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Connect Communication
29 October 2025
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Thank you for the support you gave as many staff prepared to strike last week. The weather and wind had other ideas. It is a very crazy time to work in education right now. Change is a constant and it feels like the current government is trying to build the plane while flying it.
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Curriculum Changes : Just a few weeks ago, the Minister announced the release of an 'updated' maths curriculum. This outlined significant changes to content and expectations. Our teachers have only been using the document this year. The remaining six learning areas have been released in draft this week.
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These learning areas are to be implemented over the next two years. They currently read as extensive lists of knowledge children will need to learn in each year at school. This is a seismic shift from current practice where we teach children how to learn. Instead, it suggests that children are empty vessels that we have to fill with interesting facts and figures. It begs the question, who determines what is included on this list?
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It is with sadness that we farewell Emma Murphy at the end of the year. Emma is wanting to work closer to home and has secured a job at Breens Intermediate. Emma is an amazing teacher who builds strong relationships with her learners. She will be missed and will be an asset to the Breens' team.
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We are welcoming some new teachers to our team next year. Sally Davey, who stepped in for Whaea Carolyn, will be staying with us. In addition, we have two teachers joining the Year 7/8 team. Javier Langley is shifting to Christchurch from Dunedin and Jordan Hansen is moving to Ararira from Burnham School. Lilly Forward will be joining the Year 4/5 team. Lilly was keen to return having had a placement here while training and moves to us from Merrin.
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You will have heard in the media that there is a measles outbreak across the country. It is important that we have your immunisation status in our records so we can advise action IF there is a case here.
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Inquiry learning is currently focused on the arts and preparing for the upcoming performances. Make sure you head to Kindo to purchase tickets.
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Finally, a huge thank you to the parents and teachers who supported out Kaunuku ākonga on camp in Wellington. It is a big ask for all of you and we are very appreciative of your support. Special mention to Whaea Meeghan for staying the week and ensuring things were smooth sailing in trying conditions. I am hoping that they will provide an newsletter article in our next edition!
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From the Office
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If you are heading away on holiday, a reminder to please put this request in writing to the principal (principal@ararira.school.nz) as soon as you have your plans confirmed.
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Help Us Improve Travel Safety Around Our School
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We’re inviting all parents and students to take part in a quick Travel Survey to help us better understand how families get to and from school. Your feedback will support safer and more sustainable travel options for our community.
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Deadline for responses: Friday 7 November
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Thank you for your support in making school travel safer for everyone.
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Ararira School Production - ‘The Magic Atlas’
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Our school production is on Tuesday 2nd of December at Lincoln Events Centre. This is a day of celebrating music, dance and drama as our students travel the world to discover a variety of cultures.
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- The Year 0-3 production is from 1pm - 2:30pm
- The Year 4-8 production is from 6:30pm-8pm
Tickets may be purchased through Kindo and are available until Tuesday 25th November.
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Please be aware tickets are limited to 2 tickets per student per performance, due to capacity limits of the venue. If there are further tickets available, these will be released closer to the date. Please ensure that you are booking tickets for the correct show.
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We would love to have some support from the community leading up to the Production. If you are able to assist with costumes or you have some resources at home you think could be useful, please talk to your child’s ako teacher.
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A great day was had during our Nature Agents session with Kaunuku 2 and 4. Students helped care for and monitor our local stream — learning about site characterisation, water quality, invertebrates, and habitat through hands-on experiences. Fantastic mahi.
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Huge thanks to the EOS Ecology team and our amazing parent helpers for all your support, we couldn’t have done it without you.
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IMPORTANT DATES
- 29 October - School Board Meeting, 6.30pm in Tahuna | Staffroom
- 31 October - Curiosity Clubs, 11.45am-12.45am
- 05 November - School photos
- 07 November - Hui (Kaunuku), 9.15am in the Hall
- 07 November - Curiosity Clubs, 11.45am-12.45pm
- 07 November - Music Festival Final Rehearsal, and Performance Night
- 14 November - Show Day (school closed)
- 21 November - Hui (Huarapa), 9.15am in the Hall
- 27 November - THT Meeting, 7pm at The Laboratory
- 02 December - The Magic Atlas School Production
- 17 December - Last day of Term 4, school finishes at 1pm
- 02 February - Drop in day (details to come)
- 03 February - First day of Term 1, 2026
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School Board
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Next meeting 29 October, 6.30pm in Tahuna | Staffroom
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Te Hapori Tautoko (THT)
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Next meeting 27 November, 7pm The Laboratory, West Belt, Lincoln
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Our last THT meeting for the year will be held at the Laboratory on Thursday 27th November at 7pm. Come along and meet our fantastic set of volunteers and celebrate the end of term with us!
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This year, in lieu of our now biannual Calendar art fundraiser, we are partnering with Love From Seventeen - a NZ business which makes personalised decor and gifts.
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They are offering a 5% discount to our families AND 15% of all sales come back to us at THT to directly benefit kids at Ararira Springs Primary School. Use discount code SPRINGS between 3 Nov and 28 Nov 2025 to make use of this offer. All items will be shipped directly to you, just in time for the holidays. They have so many beautiful, affordable products - there is sure to be something you will love! So please order from next week at www.lovefromseventeen.nz
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We will be hiring a bus to transport our athletes to the zones. I will need parent helpers to manage children or assist with the track events on the day. Please let me know if you are able to help with this. I need a minimum of 4 parents to assist.
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On Friday, the 5th of December, Years 4-8 will be making their way to Halswell Pools for a fun swim sports event. There will be a number of fun races for all to take part in, as well as a few formal races to help see who will be able to take part in the Zones Swimming event early in Term 1 of 2026. If you are able to help marshal on the day, please contact Whaea Meeghan.
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Don’t forget to keep an eye on our What’s Coming Up page on the ASP Sports Website. Here you can find all the information on all the sports events for the year.
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The closing date for Issue 7 is 05 December 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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Rolleston Rotary Club, the Selwyn and Rolleston Lions Clubs and Property Brokers, will be doing ‘Toot for Tucker’ on the evening of Wednesday, 12th November 2025 in Lincoln between 6pm and 7:30pm.
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The purpose of Toot for Tucker is to collect much needed donations of non-perishable and sealed food and toiletry items which will then be distributed to Selwyn Foodbanks. All donations stay in the Selwyn District.
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A group of volunteers (along with local Emergency services and/or armed forces) will drive along the Lincoln streets and toot their horns so people know to come out to their letterbox with any donations they may have.
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This is a charitable initiative that has been successful around the world including locally, in Rolleston & Lincoln (since 2020) and Christchurch.
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We’re excited to share our FREE online Selwyn SafeZone SAFETY magazine with you.
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The publication is aimed at primary aged Tamariki and we thank Safekids Aotearoa (Starship Digital and Community Engagement) for editorial.
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Our shared vision is that every child in Selwyn Region and Aotearoa New Zealand enjoys a childhood free from traumatic, unintentional injury
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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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Singing Stars Musical Theatre and Drama Classes
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Attendance at Ararira
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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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Te Mātaiaho | The New Zealand Curriculum Curriculum Update - English, Term 3, 2025 Kia ora, Earlier this year, we held a successful whānau hui regarding the refreshed Maths curriculum for Phases 1-3 (Year 0-8). We are unfortunately still waiting on Phase 3 (Year 7-8) of the English curriculum, which is due to be released in Term 4 of this …
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New Parent Portal Released The Ministry of Education has released a parent portal to help whānau partner with schools to support their child's education. From Minister Stanford: "Education is a partnership of what happens in the classroom and what happens at home. Parents, caregivers, and whānau play an important role in supporting their child’s learning and development. The new webspace …
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2025 Reporting Update - What it means for your child As 2025 marks the transition to the refreshed English and Maths curricula, both Ararira Springs and the Ministry of Education (MOE) are closely monitoring student progress to ensure a smooth and effective change. Thanks to our ongoing professional development and early use of structured literacy and maths practices, we are …
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