
Term 1, Week 1
Thursday 1st Februrary 2024
Contact Us
Adorn the bird with feathers so it may fly
Email: office@kereru.school.nz
Website: http://www.kereru.school.nz/
Location: 2306 Kereru Road, RD 1, Hastings 4171
Office Hours: Monday - Thursday - 8:30 am - 3 pm
Phone: 06 876 0923
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084298596659
Principal's Panui
Kia ora e te whānau,
Welcome back to Term 1, 2024!
I hope everyone has had an enjoyable festive season and restful summer break.
At the beginning of the week, we had two Teacher Only Days with all of our staff. These days were a great mix of professional development; beginning to develop our Kererū School Curriculum, time to collaborate and plan, and also set up our learning programmes, routines and systems.
This year, I'd like to welcome two new staff members. Sophie Bazzard has joined us from St Mary's in Hastings. Sophie lives on the other side of the gorge, so you may see Sophie around on her e-bike as commutes to and from school. Grace Elliott is joining us this year as our wonderful cleaner. Grace has previously been working in town at an ECE and is looking forward to picking up some work around our local area.
We also welcome our newest 5 year old, Ted, to school this year! Welcome Ted!
Marking 1 year on from Cyclone Gabrielle - On Wednesday 14th February, at around 10:30 am, we are expecting an Airforce helicopter to visit Kererū School with some goodies from Havelock North Primary students and teacher Annie Boyd. Finer details are still be confirmed, but you are all welcome to come down and have a look. We are hoping to have a community sausage sizzle lunch following the helicopters visit (we will confirm this). Please don't tell the kids yet!
At the end of last year, I shared our 2024-2026 Strategic Plan. This Strategic Plan was developed through consultation with key stakeholders and is a product of our collective ideas and vision for our tamariki. As a staff we have been working to unpack our goals and initiatives. We look forward to bringing this strategic plan to life, with your contribution to our tamariki's education. We value our communities feedback, and ask that if you have any, please email principal@kereru.school.nz.
Noho ora mai,
Kelsie Allen
Principal
Roll: 24
From the Office
RA WHĀNAU | HAPPY BIRTHDAY
- Peyton 04/12
- Elsie 12/12
- Izzy 13/12
- Violet 14/12
- Arya 25/12
- Ted 10/01
- Pippa 16/01
- Isabella 26/01
- Tiahuia 28/01
Bus Communications
Mornings: Please contact Megan on FB Messenger or 027 307 5852 before 7 am if your child is not on the bus. After this time, Megan is on the road and may not check her phone.
Afternoons: Please contact Sheryn (Monday - Thursday) if there is any variation to your termly bus routine. Please message Kelsie on Fridays only. These messages need to come through before 2 pm.
2024 Information
Staffing Structure
- Principal: Kelsie Allen
- Kākano Teachers: Kelsie Allen & Sally Charteris
- Totara Teacher: Sophie Bazzard
- Office Manager & Teacher Aide: Sheryn Slavin
- Learning Support (Boost) Teacher: Alison Marshall
- Caretaker: Jo Mayers
- Cleaner: Grace Elliott
Stationery
This year we are partnering with Qizzle for ‘Back to School’ Stationery Packs for students.
- Visit www.schoolpacks.co.nz, select ‘Kererū School’ from the drop down, choose the appropriate class pack/year level of your child. All of the required stationery items (including quantities) will appear for you to purchase (these have been carefully chosen by our teachers).
- Selecting full, part or multiple packs is easy, and their pricing is very competitive – we couldn’t find cheaper!
- Orders $69 or more are dispatched freight free, a small freight charge applies to orders under $69.
- Payment is collected at the time of order and can be made via credit card (Visa or Mastercard). If this option doesn’t suit you, chat with Qizzle online or email schoolpacks@qizzle.co.nz and they can sort out a solution for you! Laybuy is also an option through Qizzle.
- With every $25 that you spend on stationery one reward point will be issued to our school. We can then collate and redeem these reward points on products from Qizzle
- The majority of our stationery books have durable covers and a range of features designed by teachers including student reference material. You do not need to laminate these books or purchase book covers.
- When you place your order, it will be delivered to your house. Please do not open the packs to ensure nothing is misplaced over the holidays. Students will need to bring their box with them on Day 1, 2024.
If you have any queries regarding stationery items over the holiday period, please don’t hesitate to email Sheryn on office@kereru.school.nz.
Upcoming Events
Term 1:
- 31/01 - First Day Back
- 06/02 - Waitangi Day - No School
- 07/02 - Beach Ed @ Waimarama
- 09/02 - Tech for Y7/8 students begins
- 14/02 - Airforce helicopter visit
- 15/02 - Gatsby Picnic (Totara)
- 16/02 - Assembly 1
- 20/02 - Swimming @ Tiko School
- 21/02 - BOT Meeting
- 27/02 - Swimming @ Tiko School
- 07/03 - Swimming Sports - CHB Schools - Waipukurau
- 29/03 - Good Friday
- 01/04 - Easter Sunday
- 12/04 - Last Day of Term 1
From the Staff
Whānau Aspirations
These whānau (family) conferences are a great opportunity to meet with your child's teacher and to share your aspirations and goals for your child this year. We would love to see you at the times dedicated below, however understand that these times won't always work. Please contact either Sophie or Sally/Kelsie to rearrange if need be.
Booking timeslots will be available for you on Hero next week.
Totara with Ms Sophie Bazzard:
- Week 4 - Monday 19th - Thursday 22nd
- 3:15 - 4:30 pm
- Book 1 session slot per family (if you have 2 children in the same room)
Kākano with Mrs Sally Charteris & Mrs Kelsie Allen
- Week 4 - Monday 19th & Tuesday 20th
- 3:15 - 5 pm
- Book 1 session slot per family (if you have 2 children in the same room)
Communication with staff
To support the well-being and work-life balance of staff at Kererū School, we ask that any non-urgent communication be sent via email rather than social media or text messages after school hours. By doing this, you're giving our hardworking staff the chance to unwind, recharge, and simply enjoy their personal lives.
All email contact details can be found on our website.
Who do I contact?
- If in doubt, contact your child's classroom teacher.
- For absences, teachers and Sheryn all get a notification and message when you do this on Hero.
- Sheryn manages all office/admin related communications
- Classroom teachers manage all learning, social, behavioural and classroom related communication
After School Hours
School is open for students to arrive from 8:15 am - 3:15 pm.
Our staff sometimes arrive late or need to leave straight after school. Please ensure you can pick your children up no later than 3:15 pm, otherwise you will need to make alternative arrangements.
Pool Update
The not so good news is... the pool will not be open for the beginning of the school year. We are working through some complexities with the pool at the moment and are hoping for it to be open as soon as safely possible. We will let you know when this will be, once we know more.
We are very grateful to be able to have a couple of afternoons where we can use the Tikokino School pool before Swimming Sports.
Assembly Dates
We will be having 3 Assemblies each term. All dates are on the Events Calendar;
- Week 3 - Friday @ 2:30 pm
- Week 6 - Friday @ 2:30 pm
- Weel 10 - Friday @ 2:30 pm
Schoolwide Topic Focus
We have got lots of great learning mapped out for 2024! This term, our topic focus is going to be;
- Health - Whakawhānaungatanga (Relationships)
- Over the next few weeks, teachers will be taking time to get to know their learners. Research shows that students learn best when they experience positive relationships with their teachers. To experience positive relationships with your students you need to take the time to know them and build connections. By knowing your students well, you can understand their interests and plan learning experiences that reflect these interests. Knowing your students well helps you identify the best approaches to help them learn." - New Zealand Curriculum Website
- Social Sciences - Tūrangawaewae
- During this topic, we will be learning and investigating more about our place and may need to draw on whānau/community knowledge.
PE with Macca
Sun Safety
At Kererū School, hats are provided for students to keep sun safe when playing outdoors. We do have sunblock to top up applications. Please make sure students come to school with sunblock on in the morning.
Welcome
Ms Sophie Bazzard
Ms Bazzard comes to us from St Mary's school in Hastings where she worked for 17 years before coming to Kererū School. We welcome you with open arms and just know that you will only add to our already amazing community. Ms Bazzard does some hard mahi getting to work everyday by riding her bike through the farms to get here as she only lives on the other side of the washed out Gorge! We hope she's got some good wet weather gear for winter.
Ted G
"Hi I am Ted. I am 5. I like riding bikes and eating meat. My favourite thing about school is doing art. My first day at school was super awesome." - Ted, 5
Grace Elliott
We are excited to let you know that we have recently appointed Grace Elliott to the cleaning position.
Grace lives locally in Kererū, is married to Mason and has a son who goes to Tots 'n' Dots. She is currently working at an ECE centre as a Teacher in town however is finishing up there soon and is looking forward to picking up more work closer to home.
Grace is on the lookout for any other work in the community that might be available.
For example;
- Cleaning
- Childcare/nannying
- After or before-school care
- Casual farm work etc.
If you are interested, please get in contact with Grace on 0275746560.
Mihi Whakatau
Totara (Y4-8) Learning
Kākano (NE-Y3) Learning
Signs in our ngahere (forest)
Thank you Alwyn!
At the end of last year, Totara students worked with Rachel to research, design and create signage for our ngahere. Over the holidays, we got the signs printed at Speedy Signs. Alwyn (Ms Bazzard's partner) attached them to stakes and came to school to help us place them. We now have lovely signage in our forest and around the school bush area naming our plants and trees. Thank you to Alwyn! We can't wait to show everyone!
Staff Holiday Happenings
Mrs Allen
I can't quite believe the summer holidays have come to an end! After school finished, I jumped straight on a plane and headed south to Methven to catch up with lots of friends, and their kids, and even got to wish my old class of now Year 6's all the best as they head off to intermediate this year. Hamish, Lou (dog) and I then spent Christmas and New Year at Castlepoint with family and friends which was great; lots of walking, swimming, diving and too much eating! When we got home, it was straight back to work; weaning, drafting, more drafting, shearing and dipping. We've had friends weddings to celebrate which has been loads of fun, a great working bee at school and the odd bit of school work. I'm feeling really excited about teaching Kākano students again, and having a great year with in awesome team.
Ms Bazzard
Tena koutou katoa,
Thank you for making my family and I so welcome at Kereru School.
Here is a little bit about me...
My my mother, Kay is a new Zealander. My father, Charlie, English. Myself, sister Megan and brother Adam were born in England. As a family we came back to NZ when I was a teenager. We settled in rural West Auckland.
I studied in Christchurch then Auckland, then moved to Hawkes Bay in the early 90's. I call HB my home. It was here I have brought up my two girls Ella and Alice. They are now based in Auckland and Wellington. Over the past 20 years I have been teaching at St Mary's in Hastings but now I have moved up to Kereru to live with my partner Alwyn...
New beginnings... I enjoy being outside... Walking, biking, gardening. But family will always be number one.
I'm so looking forward to meeting everyone and getting to know you. Thank you for the privilege of teaching your children. I will endeavour to create a warm and happy learning environment for them.
Nga mihi nui,
Sophie Bazzard
Mrs Charteris
Summer Fun!!!
Well the Charteris clan has had a pretty jam packed holiday. It's been great to have some amazing sunshine and also the rain to keep the grass growing on the farm. Our family have been to splash planet, Porangahau beach, camping at a friends hut for New Year, Taupo, Waikato river skiing, Waimarama and this weekend have been camping at Woodville for the Motocross with Harry. I feel like we have had a mixture of home days, working on the farm and family adventures making memories for our children. I am done though and really ready to get back to work, get my kids back to school and settle back into routine. I look forward to a great year in Kākano class. I hope you have all had a great summer break.
Mrs Charteris
Sheryn
Well, as a family we didn't do too much as my youngest had a full time job for the holidays. We had a fantastic New Years Eve getaway with our friends at their very posh off the grid hut. The kids loved the freedom of riding their motorbikes all over this huge property. The only thing we had to do was feed them all when they returned!
We also got a new edition to our family. This is Griffin Ginger Nuts, Griff for short. He's 3 months old and very sweet and confident. Arlo, the dog, is adjusting to the new situation! Hahaha. I'm looking forward to a great year this year with our new teacher Ms Bazzard joining our team. Have a great year everyone.
Mrs Marshall
Wow, another wonderful Summer holiday has come and gone. It was a lovely break, especially those times we gathered as a family. We had such a chaotic, crazy but fun Christmas celebration with my three sons and their families plus a fabulous Engagement party for my second son and his partner. Another special get together was lunch with my amazing mother and her sisters, my role models. The beach is my happy place and these holiday’s I got to take my husband to one of my favourite beaches, Castlepoint, for the first time. Apart from a little gardening the rest of my break was spent relaxing, reading and taking photos. I am so excited to be back at Kereru working with your wonderful community and look forward to watching the students grow!
Kupu o te wiki
From the BOT
School Working Bee
Thank you to everyone who came and helped tick off some of our big landscaping and playground jobs in the heat. We are so grateful for our awesome community.
A special mention to the following;
🚚 Thank you to Winstone Aggregates for the donating and carting grit for our playground.
🚜 Thank you to Pete Davies for the use of your digger, to Bill Laing for driving and to Tony Perkins for the use of your digger.
🚜 Thank you to Ru Gaddum for the use of your tractor, Harry & Ru Gaddum for the use of your tip trailer and Oran Jolly from Kererū Station for the use of the tractor too.
🏖️Thank you to Brett Sudfelt for building us a new sandpit. Lucky kids!
🛝 Thank you to Toby Mayers and Ru Gaddum for extending our junior playground.
From the FOKS
Meeting Dates & Upcoming Events
Welcome back everyone. I hope you're ready for a good year of fundraising!
AGM
Thursday 22nd of February 2024 @ 2pm in the school office.
Please come along, don't worry, you won't be forced into a job! Haha. Unless you go to the bathroom, then you're fair game!
Seriously though, we need as many people to be involved this year in our fundraising so the small few don't bare all the weight of the task at hand. Fundraising is a great way to feel like you're a part of the school community. We have such a great community here in Kereru, and we look forward to our fundraisers this year.
Firewood Raffle
The Perkins Family have very kindly donated another cord of dry gum firewood for us to raffle. Sheets will come home on Monday to start selling tickets! Please ask Sheryn for more sheets.
Community Notices
Kererū School Policies & Procedures
The school works on a subscription basis with SchoolDocs to maintain, update, and review our policies. SchoolDocs provides us with a comprehensive core set of policies that have been well researched and follow the Ministry of Education National Administration Guidelines. The policies and procedures are tailored to our school, and the school supplies specific information such as our charter, and procedures for behaviour management, reporting to parents, etc.
SchoolDocs updates, modifies, or creates policies in response to changes in legislation or Ministry guidelines, significant events, reviews/requests from schools, and regular reviewing from the SchoolDocs team. Our board of trustees has the opportunity to view changes/additions and comment on them before they are implemented.
Policies are up for review each term. You can access, view & review our policies and procedures anytime.
http://kereru.schooldocs.co.nz
Username is “kereru”
Password is “kereru1912”
Concerns and Complaints Process
If you ever find the need to raise a concern or file a complaint with a member of our staff, we value open communication and encourage you to follow our concerns and complaints process.
We recognise that we can't always please everyone. We appreciate your understanding that we are committed to doing our best. We value diverse perspectives and acknowledge that opinions may differ.
We encourage you to reach out to your child's classroom teacher, who is your first point of contact for any concerns. They play a crucial role in addressing issues promptly and effectively.
How to help your child at home
These links will give you some ideas on how to help your child's learning at home:
- Ministry of Education Website: https://parents.education.govt.nz/primary-school/learning-and-development-at-home/ideas-to-help-with-reading-writing-and-maths/
- Maths at home: https://nzmaths.co.nz/maths-our-house
- Writing prompts and ideas: https://app.pobble.com/auth/
- Mindfulness: https://www.smilingmind.com.au/
- Early letter formation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=609NcinTkGI
Regular Office Reminders
Sickness
If your child is unwell, please keep them at home to prevent the spread of the illness.
Gastro
- "People with gastro should not go to work, school and early childhood centres until they have been well (symptom free) for 48 hours. There will be viruses in your poos for several weeks after you become well. You should continue to wash and dry your hands thoroughly after you have been to the toilet."
- Here is the link for a brochure: https://www.rph.org.nz/public-health-topics/early-childhood-centres/current-illnesses/gastroenteritis/gastro-brochure.pdf
Covid-19
- If you or someone in your whānau tests positive for Covid-19, please let Kelsie know ASAP and then follow the MOH guidelines: https://covid19.govt.nz/testing-and-isolation/if-you-have-covid-19/
Absences
Hero gives you (parents) the opportunity to send through your child's absence with a click of a button. This is a quick, efficient way and gives our staff a notification and message of the reason your child is away.
This is the way we would like you to let us know if your child won't be here. If there is additional information that the school needs to know, please contact Sheryn directly.
Bus Communication
Unless we have heard otherwise, or you put on your sheet at the beginning of the term, we will assume that your child is on.
You need to contact Sheryn (Mon - Thurs) or Kelsie (Fri) before 2 pm with any changes.
Potential Enrolments
We would love to hear from you if your child is between 1 and 4 years old. To make sure we have you on our 'potential enrolments' list.
Please email office@kereru.school.nz or follow the link to our enrolment section on our website to find out more information.