Newsletter No. 2 Week 4 Term 3

Tokoroa Intermediate School 15 August 2024

Principal's Pen

.. Addressing Recent Events at Our School

Dear Parents and Whānau,

I want to take a moment to address some very serious incidents that have occurred at our school this week. We believe in transparency and want to ensure you are fully informed.

Firstly, we had an unfortunate incident where a past pupil entered our school grounds and assaulted one of our students. The police were immediately involved, and the individual has been trespassed from the school. The safety of our students is our top priority, and we are taking all necessary steps to ensure such an incident does not happen again.

The second incident involved one student physically assaulting another in front of their entire class. While the victim is physically okay, they, along with their classmates who witnessed the event, have understandably been left traumatised. The situation was handled promptly by the teacher, who quickly removed the student responsible, calmed the class, and provided care for the victim with additional help. This incident stemmed from a comment made on social media, highlighting the growing impact that online interactions can have on our school environment. The student responsible will be appearing before the board to address their actions.

Finally, we experienced a lockdown today due to a threat made against the school. We followed our lockdown procedures, and I’m proud to say that our students responded with calmness and maturity, adhering to all instructions in an orderly manner. The high school was also placed in lockdown, and we were guided by the police throughout the process.

We are increasingly concerned about the rise in violence and the emotional challenges that our young adolescents are facing as they navigate the complex journey through puberty and into adulthood. These recent events have occurred in the wake of a social media incident that negatively impacted our school, and we want to reaffirm that we do not tolerate bullying, verbal, or physical abuse in any form. Our students’ well-being is at the heart of everything we do.

We deeply appreciate the parents and whānau who have reached out to us to discuss their concerns and share their perspectives. It is through open communication and collaboration that we can work towards positive outcomes for all our students. We remain committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for everyone at our school, and we ask for your continued support as we navigate these challenges together.

Special Creative Arts Announcement!

I am absolutely beyond proud of my clever, hardworking, talented and driven, pioneer Toi Wearable Arts Team for 2024!

We entered two garments into the Toi ShowQuest Wearable Arts Competition this year, a first time experience for students and myself. One of our garments made the National Junior Shortlist- as one of the top 60 designs in the nation.

I’ve received news today about our ‘Fae The Fire Fairy’ costume. Whilst we didn’t place 1st, 2nd or 3rd- we still made the ‘Top 10 National Finalist List’. This means we’ve won our school a brand new Bernina Sewing Machine, a WOW World of Wearable Arts Prize pack and certificates for our budding fashion designers and artists. I’m kind of excited to find out what is in our mystery prize pack!

Here's what the judges had to say about our efforts…

“Don't mess with this fierce fairy! The fiery colour palette combined with the whimsy of fairy wings and tutu creates a striking visual and clear storytelling. The cannon of flame is a creative take on a Fae's powers with vibrant flames and great use of materials.”

Personally, I believe our multi-talented artist/model Kelsey Mindoro perfectly executed our overall vision with her skillful, comedic, charismatic and sassy stage presence!

Below this message you will find a link to the Toi Junior Lookbook where our creation will be featured in the annual magazine (pg 22-23). Feel free to check out the rest of the mind-blowing talent across Aotearoa in appreciation for the fact that our Tokoroa Intermediate School Team competed, excelled and were recognized for their excellence at National level!

Once again, a heartfelt congratulations to our impressive 2024 Wearable Arts Team;

Mila Evans

Kelsey Mindoro

Arianne Ornello

Alayna Phillips

Temali Tausinga

Isla Williams

Sharon Wong

From your pedantic, fussy, grumpy, pushy and yet exceedingly proud Creative Arts teacher,

Miss Anderson

P.S. Remember me when you are famous!

Junior_TOI-2024-Lookbook.pdf

Oxford Pie Fundraiser

Order forms for Oxford Pies have been sent home with each student and need to be returned to the office with payment by 27 August. You can either pay cash or eftpos. Tell your family and friends and get your orders in. They will be delivered on 5 September. Order forms can also be picked up from the office.

Agricultural Day

Below is information about the upcoming Agricultural Day. Entry forms can be picked up from our school office or you can enter your child online through the following link: http://tiny.cc/TokAgday

Children only need to enter once with either paper form or online.