Puketapu School Newsletter
Term 3 2020 - Wednesday 26 August
Empower All People to be Healthy, Lifelong Learners
Kia kaha - do your best * Kia māia - be courageous * Kia manawanui - have a heart
From our Principal
This week I would like to say a huge Thank You to the New Plymouth District Council Team for their support and the improvements for our tamariki here at Puketapu School.
Our alternative entrance on Dillon Drive, Te Ara o Tuna really stands out now and is being used by many of our whanau that live on Wills Road and Dillon Drive. This entrance gets used lots by our cyclists and whanau walking to school. We are looking at how we use some of this design in our main entrance now also.
We also thank them for their input into changing the pedestrian crossing on Parklands Avenue. Many of our students and ex-students use this crossing every morning and we feel that they are so much safer now that the crossing is further away from the intersection. I took our Kapa Haka on a hikoi recently and we went across the crossing and we felt much safer.
We also asked NPDC to repaint our pavement markings and islands and their responsiveness was outstanding. This has made a big difference to markings being clearly visible to cars in the morning and afternoon.
Bikes in Schools has been outstanding for our school and on fine days it is hard for our students to find a bike rack as so many are bringing their bikes. We now have the perimeter and pump track and our next steps are to get a bike shed for storage and purchase bikes and helmets for our akonga. This is a great kaupapa and we are looking forward to these next steps.
The NPDC does great mahi, not only for our community but for so many. These improvements make things flow better and make our kids safer. We also appreciate how they make time to come out and visit to check on how we are and how they can support us.
Thank you NPDC.
Ngatai Walker
Tumuaki
From our Whanau Leaders
Kia ora from Emma and Bella.
This week we have been learning about the brain in class and at the Life Ed bus.
Fun fact : Did you know that the brain is not fully developed until 25-30 years of age?
Also did you know that your hippocampus (known as your memory) grows when you are learning something and when you do not use what you learnt it shrinks back down.
Synapses fire when you learn. As you get older unused synapses will fade away and the important ones will say and become stronger
There are 3 emotion brains that you can go into:
The Green brain (neocortex)
The Yellow brain (limbic system)
The Red brain (Brain stem)
Green brain is the happy and relaxed brain
Yellow brain is the stressed, annoyed and tired brain.
In the yellow brain you can go either way, you could become calm and go into green or you could get aggravated and go into the red brain.
Red brain is the really sad or angry type of brain.
Top Tip - If you realise that you are in red brain you can do belly breathing. You put one hand on the ground and one on your belly and breath slowly. We learnt this from Harold.
We would like to thank Donna for teaching us about our fascinating brain.
Covid 19 Alert Level 2 Updates - What does this mean for our Kura?
Due to the Covid 19 level two restrictions being extended, as a school we have been looking into the Ministry of Education guidelines and we have made the following decisions in regards to the upcoming Student Showcase and the Cross Country Fun Run & Walk...
Student Showcase:
We will be hosting the Student Showcase for the Warring's Farewell here at school on Friday 28 August at 2pm.
Due to MoE guidelines this means unfortunately no adults will be able to attend.
Showcase will be for students and their teachers only.
Cross Country Fun Run & Walk:
Will continue to be held on Friday 4 September, but again as with the Student Showcase this will also be a student and teachers event only.
We understand that there will be many disappointed whanau - it is not how we would like to run either of these events, however everyone's health and safety is the most important thing.
When we return back to Level 1 we will organise an event here at school to get our community connecting back together.
Creative Learners in Rimu
In Rimu 2 there has been a lot of creative collaboration, Maths and Literacy going on.
The challenge for these students was to create a bug hotel, and then group their bugs into their rooms inside the hotel.Lucas, Oscar, Ollie and Zoe can be very proud of their learning here!
Cross Country is on!
Our Cross Country Fun Run & Walk 2020 is on next Friday 4 September.
Due to the Covid 19 Level 2 MoE guidelines this will be a Student and Teacher event only.
Every child who returns their sponsorship form with go in the draw to win one of many prizes at a showcase later this term. A massive shout out to Team Green Harcourts for their sponsorship of $450!
Rimu
Breakfast Club
From 8.15am -8.45am It is free and open to everyone.
Thank you to our wonderful volunteers who make this happen and feed our learners.
Lunchtime Netball
Te Ahu o Te Reo Graduation
Te Ahu o te Reo Māori aims to grow and strengthen an education workforce that can integrate te reo Māori into the learning of all ākonga (students) around the country.
We are very proud that several of our staff took part in this programme and recently graduated.
Starting early in 2020, the course featured face to face learning, but adapting to COVID-19 meant changing to online learning - attending Zui (Zoom Hui) twice weekly to improve their knowledge of Te Reo Maori.
Congratulations Kelly Harvey, Marina Collier, Shaina Moratti, Julia Johstone and Caroline Den-McKay for their mahi and their commitment to Te Ahu o Te Reo.
Cancer Society - Daffodil Day
Daffodil day is about helping to raise awareness and funds to help Taranaki people living with cancer.
This Friday we will be dressing up in yellow to support this cause.
Gold coin donations optional but would be very much appreciated.
Yummy Stickers
Term 4 Touch
Spring Hockey is coming
BIRTHDAYS
- Kayden Chandar
- Brianna Edgecombe
- Campbell Luke
- Raiden Rangi
- Taine McKenna
- Kemp Hancock
- Keanu Tango
- Sophie Jacobsen
- Divyasri Vathada
- Unique Davis
What's On
More events and details will follow
Week 6:
- Life Ed Bus on site all week
- Thursday 27 August: Senior Kapa Haka (Northpoint Church) @ 0915am
- Friday 28 August: Daffodil Day (Dress up in Yellow)
Week 7:
- Monday 31 August: St John Ambulance training for Totara and Kowhai
- Tuesday 1 September: St John Ambulance training for Totara and Kowhai
- Wednesday 2 September: St John Ambulance training for Totara and Kowhai
- Thursday 3 September: St John Ambulance training for Totara and Kowhai, Senior Kapa Haka (Northpoint Church) @ 0915am
- Friday 4 September: Puketapu Cross Country Fun Run & Walk 2020 (Student and Teachers only - no whanau please.)
Week 8
- National Tongan Language Week
- Tuesday 8 September: Rotary Reading
- Wednesday 9 September: Board of Trustees Meeting 5.30pm
- Thursday 10 September: Spotswood Enrolments (Year 8s, 9.30 0nwards), Senior Kapa Haka (Northpoint Church) @ 0915am
- Friday 11 September - Spotswood Enrolment (Year 8s, 9.30 0nwards)
Week 9
- Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori
- Monday 14 September: Vaccinations Year 8s and Year 7 catch ups
- Tuesday 15 September: Rotary Reading (last one for Term 3)
- Thursday 17 September: Senior Kapa Haka (Northpoint Church) @ 0915am
Week 10
- Friday 25 September - last day of Term 3
Term 3 finishes on Friday 25 September
Term 4 starts on Monday 12 October
Community Notices
Monster Children's Book Fair
If you have any unwanted books that you wish to donate, please drop these off to the school office before Friday 24 August. (Please do not include colouring-in or activity books unless they are in new condition.) To find out more about this book sale, please browse the Facebook event HERE.
Puketapu School
Email: office@puketapu.school.nz
Website: www.puketapu.school.nz
Location: Dillon Drive, Bell Block, New Plymouth, New Zealand
Phone: 06 755 0973