Week 7, Term 3, 2022
Tauranga Primary School Pānui
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Tumuaki Pānui | Principal's Newsletter
Tēnā koutou katoa
Ngā mihi nui, kia koutou katoa - Warm greetings to you all.
Mālō e lelei and welcome to Tongan language week.
2022 TPS Parent Survey
We are starting work on creating our next three-year strategic plan for Tauranga Primary School. We are very interested in parent feedback about our current programmes, what you see as the strengths of the school and ways we could improve.
Complete this survey monkey to share your thoughts with us.
2023 Enrolments:
We are starting to plan for 2023. Ballot dates (when out-of-zone enrolments are considered) are coordinated across several schools in the Tauranga Peninsula. The ballot dates for 2023 have been altered and are now a lot earlier than in previous years. If you have a four-year-old who will join us next year, please complete an enrolment form ASAP, especially if they are due to start in Term 1 and you are living out of zone. If you miss a ballot date you will need to wait until the next ballot to be considered for enrolment. TPS enrolment forms are available from the school office or online via our school website.
Mindfulness
As part of our well-being strategy, we use Mindfulness at TPS. We follow the Pause, Breathe, Smile programme created by the Mental Health Foundation (NZ). It is an evidence-based mental skills training programme for children, that is shown to improve mental health and emotional wellbeing. At the core of the programme is to focus on breathing deeply and being present in the current moment, this helps bring a sense of calm and therefore enables you to gain some positive control of your choices and actions.
Why is this important? We have noticed that there is an increase in the number of children who demonstrate signs of anxiety and have challenges managing life’s ups and downs, for example managing friendships, coping with expectations and deadlines, grief and changing family dynamics. UNICEF (2020) data shows that NZ ranks 35th out of 41 countries regarding overall childhood wellbeing. Our adolescent suicide rate is the highest among developed nations. These are very concerning statistics.
It is critical that children feel safe, happy and calm so that they can be ready to learn. We believe that teaching Mindfulness is a fantastic tool/strategy to help achieve a ‘calm’ mind so that children are able to tackle the day and present moment successfully. More information can be found at https://mindfulnesseducation.nz/
Learning Conferences
In Week 10 of this term, 28th September, 3:30pm - 6:00pm and the 29th of September, 8:00am - 7:00pm, parents will be invited into school for Learning Conferences. The conference is a very important part of the learning cycle, as it is a time to reflect with the teachers (and students) about what learning has been achieved so far this year, as well as setting goals and making plans for learning in Term 4. A letter will come home on Monday outlining how to book your Learning Conference. Prior to the Learning Conference, a report will be emailed home, this report will be the second report for the year. The third report which includes the final curriculum judgements in the CORE learning areas of Reading, Writing and Mathematics, will be sent home late in Term 4.
Smartwatches and phones at school
Any device that can be used for taking photos or making phone calls during the school day is to be kept at home or handed into the school office in the morning please. Students can pick up these up at the end of the school day. We recommend that phones do not come to school at all. If a phone call home needs to be made, during school hours, students can access a phone via the school office or their classroom teacher.
Covid updates
Currently, we have had 19 Covid cases at school this term.
Unfortunately, we have no more RAT tests available for our school community and are unable to order more. RAT tests can be ordered via this website
A very warm welcome to our new student Connor Drew. It's great to have you join our TPS team.
Thank you for your ongoing support of our school.
He waka eke noa
We are all in this together
Ngā mihi maioha
Fiona Hawes
Complete our 2022 Parent Survey by clicking the banner below
TPS Literature Quiz Team
Congratulations to our Literature Quiz Team who participated in the local competition last Friday night.
The team competed well, tackling some VERY challenging questions. Our team was neck and neck with the other primary schools competing. Unfortunately, the TPS team just missed out on winning the Top Year 5/6 team (by 1.5 points).
Well done boys, we are very proud of your efforts and a huge thank you to Mrs Beattie and the parents who supported the team.
Disco/ Dress up
We were disappointed to cancel the school wide disco last week. Instead we have organised an event that we hope the children will enjoy!
Poseidon's Tale of the Deep Blue Sea
School Production - Years 2-6
A gripping myth of why the sea is now blue today. When the fishermen find a way to float upon the waters, homes are ravaged, brothers and sisters are lost at sea and a mysterious illness plagues the fish of the coral reef. This is the story of the Fishy Fellowship coming together to save their underwater world and it is coming live, to a stage near you, in a flurry of song, dance and drama!
‘Poseidon’s Tale of the Deep Blue Sea’ will be showing on Wednesday, November 16th and Thursday, November 17 at the Bethlehem Performing Arts Centre. This highly anticipated event will commence at 6:30pm and is one not to be missed.
Tickets will be sold in Term 4.
Sponsorship packages are available; your business can partner with us to help create an amazing production. The information is attached below as a PDF.
Students have auditioned for the main characters and those students selected for main roles are learning their lines now. The school has started learning the production songs this term.
Next term we will learn the dances and minor roles will be allocated for each class. Please note that only classes in Years 2-6 are in the production.
Welcome on board Academy Motor Inn
Academy Motor Inn is the first business to join with TPS as a sponosr of our production. Thank you for your support.
Sponsorship Information
A fabulous website with lots of math games you can use at home:
Lucky Book Club
Don't forget this issue of Lucky Book Club No 5 has a FREE BOOK giveaway promotion. The closing date is the 23rd of September 2022. Go online through Scholastic and place your order.
The Great Tauranga Duck Race
Parents of middle team students, thanks for your help with selling Duck Race tickets - the response has been fantastic. These were due back last Friday so if you still have some at home please return them ASAP.
Please return any money, ticket stubs or unsold tickets.
Term 3:
- Week 6-10 - BHD Dental Van onsite
- 12th - 18th September - Te wiki o te reo Māori
- 14th September - New BOT takes office
- 15th September - Senior team athletics
- 20th September - - Board of Trustees meeting 7:00pm, staffroom
- 22nd September - Middle team athletics
- 26th September - Chinese Language Week
- 28th September - Learning conferences 3:30pm - 6:00pm
- 29th September - Learning conferences 8:00am - 7:00pm
- 30th September - Last day of term
Term 4:
- 17th October - 1st day of term 4
- 24th - 28th October - Diwali
- 1 November - BOT meeting, 7:00pm, school staffroom
- 16th and 17th November - Gobsmacked show, 6:30pm, Bethlehem Performing Arts Centre
- 22nd November - Year 6 Orientation Day Tauranga Intermediate
- 23rd November - Year 2 Transition Parent Meeting in Staff Room, 2:00pm
- 6th December - BOT meeting, 7:00pm, school staffroom
- 7th - 9th December - Year 6 Camp - Totara Springs
- 8th December - Middle School End of Year Picnic - More information to follow
- 12th December - Final Assembly and Prize giving - More information to follow
- 12th December - Year 6 Social Dance - More information to follow
- 13th December - Leavers Assembly - More information to follow
- 13th December - Meet the teacher, 2:15pm
- 15th December - Term 4 ends, 12:00pm
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Community Notices
Tauranga Primary School shares community notices but this should not be viewed as an endorsement.
School's Out Vacancy
Permanent part time position at School's Out (Tauranga Primary School). Monday to Friday 2:30pm or 3:00pm until 5:00pm.
Holiday programme more hours will be available.
Must have full drivers licence.
Gobsmacked
Gobsmacked Outreach Performing Arts Holiday Programme
'The Final Empire'.
Gobsmacked is also running a performing arts holiday programme that's only $15 a day (an outreach to the community) in the next holiday 'THE FINAL EMPIRE' on October 3 & 4 for kids aged 6 - 15 years. Josiah our very own music producer will be a part of this holiday programme too. To sign up for our holiday programme with children from all over the Bay of Plenty joining us, please go to our website - www.gobsmacked.nz and watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1db1htuZaM for more information.
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