Kia ora koutou,

I hope you all had a lovely long weekend.  We were so lucky with the weather which was a nice way to see our Summer season out.  With Daylight Savings coming to an end next weekend, we will at least be waking up to some daylight.

Today we said farewell to our LC5 team as they head off to Rotorua for the next 3 days.  They are visiting Te Puia Village, the Rotorua Museum, doing the Redwoods Tree Top walk, seeing a cultural show at the Mitai Māori Village and enjoying a swim at the Polynesian Spa.  So lots of fun times ahead for them.  We will update Facebook as and when we have photos to share.

Our raffle tickets will have come home with your oldest child last Thursday.  If you buy one (or more) you could be in with the chance to win a $5,000.00 travel voucher from Mondo Travel.  There has been one book of tickets issued to each family, however you can request more from the office.  These are in limited supply, so get in quick.  Please return any books you are unable to sell as soon as you can so that others can have these over the holidays.  We have prizes up for grabs for the most tickets sold.  All funds raised will go towards the refurbishment of our swimming pool changing rooms.  Further information is below.

In line with Ministry of Education guidelines, we have a Staff Only Day scheduled in Term Two and Term 4.  We have attempted to put these in line with long weekends to make it more convenient.  Next term's date is Friday 31st May – (just before King’s Birthday weekend) which is in Week 5 of Term 2.  The second date is Friday 25th October – (just before Labour weekend) which is Week 2 of Term 4.

We would like to invite you to our Term One Open Afternoon which is being held on Tuesday 9th April from 2:15 pm.  This is a chance for you to come and see what our learners have been up to this term, especially in relation to our Inquiry 'Let's Get Wild!'.  If you can't make it at this time, you are welcome to pop in before or after school one day with your child/ren.

This is our last newsletter for the term, and as I am on my sabbatical for the duration of Term Two, I would like to say farewell and wish you all best for the coming few months.  It will be very strange not coming out to school and I will miss all of our TK crew immensely. 

Juliet Dickinson
Principal

Kia ora e te whānau, the board came together on the 20th March.  This meeting had two main topics for discussion, the first being a review of the submission to the Ministry on our Numeracy and Literacy achievements (this was shared in the last newsletter).  This submission is required on an annual basis and kura were able to demonstrate the impact that structured literacy had had on our tamariki.  

 

The second discussion point was about the Specific Education Needs that we are currently catering for at school.  We have two key staff members who oversee this work, Cherie Cutler (Learning Support Coordinator) and Nikki Willis (Deputy Principal and SENCO).  After this discussion at the meeting, we felt it would be useful to share the broad range of programmes and interventions we have on offer for our tamariki. 

 

The SENCO team support staff to identify tamariki who require specific support to help them to continue to lift their achievements across all aspects of the curriculum.  This includes students who require social, emotional or behavioural support, as well as to hone in further support for those that need extending.  Part of this process is to provide ongoing professional development and guidance to teachers and learning assistants so that they can provide the right support to better equip the students with the strategies and skills to enable them to engage with their learning more confidently.  Some of the professional development that our teachers have attended so far this year are; the Incredible Years Training, Tips for Autism, Life Education, Supporting Neurodiverse students and those with anxiety and supporting hearing impaired students. 

As there is in every school, we have a wide range of learning, social, emotional and behavioural needs that our staff cater to.  This includes (but is not limited to) ADHD, dyslexia, learning delays, trauma, behaviour challenges, auditory processing disorder, speech difficulties, ESOL, social and emotional learning, toileting problems and sensory issues.   There are also a number of Health needs that our teaching staff provide for our students as well.  As a Board, we realise that the complexities around teaching and learning are increasing.  It is for this reason that we have provided considerable supplementary funding to have full time Learning Assistants in our classes and ensure that our staff have access to the professional learning they need in order to provide the best opportunities for students.

 

A reminder that staff are available to discuss or answer questions around any learning, social, emotional or behavioural concerns you may have with your child.

 

At our meeting, we were also lucky enough to have Christina McBeth and Sara Gavin of Friends of Te Kowhai school FoTKS), join us for dinner and they gave us an overview of key projects to raise funds for such as new pool changing rooms and any further support that they could offer.

 

As a School Board we wanted to take this opportunity to wish Juliet all the best for her sabbatical.  

 

Have a safe and happy school holidays!

 

Mā te wā,

Nicole Watkins

(on behalf of the Te Kōwhai School Board) 

I have included some concept plans for the upgraded changing rooms that are being developed.  These are currently in draft and we are now in the process of drawing up specific plans that will then enable us to put it out for tender.  Thank you to James Cusiel for his professional and creative contribution to this process.

Effectively we will be building a second changing room on the opposite side of the concrete pad that will have an adjoining storage shed.  So this will double the changing area in the pool premises.  We are unable to add a toilet inside the complex due to the restrictive costs, however, we still have the pool toilet just outside the fenced area.  The existing changing shed will be remodelled / refurbished.

Depending on the final cost and the funds available we are hoping to be able to improve the interior lining of the pool (fibreglass) as well as increased seating and shade areas.

As soon as we have some finalised design plans, we will let you know.  We would love to use the skillset of our local community for this work.

Are you after some Art and Craft activities to keep the kids entertained over the up and coming holidays?  If so, check out this site: 
https://kidspot.co.nz/activities/craft-activities/

Our latest inquiry 'Let's Get Wild' has hooked a number of students in and they could also look to continue this over the holidays.  They will have a lot of unanswered questions and aspects they would be able to look into further.  We would love for them to show us what they have been up to at the beginning of next term.

These are an opportunity for you to come in and talk with your child and one of the class teachers regarding their progress so far this year and to establish learning goals moving forward.  Next week, we will be emailing out the link to this so that you can book your time via 'School Interviews'.  Prior to this, teachers will send you an email to let you know which teacher to book your child in with.

Also refer to the home page of the school website

Writers from LC1 share their work - see photos of their writing below.

The hot air balloon is like a ball getting kicked in the sky.

By Luka G

The hot air balloon is like a colourful circus flying in the sky.

By Akira 

The hot air balloon is like a slow gliding cloud.

By Finn

The hot air balloon is like a slow moving butterfly.

By Ayla 

Is your child in years 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8?

Do they like to get muddy?

This may be the challenge they have been looking for. The Junior Tough Guy and Gal Challenge is open to all students in Year 3-8. 

I have saved 100 spots for Te Kowhai students on Thursday 20th June at the Ngaruawahia Christian Youth Camp. Be sure to get in quick as these spots will go quickly. 

Below are the details you need to go online and enter your child/ren.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to get in contact with me nikki@tekowhai.school.nz

 

How to enter

Withdrawal and Refund Policy
ALL withdrawals MUST be notified to info@eventpromotions.co.nz by 9:00am, seven days prior to the event date. These withdrawals will receive their entry fee refund, minus a $10.00 administrative/booking fee per competitor.
Any withdrawals notified to info@eventpromotions.co.nz after 9:00am, seven days prior to the event date will not be entitled to a refund, no exceptions.
In the case of a natural disaster, or other uncontrollable factors, “Act of God” conditions causing the cancellation of the event, entry fees will not be refunded.

Transfer Policy
All person-to-person transfers between the same entry type (event distance) MUST be made at least seven days prior to the event, no exceptions. After this date they must be made at the event day registrations and MUST be made between the same entry type (event distance).
Transferring to a different entry type (event distance) can be done 14 days prior to the event. After this, they must be done at the event day registration.
You cannot transfer an entry to another event, or following year under any circumstances.
If you need to make a transfer, please contact info@eventpromotions.co.nz.

Thank everyone who bought bulbs for your support. We made $287 dollars. There will be some gorgeous gardens come spring.

The next meeting is Wednesday, 15th May 2024 6:30pm. Venue to be confirmed - either School Staffroom or Saints. All welcome.  

Friends of Te Kowhai School are thrilled to announce that this year's Harvest Festival was our most successful to date, raising almost $7,000. 
We hope you all enjoyed the event and the wonderful Harvest creations, Games and activities!

Congratulations to Sonja and Freja Hawke for their win with their 72.6kg pumpkin!  See below for further results.

Our lucky Raffle winners were drawn last week - Congratulations to: Annette Shaw, Kerrin Single, Catherine Campbell, Trent McIntosh, Hayden Ridley, Amanda Mills, Frank and Marlow Metcalfe. 
If you havent collected your Raffle yet - these are available from the Office.  Thank you again to our fantastic Sponsors for their donated goods for the Raffle!

We are extremely grateful for all of the sponsors and support that came on board this year to partner with us to make this event happen.

FoTKS has got a raffle underway. These have gone home with your eldest (school) child.

The proceeds will go to the school pool changing room upgrade.
Tickets are $10 each. Ticket sales close 13th May 2024, with winners drawn 17th May 2024.
Please return the ticket butt with the money as soon as possible.  If you only sell a few or don't sell any still get these back to us - children are already asking for more to be issued to them to sell.

Just a quick reminder to all that the Football Muster will be taking place this coming Sunday the 7th of April at 10am.

Weather permitting, we'll meet on the steps of the Learning Lab (facing the back field) at School or in the Pavilion if the weather's not that flash.

It is daylight saving this weekend so remember to set your clocks back an hour, or you can turn up an hour early and help me set up, that's fine too.

See you there,

Simon

Congratulations to Lisa Mackintosh on winning her very own reserved car park for all of Term 2! We appreciate the support of all of the Te Kōwhai School community who placed bids - the winning bid will directly assist in the fundraising for LC6 Sports Camp/Activity Week. 

The auction along with food sales at Swimming Sports has raised $1,200 thus far!!  Thank you for your support.  This goes towards the cost of the week of activities for LC6 students and Sports Camp attendees.

To our school community - you will see signage around this carpark from the beginning of Term 2 - please respect that this park will be reserved for Lisa or her designated vehicle(s).  Please do not be tempted to use it yourself.

Proud coaches and supporters wanted to share with the school that the TK Wolves took out their grade this season for the Mixed Touch Team, Year 7/8.

They also impressively got the AWHI award for attitude, whanau, harmony and integrity. 

Cool bunch of kids, well done Wolves.

Planning for the next holidays already? See the image below for details.
Click the link to book or for more information.