Puketapu School Newsletter

Term 2 2020 - Wednesday 24 June

Empower All People to be Healthy, Lifelong Learners

Kia kaha - do your best * Kia māia - be courageous * Kia manawanui - have a heart

Nau mai, haramai, te hua o te tau hou!

‘Ko Puanga te pae ārahi i ngā tohu o te tau hou i te pae ururangi'

– 'Puanga leads the celestial signs to herald the New Year.’

This article comes from our own whanaunga, WITT Kaitakawaenga Allana Prestney

https://www.witt.ac.nz/About-Witt/News-and-Events/Celebrating-Puanga

Each year around Pipiri (June), the stars of Matariki and Puanga signal the end of the year in Aotearoa and the start of the next. In most places, the Māori New Year is marked by the rise of Matariki and the sighting of the next new moon.

In parts of Taranaki, the Māori New Year is marked by the rise of the star called Puanga. Puanga is also known as Rigel – the brightest star in the Orion constellation - and appears in the northeastern horizon in late May or early June.

“Puanga is given prominence in our part of the world because our location means that many of our Taranaki iwi can’t see Matariki clearly,” WITT Kaitakawaenga Allana Prestney.

“We, therefore, look to the next important star near Matariki. That star is Puanga.”

There are iwi in Whanganui, parts of the Far North, and the South Island that also recognise Puanga.

Like Matariki, Puanga is a time of reflection, preparation, learning, and celebration.

“Puanga, Matariki and the Māori New Year are a way of paying respect to and celebrating the unique land on which we live, and it is a chance to reflect on the past year and to remember our loved ones.”

Puanga is also a time to prepare the māra (garden) and ensure that winter frosts will help to kill any weeds or soil infections.

zoom_out_map

Sharing Learning at Puketapu School

At Puketapu School, we use an online platform called Hero to share student progress and achievement, as well as communicate with parents.

Hero, (previously called Linc-ED), replaces the traditional written reporting format, as we see reporting not as an event, but as an ongoing dialogue between home and school. Teachers will update learning goals for your child throughout the year and our Year 4 - 8 students have access to their Hero accounts so they can see and evidence their learning goals also.

We use Hero to send out all email communication to our parents and you can also access your current financial statement.

How do I access Hero?

Full instructions can be found here: https://hero.linc-ed.com/parents/. Hero can be accessed using a web browser, but we highly recommend downloading the Hero app to your mobile phone.

If you have any problems accessing Hero, please let us know by emailing office@puketapu.school.nz. We can add multiple email addresses for each child and we encourage all caregivers to create log-ins.

Learning & Wellbeing Conferences

Our Learning & Wellbeing Conferences are a meeting where our teachers will meet with you and your child to share and reflect on their learning, wellbeing, progress, goals and achievement. During this meeting, we also want to find out from your whanau what goals you have for your child for the rest of this school year.

It also provides an opportunity to reconnect following the extended closure of our school during COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions.

These will be in Week 2 of Term 3, after school on Thursday 30 July and all day on Friday 31 July.

(Friday will not be a normal school day - only those with conferences attend, and you only come for your conference, then go home again.)

Bookings are made online through School Interviews. Bookings will open next week.

zoom_out_map

From our Student Leaders

Kia Ora My name is Emma Lepper and I am the Kiwi whanau leader.

The year 8’s went to Spotswood College on the 23rd. We got to experience what high school was like.

First off we got split into 2 groups then we went off to join some of the classes.

Emma’s favourite class was the science class because we got to learn about all of the 3 oxygens. Kierah’s favourite class was English because you gotta make up a story from 6 different fairy tales.

Also there was a donkey, a border collie puppy and a mummy, and 3 sheep.

We were lucky there was a sausage sizzle for lunch. It was a very long line.

zoom_out_map

I am Kierah Hosking the Piwakawaka whanau leader.

There are a lot of opportunities at high school. One of the best things is that you get to choose what you get to do.There is also a lot of moving around from class to class and Spotswood is very big compared to Puketapu.

We’ve realised that we need to be prepared to do a lot of work.

Oracle’s top tip is to talk to your siblings or other high school students about what to expect.

Thanks, Emma & Kierah

Level Onesie Day

Next Wednesday, 1 July, we are celebrating Term 2 by having a school-wide onesie day. We are looking forward to seeing everyone in their onesie for the day!

Fab Puketapu Learner

Roam Harvey-Smith of Totara 2 was caught showing Kia Kaha and Kia Manawanui whilst doing his learning. Well done Roam!

Kia Manawanui

Dayna showed so much Kia Manawanui - kindness to our staff ... our wonderfully kind and amazing cake baker!

Kauri 3 Landscape Art

A few weeks ago we went for a walk to Bell Block beach and took photos of our local environment. We then recreated our photos using different media.

Thank you from Rimu

Imogen and Iona kindly gifted some of their pre-loved books and wool to the kids in Rimu. Their kindness has filled our buckets with aroha. We love looking at the books with our friends. Thank you so much.

Superstar Awards

Congratulations Superstars!

Drevious Te Kura
Kian Devonshire
Roam Harvey-Smith
Exodus Ihimaera-Te Waaka
Kyzahn Brill
Unique Davis
Landon Mottram
Ari Marlow
Riley Welbourn
Kaydince Brill
Kupa Hoskin

zoom_out_map

Sports Corner

Basketball and Miniball fees have been set: Due to the shortened season they are:

Miniball: $25 (plus $5 shirt hire if players don't own their own)

Basketball: $40

Netball, Miniball and Basketball fees have been invoiced this week. If you have not already done so, please make arrangements to pay this asap.

All notices will go home with students on Friday. Uniforms will be handed out next week.

Please Note: Year 3/4 netball needs a coach please.

Your Child's School Account

At any time, you can log in to Hero and check on your child's school account as well as their learning and goals.

If you owe, please pay. If you are having trouble or have got behind, please come and see us so we can make a plan.

zoom_out_map

Sick kids?

Sore throats, coughs, sneezing, tummy upsets... there are a LOT of germs around this week!

Every day this week we have had around 80 students off unwell!

If your child is not well, please help contain the spread by keeping them at home until they are completely better.

zoom_out_map

Don't Stop, Keep on Moving...

Thank you to everyone who has been using the drop off area so well recently.

On rainy days it is even more important that no one stops in the drop off zone as there are children and parents rushing to avoid the rain. Please keep the pick up zone moving and take extra care when pulling out.

BIRTHDAYS

Happy Birthday to everyone celebrating Birthdays this week:

Alexis Lind
Pukauae Kipa
Yelena Poching
Pandora Cameron
Yasiin Falaniko
Bella Neilson
Harry Smith

What's On

Further information will follow closer to the time for events.

Week 12:

Mon 29 June: Transition visits for New Entrants starting in Term 3.
Tue 30 June: Inglewood High School Open Day 12.30-3.00pm
Wed 1 July: Level Onesie Day!
Fri 3 July: Kowhai Ranui Day (NP Aquatic Centre)

Last Day of Term 2 is Friday 3 July
First Day of Term 3 is Monday 20 July

TERM 3:

Week 1:

Tues 21 July: Promotional Visits Year 8 Spotswood College 11.15am, Rippa Rugby - Kowhai
Wed 22 July: Rippa Rugby - Kowhai
Thur 23 July: Spotswood Open Evening

Week 2: