have actively done things around our kura to help with Pare Kore and the environment.

Congratulations to Lucy Hatchard, Olivia Corin and Caylin Weideman on receiving this award.

https://vimeo.com/442243753/451994f413

Whaea Claire, Caylin Weideman, Olivia Corin, Lucy Hatchard & Whaea Shaina

Our first Road Patrol training took place on Monday.

We're super proud of the whole group who trained. They all had beautiful manners and are willing to care for others safety. Kia manawanui!

Xanthe Rushton and Bonnie Rupe showing Kia Māia by being our very 1st Road patrollers after the training.

If you have ordered one of our Puketapu School masks, they are now at the office for collection.

If you would like to purchase one, come and see the office while we still have some left. They are $15 each.

We will let you know if this is able to continue next week.

Tyde with the ball, Leon, Hunter, Bryn and Dylan all enjoying some after school touch fun.

All sports uniforms and borrowed sports Ts need to be returned now please:

* Netball * Miniball * Rippa * Interschool * Hockey *

Statements have been sent out this week. Please check your account and pay anything outstanding. Please pay either online or at the school office. (If paying online, please make sure to put your child's name as the reference.)

We work hard to keep costs as low as we possibly can, so please help us by keeping your bills paid. If you need to spread the costs, please speak with Paula in the office.

All sports fees are due now. The cost charged to players for sport is paid directly to the sporting body so if you don't pay we have to increase costs next time.

Just a couple of hours (up to 5 hours) per week, to help with weeding, pruning and keeping our garden spaces looking loved.

If you can help, please contact Paula in the school office.

Sun hats everywhere

Thumbs up on from the bike track

Lunchtime rugby for Kowhai tamariki

Strike a pose - Alexis Gorrie and Katie MacRae

Totara 4 & 5 with their parihaka art work

Epic fort building going on in Rimu

Cassandra Wall-Colvin and Bailey Takerei got creative in the kitchen this week and made Oreo cookie cakes in a cup for Mr Walker and Miss Sattler.

Tyde Simpson from Rimu 2

Georgia-Lee with her friend Whakairi Rangi from Totara 4

Dahrell MacDonald, Kian Devonshire and Carlos Macioce from Kowhai

• Abbie Kendrick
• Heath Logie
• Quinn Murrell
• Bella Phillips
• Ella Rauputu
• Ava Smith
• Brooke Balsom
• Layla Hardgrave

Did you know you can see What's On any time with the Hero App? Check out Term Dates or the Events Calendar whenever you like.

Our School Calendar has been updated, however there may be events postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19 new protocol.

Tuesday 2 December

• Meet your 2022 Teacher (Students and Staff only)

Friday 3 December

• SOMADD Community Concert (Students and staff only, being streamed for parents)

Tuesday 14 December

• Final Assembly (Students and staff only, being streamed for parents)

Wednesday 15 December

• Last day of school 2021 - School finishes at 12pm

Please check the Calendar on the Hero App for team and class calendar events.

Community Patrols are made up of everyday people who want to make a difference in their community.

For more information visit www.cpnz.org.nz or contact your local patrol 021 505 618

Running from Wednesday the 3rd of November to Tuesday the 16th of November 2021.

They also now have WINZ subsidies available!

Find out more or book online at:

https://enrolmy.com/the-lemon-club/book-now/3-Before-and-After-school-care-at-Puketapu-School-