Office Hours

8.30am-3.30pm

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

A REMINDER THAT YEAR 11 T0 13 NCEA STUDENTS BEGIN STUDY LEAVE ON FRIDAY 31ST NOV.

Kia ora Coastal Taranaki School Community,

Welcome to the first newsletter of term 4 and the final term of the year. With our seniors beginning their study leave and our juniors completing their final round of literacy and numeracy testing, term 4 is always a time to celebrate and reflect upon the learning journey that has been undertaken throughout the year, and the markers of student progress. Term 4 is always a time to increase the rate of our fun activities and there are exciting weeks ahead. If parents/whànau would like to be involved in those activities please reach out. We are a community school and welcome parental involvement in all aspects of the life of our school.

At our school, we are committed to providing effective communication and we are looking to improve how we connect with you. We have another upgrade to our website this term and we are looking at better ways to communicate on fresh opportunities to our Student Management Platform. I thank you for your patience as we prepare a platform that will provide a more streamlined communication system.

We want to ensure that you are following your child’s progress in real time, reacting to and commenting on posts, media, goals, and updates and whether our current format works for you. We want to ensure that you stay informed by viewing school notices in the Community Feed and receive only the information that’s relevant to your family. Please feedback any positives and negatives though my email or pop in to chat. I look forward to continuing our strong partnership with you to support our students’ success!

Finally, as we look forward to our senior ball this week (31st October), I want to wish all of our year 11 to 13 NCEA students an enjoyable last week (01st November). With just a few days before the NCEA examinations begin on the 05th November, it is a very stressful time for our seniors. Although so many of our rangatahi have passed the year, external examinations are an important marker of progress. Exams matter greatly, as that marker of progress, and we wish all of our seniors the very best of luck.

I have added lots of important notes below and understand that it is a busy time for everyone. Reach out if you need any clarification on any matter.

I look forward to a fantastic term ahead filled with learning, growth, and community spirit.

Ngā mihi nui,

Stephanie Clifton

Principal

Starting at CTS in 2025?

If you have a child in your family who will be turning 5 next year or a relative who will be attending CTS, please make sure that you complete an enrollment form. Please contact the office for more information.

Leaving CTS in 2024?

We are now planning our timetable and teacher who will take each class for 2025 year and we need your help. If your circumstances have changed and your child will NOT be returning to CTS next year please advise the office as soon as possible so we are aware. Thank you for your support.

Attendance and punctuality

We would like to emphasise the importance of being on time and attending school every single day. Regular attendance is not only vital for academic success but also fosters a sense of responsibility and commitment in our tamariki. By being present and punctual, our students maximise their learning potential and contribute positively to our school community.

Parking safely around schools

Over the previous terms you have worked with us to trial keeping tamariki, buses and cars apart at drop-off and pick-up time. We are very grateful to our whole community who have embraced this change.

Over the past few weeks I became aware of the following changes and want to pass this information on to you. Although we do not have issues with outside parking at CTS. We are very fortunate to have 50 parking spaces. I am conscious that for those families whose children move down to town, this information is important to know.

Did you know the Government has increased parking ticket fees nationwide?

As of 1 October, parking fines around the country have gone up for the first time in 20 years. Previously, low fines encouraged some people to take the risk of parking illegally. The Government has increased the fines to send a message that illegal parking will not be tolerated.

Here’s a breakdown of some the new parking fines affecting parking around schools:

Parking offence | Fine from 1 Oct | Current fine

Overstaying not more than 30 minutes | $20 | $12

Overstaying more than 30 minutes but not more than 1 hour | $25 | $15

Park vehicle on bend | $70 | $40

Vehicle obstructs entrance or exit of driveway | $70 | $40

Park vehicle on footpath or cycle path | $70 | $40

Parked on lawn, garden or verge | $70 | $40

Park on broken yellow lines | $100 | $60

Park vehicle on pedestrian crossing | $100 | $60

Park vehicle in special vehicle lane (bus lane or cycle lane | $100 | $60

Park vehicle without due care and consideration | $100 | $60

Park in an area reserved for disabled persons | $750 | $150

Healthy Food in Schools

Alternative Provision Update from the MOE– 22 October 2024

On 22 October, Associate Minister of Education, David Seymour announced that we have partnered with the School Lunch Collective, (led by Compass Group, and supported by great New Zealand-based food suppliers and manufacturers). School Lunch Collective will be delivering healthy school lunches every school day for less each year for the new model of Ka Ora, Ka Ako | Healthy School Lunch Programmes.

Participating schools with students in year 7 and up will receive healthy lunches under the new model, including all learners in composite (years 0-15) and full primary (years 0-8) schools. This responds to feedback from schools about the burden of operating two different models. In 2026 contributing primary schools (years 0-6) will also be included.

Students will continue to receive nutritious meals they know and love, helping them to learn and thrive at school. We will work closely with schools to deliver the new model from day one of the 2025 school year.

C.A.S.P - Coastal After School Programme

New Enrolments to Kids Club for 2025

If you are thinking of enrolling your child/children into our programme, please complete an enrollment form that can be collected from the school office. If you are already enrolled in the programme, please let Sommer know of your intentions and expected days for 2025.

Uniform - School Hats

We are a Sun Safe school so all students are required to wear their sun hats during terms 1 & 4. Wide brimmed hats are encouraged due to their level of protection from the harshness of the sun. In order to keep your child safe from harmful exposure to the sun, if your child does not have a hat, they will be required to play in the shade during breaks. Please ensure your child's hat is clearly named so it can be easily returned. We are very grateful for your support.

School Athletic Day - 7th November

Our school athletics will be held on the 7th November on the school field. This is a fun day that allows all our students to actively participate in a variety of athletic activities. The day’s programme will begin at 9:00 am on the school field and students will partake in sporting activities at various points in the day.

Halloween Dress-up Day - 31st OCT

We welcome our students getting into the Halloween spirit this coming Thursday, by dressing up in a Halloween themed costume.

Ball/Graduation Dinner -31st October

The Ball will be taking place on Thursday 31st October at the Boat Club. This is a time to celebrate the academic journey of our year 10 to 13 students and acknowledge our student leavers as they prepare for the next stage of their learning journey. The evening will include dinner, speeches, certificates, and a dance to conclude the evening. Please note this is a formal evening so our rangatahi are required to wear their best outfit.

Senior NCEA students - year 11 to 13 - study leave begins 01st November.

Good luck to all of our senior students who are sitting exams. Continue to connect with your teachers and attend your revision sessions. Listen to your teachers in your exam technique sessions. Make those tips count. A reminder that each exam session is 3 hours.

NCEA Exams begin 05th November.

Students are required in full school uniform for their exam. They should be present at least 15/20 minutes before their exam time slot and must have their examination entry slip with them at all times - this permits their entrance to the exam. If a student loses their exam entry slip, they should let Mr Leppard know immediately - by emailed or phoning the school in advance.

Transport to and from the exam is the responsibility of each student to arrange with their parent/whànau. The school bus can be accessed by the student if they are a bus student.

Note: If students are taking the bus home and have left the exam venue earlier than 3pm, students do not have to remain at school. Students who are on study leave need to ensure that their conduct is impeccable if they are around the school community during school hours.

Should students wish to book a revision session with their teacher - they should make contact with their teacher to arrange a revision timeslot. Should students require a quiet place to study before an exam, AKO is the venue for this quiet study.

The cell phone ban applies to examination students as per school rules.

Prize giving Friday 13th December 10.30am - PLEASE RETURN ALL TROPHIES

Planning has started for the End of Year Prize Giving. We need all trophies to be returned so we can get them prepared for our end of the year awards. Please return to the school office as soon as possible. Thank you to those who have already returned their trophies.

Contact details

It is extremely important that the school has all your correct contact numbers and home address. Should your child require urgent medical attention, we need to be able to get a hold of you as soon as possible. Whenever any of your child’s contact details change, please let the school office know.

.

"Keep collecting Yummy Apple stickers and bags. All your munching and crunching on apples helps our school to get new sports gear. Yummy Apple collecting is continuous so dont stop :) New collecting sheets can be found on the wall next to Mrs Warren's room."

What an incredible Lamb and Calf day we had!!! It is a very special part of the heritage of rural schools and it is heartwarming to see the sense of pride on our students' faces as they showcased their hard work. The sense of community was strong as we all came together to celebrate their efforts.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to making the day a success. We are especially grateful to our amazing F.O.C.T.S team, who put in countless hours to organise the event, ensuring everything ran smoothly. We also extend our appreciation to our generous sponsors, dedicated teachers, and hardworking students. This event not only keeps our rural traditions alive but also creates lasting memories for our children. A special highlight of our year.

What a cracker Pet Day was!☀️ We hope all of the tamariki involved enjoyed the day. They all did so well and should be very proud of themselves. The sunshine, wee piglets and even a unicorn added lots of magic!🦄 Massive thank you to all of those who supported us in the lead up. It is all so worth it to see the tamariki having so much fun showing off their pets.

Thank you to Harry Collins for supporting our new Beef Catagory and for sponsoring the ribbons. A big thank you to Karen Cook for coming out and judging the Beef animals. We hope to see more tamariki giving the Beef section a go next year👍

Ngā mihi nui!
FOCTS💚

This term, we've returned with joyful smiles, eager to embrace our final term of the year. It's incredible how quickly the year has flown by, and everyone has been so focused and dedicated. We're excited to make the most of our remaining time, diving into as much learning and consolidation as possible!

Our inquiry topic this term is arts-based with a Ngahere (bush) theme. We'll be exploring this through creating beautiful art, engaging in drama, and crafting musical sounds that echo the sounds we can hear in the Ngahere.

Towards the end of last term, we had the wonderful opportunity to participate in kumara tāpapa preparation with Whaea Jane. In a few weeks, we'll be transferring the kumara to the garden beds, where they'll begin their growing journey. Next year, when they're ready for harvesting, we'll reunite to harvest, prepare, cook, and enjoy them together!

Term 4 has started busy for the Kaitake Team. Hopefully everyone was able to see the incredible learning on display as part of our annual Pet Day. Our classroom's exhibits were based on this year's overarching theme, Te Ngāhere (The bush). With our main focus being The Art’s this term, we have started by creating pieces of Art, both on paper and digitally.

Welcome back to Term 4. We have three weeks with our Year 11-13 ākonga before they go on study leave for their final exams. These three weeks are to complete assessments and tidy up any incomplete work. After week three our Year 11-13 students are not permitted on site unless they are returning for an exam. It is expected that they are only attending their exam and then leaving the school site. We will not have staff available to supervise them during this time.

Leadership:

We are in search of our leaders for next year. These roles have been advertised and we are preparing speeches and presentations ready for voting. Interviews with the Senior Leadership Team will be in week 3. The roles on offer include: Head Student, Deputy Head Student, Sports, Arts, Cultural, Academic, Hauora and Environmental lead. Each of these roles contribute uniquely to the school environment, and the students in these roles collaborate to create a well-rounded, positive impact on their peers and community. All lead roles will be part of the Kura Council meeting throughout the year.

Timelines:

• Application Forms due FRIDAY 18 OCTOBER

• Presentation/Speech Tuesday 29th OCTOBER 2.15PM

• Google Form Voting due FRIDAY 1 NOVEMBER

• Interviews for Head Students with Senior Leadership Team WEDNESDAY 30TH OCTOBER TBC

CAMP:

It is with regret that we inform you that due to unexpected changes in staffing and the increasing financial pressures, we have made the difficult decision to cancel this year's Goat Island Year 7/8 camp and our Year 9/10 camp to Rotorua.

We understand that this news will come as a disappointment to our ākonga and whānau, and it was not a decision made lightly. However, after careful consideration, it became clear that we would not be able to provide the high-quality, safe, and enriching experience that we had planned for.

We appreciate your understanding and support during this time. We will be exploring alternative opportunities for our ākonga to engage in outdoor learning experiences in the future and will keep you informed of any updates. We plan to run activity days at the end of Term 4 and a Year 7/8 snorkelling trip.

Friday 31st of January 2025 will be a chance for our Year 11-13 ākonga to learn leadership skills and teamwork through a day at TOPEC.

WITT

WITT has been an invaluable partner in expanding our curriculum and broadening our learners' educational experiences. Through WITT, our students have been able to grow and develop essential skills that align with their future pathways and aspirations. We are thrilled to announce that all students who participated in a WITT course in 2024 have successfully passed, earning between 20 and 56 credits. Their areas of study have included a diverse range of subjects, from cookery to building a bach, as well as engineering and sports and exercise.

GATEWAY:

What sets our school apart is our ability to tailor programs to meet the needs of our learners, a key advantage of having a small senior school. We’ve successfully run coaching courses that have helped develop leadership and coaching skills, allowing our students to give back to the school community through the tuakana-teina model. Our barista course has also been a great success, with seven learners earning 17 credits and acquiring a range of skills in cooking, serving, and coffee making.

Additionally, our Agriculture program has provided one of our learners with the knowledge and skills needed to successfully secure a sole-charge milking job on a farm.

Looking ahead, we tell our ākonga that if they have the vision, dedication, and a clear pathway, we will support them and work to design programs that guide them toward their goals. For these conversations, please connect with Sarah Oke.

School Ball

School ball is on Thursday 31st of October from 6pm - 10.30pm at the Boat Club. Tickets are on sale now. If you require financial support for the ticket ($40) please reach out, we do not want anyone missing out who would like to go. We have a number of students running a carwash on the weekend to raise funds to support the ball so please support them if you can.

FREE HAIRCUT…. YES! That is right, FREE HAIRCUTS

We are excited to offer FREE haircuts by some of the WITT Level 4 Barber graduates! They will be visiting our kura on Tuesday, 29th October from 9.30am. These barbers are skilled in all short haircuts and various hair cutting techniques, including styling with scissors, clippers, and razors. They can provide mullets, classic cuts, fades (low, medium, high), and more—whatever the customer prefers!

This form is to give permission for your learner to receive a free haircut and to guide the barbers on what you'd like for your child. If you are happy for your child to choose their own style, please indicate that on the form as well.

If you would like to attend your child’s haircut, please suggest a time that suits you, and we will do our best to schedule it for you.

See HERO for the link to book one in. We have 12 booked but we need more to give these Barber graduates the experience they need. At this point we are opening it up to our community as well!

Lily Williams poster (above) was placed first among all the CTS Y7s, and she and another student's poster (from a different school) are now on the way to Palmerston North where they will be judged in the National heats. The winner of that heat goes to the International competition in America.

.

This is a reminder that we have the Coastal Taranaki School Athletics day coming up on Thursday 7th November. For all Tamariki the focus is on participation and doing your best.

Parents are welcome to come along and support!

Plan is as follows:

Primary School

9 - 10.40 - Break - Morning Tea

11-12pm

Rotations + Modified athletics to suited year levels

Senior School

12.15pm - 1pm

1.45 - 3pm

Rotations

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

COASTAL TARANAKI SCHOOL

Stephanie Clifton - Principal

Gemma Chambers Deputy Principal, Primary school

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

Rebecca Barron Science/Ag

Viola Fung English

Andrea Dingle Maths

Steve Leppard Hard Materials Technology, Tech on 45

Bridget Shaw Visual Arts

Casey Stevens P.E & Health

Justine Francis Music

Yachika Rumsamy Teacher

Jason Brewer Year 7/8 Teacher

Kelly Waugh Year 7/8 Teacher

Renee Leathley Kaitake Team Leader, Year 5/6 Teacher

Emily Finey Year 4/5 Teacher

Liana Roberts Year 4/5 Teacher

Philippa Hofmans Pukeiti Team Leader, Year 2/3 Teacher

Johannah Poutini Year 2/3 Teacher

Jemma Moorby Year 1/2 Teacher

Annie Harris/Penny Cullen Year 1 Teachers

Kelly Madden NE Transition Teacher

Shelley Cook SENCO

Lisa Betts Guidance Counsellor

Sarah Warren Whakareo Matatini (Taranaki Reading Recovery 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

Sommer Wilson CASP & KDJ Lunches

Learning Assistants

Darryl Levett

Kirsty Koboski

Paula Fleming

Dee Heath

Jess Harfield

Ruth Barron

Ian Robinson

Nicole Whittle

Kaycee Cresswell

Allister Adamson

Hōne Mathieson

Tyson King

Student Support

Ida Staunstrup-Moore

Jess Zimmerman