Week 1 Term 3, 2025

And back to school in a flash. The term breaks go very quickly. The rain certainly had an impact and I am again grateful for the school being on a hill with plenty of drainage around us. Poor Nelson and Tasman.

New Staff

Term 3 sees us welcome our new teachers to the school. Hannah and Tracey join me in the office as Deputy Principals and Rachael is the new Team Leader for the New Entrant area, Raparapa. Karen has travelled the furthest to come and work as a specialist teacher focussing on the Years 0-3 students. We welcome Tori as a Release Teacher. Welcome to them all. It is so nice to have them join us.

Keeping Ourselves Safe

During the first two weeks all teams and classes will be teaching Keeping Ourselves Safe.

The aim of this school wide programme is to:

• teach students a range of safe practices that they can use when interacting with other people, both online and face to face
• teach students how to recognise the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships, and encourage students who have been or are being abused to seek help
• prevent abuse by making parents and teachers more aware of their responsibilities to help students avoid abuse

As a school we undertake this programme every two years. By following the programme set out by the NZ Police we aim to give all students the skills to keep themselves safe in many different situations.
Each team covers the slightly different content. The following are the programme topics that will be covered during the three weeks of learning:

Junior School
Focus area 1: I am unique, He taonga ahau
Rooms 13, 14, 12, 11  Monday, July 21
Rooms 15 and 16  Monday, July 28 - Tuesday, July 29
For safety reasons students need to know their name, where they live, and the names of the people they live with. When they can verbalise their feelings confidently, they can report times when they feel safe and unsafe. 

Focus area 2: My body is my own, Nōku tōku tinana 
Students understand the names of body parts and that no one should touch their genitals unless it is for health reasons. They consider touch that they like, touch that hurts and touch that is confusing. 
Rooms 13, 14, 12, 11  Tuesday, July 22
Rooms 15 and 16  Monday, August 4 - Tuesday, August 5

Focus area 3: Unwanted behaviour and touch, Kore e hiahiatia te whanonga me te pā kino
Students need to be able to say “no” confidently, move away, and report what has happened. They learn the difference between good secrets and bad secrets and know how to tell.
Rooms 13, 14, 12, 11  Monday, July 28
Room 15 and 16  Monday, August 11 - Tuesday, August 12

Focus area 4: Adults who help, Ngā kaiāwhina pakeke
Students learn who they can trust to help them. Together with the people they live with, students develop safety rules and strategies to help them keep safe. 
Rooms 13, 14, 12, 11  Tuesday, July 29
Room 15 and 16  Monday, August 18 - Tuesday, August 19

Middle School Programme 
Focus area 1: Confident me
Students learn to verbalise their feelings confidently. They practise a decision-making process that will help them to make safe decisions for themselves and others.
Rooms 10, 7, 8, 9  Monday, July 21 - Tuesday, July 22

Focus area 2: Safe or unsafe
Students identify potentially unsafe situations in both the real world and the digital environment.
Rooms 10, 7, 8, 9 Wednesday, July 23 - Thursday, July 24

Focus area 3: No excuse for abuse
Students understand what abuse is and know that any abuse is wrong, should be reported, and is not their fault. They learn to identify the tricks, bribes, or secrets often used by abusers.
Rooms 10, 7, 8, 9   Monday, July 28 - Tuesday, July 29

Focus area 4: Why should I tell
Students learn to stop inappropriate touch or behaviour, say “no” confidently, move away, and report what has happened.
Rooms 10, 7, 8, 9 Wednesday, July 30 - Thursday, July 31

Senior School
Focus area 1: Keeping one step ahead 
Students learn to take care of themselves in a range of social settings. They learn what the dangers are, who could get hurt and what they can do to keep themselves safe.
Room 1, 2, 3, 4  Monday, July 21 - Tuesday, July 22

Focus area 2: I'm responsible for others, to
Students learn to be responsible for the safety of others by means of scenarios involving the care of siblings and a dependent grandparent, and a peer’s need for support when being bullied.
Room 1, 2, 3, 4  Wednesday, July 23 - Thursday, July 24

Focus area 3: Finding out about abuse

Students need to be aware of what constitutes abuse so that they can recognise if they are being abused and know how to create a safe classroom.
Room 1, 2, 3, 4  Monday, July 28 - Tuesday, July 29

Focus area 4: Families working together
Sometimes abuse occurs within the family. Children are particularly vulnerable. Students discuss family discipline and stress. They learn that they should feel safe, cared for and protected within their family.
Room 1, 2, 3, 4  Wednesday, July 30 - Thursday, July 31

Focus area 5: Reporting abuse
When abuse is reported, the abuser is stopped and the healing process can begin for the victim. Students learn why it is important to report abuse and to know who, and how, to tell.
Room 1, 2, 3, 4  Monday, August 4 - Tuesday, August 5

Focus area 6: What happens now?
Through a discussion session with a panel of child protection personnel, students learn about the process that takes place when abuse is reported.
Room 1, 2, 3, 4  Wednesday, August 6 - Thursday, August 7

All the content that will be taught can be found on the NZ Police website Keeping Ourselves Safe. Hannah, Tracey and I will be available to talk to any parent on the day of the Parent -Teacher Discussions and will answer any questions you may have. You can book in to see any one of us on Thursday, July 24, 2025. 

Parent-Teacher Discussions

Bookings can also be made to talk to the teachers on:

School Interviews: www.schoolinterviews.co.nz Parent Code: g2jnv

We start the parent teacher discussion at 12.30pm. and aim to be finished by 6pm. This is a big day for our teachers and support staff. If you are able to, please pick up your child from school from midday onwards. School is still open and students who are unable to be picked will be supervised. 

eTap Reports

On Monday, June 30, 2025, I sent out to all parents some information on how to get into our student management system, eTap, to see the mid-year reports for 2025. I have to say it was very difficult to re-word eTap's instructions so it made sense and was accurate - especially when I can only see the back end, not what you see as parents. The office has your unique code. You have to set the password as you enter the Spotlight platform. The teachers will also be able to help you at parent-teacher discussions as well.

General

We are setting up for the Taiopenga, happening September 9-12, 2025. I have asked for the school groups to perform on Wednesday and Thursday. I am still waiting for confirmation of the final times and will notify the community as soon as I have heard.

School Board elections are coming up quickly. There will be a call for nominations as the first part of the process.  It's time to think if this is for you.

Ask questions of the current board members. Find out what you do and what difference you make. Being on the board gives you an insight into some of the things we do on a daily basis. I am happy to answer your questions, share a board report or just chat about board life.

Consultations

To assist the incoming board it is time to do a consultation across the community. The following is a link to the consultation document for all parents to have their say and to give feedback on how the school operates and what parents may like to see in the curriculum.

The Community Consultation document will close August 8, 2025 at 4p.m.  Community Consultation

Results will be summarised and reported in a follow-up newsletter.

The second consultation document is about Health and Physical Education taught in schools. This happens every two years and the results are published on the school website. Health and Physical Education Survey

Powhiri

I’ve set myself a goal this term to capture a better photo of all the students and families we welcome at the pōwhiri. It’s such a special moment, and I’m hopeful that I’ve improved!

A quick reminder that Pet Day is coming up on Saturday, October 11, 2025 — more details will follow soon, so keep an eye out.

Ngā manaakitanga,
Paula Farquhar
Principal – Tumuaki

Orders were given to students on Monday. The Issue 5 pamphlet will be given out to students this week and orders are due to the office by Friday, August 1, 2025. Similarly, you can complete orders directly online. These orders support the school library. Thank you, Olivia Graham