Next week is Māori Language Week! Te reo Māori is the indigenous language of Aotearoa New Zealand and one of our official languages. In 1986, Te reo Māori was recognised as a taonga (treasure) under the Treaty of Waitangi and became an official language in 1987.

Since 1975, New Zealand has celebrated Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, Māori Language Week, each year to honour the presentation of the 1972 Māori language petition to Parliament on 14th September.

This week gives us a wonderful opportunity to celebrate something unique to our country. Even if we aren’t fluent speakers, te reo Māori is an important part of our identity as a nation. Here are some ideas for families to embrace Māori Language Week:

• Learn new Māori kupu (words) or phrases to use at home.
• Take time to practice correct pronunciation.
• Watch te reo Māori TV programmes with your children.
• Listen to waiata (songs) in te reo Māori.
• Explore the meaning behind Māori place names.
• Find out about local Māori stories or places of significance.
• Read Māori myths and legends together as a family.

These are just a few ideas, so why not give them a try? Let’s all take part in celebrating te reo Māori and embracing this important part of our culture!

Ka kite anō au i a koutou.

Ryves

A massive congratulations to all the children for their participation in our school cross country event! We really liked the resilience, determination, and effort that you showed as you tackled the course. Whether you finished first or gave it your all, we are proud of everyone who gave it a go - especially if you were running when the rain came pouring down!

It was wonderful to have so much interest from parents and whānau, which added to the atmosphere.

A special thanks to Mrs Lee Lash for her organisation of the cross country event and to her team of helpers who set up and packed up afterwards.

Well done to everyone!

Event placings (shown in order):

5 year old girls:

1st Scout Wooller

2nd Chloe Miller

3rd Thomasin Coates

5 year old boys:

1st Mason Lowl

2nd Max Gnoth

3rd Henry Southgate

6 year old girls:

1st Arlee Zehnder

2nd Sophie Bush

3rd Penelope Boynton

6 year old boys:

1st Kiaan French

2nd Mack Cozens

3rd Christopher Cockle

7 year old girls:

1st Kora Haimona

2nd Mikaela Herbert

3rd Harper Lowl

7 year old boys:

1st Luke Ackerman

2nd Munro Ludick

3rd Kaea Neho

8 year old girls:

1st Emily Bush

2nd Quinn Gray

3rd Amalia Tyrrell

8 year old boys:

1st Beau Hikaka

2nd Harrison Julian

3rd Raqim Rasli

9 year old girls:

1st Hana Hunt

2nd Arden Hunt

3rd Millie Wilson

9 year old boys:

1st Ben Croker

2nd Luke Yukich

3rd Caleb Dixon

10 year old girls:

1st Raine Donnelly

2nd Isabel Gernhoefer

3rd Olive Adams

10 year old boys:

1st Joe Zimmermann

2nd Josh Gillum

3rd Jai Hikaka

11 year old girls:

1st Elsie Stone

2nd Emma Flay

3rd Zoey Flay

11 year old boys:

1st Wulf Collins

2nd Jaxyn Fox

3rd Eli Rawhiti

We also got some fantastic photos which the very clever Mrs Sleep took!

On Monday we have 30 children heading to Vogeltown Park to participate in the New Plymouth Schools Cross Country. We wish them all the very best with their races and are super proud that they are challenging themselves against a wider group of people! Kia kaha everyone!

Some reminders for those going:

Children will be walking to and from Vogeltown Park, accompanied by Mrs Lee Lash and Miss Brooke Baker.

DATE:

Monday, 16th September 2024 (Postponement date: Tuesday, 17th September 2024)

SCHEDULE:

• Leaving Vogeltown School at 11:30 AM
• Course walk through at 12:00 PM
• Races start promptly at 12:30 PM

RACE ORDER

Ages as of 25th September 2024

• Girls 9 years
• Boys 9 years
• Girls 10 years
• Boys 10 years
• Girls 11 years
• Boys 11 years

COURSE:

• The course has been organised by the New Plymouth Harrier Club and Fitzroy School.
• There will be marshals posted around the course.
• Runners must stay on the marked route (mown strip, fencing tape, flags, or discs)-failure to do so could result in disqualification.

If you have any questions then please contact the school.

For the children and whānau of Room 11, this is familiar news, but we’re excited to share with the rest of our school community that Mrs. Dayna Lewis will be going on maternity leave starting from the beginning of Term 4. Her last day in class will be Friday, 27th September. We’re all super happy for her and wish her the very best as she embarks on this exciting new chapter!

During this break from teaching for Dayna, Mrs. Britt Webling has been appointed to the role. She has done a fantastic job covering for Mrs Broderick this term, and with her familiarity with the school, we are confident she will transition seamlessly into Room 11.

Enrolment at Vogeltown School is governed by an enrolment scheme, details of which are available from the school office. Applications for out of zone places are now being invited for those children who will become eligible for enrolment during the 2025 school year.

The Board has determined there are 3 places available for out-of-zone students next year.

The deadline for receipt of applications for out of zone places is Friday 27 September 2024.

If the number of applications exceeds the number of spaces available, then a ballot for out of zone places will be held on Wednesday 16 October 2024. Parents will be informed of the outcome of the ballot on Friday 18 October 2024.

The exact number of places available at each school will depend on the number of applications received from students who live within the school’s home zone.

Please contact the School Principal-Ryves Hunt if you have any queries regarding this.

Paul Gibbins (Chairperson-Vogeltown School Board of Trustees)

Our awesome Vogeltown Hoodies can be ordered via GameChanger. You can even pop into their store on the corner of Huatoki St and Carrington St to try on sizes.

Their website for orders is https://www.gamechanger.org.nz/vogeltownschool

Congratulations to the following tamariki who received a principal's award at our school assembly today:

Hanna Rose, Scout Wooller, Recco Te Maire, Ava Looms, Jerusha Nibu, Meela Carroll, Maverick Bumbesevic, Moana Bonzon, Violet Atkins, Bowie Kinge, Maringi Warren-Tiplady, VJ Walters-Bhaskaran, Elijah Greenhill, Quinton Coombe, Ruby Uncles, Ruby Inia, Peyton Hodgson, Joe Zimmermann, Anouk Bonzon, Hunter Keat, Kaidyn Barber, Tayah Davidson-Hermanns, Alexis Anderson, Ben Croker, Ruuana Repia, Claude Nguyen, Ava-Lee Te Maire, Oscar Bird, Ava Thompson, Isabelle Penberth, James Smith, Zachary Wright.

Kei runga noa atu koe!

TERM CALENDAR

Put all these dates in your diary or your phone! Remember we will put all updates on Facebook, Skool Loop and Seesaw.

TERM 3

16 September - Māori language week starts

16 September - New Plymouth schools cross country

17 September - New Plymouth schools cross country postponement day

18 September - Starting School the VS Way, 5pm to 6pm, Junior School

20 September - Four Year Old Friday, 9:00am to 11:00am, Junior School

25 September - Taranaki Schools Cross Country, Hawera

27 September - Whole school assembly

27 September - Last day of Term 3!

TERM 4

14 October - 13 December

1 November - Four Year Old Friday, 9:00am to 11:00am, Junior School

15 November - Four Year Old Friday, 9:00am to 11:00am, Junior School

29 November - Four Year Old Friday, 9:00am to 11:00am, Junior School

Stay safe and be kind to each other. Thank you for the ongoing support of Vogeltown School, we really appreciate the efforts everyone makes to ensure our kura is such a great place to learn and work!

On behalf of the Vogeltown team, ka kite ano!

Ryves Hunt and the VS team

Email: office@vogeltown.school.nz
Website: www.vogeltown.school.nz
Location: Vogeltown School Huatoki Street, Vogeltown, New Plymouth, New Zealand
Phone: (06) 753 6843

Our school policies, like many schools, are now in an online system through a portal called 'Schooldocs'. Any time you want to bring up a school policy, just log in to schooldocs and you can access the policies.

The login is: vogeltown

The password: huatoki

The website link to Schooldocs is below.