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Connect Communication
12 March 2025
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I'm off to Waipara Camp today to see the Year 6 students in the great outdoors. Our Year 5 ākonga had a wonderful day at Waipara yesterday. There is so much learning and challenge in education outside the classroom (EOTC).
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It was great to see so many children walk or wheel to school last week. Just a reminder that we 'walk our wheels' in and out of the gate. It would be also good if children could refrain from riding bikes on the school grounds until the majority of people have left the grounds for the day.
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Work is due to start on STRG | Pūrei 3 & 4. The classrooms will be moved onsite overnight and propped while the piling is completed. We are waiting on the final documentation before the move can begin. Please note, a large area will be cordoned off and the back gate off the carpark, by the shed will be locked. For the duration of the build access will be from the Russ Drive gates and Jimmy Adams Tce. If using Jimmy Adams you will need to walk across the field.
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During the term break the first of our maintenance schedule will begin. All the spaces in Arawai (the long teaching block) will be repainted.
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Liam and Kaitlin were placed in the Santa parade last year with the float that they entered. In true community spirit they have donated their prize to the school. Thank you guys, we appreciate your generosity.
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This is my last pānui for a wee while as I head off on the first leg of my sabbatical. I will be away from school until early next term. Emma Woolford will be acting as Principal for the duration of my sabbatical. The next leg will be at the end of Term 2 and beginning of Term 3. As previously mentioned, I am having a period of rest and then spending time learning about how best to equip teachers to support children with complex and unexpected behaviour.
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Should you need anything during my absence, please follow our communciation channels. I know the school will continue to flourish while I am away.
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Absences
If your child is going to be absent or late, please let the school know before 9.00am or you may receive a text/phone call asking about their whereabouts.
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- via the Hero app
- call 03 420 0888 and press 1 for our absence line
We now have to record absences in line with the new Ministry of Education guidelines, so please provide the reason for your child's absence, or we may contact you for further information.
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If your child is late for school, even by a minute, they must please sign in at the office, or you will receive a notification that your child is not at school.
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Tiaki
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To care for, look after, guard
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(kaitiaki: guardian, trustee)
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IMPORTANT DATES
- 21 March - Hui (Huarapa), 9.15am in the Hall
- 25 March - Whanau Hui, 6-7.30pm
- 27 March - Hot Cross Bun orders close (see below)
- 27 March - THT meeting, 7pm in the Staffroom
- 31 March to 11 April - Life Education
- 02 April - School Board meeting, 6.30pm in Tahuna | Staffroom
- 04 April - Hui (Teretere), 9.15am in the Hall
- 07 April - Hot Cross Bun orders sent home with children
- 11 April - Last day of term 1
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School Board
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Next meeting - 02 April, 6.30pm in Tahuna | Staffroom
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Te Hapori Tautoko (THT)
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Next meeting - 27 March, 7-8pm in Tahuna | Staffroom (all welcome)
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Your feedback is incredibly valuable to us so we are inviting all parents to take a few moments to complete a brief survey. Your responses will give us sense of how many people in the community know about us and what they know so we can better serve our students and families.
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The survey only takes about 5-10 minutes to complete and you can fill out as much or as little as you want. Please click the link below to get started:
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Thank you for your time and support. We appreciate your input!
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Second-Hand Uniforms - THT has a small selection of second-hand uniform items available for purchase. Click here to view a list of the items we currently have available. If you have uniform items to donate please contact Charlotte via charlotte.mcmenamin@ararira.school.nz
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Top Team will be taking place at Ararira Springs on the 21st of March. All children from Year 4 - 8 will be participating. If you can help manage the challenges, please let your child’s ako teacher know as soon as possible. This will involve you explaining the challenge and scoring it. You will be briefed by the Top Team coordinator on what you will need to do. The Year 7/8 teams will be completing their challenges in the morning, 10:20 am - 12 pm, while the Year 4-6 teams will be taking place in the afternoon, 12:45 pm - 2:30 pm.
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This will be taking place on the 18th of March at Jellie Park. All the information about the day is on our swimming page. Please feel free to check it out by clicking on the LINK. Registrations are now closed for Zones Swimming.
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This was a first for our seniors this year and unfortunately, we could only take 8 children. They had the opportunity to compete in similar training games and challenges as our police have to complete when training to become officers. Thank you to Emma and Glenda, who volunteered to take our two teams to this year’s challenge. The children had a lovely morning and had some interesting experiences! Well done Charlie, Alex B, Lily P, Lacey, Harris, Cam, Sarah and Emme! We are proud of you!
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Don't forget to check out our “What’s coming up” page for any clubs advertising what they have on offer.
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Katrina Robinson has been teaching guitar and ukulele now for a number of years at schools and also from her home. She loves to sing too and is a professional musician playing in wineries and cafés as well as weddings and private functions. Katrina likes to make her lessons fun and really enjoys teaching. You can read more information on Katrina at www.thesingingdiva.co.nz
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Spaces are available for 2025!
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The closing date for Issue 2 is 11 April 2025.
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All orders will be delivered to school in batches and distributed to the classrooms as they arrive. Any orders marked as gifts, we will put to one side and contact you when they are ready to be collected.
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Every order from Issue 2 will receive a $5 promotional code to spend on Issue 3. See page 10 of the catalogue for more details.
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Dream Big Tutoring is an independent tutoring program started in 2024 by founder and leader Tiffany Zhang. Comprised of talented Year 7 students (including one current and one former ASP student), Dream Big offers mathematics tutoring to all students in years 2-7, aiming to foster a love for learning and helping students to excel.
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At Dream Big Tutoring, we believe that quality education should be accessible to all,
offering our high-quality tutoring services at an affordable rate of just $15 per hour. We are dedicated to creating a supportive, nurturing learning environment that empowers students to reach their full potential in mathematics.
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The Importance of Attendance We all recognise that education is the pathway to the future. The key to educational success relies on being present at school. Consistent routines and practice are a big component of learning. Neurological pathways in our brains require repetitive exposure to strengthen and cement learning and develop mastery. We also create these neural pathways for resilience, …
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Assessment Update - Term 1, 2025 At Ararira Springs Primary, we use assessment to support learning and help each child grow. Our main focus is on formative assessment, which means we check in on students’ progress regularly through class discussions, observations, and their work. This helps teachers understand what students already know and what they need to learn next. By …
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Payments and School Donations Our community’s socio-economic status means our school is not eligible for the government’s school donations scheme. Our equity index means we receive less operational funding than other schools. More information about the Equity Index can be found at the bottom of this post. Due to this, we request donations from parents. Voluntary Donations The Ararira School …
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Te Mātaiaho | The New Zealand Curriculum Curriculum Update - Term 1, 2025 From Term 1 this year, all NZ primary schools are required to teach the refreshed Maths (Year 0-8) and English (Year 0-6 at the stage) curriculum areas. Please refer to my blog post from 6 November for a more detailed explanation of the changes. Your child will …
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