Tēnā koutou katoa
Ngā mihi nui, kia koutou katoa - Warm greetings to you all
Thank you for your support of Tauranga schools' Teacher Only Day on Monday. On this day, local Tauranga Moana schools attended the launch of a localised curriculum created through extensive collaboration between local kura, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi and Ngāti Pūkenga. It is called Te Tai Whanake ki Tauranga Moana. The curriculum has collated important information about local marae, the local pūrākau (stories /legends), tikanga, historical events, waiata (song) and haka. We were pleased to see that many items in Te Tai Whanake are already embedded into our TPS Curriculum and daily practices. Over the next term we will review this resource and make plans to weave in any components relevant into our school curriculum from 2024.
The next ballot for out of school zone enrolments is on Friday 13th October 2023, where places will be balloted and offered for Term 1 2024. If your child turns five in Term 1 2024, please contact our office and get the enrolment process underway, alternatively, you can enrol online via our school website.
In Term 4, we will commence planning for the 2024 school year. If your family will be moving and changing schools in 2024 please let us know ASAP; it is very helpful to know well in advance of any students who are leaving TPS.
Class Placement for 2024
Please note that one or two teachers may change class or year level due to normal staffing changes. While we ask parents to allow us to exercise our professional judgement in placing all children fairly, we do appreciate some input from families where specific needs should be considered. It is not possible for senior staff to meet with all parents and listen to individual requests. However, if there are extenuating or special circumstances that we may not be aware of, please put these requests in writing and ensure they are sent to me by the end of Week 2 Term 4, 20th October.
If there has been an issue in the past that we need to be reminded of, it is also worth sending an e-mail or talking to your child’s class teacher, as not all information is carried over from year to year.
Only requests made in writing will be considered
At TPS we have a Peaceful Playground strategy, the purpose of this strategy is to provide the conditions so that all students have a fun and safe break time. Our main issue is our small school site, where it is not possible for spread students out and it is a challenge to provide lots of different options and spaces for the large variety of interests and needs our students have. We do not have room for full sized football or rugby fields and therefore students are forced to squeeze games into limited spaces beside others who are also competing for space to play their games.
The peaceful playground strategy includes initiatives such as:
- Lunch Club, where some students have a quiet space to eat and play with an adult present who coaches social skills and sets them up for a successful lunchtime.
- Peer Mediators - senior students supporting junior students
- Sport Leaders - senior students running games
- Library - staffed by student librarians (when we don't have to use the library as a classroom)
- The availability of high quality play equipment. The obstacle course constructed this year is our latest addition to our strategy.
- Clubs that run off and on during the year - e.g. chess, art etc.
- Practices - e.g. choir, sport etc.
- Sport Coordinator led games (with Jo Taele)
- Parent volunteers who coach and assist with running gamess from time to time
- Lunchtime House challenges/tournaments e.g. tug of war, touch
- In summer terms - lunchtime swim options for middle and senior students
- Staff on duty - adults present to help support and manage any challenges, accidents or conflict.
This term we have added to our team and hired Anish (from Kelly Sports) to come into school three lunch times a week to organise and run high impact sports on the senior site. He has been excellent and certainly has provided a brilliant programme for our students to engage with, we plan to continue this programme into Term 4.
Nau mai haere mai to Shania Finau, Jayson, John, Jared and Janiella Junio and Blake Bell who started schooling at TPS recently. Great to have you and your whānau join our school community.
Have a lovely school holiday break. Term 4 starts back on the 9th October.
Ngā mihi maioha
Fiona Hawes
principal@tauranga.school.nz
