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Connect Communication
26 August 2026
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Today I had the opportunity to visit the teams playing rugby and netball at the local zone competition at the Lincoln Domain. Thank you to Whaea Meeghan for organising this and the many parents who were able to coach and support. I love seeing children thrive in the sporting domain and comments about our children’s behaviour were very complimentary.
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This week, the government has announced a plan to impose a social media ban for rangatahi | young people under 16. While this will be challenging to implement, the emerging research on the impact of devices and internet use is concerning. Many of you may have taken the opportunity to listen to Rob Cope recently. This was hosted in both Prebbleton and Cashmere. If you didn’t, I encourage you to listen to him being interviewed on the podcast, Between Two Beers (disclaimer: there is swearing). There has also been a very confronting documentary on TVNZ this week about the impact of the internet and social media on relationships.
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As seen in a recent Hero post, our Board is currently undertaking consultation to inform the next two-year strategic plan for 2027 and 2028. There will be two opportunities to provide feedback. Our survey for parents and caregivers can be accessed through this link. Additionally, you will be able to complete a paper questionnaire with your Year 0-3 child and a survey with your Year 4-8 child.
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You may have seen on local Facebook pages that our kura has been named as having remediation to our spaces. We are waiting for the Ministry property team to visit and ascertain what can be done. We will keep you informed of any updates.
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Ministry of Education Resources
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The Ministry of Education has recently shared a maths resource they are trialling for use with students from years 3 - 8. This gives you the chance to practise maths at home with your child. We will add a link here and on our learning at home page.
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Winter bugs are rife. Many children are currently sick, and of course this gets passed on to staff as well. Unfortunately, we are having a hard time finding relievers on some days. This can mean that classes may be split and spread around the school. They take work with them to complete. We know that this is less than ideal; however, we have seen other schools asking parents to keep their children home. We haven’t had to take such measures, and we thank you for your support.
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On that note, the Ministry is striving for higher attendance and has shared resources to help you decide whether to keep your child home or send them to school. We have linked these here for your reference. They have also provided a link to share an Online GP Booking tool from HealthNZ if this is of interest.
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Finally, congratulations to Whaea Emma, who received her Master of Education with distinction today. Special mention to Whaea Deb, who supported her daughter Leah as she received a double degree in law and criminal justice. Enjoy your celebrations.
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Claire and the Ararira Team
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From the Office
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Children Leaving ASP in 2026
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We are planning for 2027 and would be grateful if you can advise us if any of the following apply to you:
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- Your child will be leaving at the end of 2026 and is not a Year 8 student - please email office@ararira.school.nz to advise us.
Have you moved out of our school zone and your current student has a younger sibling turning 5 towards the end of 2026 or in 2027? If so, we need to hear from you now.
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You must complete the attached survey by Wednesday 2nd September if you have a child who meets the above criteria to enable the Board to make informed decisions in our planning for 2027.
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If you have any questions, please call Trine on 03 4200888.
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Daffodil Day
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Let’s brighten up our school for a great cause! Students are invited to dress in yellow (or their school uniform) on 28 August to support Daffodil Day.
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Important Dates
- 28 August - Daffodil Day (see above)
- 04 September - Hui (K1/2), 9.15am in the Hall
- 04 September - ASP Quiz Night (tickets on sale via Kindo)
- 09 September - THT Meeting, 7pm in Tāhuna | Staffroom
- 11 September - Ararira's Got Talent, 12.45-1.15pm in the Hall
- 16 September - School Board Meeting, 6.30pm in Tāhuna | Staffroom
- 18 September - Hui (Huarapa 4/5), 9.15am in the Hall
- 25 September - Last day of Term 3
- 12 October - First day of Term 4
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School Board
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Next meeting Wednesday 16 September, 6.30pm in Tāhuna | Staffroom
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Te Hapori Tautoko (THT)
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Next meeting - 09 September
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7pm in Tāhuna | Staffroom
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THT Country Quiz Night – Almost Here!
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The countdown is on! Our THT Country Quiz Night is just around the corner – Friday 4 September – and it’s shaping up to be a fantastic night.
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With country dress-ups, plenty of games, raffles, mystery envelopes, a live auction and some seriously good prizes, there will be plenty happening between the quiz rounds!
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Some of the prizes up for grabs include 7 nights’ accommodation in Port Douglas thanks to the Hogan family, a $200 Bluebridge travel voucher, a 3-month Lincoln University Gym membership, a family portrait session with Stacey Weaver Studio, plus fantastic packages featuring Motus Health, Frontrunner Northlands, Southern Woods, Shands Outdoor Power, GLO Nail Bar, We Care Pharmacy, Ico Traders and more.
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We’re incredibly grateful to the businesses and families who have contributed prizes to make the night possible.
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And if you’re not coming along this year – you’ll know what you’re missing! Keep an eye out for next year’s Quiz Night and start thinking about who you’ll have on your team.
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For everyone coming along… get your cowboy hats ready, brush up on your trivia and get ready for a great night!
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Good luck to all our teams!
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Year 5/6 Girls Basketball Team
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Well done to our Year 5/6 girls basketball team for representing us at the Canterbury competition. They played well and represented our school by showing our school values. Thank you to Sara, Bethany’s mum, for being their manager on the day and to Whaea Emma for helping transport the girls to Selwyn Sport Centre.
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Year 5-8 Zones Rugby and Netball Tournament
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What a beautiful day for Netball and Rugby! Below is a brief overview of the day at the Lincoln Domain.
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Placed 1st overall and moving on to represent our zone at Canterbury!
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Huge thanks to coaches and managers: Sherryn (Sasha’s mum), Grace, and Amelia.
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Played with incredible skill and standout sportsmanship.
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Thank you to managers Isla (Alice’s sister), Beth, and Sarah.
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Battled tough competition to secure a strong 5–2 record, showing off all their hard work at practice.
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Special thanks to Emily (Harry’s sister) and Charlotte for coaching and umpiring senior teams all day.
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Undefeated! Overcame injuries, rallied together, and won every single game.
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Thank you to Sharon (Ruby’s nana) for managing, coaching, and supporting.
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Showed incredible effort and sportsmanship in every match.
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Thank you to Matt (Leo’s dad) for coaching, managing, and supporting both teams.
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1st overall! Modelled our core values by supporting and lifting each other up all day.
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Thank you to manager Kate (Louie’s mum) and coaches Kodie (Cooper’s dad) and Jack.
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A massive thank you to all our parents and caregivers. We couldn’t make these days happen without your time and dedication! Thank you also to all those who came down to cheer our teams on! The support was very much appreciated!
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I see we have lots of budding tryathletes! We have over 40 students taking part in the Weetbix TRYathlon in February 2027! Tino pai! If you have not yet registered, click on the link and enter as part of our school team! Ararira Springs Weetbix TRYathlon
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The closing date for Issue 6 is 25 September 2026.
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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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Feeling the pinch on lunchboxes?
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https://www.kiwilunchbox.co.nz is a free tool built by an Auckland parent. It plans a week of school lunches around whatever is on special at Woolworths and New World, shows what the week will cost, and gives you a prep plan. No account needed, nothing for sale.
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Mid-Year Reports: Live in Week 11 Reports will contain the following information in Reading, Writing and Maths: A narrative about your child’s learning (what they can do) Next steps How you can help at home A progress descriptor describing your child’s current ability to work within their year level content. Sliders for each element of Reading and Writing, and each …
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Berry Street Education Model BSEM at Ararira - Nicky Harding and Claire Howison At Ararira Springs, we are committed to fostering a learning environment where every child feels safe, supported, and ready to thrive. To support this, our kura has adopted the Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) - a trauma-informed, strengths-based framework designed to boost student wellbeing, engagement, and academic …
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Attendance Monitoring at Ararira The government has publicly stated that it wishes to lift attendance rates at New Schools so 80% of all children are attending 90% of the time by 2030. We have set this as a target for our kura|school in 2026. All schools are required to have an attendance management plan (AMP) in place that follows stepped …
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