Toko School Newsletter
5th May 2022
Kura Tuatahi Toko
Quality learning for all in a caring community.
Kounga ako mo katoa i roto i te taiao e atawhai ana.
Dear Parents and Friends of our school Kia Ora/Bora Da/Konichi Wa/Hello
Kia ora koutou,
It is great to be back at school!
At the beginning of the week we shared with you our school's orange setting guidelines. These can be found on our website. Please remember to pack an extra layer of clothes for your children because we will be doing our best to keep our classrooms ventilated as best we can.
A lot has been happening at school on the property front over the holidays. The alterations to our staffroom, toilet block and sick bay are very near completion. This fabulous one off investment from the government was made possible through the School Investment Package (SIP) in 2020 that is over and above our schools property allocation. We feel very grateful to have received this extra funding. We have also had a new septic tank installed. Thank you to those parents who assisted with marking the school fields and putting up the rugby posts ready for the new rugby season.
We seem to have had a lot of foot traffic at school over the holidays and were extremely disappointed to find that the legs had been taken off the tramps, tables moved and that all three padder tennis nets and a table ended up in the swimming pool.
A big thank you to St Andrews Church for donating a table to each local school. It will get lots of use at morning tea and lunchtimes.
We are really pleased to have been successful in securing sponsorship from the following organisations:
Bunnings Hawera - who have donated a wide variety of tools for our workshop.
TOI Foundation - Programme and Events - $16500 towards:
Enviro Kaiako - To fund a teacher aide to assist with delivering our schools Enviro Initiatives.
Kapa Haka Kaiako - To fund Kapa Haka Tutors to deliver Taranaki Waiata and haka.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Kaiako (Year 6 - 8) - To fund a teacher aide to assist teachers to deliver our STEM programme and Star Challenge Programme.
TOI Foundation - Annual Grant - $3750 towards modifications to the hall kitchen including a dish washer.
The support of the above organisations and many others like them really make a difference to our teaching and learning programmes.
Ngā mihi,
Kim Waite
Principal
HAPPY SCHOOL DAYS
KAPA HAKA
School Kapa Haka
This will be starting at the beginning of Term 2 with Matau Clive. Whanau are more than welcome to come along to join in. Dates and times to be confirmed next term.
Kapa Haka - Te Whetu Marama o Whakaahurangi
If you would like your tamariki to participate in this or would like some further information please email Mrs Oliver: megan.oliver@toko.school.nz
A FEW REMINDERS
These will be running 10 minutes early during Term 2 and 3. The bus will be leaving school between 3.25 - 3.30 each afternoon.
Sports This Term and After School Arrangements
We know Term 2 is a busy sporting term. It is really important that you inform your children about after school arrangements before they come to school especially on days where they have sport practices. If the bus comes, and they are unsure we will put them on the bus as per the norm.
Our expectation is that at 3.15 when we ring the second after school bell that all remaining children must go to the bus shelter.
- If they are practicing at school you do not need to call us. They just go to their practice and stay away from the bus shelter.
- If siblings are staying at school but do not have a practice this can be problematic when parents aren't on site because they are unsupervised. If a sibling is staying at school you need to arrange a parent to supervise them and the school office needs to be notified.
- If they are being collected by someone else and are being taken to a practice off site and it is before 3.15 you do not need to call us. They just get collected and head to their practice.
- All children must be collected by 3.15. After this time we need notification of arrangements. Once the bus children leave, staff are not expected to be responsible for children remaining at school.
School Answer Machine
If your after school plans change and you need to contact the school please leave a message if we don't answer the phone.
We always check the school answer machine at 3.15 before the duty teacher meets with the bus children. If you leave a message we will get it!
Please do not contact your child's classroom teacher about changes to plans. They will be teaching and will not respond to your message.
Cancellations to Practices
Please do not call the office and ask if a practice is cancelled. As soon as we find out we will place the cancellation via the HERO school app only.
Please discuss with your child/children what happens if their practice is cancelled e.g they go to the bus shelter and catch the bus.
As you can imagine when we have children going in all manner of directions after school in Term 2 for winter sport it can get quite chaotic for staff. If you can help us with the above that would be really appreciated :)
LUNCH ORDERS
Pink Gumboot Kindness day
On Friday 20th May we will be holding a pink gumboot kindness day. We are encouraging everyone to wear pink as well as their gumboots ( the gumboots don't need to be pink). This day we will focus on acts of kindness to promote anti bullying. There will be gumboot and kindness based activities run by the student leadership team - including an optional jazz your gumboot competition (done at home-judged at school). This is a fundraiser for the gumboot foundation which provides free counselling for school aged children. Please bring a gold coin donation.
FRIENDS OF TOKOS SCHOOL
SPORTS UPDATE
Turnbull Cup
In the last week of Term 1 we had three teams compete in the Turnbull cup swimming competition in town. Well done to Mason R who achieved a second place in the Year 8 boys 50m and the Toko A team ( Mason, Oli, Arlo and Ella) who achieved 2nd in the small school relay team. A fantastic effort was made by all swimmers that took part - well done!
WANTED
SHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB
UNIFORMS
LIBRARY BOOKS FOR THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
COMMUNITY NOTICES
Taranaki Diocesan School for Girls – Stratford
An integrated Anglican Year 9 – Year 13 Boarding and Day School in the heart of Taranaki
OPEN DAY – Wednesday 18 May – visit anytime between 10 am – 2pm
Weekly Boarding, Part Boarding (2/3 nights) and Day Students
Daily transport options from and to New Plymouth and Hawera
Prospectus Packages available 06 765 5333 office@taranakidio.school.nz
Virtual Tours available any time via website www.taranakidio.school.nz
Puanga 2022 - Design a Flag competition-Stratford District Council
I hope you had an enjoyable break over the holidays and Term two is off to a great start. Preparations for Puanga 2022 in Stratford are in full swing with the launch of our Design a Flag competition this week.
Each year we have such incredible engagement from our school community and would again love our tamariki and rangatahi to be involved.
This will be the fourth year we’ve run our Puanga flag competition and would love to see more schools participating. The winning flag(s) will be used to celebrate Puanga 2022 in Stratford and will be on display down Broadway. After the flags have flown, we present each of the winners with one of their own street flags to use at home or school for future Puanga celebrations
Entries close Friday 27 May and can be emailed to myself akingston@stratford.govt.nz or dropped in to Council reception/Stratford Library and i-Site.
Please see entry form attached.
Toko School
Email: office@toko.school.nz
Website: www.toko.school.nz
Location: 1057 East Road, Toko, New Zealand
Phone: 06 7622849
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TokoSchool/?ref=bookmarks