Week 8, Term 3
Tauranga Primary School Pānui (Newsletter)
Ngā mihi nui, ki a koutou katoa
Warm greetings to you all.
This week is Te Wiki o te Reo Māori - Māori Language Week.
The theme for 2021 is Kia Kaha te Reo Māori - Let's make the Māori language strong
At TPS, we have been aiming to normalise te reo Māori in our kura for a few years now. We will know that we have been successful when we hear our tamariki (children) naturally use te reo in their conversations. One strategy we employ to achieve this is staff professional learning. Our TPS teaching staff all complete the He Papa Tikanga, paper through Te Wānanga o Aotearoa within two years of starting at TPS. I am pleased to say that nearly all of our support staff have also completed this paper. Most of our staff have also gone on to complete the Papa Reo paper.
These courses are free and you are well supported with resources and a tutor to work your way through each paper from home, we highly recommend these as a starting point for anyone looking to grow in this area.
It was metarahi (great) to get back to school last week, the tamariki (children) were very koa (happy) to be back at school with their friends. I am happy to report that on Paraire (Friday) we had 97% of our student roll back at school, the equivalent to a "normal" school day.
Kura (school) at Level 2 is not yet school as normal. Thank to our TPS families who have supported us to follow the education guidelines for Level 2. The children are stepping up to the challenge and are proving that they are more than capable of being great self-managers by organising their own bags and making their own way into and out of school.
The school gates are not open until 8.30am in Level 2. The only children on site prior to that time are those enrolled in School's Out (before and after school care programme) or those who arrive by bus.
To note: In Level 1, the school is not officially open until the bus arrives, which is generally around 8.20am. From 8.30am classes are open and teachers are supervising children, prior to this staff are engaged in either meetings or preparation tasks.
The following are postponements or changes due to Covid:
- Learning Conferences and the Term 3 Report are postponed until Term 4, week 2. The conference day will be all day on the Tuesday 26th October and after school on the 27th October.
- Disco - postponed to Term 4
- Pizza lunch - postponed until Level 1. All money and current orders are on hold until then.
- ICAS assessments - we are waiting to be notified of the new dates in Term 4. We will inform those students affected as soon as we know the new details.
- Structured Literacy - Whānau information evening - postponed to Wednesday 17th November 6:00 - 7:30pm
- Choir - Tauranga Schools' Choir Festival postponed until Thursday 18th November
- Year 4 camp - postponed from Term 1. Date changed to the 11th November to accommodate the Choir change in dates
- He Paku Whakangahau (kapa haka festival) has been postponed to Term 1 2022. Therefore, in Term 4 we will organise our own in school performance for parents to enjoy.
- Year 5 camp - postponed from Term 1 - 1st December.
Finally, to our dedicated TPS staff ........ thank you all for the positive 'can do' manner in which you faced the challenge of lockdown and distance learning. You have all met this challenge with professionalism, aroha, fun and enthusiasm (all while balancing your own of bubble lives).
You truly are living our school vision statement in all that you do:
Together, we are learning to go places
Akongia tātou, ngā haere ki wāhi kē
By working in collaboration, with each other and parents, to engage, challenge and support our students, to grow their capabilities and dispositions as learners, so that they can thrive in learning and life.
Hei kōnei rā
Fiona Hawes
Principal | Tumuaki
Your TPS staff during lockdown .......
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori - Māori Language Week
In 2021, Te Wiki o te Reo Māori will run from 13 ki 19 Mahuru (13 to 19 September).
Kia Kaha te Reo Māori - Let's make the Māori language strong
Photolife Photos Monday 20 September
On Monday 20 September Photolife will be in school taking class and individual student photos.
We can also do family group photos with pre-schoolers and/or older children from 8:30am. If you would like a group photo then you need to fill in the 'Sibling' envelope and return this to school prior to photo day. A pdf is attached or you can pick up an envelope from the office.
Once the proofs have been finalised Photolife will send home your child's unique Access Key. This Access Key will display all the photographs of your child. It is then an easy process for you to shop on-line and purchase the photographs you want.
If you place your order within three weeks of receiving your Access Key you will receive free delivery for your photo orders. PhotoLife has agreed to despatch all the orders back to the school and your child will bring their photographs home.
Any orders placed after this three-week period will be sent directly to your specified delivery address and will incur a $6.00 Postage & Packing charge. You will see this message when you go Online to view and order your photographs.
Term 3:
- 13 - 17 September - Maori Language Week
- 14 September - Board of Trustees Meeting- Staffroom, 7:00pm
- 20 September - Photolife - Class and Individual photos
- 20 - 26 September - Chinese Language Week
- 20, 21, 22 September - Chuseok - Korean thanksgiving
- 1 October - Last day of term 3 - school finishes at 3:00pm
Term 4:
- 18th October - Term 4 Starts
- 25th October - Labour Day - School Closed
- 26th October - Learning Conferences - 8:00am -7:00pm
- 27th October - Learning Conferences - 3:30pm - 7:00pm
Scholastic
Can you help our Pasifika group with costumes?
Bula!
Can you help our Pasifika group with costumes?
We need a few sewers to help make wrap-around skirts for our upcoming Fijian dance that the Pasifika group will perform in Term 4 at TPS's Celebration of the Arts. The group is small (but growing).
If you have a sewing machine and are able to help create a few simple wrap around skirts, please get in touch with Whaea Jen.
Unfortunately, this year we are unable to take our Pasifika group to the Pasifika in the Bay festival due to Covid-rescheduled Learning Conferences.
However, we are looking forward to showcasing our costumes and dances with our wider school whanau.
If you and your aiga would like to support the Pasifika in the Bay festival we warmly encourage you to attend.
Please see the poster for details.
Thank you to the following businesses that support TPS:
CONTACTS:
Principal
Fiona Hawes
Deputy Principal
Cathy Ediker
Assistant Principal
Robyn Caley
Junior Team Leader
Pam Wilkins
Middle Team Leader
Jason Morgan
Senior Team Leader
Jo Howard
International Student enquiries
Cathy Ediker
Business Manager
Susan O'Neill
Enrolment Officer
Barbara Turley