Kia Manawanui - Have a Heart

Kia Māia - Be Courageous

Kia Kaha - Do Your Best

Kia Ora - Be Well

Ngā mihi

Thank you for the first three weeks of Kapa Haka with Matua Phil. Every ākonga in our school has had the opportunity to learn waiata and be together in the hall learning together. We are so pleased to have our hall back in action.

Bringing in Matua Phil to our kura is assisting us in achieving one of our strategic aims below:

Kawa o te mauri tangata whenua
All akonga in our school will have the opportunity to participate and thrive in Kapa Haka.

Why Kapa Haka?

The most important components of kapa haka are its intrinsic link to culture and Māori identity and the essential element of whanaungatanga, the importance of people and connectedness. Kapa haka has a dynamic role as a vehicle for the revitalisation and retention of te reo, tikanga, ritual processes and histories.

Kapa Haka in 2023

These next three weeks Mātua Phil and I will be looking at the Year 5 - 8's and at the end of Week 6, we will be selecting a Whakataetae (competition) rōpū (group) and a Whakangahau (non-competition) rōpū.

In 2023 we want to have an opportunity for our gifted and talented ākonga in Kapa Haka to thrive, hence the decision to create a Whakataetae (competition) rōpū this year. However, we want all ākonga to have the opportunity to be in Kapa Haka no matter what their age or level is.

Matatini Kapa Haka Nationals

A big mihi to all of our whānau that are competing or supporting their whānau/iwi/hapū Kapa Haka at Matatini in Tamaki Makaurau over the week.

Te Matatini is a significant cultural festival and the pinnacle event for Māori performing arts. Held every two years, it is one of the most highly anticipated events for performers, their whānau and the mass of passionate Kapa Haka fans throughout the world.

On March 1st at 1.00 pm, NZEI (our union for Primary Teachers) will have a Paid Union Meeting to vote on whether to accept the new offer for the Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PARENTS

• Approximately half of our staff will be attending this meeting

• If you can pick up your child at 12.30 that would help us with our teacher-student ratios for the afternoon.

• The school will remain open for the families that can not pick up their children at 12.30

WHY ARE WE HAVING A PAID UNION MEETING?

It was really heartening when members stood together in November and strongly rejected the Government’s first offer for our collective employment agreement. This has prompted a second offer for primary teachers that has made some improvements which we will consider and vote on at this paid union meeting. This second offer only came about because we stood strong together. This meeting will be critical in determining the next steps for our collective agreement for our profession.

In this new offer, we are fighting for:

• Increased classroom release time.

• more professional learning and development.

• increased support for children with higher needs.

• the reduced teacher-student ratio in our classes.

• Increased pay for primary teachers and principals

We believe that these factors all support a better education for all children and we thank you for your support.

The Board of Trustees and Puketapu School Invites you to join us for...

A Picnic by the Pool and a Farewell for Kim Sowman.

Mark the date in your calendar: Friday 3 March, 5pm-7pm.

To show our support to the Hawkes Bay and Te Tairāwhiti Schools, we will be having a small gold coin fundraiser on Wednesday 1 March.

Wear Black & White to school and bring a gold coin donation (if you can).

Kia Manawanui - Have a Heart

Kia Māia - Be Courageous

Kia Kaha - Do Your Best

Kia Ora - Be Well

Ask your tamariki about our values and see how you can incorporate them into home life.

In Week 4 the boys have been showing us how it is done. Ka pai to mahi e tama!

Pavihi Ekeroma, Zac Waddington, Alexander Den-McKay, Taine McKenna, Tiaki Leaf,
Carlos Zenovich and Jaytee Tangiia

We are so grateful for our wonderful kai team and the meals they make with aroha for us every day.

On the menu for next week...

Monday: Mac n Cheese

Tuesday: Macho Nachos

Wednesday: Chicken Tacos

Thursday: Bread Day

Friday: Burger Day

Pizza, wedges, watermelon and grapes = delicious!

This week's Meal of the Week was : BUTTER CHICKEN

It's free, it's delicious and it's a great way to start the day!

Check out our awesome new Breakfast Club sign! Thank you to Whaea Claire & Ari and Romie Marlow's Koro for their help with the laser cutter and making the frame.

Wednesday night was our first Touch game of 2023 - 130 players representing our school at Hickford Park is always awesome to see.

Thank you Coaches for putting your hand up to help this Touch season - we couldn't do it without you.

Tamariki please remember to show our School Values on and off the field.

NETBALL - Registrations are being taken now!

Notices have gone out via Hero for year 1 - 8 Netball.

To ensure your child does not miss out, please click on the Notice in Hero to give your child permission no later than Tuesday 28 February.

Netball is available for all year groups and boys and girls can both play in teams. Uniforms are provided.

Year 1/2: Free to play - Played on Wednesday afternoons in Waitara.

Year 3/4: Free to play - Played on Thursday afternoons at Waiwhakaiho

Year 5/6: 10 players per team, $35 per player. Played on Tuesday afternoons at Waiwhakaiho

Year 7/8: 10 players per team, $60 per player (This amount includes 15 x umpire fees which were paid separately last year). Played on Saturdays at Waiwhakaiho

(Also please remind your tamariki to leave other items like Pokémon cards and special toys at home).

From helping in class, in the pool, with programmes, health requirements, to preparing and sorting resources and so much more! They all have beautiful whanaungatanga and are so responsive to all our ākonga.

Jay Lane, Yugi Kosuru, Sandra Fonoti, Michele Oldfield, Tara Curtis and Shaina Moratti
What a team!

These are available to order directly through Game Changer (they even have Afterpay & Laybuy available).

ORDER HERE- https://www.gamechanger.org.nz/puketapuschool

Select 'pick up' as the shipping option and we will arrange for these to be at the school office for pick up.

INGLEWOOD LIONS MAIZE MAZE

Email home & school to purchase a voucher - homeandschool@puketapu.school.nz

Last Friday Kauri went down to Bell Block beach to display some of their learning about

Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Wednesday mornings in the Quad with Matua Phil

Rimu learning about the letter P

Discovery in Rimu

Tōtara 4 and 5 building additive strategies with playing cards addition

If you have anything you would like to share or celebrate from home please email it to office@puketapu.school.nz

Please check the Hero App for more dates specific to your child's class.

Wednesday 1 March

Black & White Dress Up Day for the Bay
Pick up your kids at 12.30 if you can

Friday 3 March

Community Picnic / Miss Sowman Farewell

Saturday 4 March

Working Bee 8am-10am

Monday 13 March

Taranaki Anniversary / School Closed

Netball Taranaki are excited to bring back our Player Development Programme starting at the beginning of March.

Our PDP programme aims to further develop our year 7&8 players by:

• Improving their fundamental netball skills
• Gain a better understanding of 7 a-side game play
• Learn new skills to help adapt them to new rules
• Retain and provide them with the opportunity to progress towards being the best netballer they can be.

If this is something you are interested in, please follow the link to apply - https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/228509

Manchester Unity is running another free family swimming event at Bell Block Pool, on Sunday 5th March, 1.15 – 3.15pm.