My People, My Place, My History Both Kauri classes have exploring who we are. We have used a combination of words, images and patterns to explain our whakapapa, who

we are, where we are from. We have included things that we value, our

Pepeha, who we look up to, mottos for ourselves, goals, things that represent where

we are from and our school values.

Kia ora nga whanau o Puketapu,

Thank you for coming along and celebrating our school pool with us

yesterday afternoon. It was awesome to see our community enjoying

themselves having kai and korero. Having these opportunities for

families to interconnect benefits us as we can model our school and

family values in an informal setting. Fun too.

The Board and staff are in the process of completing our

School Charter. Through surveys, hui and looking at our data,

we have identified four strategic aims for the next three years at

Puketapu School. They are:

(1) Learning for All

(2) Nurture Hauora

(3) Raise Achievement as Maori

(4) Sustainability @ Puketapu.

Once the Charter has been completed and ratified by the Board of Trustees we will be sharing it with our

community. More about that soon.

On Thursday evening our staff will be travelling to Hamilton to get ready for our Professional Learning Day at

Te Kowhai School on Friday. We as a teaching team are lifelong learners and are striving to get better as

educators each day. This trip is another step to help us grow our skills and knowledge.

Scan the QR code to read about Te Kowhai Principal Tony Grey’s Blog on education

and transformation.

Don’t forget that Monday is also a no-school day as we all have a day to celebrate

Taranaki.

Kia pai to wiki

Ngatai Walker

Principal

Puketapu School Newsletter Term 1 – Week 6 - 8 March 2017

Dillon Drive, Bell Block, New Plymouth | Tel: 06 755 0973 | TXT 027 755 0973

| Email: office@puketapu.school.nz | www.puketapu.school.nz

New to Puketapu this week:

Harry Summersby

Visit to Muru Raupatu Marae - Friday 24 March 2017 We are looking forward to our whole school visit to Muru Raupatu in two weeks time. We have been working on our Pepeha, learning waiata and getting ready for our visit. Our Year 7&8 students will be spending Thursday

night on the marae for their noho, then all other students will join them for the day on Friday. While we are there will be enjoying a hangi, so we will need kai - lots of kai! We are asking for donations of potatoes, kumara, pumpkin, chicken, lamb/mutton and bread - these can be brought in to the office from next week. Whanau are very welcome to join us at the marae. Photo: Cassandra Wall-Colvin and her picture of the marae.

Reminder: This Friday 10 March is a

Teacher Only Day Cherish Childcare will be

running a holiday programme for the day 7:30am-5:30pm

Contact Cherish 027 777 0051 or

david@cherishchildcare.co.nz

Congratulations to award winners…

Manaakitia Awards

Manaakitia Awards acknowledge players who

demonstrate generosity, care for others or show

respect or kindness.

Luke Sowman Max Sowman

Johnny Read Rhys Warring

Te Omeka Akariri-Buckley

Duffy Awards

Duffy Awards recognise excellent in achievement and

citizenship.

Parekaiuru Tuturu o te Atiawa

Jarvana Ardern Conrad Hobin

Lee Duff Tapahia Ormsby-Turner

Isabelle McCready Achille De Bruyn

Samantha Mills Noah Keith

In Kowhai 1, Oliver is creating a gorgeous picture with wax strings

Thur 9 Mar: Kauri to Puke Ariki (part 2) Fri 10 Mar: Teacher Only Day Mon 13 Mar: Taranaki Anniversary Day Holiday Tue 14 Mar: Whanau Hui 6.30pm Wed 15 Mar: RNZB Ballet in a Box Thur 16 Mar: School Assembly 11:00am (Rimu 4) Creative Dance Workshop WOMAD Powhiri Fri 17 Mar: Last day for Cookie Orders Tue 21 Mar: Puketapu School Tryathlon Thur 23 Mar: Noho Marae (Year 7 & 8 overnight) Fri 24 Mar: School Visit to Muru Raupatu Marae Sat 25 Mar: Relay for Life Mon 27 Mar: Kowhai Cycle Skills week begins NZ Blood Service Blood Drive Wed 29 Mar: Weetbix TRYathlon Duffy Role Model Assembly 11.30am Thur 30 Mar: Rimu Scooter Skills School Assembly 11:00am (Kowhai 3) Fri 31 Mar: Rimu Scooter Skills Senior Swim Sports Sat 1 Apr: Car Boot Sale & Market Tue 4 Apr: Interschool Swimming Thur 13 Apr: School Assembly 11:00am Fri 14 Apr: Good Friday Holiday

Term 1 ends on Thursday 13 April Term 2 begins on Monday 1 May.

Puketapu School Newsletter Page 2

SPORT ...

Touch teams… second round of six today: Please be on

time for your game: Under 7s and Under 9's play at 4pm,

Under 11s at 4.35pm, Year 7/8 at 5.10pm. Puketapu U7 Green - you have a bye this week

It’s a big week for U11s and Y7&8s with two Puketapu v

Puketapu games!

Inline Hockey your next game is tomorrow, Thursday 9

March, at 5.30pm. Please be at the rink at 5pm.

Bell Block United are taking Football registrations - forms

are at the school office or contact Jo Daken

0273852936

Thursday Lunches: Thursday 9 March

Special: Chicken Fettuccini $5

Pick up a menu from the school office. Order before school

Don’t forget: Every Thursday is School Banking Day. Bring your deposit book and money to the office before school. Which whanau is leading the Whanau banking competition? Could it be Tui? Kiwi might be close?

Orders for Yarrows frozen Cookies & Croissants… Order

forms must be back in to the office by Friday 17 March - that’s next week! Pick up date is Friday 31 March.

If you haven’t paid touch fees yet please do so asap. $10 to the office. Thanks you to everyone who has already paid.

Winter Rugby Registration: Clifton Rugby & Sports Club (Junior) Weigh and pay days: SUNDAY 5th March 10.30am till 11:30am MONDAY 6th March 3.3:0pm till 4.30pm Or register online at http://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/26266 Subs $30.00

Whio are one of our most endangered native birds and, although it is on our $10 note, few people know much about it. Show your support by puckering up and posting a whio duckface selfie to www.whioforever,.co.nz (you could win you and

your family a five day adventure including a whio wilderness adventure) or pick up a colouring competition from the school office to enter for other prizes.

This week is Parks Week 2017 and NPDC has turned Audrey Gale Reserve at Merrilands Domain into a magical, virtual world where kids can use their phones or tablets to chase kittens or collect eggs while trying to avoid bad fairies and dinosaurs! The Magical Park app is free to download and combines a real-word view of the park with digital visuals. Available until Sunday 12 March. This magical park is coming to life during Parks Week

2017! For more information please head to www.magicalpark.net

The Puketapu School Tryathlon is coming! Tuesday 21 March, 11am-3.00pm

Come support your tamariki as they swim, cycle, run… Year 3 upwards

On Monday 27 March, Puketapu School is proud to host the NZ Blood Service Blood Drive. As well as benefiting the recipient your blood donation will…….

Help save the life of up to 3 people with a single donation of blood

Make a difference in your community by helping others

Develop a sense of commitment to and connection with your fellow Kiwis

Be assured that adequate supplies of blood are available for you, as well as your family and others

Join a very special group of volunteers.

A message from the organisers of the Bell Block School Gala

organising team: Thank you to all members of the Puketapu School

community who attended our Gala on Friday night. It was so good

to see whanau from all over Bell Block mixing and mingling and

enjoying the night. Let's all do the same in 2018 for Puketapu

School's Gala.