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 koutou,

One of the greatest joys of being part of a small village school is the incredible sense of community we share. Whether it’s supporting one another through challenges or celebrating achievements together, our school thrives because of the people who make up our wider whānau. Thank you to everyone who continues to contribute in so many ways—your support truly makes a difference.

Well done to those who competed in the weetbix Tri - amazing effort everyone. And to the swimmers who got involved in demonstrating their swimming prowess - Ka Pai! I'm excited to see our winter sports teams gearing up and look forward to seeing you pitch side through T2.

As we move through the changing seasons, we remind whānau that correct school uniforms, including hoodies and jackets, must be school approved. This ensures a sense of belonging and pride in our kura. If you need assistance with uniform requirements, please reach out, and we’ll do our best to support you.

A gentle but firm reminder about rural road safety—many of our students travel on fast, single-lane roads, and we all need to be extra cautious. Please remind your tamariki to be aware of their surroundings when walking, biking, or getting on and off the school bus. Drivers, let’s also do our part by slowing down near bus stops and being mindful of young pedestrians. A reminder that there is NO parking or drop offs permitted on the Oxford road side of school. This is bus and staff access only. This is based on council, bus and community consultation from 2024. If you need assistance please apparch the office for a parking pass. Parking is available on Carthew Street.

Thank you for being part of this wonderful community. Let’s continue to look out for one another.

Ngā mihi,

Gemma Chambers
Acting Principal

Yesterday a group of students were privileged to attend a Kiwi release at Ōmata school.

The Kiwi's were welcomed from Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari | Ecological Bird & Wildlife reserve in Waikato to Taranaki and were released into the Kaitake ranges straight after the whakatau.

Mihi to Taranaki Mounga and the Taranaki Kiwi Trust. For over 10 years, you have worked so hard to bring kiwi back to our mounga, providing spaces for kiwi to flourish and making a real difference to our environment and our community. We are very lucky to see the results of your mahi and to learn from what you do.

Thanks to Jane Bowden-Dobson Kairuruku (Education Coordinator) for Te Ara Taiao from Sustainable Taranaki for giving our students the opportunity to attend this fantastic event. For some of our students it was their first time to see live Kiwi.

We are lucky to be hosting the Life Ed classroom with Megan, Tom and Harold the Giraffe at CTS to teach our Year 1-8 students about making healthy choices.

Life Education Trust Taranaki has been successfully delivering the Life Education programme to empower children to make healthy choices.

The Healthy Harold programme supports children to:

• Develop life skills relating to their health and wellbeing
• Understand how to make healthy choices
• Gain knowledge about health and their bodies
• Develop self esteem and a positive understanding of themselves
• Develop strategies for relating to others

Teaching covers content across five major strands: food and nutrition, human biology, relationships and communities, identity and resilience, and substances.

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

We are well on our way into our structured literacy journey in Room 24. The Rhinos have been focusing on CVC (consonant vowel consonant) words using the letters s a t p i n m d.

They are learning to segment the individual sounds in a word by separating each sound. The whole word starts on the orange, then each sound moves to a segment, saying the sound as it is moved. We point and say each sound individually, then sweep our finger across all the sounds from left to right to read them as a whole word.

This group is also learning to blend the sounds together using the slide. The first sound starts at the top of the slide and we hold that sound until we reach the middle sound, then hold that sound until we get to the last sound at the bottom of the slide.

These segmenting and blending techniques help our ākonga develop the skills to decode unfamiliar words as they learn to read.

Wow we have almost finished our first term in the arts spaces! Our first NCEA Assignments for the year are being completed and some amazing pieces of work are being produced in both visual and performing arts.

Our Showcase is nearly upon us! Next Wednesday the 2nd of April we will have dance, music and song on our school hall stage at 6pm. We will even have our school choir sing to us! Please come along and share in the student’s hard work, creativity and excitement. We will have shared kai at half time so please bring along something to share.

Keep shining and see you there!

This term has been busy for us in science so far.

The year 7 and 8's have been learning how to safely light and use a bunsen burner and how the blue (working) flame differs from the yellow (safety) flame. We have then moved on and learned how hot air rises by making a convection snake and seeing it spin above a tea light candle.

The year 9 and 10's have been learning about the living world which has included learning about how plants produce more plants, the structure and function of flowers and then onto DNA and what makes us unique. We are progressing through the term and once we completed our section on DNA we have moved on to look at the structure of the heart and how it works.

In year 11 science, we have been working towards 91921 Demonstrate understanding of the use of a range of scientific investigative approaches in a context which is worth 5 credits. Throughout this unit of learning, we have looked at three different types of investigation - Fair testing, Pattern seeking and Exploring and Observing. Currently, we are working through a practice assessment that has been modelled off the final assessment to familiarise ourselves with what is required to achieve the standard.

Senior chemistry has been working hard at oxidation and reduction chemistry at level 2 and 3. We have seen how silver plating works using electrolysis in the lab setting, we have also discussed how electrons are transferred between the different chemical species in a redox reaction.

On Friday the 21st of March, a group of year 12 and 13 Geography students spent the day conducting research and collecting data on Te Hangatahua Awa (Stoney River). Their goal was to collect evidence that would help them understand the differences in river velocity as it flows from maunga to moana, and the characteristics of the river that leads to this change.

During the field trip, the students used a range of geographic techniques to measure stream velocity, stream width, gradient of the landscape, rock size, and how turbulent the flow was. This data will help students understand the types of erosion, transportation, and deposition processes that are occurring as we move down one of the most significant river catchments in Taranaki.

This day was a major component in a NCEA assessment which has the students 'Conduct Geographic Research with Consultation'. Their next step is to analyse and discuss the findings of their data.

What a great day to get out in the field!

- Mr. Bruckner

Attached is the NZQA Student Handbook which outlines Student's rights and responsibilities. This can also be found on the Hapara Levels page, in all Senior Classrooms and all students have been given a copy

Mathematics

Mrs Dingle Room 6

What a busy term we have had. Students in Year 9 - 12 have all been working hard on their Workbooks and our new Digital Site called Smartlab.

Students initially sit a Diagnostic Test which identifies areas of Learning and between myself and the programme; students are assigned Tutorials and work. Students can access this work as well as the Website 24/7. PLEASE ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO SPEND TIME ON THIS PROGRAMME,

The Mathematics Web page is also an important resource for students and parents

Please take a look to see the Year's Plan with workbooks, quizzes and videos to help.

.

Sports News

Organised in school sport events - Casey Stevens

Swimming Sports

Awesome to see our parents and whānau, secondary students coaching and supporting our tamariki in sports lately!

Our swimming sports for competitive and non competitive was a positive experience. Thank you to the Ōkato Swim Club for their expertise and running our competitive swim day! It is also great to see our strong swimmers coming through the junior school and competing at local events representing our Kura. Ka pai!

Physical Education classes - Secondary

Registrations coming up are volleyball for secondary students (year 9-13).

Cross Country - Secondary

reminder, our cross country is coming up end of Term 2. P.E students from Year 7-13 will have this training opportunity during class time, watch this space!

Highway 45 Athletics - Coastal, Ōmata and Ōākura Schools - Year 7 and 8

On Monday 31st March, we have our Highway 45 Athletics with Ōmata and Ōākura Schools joining us. All parents and whānau are welcome to come along and cheer our Year 7 and 8's on!

Yoga instructor - I am on the hunt for someone to run some community yoga in our school gymnasium. Anyone know of someone or could point me in the right direction with contact details, please email caseys@coastaltaranaki.school.nz Approx $5 per session.

A large focus on “Kotahitanga - unity” lately, any help and skills are always appreciated in movement and our student achievements, this creates growth and positive connections with all.

Casey Stevens

P.E and Health

Team Sports - Basketball, Netball and Touch Rugby (Nicky)

Basketball

We have entered four Basketball teams into the Ōpunake Basketball League this season.

Year 5 and 6 Coastal Hoopers

Year 5 and 6 Coastal Shakers

Year 7 and 8 Coastal/Aotea - Tāne (Te Kura Kaupapa Māori O Tamarongo/CTS)

Year 7 and 8 Coastal/Rāhotu - Wāhine

Junior Miniball regisitrations will be posted on HERO nextweek.

Netball

Our Coastal Netball teams has been going really well this term. We have a Year 3 and 4, Year 5 and 6 team entered into the Coastal Netball competition this term. Our Year 7 and 8 team has been entered and will compete in Term 2 in the same league.

Touch Rugby - Ōākura

Our touch rugby teams, Coastal Panthers, Coastal Leopards, Coastal Falcons and Coastal Warriors have all been playing awesome games this season. With the continuous support and assistance from our Parents and Whānau these teams are thriving on the field! Big Ngā Mihi to you all and our tamariki!

Weetbix TRYathlon

Well done to our students that participated in the Ngāmotu Weetbix TRYathlon on Tuesday 25th March. This was a huge event for all schools that had students involved.

Parents and Students interested in coaching a sports team! There is a Coaching course (Free) run by Sport Taranaki coming up in April if anyone is interested, Please see Nicky in the school office.

Nicky Phillips

Team Sports Co-ordinator

This week we had our Fun Swimming Sports for all our learners!

Our senior students jumped into the pool for their fun races followed the next day with

Years 0-3 Swimming Demonstrations and Years 4-8 Fun Swimming Sports.

Thanks to everyone who came along to watch all the students have a splashing good time!

Week 7 we went to Weld Road and surfed challenging, messy and small waves under a grey sky. Joley, Ziggy, Ben and Enzo made the most of their surf time.

We did a bit of running, some stretches, talked about hazards and practised how to move in the line up and how to protect your head. We did a long paddle around the big rock in the middle of the beach and then surfed some waves by the rivermouth before moving to the bay for some fast rides in the shoredump. It's great to see the surfers improve in both confidence and ability.

Thanks to Joley's dad for assisting in the water and to Ole for being our super beach marshall.

If you're looking for some surf inspiration check out the WSL Portugal pro on YouTube!

- Ida

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

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COASTAL TARANAKI SCHOOL

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

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