Te Kura o Te Pāroa

Kia ora koutou katoa,

I te pae rongo o te takurua, he pārekareka ki a au te whakauru i ngā kōrero hou e pā ana ki ngā mahi kei te haere i Te Kura o Te Pāroa. Ko tā mātou haerenga i roto i Te wāhanga tuarua e mau ana i ngā mahi ako me te whakanui i tō mātou tuakiri hei Kura Mana Motuhake.

As Matariki approaches, our preparations are in full swing, our classes are weaving the significance of the Tau hou Māori into our teachings and celebrations. This will be an opportunity for parents and whānau to come to Kura and celebrate our tamariki!

This term's learning conversations will also provide a vital platform for whānau and kaiako to collaborate on each tamaiti's educational journey, ensuring that every voice is heard and valued.

Additionally, our upcoming school-wide hui (17th June) will be a significant Hui, where we will delve into the rich history of our Kura.

I encourage all whānau to attend all events, as we deepen our understanding of our origins and strengthen our collective commitment to nurturing our tamariki's educational and cultural journey.

We also extend a warm invitation to all whānau to join us in Karakia Ringatū, led by our tamariki. We invite you to come in, see, hear, and feel the atmosphere as our tamariki lead the karakia and follow tikanga with respect and pride. This takes place in every akomanga, every morning at 8.45am.

Kaore e kore, kia miharo rawa koutou ki te kite i nga pukenga ō nga tamariki ō te Kura nei, ā Rūmaki, ā auraki hoki.

Check the class dojo and the school FB for events coming up.

The School’s Responsibility and the Whānau’s Responsibility

At Te Kura o Te Pāroa, communication between the school and whānau must be clear, effective, and timely. It is our responsibility to ensure that all notices, announcements, and updates are easy to understand and provide accurate information so that whānau are well-informed about what is happening at the school.

The responsibility of the whānau is to engage with the communication tools available, such as reading the school newsletters, using Dojo, and checking the school’s Facebook page. By doing so, whānau will stay up to date with the messages and ensure they are well-informed about the school’s activities and any important news related to their tamariki. This collaborative effort will help strengthen the communication between the school and the community.

You are warmly invited to attend your child’s Student-Led Conference on:

🗓 Thursday 12th June
🕒 Anytime between 3.00pm – 5.30pm
📍 At Te Kura o Te Pāroa

These conferences are a special opportunity for your tamaiti to take the lead in sharing their learning journey, goals Ara Wawata, and achievements with you. They will guide the meeting themselves — this is their time to shine and to show you what they’ve been working towards.

Your presence shows your support for their progress and helps reinforce the importance of learning in their lives. Even a few minutes of your time will make a big impact on your child’s confidence and motivation.

We look forward to seeing you there and celebrating the progress of all our tamariki.

*Last Term we had Parent interviews. Some whānau said they were attending and didn’t turn up. Whānau if your circumstances change can you please ring through to the school office and let them know so that the teacher that is notified of the changes and a new date and time can be organised.

Matariki Hunga Nui: This whakatauki speaks of the importance of gathering, celebrating and connecting during the time of Matariki; Te Tau Hou Māori.

Nga Kaupapa o Matariki:

🌟 Matariki Show: Tuesday 17th June 2025

We invite you all to come and watch each class performances in the form of a Mini Extravaganza. Nau mai, Haere mai!

Why is Māori education the way it is?
Come hear the real kōrero – how laws, policies, and colonisation shaped our system.
This is the history of your tamaiti’s future.

Join us for Workshop 2 as part of our Strategic planning, facilitated by leading Maori Education experts. By looking at where we have been, can we pave a way to where we want to go next!

He mihi tēnei ki ēnei tauira. Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou mō tō koutou kaha ki te whakaatu i ngā uara o tō tātou kura.

Thank you for being amazing role models of our school values. We are proud of you. Keep it up!

Te Pakora - Whāea Takirimu

Te Ataahua Cracknell - Mauri Matauranga. Mo tō ngakau pai ki te ako i nga wā katoa.

Mahinarangi Black - Mauri ora. Mo te whakatinana i te whanaungatanga, tautoko me te aroha ki o hoa mahi.

Rautanagata Tutaki-Kirkwood - Mauri Tu. Te tū ranagatira i a wā ki runga i te pae.

Te Karaka - Whāea Edna

Te Waiāwhio Harawira- Mauri Tangata.

Nā tō ngakau aroha, he kaha koe ki te tuku i te ngawari kawea te aroha, ahakoa ko wai

Hemi Williams - Mauri Tangata - Hemi Williams

Mā te manaaki, ka kitea te aroha, Mā te aroha ka ora ngā tikanga, Mā ngā tikanga, ka puta te pono

Pikihuia Rimene - Mauri Tangata.

Mā te mahi i te mahi mai muri ki mua, e tipu ai te wairua ki roto i ngā tikanga e ora ai te akomanga

Reign Maunsell - Te Reo.

Mā te tāruarua i te reo, mā te noho rumaki te reo, mā te ngakau mahaki ki te reo, e ora ai te reo Rangatira

Te Tapoa - Whāea Ardelle

Bodhi-Moon Kingi for showing Mauri tangata by greeting Kaiako with a beautiful morena.

Tiaki Peri-Woods for always showing Mauri tangata by always showing manaaki and including others.

Te Korokoro- Whāea Helen Korewha

Oakley O’Neil - Mauri Matauranga for your positive contribution towards karakia.

Blaque Kaiwhata - Mauri Matauranga for your positive contribution to discussions and learning in our akomanga.

Kakaharoa/ Pekapekatahi Whāea Cilla and Whāea Te Amiona

Jahvani Bedford - Mauri Matauranga. He is developing the skill to stay focused longer on his learning task to completion. Ka wani kë koe

Celia Titoko - Mauri Matauranga. Her enthusiasm in Namako has evolved her mathematical thinking. Ka mau te wehi Celia!

Jameylee Hori-Santo - Mauri Matauranga. She has a high engagement and participation in all Te Reo Māori kaupapa. She shows her tuakana leadership qualities, hei akiaki i ana hoa, ki te whakaako i ngā karanga, pao, me tama tū hei arahi i te karakia. Koia kei a koe Jameylee!

Teilan O'Brien - Te Reo Trophy. Teilan has shown exceptional qualities of tū māia in delivering Te Reo Maioha, Te Pepeha o Te Kura me te Karakia hoki. Tāu kë Teilan!

Jahvani Bedford - Te Reo Trophy. He has developed the confidence to stand and deliver

Te Reo Maioha in front of his peers. Tino pai to kaha Jahvani!

Te Ranui Mika-Peck - Te Reo Trophy. Te Ranui has a passion for ngā mea Māori. He has high engagement in waiata, pao, whaikōrero, Karakia, and is able to easily recollect kupu, and phrases in Te Reo Māori. Ka rawe to mahi Te Ranui!

Awarahe - Whāea Rose. (Year 7 & 8 students)

Title: A plea for safety.

Written by Isaiah Spicer. 12 years old.

Chapter 1 | Innocent Beginnings

One day a man that goes by the name of Jordan went for a stroll on the beach till he found a note inside of a glass bottle. Expecting something like a love letter, lost friend or a joke letter he opened the bottle. It's hard to read and it's smudged but you can make some sentences out.

“If you’re reading this we’re in a lot of trouble. Please help us. We don't have much time. follow the coordinates.”

At the end he sees some coordinates leading far away and a name, “Elliot.” Jordan decides to go rent a boat for cheap and go towards the coordinates. It takes him about 5 hours, but he says to himself. “I’m too far in to go back, just keep going forward.”

After a while he makes it to an island and hops off his boat. It's swampy and muddy and he can see a dark silhouette behind a tree. It doesn't look human. It's tall and slender. It realises it's been seen and quickly disappears into the darkness of the forest. He grabs a shotgun, shovel, a bag with food and water and ventures into the deep dark forest.

To be continued…

Title: The Experiment.

Written by Jack Thrupp. 11 years old.

Chapter 1- The virus.

Somewhere on an unknown island… There were ten scientists, they like to experiment on plants. But one day, they had a break from work and then an unknown virus from space came down from earth and landed on the island. The virus made its way to the plants and infected them. The plants now started to release a deadly gas around the island. When the scientist came back from a break, they saw the red gas. They tried to get away, but it was too late. They started to mutate into some skinny lanky humanoid creatures. The name of these creatures are called REAPERS.

To be continued…

Te Tapoa - Whāea Ardelle. (Year 4 students)

Destroying the park

Today I saw some people destroying the park with a hammer. Today the digger was digging the concrete and dirt. The big digger was pulling up metal and smashing the metal. Now the classrooms are gone, and the school is dirty. I wonder what the new park is going to be.

Amaia-Reign Turpie

Destroying the park

The man broke the wood. The man cut the poles in half. Today the digger was pulling out concrete from the ground. The dirty digger destroyed the old class and the roofing. Now the classrooms are gone, and they are making a new classroom for us. I wonder why they didn’t break the little shed.

Carlo Shaw

Today the digger was digging up dirt and concrete. The red digger was destroying the old classroom. Now the old classroom has gone and there is just mud everywhere. There is going to be a new classroom. I wonder why the diggers were building a new classroom.

Sailor Stewart

Destruction of the park

Today a digger took apart the remaining parts of Kakahoroa. Today another digger came to our school to bust down another classroom. Now another digger came to Te kura o Te Paroa. I wonder if or how they got the pipe out of the ground.

Waiaio Hartley

Destroying the park

The man was deconstructing the park. The men were taking the park apart. Today the man was digging up the concrete and the big digger was destroying the old classroom. Now the old classrooms are gone and now it is just dirt. I wonder why they didn’t move the grey shed.

Micaiah Kinghazel

Destroying the park

The builders are destroying the park. The park is going to be different next term. Today our classroom was shaking because of the digger. The big orange digger was lifting the big roof. Now the park is gone it is all muddy. I wonder if they are going to build a better park.

Isaac Bryan

The builders are deconstructing the park.

The builders were destroying the park because they are building a new one. One was named Tane, he was holding a green ladder. Today the digger was smashing the concrete. We met Gast and Fred. Gast was spanish and Fred was maori. Gast was the surveyor, he was cool. The clean digger was smashing the old classroom. Now the classrooms are gone, and it looks muddy. I wonder if there is going to be a new park.

Swinton-Lee Kara

Destroying the park

Today the builders are destroying the park. Tane was removing everything. The other worker was cutting the wood down and the other worker was unscrewing the wood. Today all of the workers were lifting the concrete with the digger and putting it on the ground.The silver roofing was getting bent by the orange digger. Now it looks like a muddy bike track for three KTM’s. I wonder if the new classes are going to be big.

Tiaki Peri-Woods

Destroying the park

The men were cutting the wood and using a axe and a saber saw. Today the digger was lifting up the concrete out of the ground. The orange digger was lifting up the shiny metal and chucking it on the ground. Now the classrooms are gone and it’s all muddy and dirty. I wonder if the new classrooms are cool and beautiful.

Josiah Gulliver

Destroying the park

The man took apart the park. The other man picked up the yellow roof. The claw was picking up the concrete out of the ground. The big orange digger was busting down the shiny roof. Now the classrooms are gone and now it’s all muddy. I wonder if there’s going to be a new park.

Whitiaua Ngatea

Kakaharoa/ Pekapekatahi – Whāea Cilla/Whāea Te Amiona

Students are making jelly and Pikelets with Whāea Christine and Whāea Tiani.

Congratulations to the following students who represented our kura at this year’s Pūkorero competitions. We were incredibly proud of you all. Thank you for representing our kura. Also thank you to Whāea Rahora for organising this opportunity for our tamariki.

Ngā Tauira: Makeo Rika-Hill, Terewai Hurkmans, Ihimaia Herewini-Clay, Beau Te Aomarere, Elijah Te Whata, Manaaki Winitana, Timatanga Wera.

Our school’s rebuild is well underway, and there’s plenty happening on-site!

Do you need concrete fill for your project?
We’ve got broken-up concrete and materials available from our build projects. If you'd like some fill for your property, please contact the school office.
Mrs Te Pou will be in touch with removal dates and arrangements.

3rd June - Sunshine gave our hardworking build team the perfect conditions to begin work on the new stormwater pipes — a big step forward!

4th June - Different story with a bit of wet weather, but we're still making progress. The digger has arrived to help fix the water pipe — thank you to everyone for your patience as this essential work is carried out.

We understand how inconvenient it is to be without water, and the team is doing their best to minimise disruptions for both our school and our neighbours.

A quick reminder: Please take extra care around the temporary loose gravel near the side driveway entrance.

Thanks again for your support as we continue to Re-Build a better space for learning and growing!

A message from Charter Team Taiao: ‘Tiaki i a Papatūānuku’.

Kia ora e te whānau, we encourage our tamariki to care for our earth by taking care of our kura better. We ask for your tautoko to share this same message with them at home - “Find a Bin to Put It In.”

Whānau please contact the kura when your tamaiti is away.

When you are reporting absences please give students full name, class, reason and how many days away.

Ways of reporting student absences are:

Ring the school office - 3086652.

Send Txt message to 0274471900.

Send via skool loop app.

Send message to classroom teachers.

Everyday counts.

Attendance + Attitude = Success.

Important Attendance Reminder – Let’s Work Together!

Kia ora e te whānau,

We are currently seeing a high number of student absences, and this is beginning to impact both learning and engagement at kura.

You can help us by:

Notifying the school if your tamaiti is away sick.

This simple step updates our system from an unjustified absence to an explained or medical one, helping us keep accurate records and support your child better.

Please be aware that if absences continue and we haven’t heard from you, a letter of concern may be sent, or your whānau could be referred to the Attendance Officer for the Whakatāne region.

We understand that winter brings an increase in illnesses like the flu. However, long absences can impact not just learning, but also your child’s connection with their peers and wider kura life.

Need support? We’re here to help!

A nurse is available at kura every Tuesday for medical advice and support.

Strep throat swabbing is provided by Tūwharetoa Hauora on Mondays.

If your tamaiti is suffering from school sores, scabies, or skin infections, antibiotic cream is available free from Unichem Adamsons Pharmacy in Kopeopeo.

Let’s continue to work together to support our tamariki to thrive and succeed at kura.

Mauri ora!

• Te Kura o Te Pāroa uses SchoolDocs to manage policies and procedures.

• Policies follow legal guidelines, best practices, and are tailored for the school.

• More details available at schooldocs.co.nz.

Access to SchoolDocs:

• Available to the principal, board, and school community (parents, caregivers, whānau).

• How to log in:

1. Go to schooldocs.co.nz.

2. Search for "Te Kura o Te Pāroa."

3. Enter credentials:

• Username: paroa

• Password: turukihia

4. Use the search bar to find specific policies.

Policy Reviews:

• Open to board members, staff, students, and the school community.

• Any policy with a review button can be reviewed.

• More details available in About the Review Process.

Board Responsibilities:

• Outlined in the school’s policies.

• Overview available in Board Responsibilities.

• Topics for board review listed in a table (others can also review them).

• Full schedule available in Review Schedule and Board Assurances.

Getting Started with Reviews:

• Click on a topic name and select Start your review.

• If a link is inactive, the topic is not available.

Last week, our top 6 runners took on the challenging Ohope Beach School hill at the Interschool Cross Country event. Competing alongside students from five other kura, our tamariki showed grit, determination, and a whole lot of heart.

We’re proud to announce that 22 of our incredible runners have qualified to represent Te Kura o Te Paroa at the next level! These students will be heading to the Eastern Bay of Plenty Cross Country at Woodlands, Opotiki, on Thursday, 12th June.

A huge congratulations to all of our runners who braved the wet weather, conquered the monstrous Ohope hill, and—most importantly—had fun doing it. We are so proud of your efforts and sportsmanship.

Ka mau te wehi, tamariki mā – you’ve done our kura proud!

What a day! Despite the stormy weather, our amazing tamariki showed true grit and resilience out on the field at the EBOP TACKLE 5’s tournament held at Matatā Rugby Club. We’re so proud of everyone who got out there, gave it their all, and didn’t let the rain dampen their spirits!

🥇 Pāroa Tahi Boys – Eastern Bay Champions!

🏆 Pāroa Rua – Teamwork was the name of the game – ka mau te wehi!

🌟 Pāroa Girls – A strong 5th place finish – tino pai!

A huge mihi to our whānau – the awesome parents who pulled on their gumboots 🥾 and stood out in the rain ☔ to support our teams. Your dedication and aroha for our kids does not go unnoticed. Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa!

To our incredible māngai – Eru, Ihimaia, Beau, and Marei kura– thank you for your manaakitanga and leadership today. Being helpful and respectful is a value Te Kura o Te Paroa holds close, and you demonstrated it beautifully. Ka rawe!

To our kaiako and support crew – we appreciate you! Big thanks to Whāea Anikka for capturing all the action 📸, and to Matua Anaru and Whāea Ihi for your tautoko and guidance throughout the day.

Whuuuuuuuu! Ka rawe tamariki mā!!!
He rā whakamīharo, full of wairua and team pride – tino pai tō mahi e te whānau o Te Kura o Te Pāroa!

TERM 2

• EBOP Cross Country - Thursday 12th June
• Teacher only day (school closed) - Friday 13th June
• BOT Hui - Monday 16th June
• EBOP Ki O Rahi - Wednesday 18th June
• Chiefs Tackle 5's Tournament - Wednesday 25th June
• Last day of term 2 - Friday 27th June
• Term 3 starts Monday 14th July

Email: office@paroa.school.nz
Website: www.paroa.school.nz
Location: 34 Paroa Road, Whakatane 3191
Phone: 073086652
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/910834023142312