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Connect Communication
26 July 2023
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Seeing you all coming through the gates to meet with teachers this week has been excellent. Hopefully, you have found the sessions beneficial and significant steps are in place for your child's learning to progress.
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Matariki on Friday was a highlight of the school calendar. It is such a special event that we had approximately 700 people joining in the fun this year. The weather held and on returning to the city at the end of the evening I was surprised to hear from my family that it had been raining most of the evening.
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The evening started with a performance from the kapa haka group. Families then mingled to the many activities, roasted marshmallows, enjoyed hot drinks and sausages, gazed at the stars or sampled their hangi.
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Te Hapori Tautoko (THT) are the life force behind this special event. Anna Kingi was the matariki magician and she was superbly supported by a band of helpers, Rachel, Olivia Fran and Andre were here all day on Friday setting up the site. James McKay was the mastermind behind the hangi and he was supported by Che Kinigi, Barry and Kinsey Brown and band of helpers to dig the hole. A special thanks to Whaea Debbie for making all the matariki star biscuits. Thanks to Ben from Astro Star Tours for providing the telescopes for star gazing.
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This event illustrates the spirit of Ararira. Our THT members and helpers model the values of caring, curiosity and capability for our learners. Thank you for making this event happen and for taking part. It was a very special event.
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Our kapa haka will take the stage tomorrow (Thursday) at the Kāhui kapa haka festival. Matua Michael, Whaea Sam and Whaea Mel have been supporting Steve Hira our kapa haka tutor. We are very excited to see them on stage.
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I am off to Hobart on Sunday to attend the Australian Primary Principal's Conference. This has a wonderful line up of speakers. I will also be visiting schools in Hobart. I will share more with you next time.
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Te Kupu o te Wiki - This Week's Kupu:
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This week's kupu is hōtoke – winter
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Welcome to Ararira Springs Primary!
This week we welcome Sharlae, Max and Ethan to Teretere; Jaelin to Hikuwau; Lucy, Isaac, Mackenzie, Liam, Lucas, Emma, Harriet, Seth, Jiaxuan, Jessica and Tildy to Huarapa.
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We hope you love Ararira Springs Primary as much as we do!
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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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Hero Email Notifications
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A reminder that due to a recent upgrade, some families are no longer receiving email notifications of new Hero posts. To rectify this, go into Hero, click on your profile (top right corner), scroll down to My Devices, and select Email. You should then start receiving email notifications again.
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School Jumpers and Cardigans Update
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We have just received an update to say production of school knitwear has started, with delivery expected some time around mid-August. We will send out a notification when the new stock has been received and orders for our out of stock items are once again open.
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Old Photo Frames Required
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If anyone has any old photo frames (glass not required) can you please give these to Whaea Anna/Nicky in Huarapa. These are required for Curiosity Clubs this Friday (29 July). Thank you.
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New Entrant Cohort Entry
At Ararira Springs - Te Puna o Ararira, we are looking to start our tamariki two times a term, rather than on a child's fifth birthday. This is called cohort entry. Cohort entry is about helping tamariki to settle better in school. There is evidence that starting school alongside other tamariki helps them build relationships and supports a smoother entry to school life.
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This means that tamariki are able to start school in cohorts (small groups) after they have turned five. There will be two entry points or start dates per term as set by the Ministry of Education:
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- one on the first day of term
- one at a mid-point during a term.
At Ararira Springs we wish to have some feedback regarding starting cohort entry at our school/kura from 2024. Please fill in this form no later than Friday 28th July 2023. If you wish to give feedback in person, we have a hui on Friday 28th July from 2.30-3pm in the staffroom to enable you to do so.
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More information on cohort entry can be found here.
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Nicky Harding
Acting Assistant Principal
Kaiako | Huarapa Team Leader (Years 0-1)
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IMPORTANT DATES - 2023
- 27 July - Matariki Kapa Haka Festival, 4.30-6pm at LHS gym
- 28 July - Cohort entry hui, 2.30-3pm in the staffroom
- 02 August - Board of Trustees meeting, 6.30pm in the staffroom
- 04 August, Hui (Whaea Andrea, K6), 9.15am in the hall
- 09 August - THT meeting, 7pm in the staffroom
- 18 August - Hui (Whaea Lesley, H2), 9.15am in the hall
- 08 September - Quiz Night (see below)
- 11-12 September - School photos
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Board of Trustees
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NEXT MEETING - 02 August, 6.30 pm in the Staffroom
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Strategic Planning and Review
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The board is currently feedback and information through a survey form as we head into our next round of strategic planning. We welcome all feedback, the good, the bad and the ugly. If you haven't yet, please take five minutes to complete this survey.
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The Ministry has engaged Cook Brothers to design and build our next block. We are now entering the preliminary design phase. The block will replicate the best features of the Arawai block.
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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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Quiz Tickets
Quiz tickets are now on sale via Kindo! Gather your team of 6 and be quick to grab a ticket for a table in Kindo.
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Remember, the number of tickets are limited, so act fast!
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For those seeking fantastic costumes, Rolleston Costume Hire is an excellent option to explore. Get your team-themed outfits ready to stand out and make the night even more memorable!
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NEXT MEETING - 09 August, 7.00pm in the Staffroom. All welcome.
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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. We are always looking to increase our selection and would welcome donations of good-quality uniform items. All profits are used by THT to improve our school and provide resources for our tamariki. If you have uniform items to donate please contact Charlotte via charlotte.mcmenamin@ararira.school.nz
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Welcome back to Term 3. Our term starts with the Lincoln Zones Rugby/Netball Tournament. Thank you to those who have volunteered to coach our teams. We are still looking for volunteers for our two junior netball teams. If we do not have coaches we cannot send the teams. You may also be asked to umpire matches if we are unable to source umpires for the day.
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We will also be preparing for the Lincoln Zones Athletics day in Term 4 by having our Ararira Springs Athletics day at Brookside park on the 15th of September. If you are able to help please email Whaea Meeghan as soon as possible.
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Check out our “what’s on offer?” page for sports offered outside of school events.
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Upcoming Sports Events for Term 3
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PLEASE NOTE: 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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Follow Mana Ake on Facebook! The Mana Ake Facebook page has information about events and wellbeing tips for whānau.
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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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Spend $70+ and 3 FREE books
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Spend $50+ and get 2 FREE books
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Spend $30+ and get 1 FREE book
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Digital Complications and Applications What is digital addiction? Digital addiction among students in New Zealand is a growing concern in the modern era, as technology and digital devices have become an integral part of daily life. While technology offers numerous benefits, excessive and uncontrolled use can lead to addiction and negatively impact students' academic performance, mental health, and overall well-being. …
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Coaching is an important part of Ararira learning for our teachers and our older ākonga. We see coaching as an opportunity to sit with a colleague or support person and in the first instance, check in. Secondly, it provides the coachee with the chance to be listened to and supported. The coachee might share an issue, concern or goal. The …
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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 mileage is a big component of learning. Neurological pathways in our brains require repetitive exposure to strengthen and cement learning and develop mastery. We also develop these neural pathways for resilience, …
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Neurodiverse Learners Neurodiversity is a term used to describe the range of neurological differences among individuals, including conditions such as autism, dyslexia, ADHD, and others. From a school's perspective, it is essential to acknowledge the diversity in the learning abilities within students and provide support which is reflective of their needs. Children who are neurodivergent can face a number of …
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Peer Mediation Ararira Springs has adopted the peer mediation programme as it fits so strongly with our values of being caring, curious and capable. Peer mediators, selected from Year 7/8 classes, undergo a period of training based on the 'Cool Schools Peer Mediation Programme' prior to being on duty in the playground. Peer mediation is an approach to conflict resolution …
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The curriculum taught in New Zealand schools is currently undergoing a refresh and changes to the eight curriculum learning areas will be phased in over the next three years (2023-2026). The first area to be redesigned and introduced into schools across the country is the Aotearoa New Zealand Histories Curriculum. This forms the cornerstone of the Social Sciences learning area …
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