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Connect Communication
21 February 2024
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It was lovely to see so many of you at our community picnic last week. The weather certainly came to the party providing us with a beautiful evening. It was a lovely mixture of spending time together and finding out more about the way the hapori | hubs work.
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We wish Hikuwai456 well as they head off to Living Springs for camp today. Camp is a very exciting time and children thrive in a secure yet challenging environment. Living Springs is wonderful venue for a first camp. I will be joining the campers on Thursday and spend the day and night with them before heading to Prebbleton for maths professional learning on Friday.
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We are very excited to be developing a leadership | rangatiratanga badging system that we will roll out this year. Children will be allowed to accumulate service hours and will be able to be awarded three levels of badges for service to the school. Watch this space as this programme develops.
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Last week in hui we talked about caring and the importance of being kind. This might be something you wish to carry on with at home and we shared the kindness challenge with classes. It is a lovely thing to print out and put on the fridge and will generate ideas for learning at home if you are interested.
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We will be reviewing communication channels shortly and many of you may be aware of the following, if not, here are some useful links;
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Finally, if ever you have a concern and need to talk to someone about it we do have a suggested process to follow. In the first instance, the classroom | ako teacher is the best place to start, this can be followed up with the team leader. If your issue is still not resolved go to Emma or Donna (Deputy Principals) and me.
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Look forward to catching up with you soon.
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Claire and the Ararira Team
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School Board
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Next meeting - 21 February (tonight), 6.30pm in Tahuna | Staffrooom
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Sorry s/he is in a class.
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Welcome back from the school board, and welcome to all our new whānau. The board will hold its first meeting of the year tonight, with key tasks including the election of a presiding member for the year, formally co-opting a new member to provide a Māori voice, allocating portfolios, approving the 2023 annual report and the 2024 annual plan.
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There has been publicity about the government’s “phones away” policy. We have always required mobile devices to be put away during lesson times and our policy will be updated to be fully compliant with the new rules by the end of this term. There are a number of other policies which we are reviewing this term, you can view these here (username: ararira // password: russdrive). Your feedback is important and can be anonymous if you wish.
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There has also been publicity this week about school donations, and you will have received a request through Hero. Your board has kept the suggested donation at $150 per family since we opened in 2019; it helps us to make up gaps in the funding the government provides, and to support our whānau with school expenses they would otherwise struggle to afford. The donation does not have to be made in a lump sum, it can be spread over as many instalments as you like. Thanks in advance for your support.
Ngā mihi,
Andrew McMenamin
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Te Puna o Ararira | Ararira Springs Primary School
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From the Office
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If you know of families moving into the area or with preschoolers, please encourage them to fill out our online enrolment form soon as possible. This allows us to plan ahead and recruit the teachers we might need!
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Music Festival Representative Group
Applications are now open to singers and instrumentalists from Christchurch primary and intermediate schools to apply for an audition for one of the four Representative Groups: Junior Choir (Years 5 & 6), Senior Choir (Years 7 & 8), Concert Band or Orchestra. Auditions are held during May/June and the best singers and instrumentalists are selected for the Representative Groups.
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Participation in one of the Representative Groups of the Music Festival is like being selected for a Canterbury representative sports team and brings with it a great store of enjoyment, new friends and exciting opportunities for new learning in music making.
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Applications are made online on the Festival website here and close on the 1st of April. Parents need to make the application so that they are aware of the rehearsal and performance commitments.
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Our talented singers and musicians get a chance to not only participate in a life-changing learning opportunity but also to represent Ararira Springs while doing it!
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Poster Competition
Here is an opportunity to put your artistic and design skills to work and win not only the chance to have your artwork seen and handled by thousands of Cantabrians, but also to win $100 for you and another $100 for your school!
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Schools are invited to submit students’ poster designs to the CSMFA Poster competition, to advertise the 2024 Music Festival season which will be the 85th year of the festival.
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Children participating in the Festival are Primary and Intermediate School pupils and the judges look for entries which reflect, in some way, both the choral and instrumental aspects of the Music Festival.
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The theme for the 2024 Music Festival is “E Tu – Hand in Hand” and the music will present an interpretation of this theme.
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The winning entry will include representations of the theme in the musical context of the festival. Music is around the theme of resilience, strength and standing up to challenges.
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The theme is linked to the Olympics which are being held in July in Paris. Some songs will reflect previous performances from past Olympic opening and closing ceremonies. Students, when designing the poster, can include images about being resilient and striving to be the best and winning but they must not include the Olympic rings or any symbols used in the Olympic logos.
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The judges will be looking for one winning entry. It is intended that this will be used for inclusion in our poster and print advertisements, as well as the programme cover and ticketing icons.
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Entries can be digital or on paper. For more information please click here
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Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
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Relay for Life
On Saturday 16 March, the Ararira Springs kaimahi (staff) will be walking in the Relay for Life, a remembrance walk and fundraiser for the Cancer Society. We'd love for you to join us at any time between 10am and 10pm with your tamariki. There will be live music and food trucks also. We will be wearing Ararira Springs colours on the day, so feel free to dress up in your blues and orange!
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Please feel free to donate or share via this link.
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Mana Ake Drop-In Sessions
Mana Ake is an organisation working with schools to promote wellbeing and positive mental health for children. The Mana Ake kaimahi (workers) are made up of social workers, occupational therapists, and teachers.
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As a school, we are able to put in requests for service from Mana Ake for individuals and groups of learners to support their well-being and mental health.
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Mana Ake is offering drop-in sessions with Shannon, our liaison kaimahi, at school each Thursday from 8:30-9:15am. This is an opportunity to discuss concerns over your child's wellbeing or mental health or parenting help. You can meet Shannon at the office.
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IMPORTANT DATES 2024
- 21-23 February - Year 5/6 Camp at Living Springs
- 21 February - School Board Meeting, 6.30pm in Tahuna | Staffrooom
- 07 March - THT meeting, 7pm in Tahuna | Staffrooom
- 26-28 March - Year 7 Camp at Glentui
- 01 March - Hikuwai 4-6 Hui, 9.15am in the Hall
- 15 March Huarapa 1-3 Hui, 9.15am in the Hall
- 27 March - School Board Meeting, 6.30pm in Tahuna | Staffrooom
- 29 March-02 April - Easter Weekend (school closed)
- 12 April - Last day of term 1
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THT - Te Hapori Tautoko - providing opportunities to tautoko (support) and connect our school community and fundraising for school initiatives and resources.
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First meeting of 2024 - Thursday 07 March, 7pm in Tahuna | Staffrooom
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All welcome - we'd love to have some new faces join us!
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Barbecue Fundraiser Sizzles Success!
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We are thrilled to share the exciting news of our recent fundraiser barbecue held on
February 10th! With the aroma of sizzling sausages and the spirit of camaraderie in the air, our school Te Hapori Tautoko (THT) came together to support a cause close to our hearts - the development of our future school playground.
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The sausage sizzle, held at Hornby Mitre10, was a resounding success, thanks to the
incredible support or the local community and our THT volunteers. We're excited to announce that we raised an impressive total of $536, which will go directly toward making our playground dreams a reality!
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Here's a breakdown of the delicious details:
240 Sausages: Our dedicated volunteers grilled up a storm, serving a whopping 240 sausages to hungry attendees. These Sausages were donated by Hellers through their Sausages for Schools programme. Massive shout out to Hellers for their support.
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What's a sausage sizzle without the perfect condiments? We went through 3 litres of tangy tomato sauce, and for those who like a bit of extra kick, we had 750ml of zesty mustard on hand adding the perfect amount of zest to our delicious sausages. No sausage sizzle is complete without a generous serving of caramelised onions. We chopped, sautéed, and served up 3kg (which equates to 15 onions) of these savoury delights, adding an extra layer of flavour to our barbecue feast. The irresistible scent of barbecue wafted through the air, drawing in crowds eager to support our cause. Our bread was supplied by the Hornby Couplands Bakery.
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We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of our
fundraiser, whether by volunteering their time, donating supplies, or simply attending and showing their support. It's moments like these that truly highlight the strength and generosity of our Ararira Springs Primary School community. As we look ahead, we're excited to see our fundraising efforts bring us one step closer to realising our vision for a vibrant and inclusive school playground. Together, we're building more than just a playground - we're creating memories, fostering friendships, and shaping the future of our school for generations to come.
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Thank you once again for your unwavering support. Stay tuned for more updates on our playground project and future fundraising endeavours!
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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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Our ASP swim sports will be taking place at Lincoln Primary School on Wednesday the 28th of February. Whaea Donna and Whaea Meeghan will be walking the 5/6 children who have volunteered to Lincoln Primary school and the Year 7/8 children will meet us after tech at the Lincoln Primary pool. Children will need to be collected from Lincoln Primary school on this day or walk back to school with Whaea Meeghan at 3pm.
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Below is a table of events taking place in Term 1. If you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact me or check out our ASP Sport Page on the school website or click on the link: ASP Sport. Don’t forget to check out the “What's on offer?” page for clubs advertising their sport.
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Upcoming Sports Events for Term 1
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These are Lincoln Zones (LZ) and Primary Schools Canterbury(PSC) tournaments and competitions.
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Dates for Ararira Springs Primary (ASP) sporting events are also included. Reminders will be sent out individually.
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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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The Ministry of Education has refreshed the curriculum and updated how schools report on student progress. As previously mentioned by the MOE, the benchmark for achievement has increased with the new curriculum. You may see a change in your child’s progress or achievement compared to previous years because of this. At Ararira Springs Primary, our staff have been undergoing professional …
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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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2025 End of Year Progress Graphs The end-of-year progress graphs for students (English Year 0-6 and Maths Year 0-8) will be live on Friday, 12 December. English progress in Years 7-8 will be released in a statement at the bottom of Year 7-8 children's reading and writing comments. The Overall Teacher Judgements (OTJs) regarding progress that your child will receive …
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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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