Tuhuatahi, 2025 Term One

Team Members

Matt Astle

As a new member of staff to Wairakei Primary School, I’m excited to meet the tamariki that are part of the team. My greatest strength is my ability to connect with people and I look forward to getting to know what motivates and inspires your child to ensure they reach their full potential. 

Sara Sprague 

Taking a Year 3/4 class in Room 10, Sara really likes working with children, loves the fun that can be had, and the feeling of being a part of a child’s growth and development. Mrs Sprague’s superpower is Mathematics and is a curriculum specialist in this area. 

Briana Te Whare 

Following 6 months of travelling, Briana is excited to be returning to Wairakei Primary school and will be teaching a Year 3/4 class in Room 9. Ensuring that fun and engagement is at the forefront of learning, Brianna aspires to ensure all children grow their mind and self confidence this year. 

Teagan Hill

Whaea Teagan will be teaching in Room 7 with a Year 4/5 class. Passionate about te reo Māori and Kapa Haka, Whaea Teagan’s strengths are building relationships with a range of students, with a particular focus on confidence building.

Paul Morehu

We are very fortunate to have Mr Morehu as the release teacher for Tuhuatahi. He will be working across all Tuhuatahi classrooms and supporting students across different subjects. Mr Morehu’s biggest strengths are creativity and building relationships.

Key Dates

• Year 5 Camp: Thursday, February 20 - Friday, February 21, 2025  

• Year 5 camp meeting: Monday, February 17, 2025, 5:30p.m

• Celebration of Learning: Thursday, April 10, 2025

Inquiry Focus - New Zealand versus The World

All classes in the team will be focusing on the uniqueness of being a kiwi, both within a localised context in Taupō, and on a global scale as we compare and contrast ourselves to other countries and their cultures. 

As your child explores this topic, we will be looking closely at the Treaty of Waitangi by exploring what this means for individuals, groups and wider society. We will also be learning about camping experiences and how this shapes our identity as New Zealanders.   

We will conclude this topic with ‘Celebration of Learning’. 

Year 5 Camp

Students will take part in an overnight camp at school followed by a hike along the Huka Falls track and enjoy activities at the AC Baths. This camp is an opportunity for students to step outside their comfort zones and experience learning outside the classroom. Parent meeting for this camp will be held on Monday, February 17, 5.30p.m, Room 1.

Behaviour Expectations

Teachers will be using the POWER board as part of the Power for Learning Programme and will regularly use Tokarewa stickers and Whare Tiaki tokens  to reinforce this. At break times, the ‘No hat, No play’ policy is operating, meaning that students without hats will need to stay in shaded areas. 

We are looking forward to welcoming your child to the Tuhuatahi team to start another year at Wairakei Primary School.

Matt Astle

Tuhuatahi Team Leader