Office Hours

8.30am-4pm

Hours of Instruction

8.40am - 3.00pm

Email: office@coastaltaranaki.school.nz
Website: https://sites.google.com/coastaltaranaki.school.nz/coastaltaranakischool/home
Location: 92 Carthew Street, Ōkato, New Zealand
Phone: (06)7524022 - 027 320 1267
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coastaltaranakischool

Kia ora Coastal Taranaki Whānau,

At Coastal Taranaki School, we are committed to building a school culture where respect, kindness, and understanding shape everything we do. Creating a non-violent environment isn’t just about avoiding conflict—it’s about how we communicate, support one another, and show care in our everyday actions.

Non-violence looks like using our words instead of our hands, listening with empathy, and making space for others to feel safe and heard. It’s seen in the way we speak to each other in class, the way we resolve disagreements, and the way we step up to help a friend in need. It’s also about self-control, making good choices, and being responsible for our actions.

As a school, we are working together to reinforce these values. Teachers are modeling calm and respectful conversations, students are learning strategies for problem-solving, and we are encouraging positive peer relationships. Whānau, we ask for your support in continuing these conversations at home.

Together, we can create a strong and caring school culture where everyone feels valued, safe, and included. Let’s lead with kindness and continue to grow a community we can all be proud of.

Ngā mihi nui,

Message to the CTS community from Principal of the Day Owen Hendrix.

Today I was the principal for the day.

It was easy and hard to be the principal.

The easy bit was going to the pool, cleaning up the rubbish from my meeting with kids - next time i'll make them do it though.

The hard bit about being principal was doing so much work. I had to talk to a lot of people and I got chased around and they asked me questions and bothered me.

In my meeting about things to change at school I think the kids had lots of great ideas. One thing I am going to try and get the teachers and Whaea Gemma to change is to have all of us allowed to wear any kind of shoes we like at school and also Sushi Lunches once a week.

I got to choose a special day and on March the 6th we will be having a shared Kai day so put that on your calendar to bring something yummy to your kids class that day.

Thank you

Mr Owen Hendrix

We wish to express our appreciation and admiration for the great start we have had to our

school year. The senior leadership team, Gemma Chambers and Sarah Oke, teaching staff,

support staff, students, and entire school community have come together to demonstrate the

true spirit of our amazing community. From the meet the teachers day, to the beautiful Powhiri,

the well supported Pool Party and settling into class routines. It has been great to see everyone

working together for a seamless transition and warm welcome for our new and returning

students.

We believe that this is a reflection of the values and characteristics that make our community

such a special place to live and learn. Our community is known for its warmth, kindness, and

generosity, and it's been wonderful to see these traits on full display in our school. Showing

resilience and strength and supporting each other is what we do well, both in good times and

when we face challenges. Thank you for your role in our team at Coastal Taranaki School.

The Board of Trustees as a team are required to exhibit these traits as we undertake the

Governance at the school. We have been working on introducing a new system for our School

policies called ‘School Docs’. This will ensure that our policies are kept up to date with current

legislation and will be easy to find for all of our school community on our school website. We

will let you know when this is up and running. We have also created Finance , Property and

Discipline Committees and passed their Terms of reference. New furniture has been approved

for room 20. As your Board of Trustees we are committed to handling all school matters with

care and professionalism.

We sincerely thank our senior leadership team's diligent work in all aspects of managing our

Kura, the teaching staff's warmth and commitment, the support staff's tireless efforts and the

students' eagerness to learn and grow. All members of our school whanau have played a vital

role in making a great start to this year.

As we move forward, we are confident that we will continue to build on the momentum that has

been created at the beginning of this year, working together to create a safe, nurturing and

inclusive environment that allows every student to thrive.

Nga mihi,

Coastal Taranaki School Board of Trustees

Kia Ora, my name is Mrs Connolly, and I am excited to be teaching Room 20's tamariki for Term 1, while Mr Brewer is on leave.

A little about myself ... I have lived in New Plymouth for 7 and a half years, and enjoy the beaches, walks, and exploration opportunities New Plymouth has to offer. I am married to a lovely man, and we have two beautiful young girls (9 and 12). I have a Science background, and I like extending core subjects with scientific principles and experiments, wherever possible. Outside of teaching, I enjoy spending time with family, tramping, dancing, abseiling, go-karting, camping, cooking, and exploring.

Please feel free to come and meet me (after school is best). It will be nice to put a face to the whānau of Room 20 students.

We are happy to announce that Breakfast Club is operating once again for 2025.

Currently we are able to offer Breakfast Club on WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY mornings.

If you can volunteer an hour of time, even just one day a week we can expand to offer breakfast Monday - Friday.

Please contact the school office (06) 7524022 or email ian.robinson@coastaltaranaki.school.nz if you can help.

Kia ora koutou,

Whaea Annie, our new entrant teacher, is planning ahead. If you know of any preschoolers in our community, who may be turning five in the next year or two please share this Pre-enrolment at CTS with their families. Even if you have a child at the school already please fill the form out. It only takes a few minutes to do, but it is really important that we have an idea of student numbers so that we can plan ahead. This also ensures that all new families have all the information they need around Transition to School visits.

For more information about transition to school, click this link - Transition to School CTS 2025

If you’d like to contact me directly, my email is annie.harris@coastaltaranaki.school.nz

Ngā mihi nui

Annie

Transition to school/New entrant teacher

--

Annie Harris

Transition to School and New Entrant Teacher

This week, two lucky groups of students had the incredible opportunity to experience Te Matatini 2025 at the Bowl of Brooklands in New Plymouth—one group attending on Tuesday and the other on Thursday. The performances were absolutely breathtaking, with such power and passion that they even gave Mrs. Roberts goosebumps! Beyond the awe-inspiring kapa haka, the food stalls were a highlight, offering a variety of delicious options. Some students tried hāngī and whitebait fritters, while others enjoyed refreshing drinks and, of course, a few ice creams! A huge thank you to Paula, Dee, Mrs. Waugh, and Mrs. Roberts for making this unforgettable experience possible for our tamariki.

Last week students enjoyed a fun time car spotting the amazing classic American cars as the convoy made its way through Ōkato south to Ōpunake. Our students were thrilled to watch and cheer on the procession... we even spied some CTS students cruise past!

In Room 17 we have been busy getting our learning under way and have had a great start to the year. We have learnt the structure and routines of the day and are a happy, fun bunch of learners. Over the last few weeks we have got to experience watching the Americarna cars coming through Okato, enjoy our swimming lessons down at the Okato Pools and being artists.

In Room 18 we did some special Valentines Day art! We decided to take inspiration from an artist called Jim Dine who creates pop art and often uses hearts. We created our own version of Valentines Day Hearts Pop Art. We used pastel to create a confetti background and then cut hearts out of paper to create the 4 squares using positive and negative space. We think they turned out really great!

On Wednesday, 19th February, our class had an exciting trip down to the roundabout to watch the Americarna convoy roll through Okato! As part of our data and statistics project, we gathered information about the cars passing by. Some of us worked in groups, while others chose to collect data on our own. We counted different features, like car colours, the gender of drivers, and which vehicles had American flags. Back in the classroom, we used our findings to create presentations and even put our new Google Sheets skills to the test by making graphs from our data sets. It was a fun and hands-on way to combine maths with a real-world event!

Check out our photos and some of our work.

Term 1 Learning Highlights

This term, our secondary students will delve into a variety of exciting topics across social sciences and geography.

Year 9 and 10
Our junior students will explore how human activities impact the environment on local, national, and global scales. This unit covers themes such as population growth, environmental pressures, waste management, climate change, urbanisation, and sustainability. By examining these interactions between society and the natural environment, students will develop ideas and potential actions to address the challenges facing our planet.

Year 11
In Year 11, students will investigate the spatial distribution of populations, with a focus on megacities—urban areas with populations exceeding 10 million. This unit includes learning about population growth and change, urbanisation in Aotearoa, spatial mapping techniques, and push and pull factors influencing city development. A central question will guide their learning: How and why are megacities spatially distributed across the globe?

Year 12 and 13
Senior students will engage in local geographic research, focusing on Ko Hangatahua te Awa (the Stoney River). They will study river processes such as erosion, sediment transport, and how rivers shape our landscapes. Students will compare local and global river systems while conducting field research along the Hangatahua River. This involves collecting, analyzing, and presenting data to understand spatial changes from maunga to sea.

We are looking forward to an enriching term of inquiry and exploration in the social sciences!

Epro8 has started off for the year. We have between 12 and 16 students interested in engineering creative solutions to problems presented.

So far, we have built a 3d rectangle to familiarise ourselves with the equipment and begun building our first project - a fire engine with a moveable ladder.

Our students have learned how to fasten the pieces together and how to motorise them using cogs, wheels and pulleys.

During the year, we will host a school event to select our team to go on and represent CTS in the inter school event.

A huge thank you to the parents who are helping to facilitate this learning experience and to Rick who is coming in to run the lunchtime programme.

Epro8 happens every Tuesday and Thursday at lunchtime in room 12. New members are welcome.

Spelling Test Term 1 Week 6 List

Tuesday Lessons - ALL Year 9, 10 and 11

1. Immediately

2. Punctuation

3. Because

4. Calendar

5. Knowledge

6. Suddenly

7. Minutes

8. Caught

9. Luckily

10. Favourite

For the full Term 1 spelling list, please see homepage: https://sites.google.com/coastaltaranaki.school.nz/fung2025/home

.

Kia Ora!

A great settled start to the year with students and whānau showing alot of movement, contribution and social connect around our community and kura. With clear school and sporting values we look forward to a good year of wellbeing growth, competition and sports events with all family.

Upcoming school events are detailed below - please register interest with Whaea Nicky :

Friday athletics club night/s

Competitive swimming sports 12th March

Non-competitive swimming sports 19th March

Touch games/teams

Basketball team registrations

Secondary volleyball team trainings - Thursdays 330-430pm

Football registrations - Coastal Taranaki, Kaiatake Football club (Secondary)

Student coaches and community coaching register at main office for the following sports : Netball/Basketball/Soccer/Volleyball . There are courses available (free of charge) through sport Taranaki and we would be happy to have you on board our kura! We are also looking for someone to run some after school yoga with all community being welcome - family, staff and community charging a small fee per person (approx $5) . Please get in touch if you are interested in instructing one day after school!

So far students have demonstrated their willingness for their health and fitness levels. A big focus this term is on increasing base fitness, summer sports skills, water confidence and regular movement in all forms for all students. Whether it be through Dance, sports, fitness, swimming at the stony river and hikes together on our local whenua. Ka pai everyone! Please keep an eye out for the whānau health survey coming out later this term/year for kura voice and spaces you can help.

Some exciting achievements in our senior area :

Liam Hooker - Competing at the Taranaki motocross Champs this past Waitangi weekend, great sportsmanship and competitiveness Liam!

Clyde Hart Yates - Making the Taranaki U18 Basketball Team to compete in Tauranga this Easter.

"Tino pai rawa atu everyone (awesome work so far) /kia neke (lets keep moving) and achieve together."

Ngā mihi,

Casey Stevens

Health and physical Education

Coastal Taranaki School

Kia ora e te whānau,

Our Competitive Swimming Sports will be held on Wednesday, 12th March, led by the Okato Swimming Club. This event is open to Year 4 to 13 learners who wish to participate.

To enter, learners must be able to complete their chosen event without stopping. A fun swimming event will be held later in the month for those who prefer a more relaxed experience.

Entries close on Wednesday, 26th March. All teachers have access to the entry document, or learners can see Mrs. Oke to register.

Start times will be confirmed once entries are finalised. If you are available to support us on the day, please email sarah.oke@coastaltaranaki.school.nz.

Our talented swimmers from Coastal Taranaki School stood out at the Taranaki Summer Champs recently and achieved outstanding results. Emily Wanden excelled with a Gold in the 100m Breastroke, a Bronze in the 200m Breastroke, and a 4th Place ribbon in the 50m Breastroke. Sophie Juffermans also shined brightly, securing Gold medals in both the 100m Breastroke and 100m Freestyle, along with a Silver in the 50m Breastroke and a 4th Place ribbon in the 50m Freestyle. Congratulations to our athletes! Our Okato club swimmers also participated in the 'give it a go' series throughout the summer. The final event takes place this Saturday in Inglewood.

We are excited to share Elsa Lind-Mitchell's outstanding achievements at the 2025 Taranaki Athletic Championships. Elsa soared to victory with a remarkable Gold in the High Jump, showcasing her dedication and skill. Adding to her success, she secured the Silver in Long Jump, demonstrating her versatility and athleticism across events. Not stopping there, Elsa also clinched Bronze in both the 100m and 200m Sprints, highlighting her speed and determination on the track. Congratulations to Elsa for her impressive performance!

Surf Team is back!

We were blessed with beautiful small waves at Ahu Ahu beach this week. Our focus this term is to improve our technique and to learn more about the places we are surfing. Each week we do a warm up, look at the surf including discussing any hazards, remind surfers how to protect their head and explain a few aspects of surfing etiquette. The kids will receive a few tips about how to catch waves and we'll practice pop ups. The best part is getting in the waves and surfing! Here's an example of a young surfer's analysis of the spot we surfed this week. The surfers are encouraged to check tides, swell forecasts and have a look at google maps.

Thanks again to the parents who help us each week and to Ole Bukka who's my main sidekick this term. Surf Team wouldn't happen without you. We are really missing Simon Ripia and wish him all the best with his recovery. We can't wait to see him charging the waves again soon.

Kaitake FC is hosting a kickaround Sunday 23rd Feb at Corbett Park 4-5.30pm ages 10-15. There is also a muster on Sunday March 2nd Corbett Park 4-6pm. Kaitake FC would like all players to register as soon as possible. This year there'll be junior teams, hopefully an u15 and of course adult teams. Girls aged 14 and over can play for the women's team if they wish. Any CTS students interested in football should come along to the muster! It's such a fun club to be part of. Register online at https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/337003

Head over to our school sports facebook page CTS Sports and follow for all our school sports news, results and updates.

Please complete the Google form below if your child is interested in playing hockey this year. Games are at Hobson Street Turf, New Plymouth, and run from term 2 (3rd May) to
mid term 3 (13th September). For year 3/4 (Sat mornings), year 5/6 (late Sat mornings) & year 7/8 (Friday or Monday evenings).
OJSC Hockey Interest
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxHOlUEkSRWyowcfDCQjdmh0qUOTcGBSJt4ZOnZwp6ltbRYg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Year 1/2 can participate in Fun sticks during Term 2 on Saturdays 8-9am. Please see separate flyer and register directly with Hockey Taranaki.

Contact Pip Butterworth on 021 256 3746 if you have any questions.

Seasons for Growth grief programme is about to start in New Plymouth in March.

It will run on Fridays 7, 14, 21 and 28 March from 12pm-2pm.

The venue is St Chad's Church on Omata Road and the cost for all 4 sessions and the journal is $40.00.

COASTAL TARANAKI SCHOOL

Stephanie Clifton - Principal

Gemma Chambers Acting Principal

Sarah Oke Acting Deputy Principal, Food Technology, Careers/Pathways, Tech on 45

Viola Fung English

Andrea Dingle Maths

Steve Leppard Hard Materials Technology, Tech on 45

Kelly Waugh Visual/ Performing Arts

Natalie Bound Science

Casey Stevens P.E & Health

Keegan Bruckner Social Sciences

Liana Roberts Pouakai Team Leader, Year 7/8 Teacher

Jason Brewer Year 6/7 Teacher

Rebecca Connolly Year 6/7 Teacher Term 1

Emily Finey Year 5/6 Teacher

Renee Leathley Kaitake Team Leader, Year 4/5 Teacher

Heather Jull Year 4/5 Teacher

Annie Harris NE Transition Teacher

Jemma Moorby Year 1/2 Teacher

Philippa Hofmans Pukeiti Team Leader, Year 1/2 Teacher

Johannah Poutini Year 2/3 Teacher

Sarah Warren/Tara Ross Year 2/3 Teachers

Lisa Betts Guidance Counsellor

Justine Francis Release Teacher

Margaret Normanton Release Teacher

Delwyn Pearce School Librarian

Kirsty Koboski Publicity Officer

Jacky Kopu Office Manager

Nicky Phillips Office, Funding & Sports Administrator

Ole Bucka Grounds & Maintenance

Learning Assistants

Darryl Levett

Kirsty Koboski

Paula Fleming

Dee Heath

Jess Harfield

Ruth Barron

Ian Robinson

Nicole Whittle

Kaycee Cresswell

Fon Julian

Marcus Wade

Student Support

Ida Staunstrup-Moore

Lisa Schrader