Kokopu Newsletter

Kia ora everyone

It is great to see the sun out and we are finally getting a few days in a row of good weather.

Learning

The good weather has coincided with our senior school camps, with Room 3 having a fantastic time at Whananaki last week and room 6 off to Rotorua by the time you read this newsletter.

Camps are great times for students to build relationships and resilience and demonstrate our three school values of Respect for Ourselves, Respect for Others and Respect for our Environment.

This year all of our classrooms are focusing on improving their literacy through the use of phonics-based learning. We know the evidence says that phonics provides better foundational skills and improved outcomes for more students. The junior school is going to continue to use the Better Start Literacy program while the rest of the school is using the iDeal program. You may start noticing differences in the way students learn to read and spell including in their homework.

Community

I would like to give a big thank you to Pip Newman for doing our school lawns last week. The kids commented on how great it was to play rugby on short grass and I am sure Pete our caretaker will appreciate it on his return in a few weeks.

Also a big thanks to our PTA who have done two food fundraisers over the past few weeks at our swimming sports and zone swimming sports. I had very positive feedback from two schools that participated in the Zones.

Continuing the theme of the community in school, I enjoyed catching up with many of you during the school picnic. Even though the wind was chilly, it was nice to welcome in new families and hang out with everyone. Thank you to Tama for organising some games.

Property

As you will know we had a bit of damage to our trees during the storm, particularly up the eastern side of the school. Over the weekend we have had the majority of trees removed and once this is completed we will be making repairs to the school fencing. If you are on the property after hours please stay clear of any workers or areas that are taped off.

Our window and joinery replacement project has been earmarked to start in the April holidays. This will improve the weather tightness of the room 1 and 2 block and whanau room.

Regards

Yaron Overeem

Principal

Kokopu School

Thanks to the PTA and their amazing helpers for organising the wonderful food on our swimming sports and zone swimming sports days.

Kokopu School Swimming Sports Results

Well done to the following children who placed in our swimming sports.

Year 3 - 1st Kaliah Barge, 2nd Saydee Barge, 3rd Logan Fleming.

Year 4 - 1st Tahan Bellingham, 2nd Amelia-Rose Hape, 3rd Ana Waterhouse.

Year 5 - 1st = Annabeth Riley, Lachlan McMurchy, 3rd Mason Fleming.

Year 6 - 1st = Skyla Bellingham, Tristan Woolston Boys, 3rd = Eva Gray, Amber Bellingham, Jordan Donker.

Year 7 - 1st Carter Connelly-Maihi, 2nd Caitlin Riley, 3rd Jamie Lockie.

Year 8 - 1st Toby Noakes, 2nd = Ben Slabbert, Poppy Reynolds.

Zone Swimming Sports Results

Congratulations to the following children who will represent our zone at the WPSSA Swimming Championships at Whangarei Intermediate on Wednesday 15th March. TIME: 9.30am -2.30pm

*Pool available for warm-ups at 9am - *Yr 7/8 must be at pool by 12.30pm.

We will need parents to help Mr Weavers with transport and supervision please.

These are our competitors from Kokopu, Matarau and Te Horo

Year 5 Freestyle - Taylor Masefield, Annabeth Riley, Lachie McMurchy and Moses Tohu.

Year 5 Backstroke - Annabeth Riley, Whaiawa Tito, Lachie McMurchy and Moses Tohu.

Year 5 Breaststroke - Whaiawa Tito, Annabeth Riley, Lachie McMurchy and Mason Fleming.

Year 6 Freestyle - Eva Gray, Skyla Bellingham, Jacob Attwood and Zac Burgin

Year 6 Backstroke - Katrina Walker, Skyla Bellingham, Jacob Attwood and Zac Burgin.

Year 6 Breaststroke - Skyla Bellingham, Eva Gray, Zac Burgin and Tristan Woolston-Boys.

Year 7 Freestyle - Emma Donaldson, Caitlin Riley, Carter Connelly-Maihi and Harry Easterbrook.

Year 7 Backstroke - Caitlin Riley, Emma Donaldson, Lachlan Smith and Peter Watson.

Year 7 Breaststroke - Pippa Goodin, Emma Donaldson, Carter Connelly-Maihi and Harry Easterbrook.

Year 8 Freestyle - Ava Boaks, Poppy Reynolds, Jake Sands and Ben Slabbert.

Year 8 Backstroke - Tia Welsh, Holly Gourlay, Jake Sands and Toby Noakes.

Year 8 Breaststroke - Samara Walker, Zoe Kokich, Lockie Leonard and Toby Noakes.

Please email the office and let us know how many children you can transport if you are available.

Have you returned your Year 7 or 8 childs immunisation consent form? Please fill it in and return it now. We require these forms to be returned whether you wish them to be immunised or not. Thank you.

For more information on the immunisations please follow the links below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuwcOyMjAzc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNIKS9uQCQU

Room 3 - Year 5 and 6

The kids had an amazing time on camp. There are some fantastic photos on the Kokopu Parents Facebook page. This is a private page but you can request to join if you wish to.

Room 6 - Year 7 and 8

The Year 7 and 8 students headed off to Rotorua for their camp this morning and will be away until Friday 10 March. They are staying at Keswick Christian Camp.

If you have not paid yet and wish to discuss other means of payment please contact the school office.

Please let us know if your child is attending ASC before 12pm on the day of care required. It is preferable if you can email the days your child will be needing ASC at the beginning of the week if you know your schedule.

• Swimming. Don't forget to send your children with their togs, towel and a bathing cap for long hair. They swim every day this term unless they have a note from home explaining why they can't.

• Friday Assembly. On Friday afternoon we have a sharing assembly at 2.30pm for the whole school. Parents are welcome to come along and see what the children have to share.

• School Office. Vicki is in the office on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Bexs is in the office on Wednesday and Friday mornings until 11.35am.

• Drink Bottles. Our water issues have be rectified but it would be good to send your child with a drink bottle full of water each day.

• Hats. Please remember this term all children will be required to wear a hat when outdoors.

• Carpark and gate. Please come to the gate in the carpark to collect your children at the end of the day. We do not want children walking through the carpark without an adult as it is unsafe with the amount of cars and limited parking. We have a teacher on duty at the gate each day to supervise. Can we ask parents and visitors to make sure they close the gates if you use them? We have a few children that may be prone to walking out an open gate. Thank you. Please don't park by the entrance gate or teachers carpark area. Also please avoid parking by the letterbox at the front of the school. This is a dangerous area with several close calls lately.
  

• Absences. A reminder that it is important to contact the school before 9.30am when your child will be absent. You can either phone, email or let us know via our Skool Loop app. We need to know where your children are so we know they are safe and can mark them correctly on the roll. See details in this newsletter on how to download our Skool Loop App.
  
• Iceblock Sales. Ice Blocks are for sale again to raise funds for the school. Many children who come to school with $2 like to buy their friend an ice block. Please could you send a note to say they are allowed to do this? The Room 6 children do ask but a note would be easier for them.
  
• Term Dates 2023. Term 1 .. 02/02— 06/04 Term 2 .. 24/04— 30/06 Term 3 .. 17/07— 22/09 .. Term 4 09/10— 15/12

Term 1 2023 - Thursday 2nd February 2023 - Thursday 6th April 2023

Monday 6 March to Friday 10 March - Room 6 Camp

Thursday 9 March - EPro 8 challenge year 5 and 6

Thursday 16 March - Dress Up Day - What I want to be when I grow up

Wednesday 15 March - WPSSA Yr 5 to 8 Swimming Sports

Tuesday 21 March - Bike Day

Wednesday 22 March - Triathlon

Monday 27 March - BOT Meeting

Monday 3 April - ANZAC Service 9am

Wednesday 5 April - House Day

Thursday 6 April - Last day of Term 1

Michelle will be taking bible lessons in the library fortnightly on Fridays, at 8.30am for those children who opt in. If you would like your child to attend, please email the school office.

If parents/caregivers want to visit the website https://kokopu.schooldocs.co.nz/1893.htm to look over our school policies and procedures, please see the following instructions: Enter the username (kokopu) and password (0179). Follow the link to the relevant policy as listed.

The Board of Trustees are happy to accept regular automatic payments throughout the school year. All of last years debts should have been paid in full. If you need to have a chat about your account, please contact Vicki. We prefer payment by direct credit if you are able to please; Kokopu School Board of Trustees 12-3099-0419154-01.

Parenting Helpline Do you need specific parenting advice you can implement right away? Are you carrying a lot on your shoulders? Speak to our warm and supportive parenting experts. Call us for support on any parenting issue. Call now for free on 0800 568 856. Available from 9am – 9pm 7 days a week.

Email: office@kokopu.school.nz
Website: www.kokopu.school.nz
Location: 921 Kokopu Road, Kokopu, New Zealand
Phone: 094346765
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kokopuschool