Newsletter 5th May 2022
Taradale Primary School
Principal's Prattle
Tohaina ō painga ki to ao
Share your gifts with the world
Kia ora koutou
There is a grand old saying that 'the school years are the best years of your life' and I cannot help but agree. Yes, I am very biased for the truth is that I have spent all but five years of my life in schools and even then I used to sneak over to school and join in when I was three or four years old too! How? My dad was a principal too and we lived in the country so I was able to wander in and out of the school house and school as I wished. No kindy to go to but that was well replaced by the Year 7 and 8 girls who took me under their wings. School has played a really important part of my life as much as it has for so many people.
We will all have very fond memories of school and even for those of us who school did not treat so well, there will be times which will sit forever in the memory banks...whether that be the time spent with mates and the fun had in the playground, the camps, the sporting victories and near losses, the learning achievements or the fabulous lunches that your parents made, school is always likely to feature highly on our radars. This has most certainly been the case for everyone I have spoken to. For me at the moment being in isolation has been a mixed blessing...how neat to be able to spend time at home with whānau, but how I realise how important our kura is to me too. I have really missed that interaction with our tamariki and staff and can't wait to return! I have missed the noise, the excitement, the joys of life, seeing wiggly teeth and losing at 'Paper, Scissors, Rock'. Simple stuff but ever so important.
The value of whānau is more evident than ever as has been the strengths and community of those who live around us and who have sought to support my whānau as we cope with Covid. We are certainly not alone and have felt well supported by so many, whether that be the checking in texts or the phone calls, they have been so appreciated. Within our whare there has been a greater sense of manaaki as all have added to our day through the little gestures such as tidying up more, making sure that all are well and that everyone has what they need. Who knew that teenagers had that gene!
As we have said so many times, whānau is everything...and that extends well beyond the Eurocentric nuclear family model. If anything I would hope that this pandemic has opened up that community sense to all within our radius and the fact that we are all so well connected via media would have me hoping that we are all using this to the advantage of those we can and should be connecting with. It sure doesn't take long to send a text, message, email or even make a call. No matter how busy we are, that is what life should still be all about.
Back to the memories? I would happily wager that in years to come our current ākonga (learners) will have fond memories of school and not just be influenced by the current Covid way of life. They have an immense capacity to look beyond that and enjoy what is in front of them. That is one of the many reasons that we have to admire our tamariki for.
Ngā manaakitanga
Marty Hantz
A Note from the Board of Trustees
If you use the Ngarimu Crescent entrance to school you may have noticed that the carpark next to the Green Family Taradale Pool has had an upgrade.
Thank you to the Taradale Community Pool Trust Board who put in the hard mahi over the holidays to repaint the carparks. They have also added bumpers and a pedestrian walkway so ākonga can remain safe whilst using this exit.
The Holiday Hantz Hatathlon
As usual we set a wee challenge for those tamariki who love to be creative and who like to win stuff! So I set the task of creating a hat using any or all of the bits and pieces that our tamariki might find at home. Stuff that they are allowed to use of course! The twelve most creative hats will receive a nice warm and furry animal hat as a prize for their ingenuity and effort. Watch this space as the recipients will be celebrated next week...in the meantime here are some images sent so far!
Swimming Pool Car Park
Over the holiday break the members of the Taradale Community Pool Trust and the Dolphin Academy repainted the lines in the pool car park and did a great job of this. The car parks are now wider and there is an obvious walkway, all designed to improve the safety of those that use the pool.
Please note that there are 4 clearly marked car parks specifically for those parents who have after-school swimming classes. These have a Dolphin painted on them. Please keep these free between 2.45 and 3.30pm.
Library Update
It is so exciting to be back in our new Library space. A few little changes but still lots of amazing books and resources for our tamariki. Please remember that our lovely Claire is there to assist with book selection and any queries you may have. Her email address is claires@taraprim.school.nz.
A really good website we use often is whatbooknext.com. Adele Broadbent is an author and also works at Wardinis in Napier so has so much knowledge and lots of ideas for what kind of books will interest your child.
Every year we cull some of our Library books to make space for all the new books that the PTA fund. This year those books have been sent to Tonga to support schools and libraries that were devastated by the volcanic eruption.
Looking forward to seeing you all again at our Book Fair in September.
JUST A REMINDER:
Lots of our TPS Library books get taken back to the Taradale Library. Before you pop them in the Returns box just check the label on the front. All of our books say Taradale Primary School.
Anzac Day
In the school holidays a group of approximately 20 tamariki represented Taradale Primary at the ANZAC Day commemorations in Taradale. A big thanks to our kaiako and tamariki who attended. They listened intently throughout the speeches and showed a great deal of respect for the occasion. A special thanks to Hunter and Sophie who laid a wreath on behalf of our kura.
Scholastic Book Club
Book Club Issue 3 is OUT NOW!
You'll find this issue is jam-packed with hundreds of books including:
- Puzzle books
- The Official Harry Potter Baking Book
- Minecraft Bite-Size Builds
- Letter Writing, Tie Dye, Candle Making, and Bath Bomb Kits
- Reading with Phonics 10-Pack
- Skate Park: Engineering and Design Building Set
- Spelling Essentials Desk mat
- Stan Walker's Impossible, the young reader edition
- Box sets including The Bad Guys, Baby-Sitters Little Sister Graphix, Fart Boy, Science, and Goosebumps
View the catalogue here:
https://scholastic.co.nz/parents/lucky-book-club/
Get $5 off until Friday to celebrate National Family Reading Month
To encourage family reading and kick-off this exciting issue, we will be emailing parents registered with LOOP $5 off when they use the promo code READEVERYDAY. Valid on Issue 3 orders placed before midnight, Friday 6 May (conditions apply).
Issue 3 orders need to be placed via LOOP by Friday 20th May 8am.
Te Reo Phrase of the Week
Upcoming Events
- Camp 6B - Monday 9th - May
- Camp 6M - Wednesday 11th - May
- Camp 6H - Monday 16th -May
- Navigating the Journey Evening - Tuesday 31st May
- Queens Birthday - Monday 6th June
- Matariki Public Holiday - Friday 24th June
- End of Term 2 - Friday 8th July 3pm