Kia kaha - do your best * Kia māia - be courageous * Kia manawanui - have a heart

Another beautiful weekend here in Taranaki. We were fortunate enough to attend the Koru Project at Huatoki Plaza where there were activities, kai, music and dance all organised by Luke Galley, one of our ex-staff at Puketapu School. It was a really awesome atmosphere full of positivity and love. It was great to see some of current and ex-students performing hip hop for Tansy Productions and other students there supporting the kaupapa.

Matua Ngatai
Tumuaki

So, after several months of normality... we have had a reminder of how lucky we have been in New Zealand and how careful we all still need to be.

However, we are all pretty good at that and we know what we need to do at Level 2.

The key principles for Alert Level 2 are to:

• reduce the risk of someone getting infected in the first place
• ensure we can identify and contact anyone who becomes infected

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR PUKETAPU SCHOOL?

KEY POINTS:

At Alert Level 2 it is safe for all students, children and staff to attend school and early learning.

• Start of the day - School drop off from 8.30am
• End of the day - Students must be off site by 3.15pm
• Drop Off & Pick Up - we encourage kids to be dropped off at one of our three drop off/pick up zones (Northpoint Church, Dillon Drive Te Ara o Tuna Entrance or outside of School Drop Off/Pick Up Zone) or if they are feeling confident - walking, biking or scootering
• Contact Tracing - all parents that come on-site must use the QR code at their child's class (for drop off / pick up) OR sign in at the Office (if staying longer)
• Hygiene - cleaning hands with soap and water is essential before coming to school and while at school.
• Students unwell/sick - If your child is sick, keep them at home.
• Learning - our focus on learning and wellbeing continues
• Water & Food - Students to bring their own morning snack and drink bottle (there will be no sharing food and drink fountains will be closed)
• Cherish Afterschool Care - this continues under COVID19 Alert Level 2 Guidelines
• BoT & Home & School Whanau Picnic Postponed (Friday) - this awesome event will be postponed until further notice
• Masks - they are not required at schools and early learning services at Alert levels 2 and 3.

You can phone our absentee line on 06 755 0973 or send a text message to the school cell phone 027 755 0973 or email office@puketapu.school.nz

If we haven't been told where they are, we will be trying to contact you.

Woohoo! Who is ready for touch? Due to Level 2 Covid warnings the first touch games are postponed to next week, Wednesday.

This week try and learn a new skill, sport or make a new friend. Remember to constantly be trying to show the school values around school, in class or out at lunchtime!

Have a great week everyone.

Celestial & Achille

We have now being doing Lunches in Schools for over a week.

On Friday Mr Walker met with the National and Regional Directors of Compass Group who are responsible for the contract here in Taranaki. Mr Walker has given them daily feedback on the positives and negatives of the kaupapa. They were very helpful in listening to our solutions, and we will be actioning some of these this week and weeks going forward.

Thank you to our Puketapu Kai Kids for helping with our Lunches in Schools Delivery and Food & Compostable Items return system. Lunches in Schools has given us a really good opportunity to look at our recycling, food waste and general waste systems.

Here is an example from Kauri 2 of how they have stacked their lunch packaging to create as less space as possible in their Para Kai bag. Ka mau te wehi Kauri 2.

Year 7 & 8s are currently in the process of applying for 2021 Office Duty positions.

It's been an exciting start in our new Design Technology Hub. It's taking a wee while to set it up fully, but we have just had our 1st lessons in the new kitchen.

Problem: we have lots of left over bananas from the school lunches.

Solution: we bake banana chocolate chip muffins!

Touch has been postponed until next week Wednesday 24 Feb. All team information has gone home with the children this week. Any queries please email Kim ksowman@puketapu.school.nz or via Facebook. Sports tops will be handed out later in the week to those that don't own one already.

Inline Hockey

The cost is $5 per student, please collect notice & permission slip from the office and return along with your $5 by Wednesday 24 February.

In 2021, Term 1 & 2 we will not be operating a school library as we have in the past. We are due to have building start in the new admin and staffroom this term and the books have been packed away in boxes ready for this building to start. Thank you to Judith for your mahi last year in packing away these resources.

Our Bell Block library is very close to our school and using this community resource is one option to empower our akonga to know how to use our local library. Thank you to the two classes that have already visited the Bell Block Library.

• Kyzahn Brill
• Omar-el-Farouk Merdj
• James Barnard-Perry
• Celestial Roberts
• Slade Walker
• Amy-Jaide Paki
• Annabella Aldridge
• Tamarau Ahu
• Aryan Chand
• Kobi Robinson
• Levi James Hotene

Here are some of the main items on our school calendar for this term. More information will follow closer to the time:

This Week

Friday 19 Feb:

• Kowhai - Bell Block Pool
• Our Pool Picnic has been postponed due to COVID Level 2

Week 4

Hockey in schools programme all week

Monday 22 Feb:

• Kapa Haka (yr 4-8) 11.30-12.30

Wednesday 24 Feb:

• Ki-o-rahi for Kowhai Year 5-6

Thursday 25 Feb: Tutus on Tour Dance Workshop

Week 5

Hockey in schools programme all week

Monday 1 March:

• Kapa Haka (yr 4-8) 11.30-12.30

Wednesday 3 March:

• Ki-o-rahi for Kowhai Year 5-6
• Kauri - Overnight camp at school
• Kauri - beach trip / water safety

Friday 5 March: TOD Cancelled - this is now a normal school day.

Week 6

Monday 8 March: Taranaki Anniversary / School Closed

Tuesday 9 March:

• Year 7 & 8 Vaccinations

Friday 12 March:

• Taranaki Iron Māori Kids - Hawera

Week 7

Monday 15 March:

• Kapa Haka (yr 4-8) 11.30-12.30

Tuesday 16 March

• 9.00-12.00 Vision & Hearing Testing

Friday 19 March:

• School Swimming Sports

Week 8

Mobile Dental Bus on site

Year 6 Camp Week

Monday 22 March:

• Kapa Haka (yr 4-8) 11.30-12.30

Tuesday 23 March:

• Te Wera Camp (year 6) Day 1

Friday 26 March:

• Year 6s return from Camp
• Bell Block School Gala 5pm-7pm

Week 9

Mobile Dental Bus on site

Monday 29 March:

• Kapa Haka (yr 4-8) 11.30-12.30

Wednesday 31 March:

• Weetbix Tryathlon

Friday 2 April:

• Good Friday / School Closed

Week 10

Monday 5 April: Easter Monday / School Closed

Tuesday 6 April: Easter Tuesday / School Closed

Wednesday 7 April:

• Interschool Swimming (Bell Block Pool)

Friday 9 April

• Gumboot Friday (Wear your gumboots, gold coin donation optional)

Week 11

Monday 12 April

• Kapa Haka (Year 4-8) - 1130 - 1230

Friday 16 April

• Last day of Term 1

Term 1 ends on Friday 16 April

Term 2 starts on Monday 3 May

Taranaki Badminton is having an open morning on Sunday 7 March, at the Star Gym (Westown), from 10am till 2pm. Everyone is welcome and we’d love to see some families come along and give the game a go. It’s a great sport for all ages. No cost. Please register your interest by competing the registration form on the Taranaki Badminton Website https://www.sporty.co.nz/taranakibadminton/Register-1/Representative-Player-Registration