Newsletter 25th August 2022

Kia ora whānau

Well, this week, like all weeks has been incredibly busy and it seems as if there is never a dull moment at all. My prattles normally have one solid message however this week that might not be the case at all with so much going on. Firstly, this week marks the beginning of yet another fabulous Book Week where you get the opportunity to buy more books for your whānau and celebrate reading through the likes of our World Famous Milo and Marshmallows night (that's tomorrow night folks!). For those that were quick off the mark and managed to get some of those limited tickets for the Milo and Marshmallows, it is a night to enjoy! We love seeing the tamariki coming into school in their 'jammies and dressing gowns and it does make our night if we have courageous parents who are prepared to wear theirs too!

There is a real joy to reading aloud to kids, and as kaiako this is one of the best parts of our day within the classroom as this is when we can see the pleasure on the faces of the kids as they become absorbed into what it is that we are reading. Whether that be a picture book or a chapter book, there is an eagerly awaited anticipation by all each and every day. I read aloud to my own two 'bookworms' until they were in their early teens and they still talk about the books we read aloud. It is not unusual to see my Bessie digging out some of those books from the bookshelf now and quietly reprising those days as she relaxes in the sunroom.

What about reading aloud is it that makes a difference? From an educators point of view it is the sharing of text, the introduction of new words, the associated pictures and the messages that they convey as well as the promotion of the importance of reading. If you were to ask your tamariki about what it is that they enjoy they will tell you that it is the chance to snuggle into one of their whānau and hearing books brought to life with those special voices that we use. Whatever the reason, reading aloud brings a heck of a lot of joy for us all. I loved that closeness that it brings, I loved the chance to personalise each character and I loved just losing myself inside a book and forgetting about the rest of the day. A good text makes us laugh, cry, wonder and opens our eyes to new worlds. What's not to love about books and reading aloud?

For those of you that do this I thank you! For those that do not do this, give it a go! You won't regret it! And...just like that the message was one solid one after all!

Ngā mihi

Marty Hantz

Fete preparation is in full swing. The PTA Fete Committee are having weekly meetings now as we count down to the big day.

The Fete is the largest fundraising event of the year, raising in excess of $25,000 as well as showcasing our fantastic kura to the community.

With schools on an ever tighter budget, these events provide crucial funds to ensure that we can continue to offer the myriad of opportunities available to all akonga at Taradale Primary School.

• Book Fair - Thursday 25th - Tuesday 30th August
• Milo and Marshmallow Night - Thursday 25th August - 6pm - 7.15pm
• Spooner Shield - Friday 2nd September
• Spooner Shield Postponement - Friday 9th September
• TPS Cross Country - Monday 29th August
• Wig Wednesday - Wednesday 7th September
• School Photos - Thursday 8th September
• TPS School Fete - Sunday 18th September
• End of Term 3 - Friday 30th September

Taradale Primary School

School Board Elections 2022

Parent Election Results Declaration

At the close of nominations, as the number of valid nominations was fewer than the number of vacancies required to be filled, I hereby declare the following duly elected:

Rebecca Blunden

Steven Harkness

Joanna Macdonald

Rhonda Simpson

Matthew Spencer

Greg English (Staff Rep)

Sandy Godwin

Returning Officer

Taradale Primary School

Last week we had a practice Earthquake Drill and then the following day, we had an unplanned Fire Drill because we had a sensor that decided it couldn't handle the heat of the day. This happened at lunchtime too!

The great news is that both the planned and unplanned drills went really well and it was very gratifying to see that the whole school knew what to do even within the lunch hour. Knowing this should give us a great deal of confidence just in case we ever do have a need to do the 'real thing'. Considering that we had a wee 'shake' on Sunday night you never know!

Yesterday we had a Lockdown Drill for the first time. This was wrapped around there being a swarm of wild bees around the school. We used this as the reason as we did not want to overly alarm the tamariki with a lot of 'what-ifs', however there have been more and more of these in schools across Aotearoa New Zealand recently. We kept our Drill to 20 minutes only so that we could test the systems we have, find the gaps and then set about fixing them. Preparation is the key to everything we do!

We have had some concerns regarding the following behaviours exhibited by parents or whānau picking up or dropping off their tamariki. Please note that these are all things that could lead to accidents and are all easily sorted out. Please work with us to solve these.

• Crossing the Road...we are seeing too many people choosing to just cross the road wherever they feel like. We have a crossing on Church Road which is incredibly safe and should be used. Please be a role model for your tamariki and use the crossing. Most are crossing less than 50 metres away from the safety provided by the crossing.
• Parking and Waiting...the zone outside the school on Church Road is a Drop Off Zone only. Please do not park and wander in as this just creates issues for those seeking a park and using that area for what it is intended.
• Parking on the Pavement...we are seeing more and more of this and it is not safe as it impedes the vision of the tamariki doing the Road Patrols. As of today we will be taking licence plate numbers of those that decide that this is still a smart idea!

The famous TPS book fair opens Thursday morning at 8:15am! It is open before and after school until next Tuesday 30th August. Come along and purchase some bargain books for your tamariki. All proceeds from the book fair go towards new books for our school library.

Make sure you head into our school library to grab yourself some bargains.

Book Fair opens hours are:

Thursday 25th August 8.15-9am & 2.30-3.30pm

Thursday 25th August Marshmallow Night 6-7.15pm

Friday 26th August 8.15-9.15am & 2.30-3.30pm

Monday 29th August 8.15-9.15am & 2.30-3.30pm

Tuesday 30th August 8.15-9.15am & 2.30-3.30pm

The response from our community has been nothing short of amazing as we navigate our way through the winter chills and ills. When we read through the lists of those who are away it is very obvious that so many are taking our advice seriously by keeping their tamariki at home if they are unwell. This is so appreciated by all of us!

Koa!