COASTAL TARANAKI SCHOOL

Office Hours

8:30 am-4:00 pm

Hours of Instruction

8:40 am - 3:00 pm

Email: office@coastaltaranaki.school.nz
Website: https://sites.google.com/coastaltaranaki.school.nz/coastaltaranakischool/home
Location: 92 Carthew Street, Ōkato, New Zealand
Phone: (06)7524022 - 027 320 1267
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coastaltaranakischool

Tēnā koutou katoa

I te tuatahi, tēnei rā te mihi aroha atu ki ngā whānau o ngā mate kua taka mai nei ki runga i ā koutou. Kei te hotuhotu te manawa i tō wehenga atu. Haere atu rā, okioki atu rā e ngā mate.

Ka huri au ki a tātou te hunga ora. Ka nui te mihi aroha atu ki a koutou katoa kei roto i te whakataukī o Te Kura o Coastal Taranaki, arā: Mā te whānau te tamaiti e puāwai. No reira, tēnā tātou katoa.

We are now in Week 6 of the term, and it has been fantastic to see the strong start our students have made across the school. From our youngest learners through to our senior students, there is a positive sense of focus, belonging, and purpose throughout Coastal Taranaki School.

At CTS, everything we do is grounded in our uara | values — Ako, Manaakitanga and Whanaungatanga.

· Ako (empowered learning and growth) is visible in our classrooms as students set goals, take increasing ownership of their learning, and challenge themselves to think critically and creatively.

· Manaakitanga (care and respect) underpins how we interact with one another, ensuring our school remains a nurturing and inclusive environment where everyone feels valued.

· Whanaungatanga (relationships and belonging) is strengthened each day as we build meaningful connections between students, staff, and whānau.

These values are further supported by our ongoing focus on resilience, initiative, and holistic wellbeing — ensuring our learners are not only achieving academically but developing the confidence and character to thrive.

You will find our uara | values reflected in this week’s newsletter, which highlights the wide range of learning and experiences taking place across Coastal Taranaki School. In the secondary school, students are engaging in rich learning across science, social sciences, and geography, including forensic investigations, NCEA science assessments, and fieldwork on Mt Taranaki and the Hangatahua River. Our NZQA update also includes an important link for students and whānau to access information about assessments, extensions, and appeals.

In the primary school, our Year 5–6 students recently returned from an incredible camp at Vertical Horizons where they showed courage, teamwork, and resilience as they stepped outside their comfort zones. Students across the primary have also been involved in creative learning, swimming safety sessions with Swim Safe Taranaki, and activities that help them build confidence and connections with their classmates.

Please take a moment to read the updates below to see the fantastic learning, experiences, and opportunities happening across our kura.

And as a final note, Gemma Chambers (primary school deputy principal) has decided not to return to school this term due to matters involving family. We will hold a morning tea farewell on Monday, 23 March at 10:40 am to acknowledge the contribution Gemma has made to our learners, staff, and wider community. Please feel free to join us at the morning tea farewell, if you are available to do so.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. When school and whānau work together, our learners truly flourish.

Ngā manaakitanga, nā

Sonia Mau

Tumuaki | Principal

Te Kura o Coastal Taranaki | Coastal Taranaki School

Please email office@coastaltaranaki.school.nz if you require a parking permit for any accessibility needs.

Kia ora kotou,

Ko Natalie tōku ingoa.

I am so excited to be part of the CTS community again in 2026.

In NZQA news, we have a new website running with all of the relevant information for our students and whānau. This can be accessed from this link https://sites.google.com/coastaltaranaki.school.nz/nzqaatcts2026/home or from our school website. We have moved the application forms for extensions and appeals onto a google form accessible from the site. The sooner we are given notice about the need for an extension, the sooner we can organise a plan to support our learners.

Moving onto science, my classes are all working hard to prepare for upcoming assessments in the latter part of the term.

Year 9 and 10

Are working on forensic science. We are trying to learn the techniques and find the evidence needed to solve the 1995 case “who shot Mr. Burns?”

So far, they have investigated how to lift fingerprints from different surfaces, how to use a microscope to look at evidence left behind at a scene and how to analyse splatter patterns.

The class has had a mixture of practical and theoretical lessons to support their learning. Later in the term, they will put all of their collected evidence together and see if they can solve the case.

Year 11

Are working on the 91920 - demonstrate understanding of a science-informed response to a local issue. This assessment is worth 5 credits and can be used towards their literacy requirements if they aren’t successful in their CAA assessments throughout the year.

Students have been learning about their cardiovascular system, digestive system and the structures and parts of their brains in order to build enough understanding prior to their assessment later in the term.

Year 12

The year 12 science class has been working on the level 2 standard 91167 - Demonstrate understanding of oxidation - reduction. Worth 3 credits. Throughout this topic, they have been learning to break a chemical equation down into half equations in order to balance them and to show the flow of electrons. They have also observed some redox reactions, most notably, one where we reduced potassium permanganate through its different oxidation states by using a lollipop. As the reaction proceeds, the colour of the solution changes from purple to green to yellowy-brown.

The aim for this class is to experience a different strand of science each term.

Term 1: Chemistry

Term 2: Biology

Term 3: Physics

This plan is designed to challenge everyone while also preparing them for science in year 13 or to help encourage them into a career that is science based.

So far, each student in the class has risen to the challenge and quite often they can be seen engrossed in conversations around the learning and helping each other to build their understanding of the challenging concepts.

Ngā mihi

Natalie (Miss Bound)

Year 9/10 Social Science – Hekenga (Migration)

This term our Year 9/10 Social Science students are learning about hekenga (migration) and how population movement has shaped Aotearoa New Zealand. Students are exploring historical immigration schemes, analysing population data, and examining how New Zealand was promoted to attract British settlers. They are also discussing the impacts of these policies on Māori as tangata whenua and how migration influenced power and society in early New Zealand.

Year 11 Geography

Our Year 11 Geography students have been working on their first NCEA internal assessment, Geography 1.2: Explore an environment using data. Throughout the term, students have been learning how geographers collect and analyse information to understand patterns in the natural environment. As part of this investigation, students recently completed a field trip to Mt Taranaki, where they collected a range of environmental data at different sites on the mountain. They will now use this data to investigate how factors such as altitude, climate, and soil influence vegetation patterns across the landscape.

Year 12 Geography

Our Year 12 Geography students are currently working on their Term 1 assessment, where they are learning how to conduct geographic research with guidance. In preparation, students have explored key concepts around river processes and how rivers shape the landscape. Recently, they travelled to the Hangatahua River to carry out fieldwork, collecting data on fluvial processes such as river velocity, sediment size, channel width, and river gradient. Students will now use the data they gathered in the field to analyse patterns and explain how river characteristics change from the upper to lower sections of the river. This hands-on experience allows students to apply their classroom learning to a real-world environment while developing valuable geographic research skills.

Mr. Bruckner

Year 5–6 Camp at Vertical Horizons

Our Year 5 and 6 students had an amazing time at camp at Vertical Horizons! Throughout the camp, students challenged themselves, worked together, and showed great bravery as they stepped outside their comfort zones.

They enjoyed a range of exciting activities including the zip line, high ropes course, flying kiwi, inflatable obstacle course, raft building and racing, kayaking, swimming, mud run, camp fire and the waterslide. It was fantastic to see students encouraging and caring for each other, and the pride they felt when they completed activities they were unsure about.

A huge thank you to our wonderful parent helpers who supported and encouraged us throughout the camp. It was a fantastic experience for everyone involved!

During Week 4 of this term, our Year 5-6 students went to Vertical Horizon's in Inglewood for camp for two nights. While we were there, we had many amazing experiences that tested our comfort zones. The high ropes gave us incredible confidence and students felt extremely proud of themselves when they had completed it. The raft race, swimming, mud run and campfire were also some highlights for us all.

A huge thanks goes to the parents who came along and helped us on camp. Your help, encouragement, and support was greatly appreciated by us all.

Name Art - link to our art.

Room 19 created name art using their names, things about themselves, and what they enjoyed.

Fun Swimming Events - Years 4-6

Year 5-10 students were lucky enough to have swimming sessions with Cecile from Swim Safe Taranaki. She taught us many ways to keep ourselves safe in the water, and how to work together as a team to help and support each other. These sessions were enjoyed by all students.

Swim Safe Photos

Bio Poems

Room 19 used a template of a Bio Poem to write one about themselves. We then used our chromebooks to present these creatively. This was a way of us getting to know each other, and finding out more about our peers.

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Our annual Swimming Sports were held last Friday, and it was fantastic to see so many students getting involved and supporting one another throughout the day. The morning began with competitive races for Years 4–13, where students gave their best effort across a range of events including freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and individual medley races. With heats running from youngest to oldest, it was great to see swimmers challenging themselves and showing plenty of determination in the pool.

In the afternoon, our Year 7–13 students returned to the pool for a range of fun swim events. These activities brought plenty of laughter and energy, with students working together in relays, novelty races, and team challenges. The afternoon was a great reminder that swimming sports are not only about competition, but also about participation, teamwork, and enjoying time together as a school community.

A big congratulations to all students who took part during the day. Your effort, encouragement of others, and positive attitudes helped make the event such a success.

We would also like to extend a sincere thank you to the parents, whānau, and staff who supported the event. Your help with supervision, organisation, and cheering on our students is greatly appreciated and helps make days like this possible.

Results from the competitive events will be shared with students and whānau soon. In the meantime, please enjoy some highlights from the day in the photos below.

Mr. Bruckner

Year 6 student Bodhi Hill competed at Crankworx Rotorua this week. Crankworx is a 5 day Mountain biking event that sees riders competing in a varienty of events.

Bodhi was charging and was awarded a bronze medal in Dual slalom in the 8-10 age group

Our very own CTS student Cooper Lane representing Taranaki Development Yr6 Cricket. It has been a long and busy summer of cricket for the team travelling to Napier for a tournament playing 6 (30 over) matches across 4 days, along with inter-district fixtures vs Whanganui and Horowhenua-Kapiti.

The boys have improved so much and came away with some great friendships and played some outstanding cricket. What a way to finish the season by playing at the holy grail Pukekura Park

Sophie Juffermans has been clocking some impressive results in the pool competing at the Aquaknights NZ Junior Festival in Hawkesbay last weekend.

Sophie finished the event with these outstanding results:

1st – 50m Breaststroke

1st – 100m IM

1st – 50m Freestyle – 33.98

2nd – 200m Freestyle

2nd – 50m Backstroke

200 Breast 9 sec PB

200 IM 3 sec PB

100 Free 4 sec PB

100 Breast 3 sec PB

Sophie has put Ōkato Swimming Club on the NZ Swimming map!

Join Wild for Taranaki, Taranaki’s Biodiversity Trust, as we dive into Seaweek—Aotearoa’s annual celebration of our incredible moana and the life it sustains. Even if we’re gathering just outside the official dates, we’re keeping the spirit alive all the same

Seaweek Cinema South: An Evening of Ocean Films

Thursday 26 March 6 - 7.30 pm

Everybody's Theatre, Ōpunake

This event is FREE, book your tickets now at: https://events.humanitix.com/seaweek-cinema-south-an-evening-of-ocean-films

We’re bringing our community together for a special screening of three captivating short films, each offering a unique window into the mysteries, beauty, and wonder beneath the waves. Following the films, enjoy a relaxed community kōrero with our special guest Rebecca Pratt, founder of Salty Slate Productions, whose passion for storytelling helps reveal the magic of our underwater world.

Film Line-up

Manta Watch (25 Min)
A moving 25‑minute documentary following the grace and vulnerability of manta rays.

SEAWEED, A Love Story (22 min)
A charming 22‑minute journey into the world of seaweed—unexpected, fascinating, and full of life.

Reef Revolution (8:53 min)
Discover the Project Reef Life team and their mission to bring an unmapped reef—11km off the South Taranaki coast—into the spotlight.

Meet Rebecca Pratt

Rebecca’s filmmaking spans global platforms like Netflix and the United Nations ISA, while also championing powerful local stories such as Manta Watch, Project Reef, and Love Rimurimu.

Raised on Aotearoa’s dramatic West Coast, she often says: “The ocean, to me, is a never-ending film set.” To her, the sea is a place full of quirky characters, curious questions, and endless adventure—and she’ll be sharing that very spark with us.

Come along for an evening that will leave you inspired, connected, and more in love with our wild, watery backyard, we can’t wait to see you there! This screening is free to attend, but we’d really appreciate koha on the day, with all donations supporting the kaupapa.

COASTAL TARANAKI SCHOOL

Sonia Mau Principal

Gemma Chambers Junior School Deputy Principal

Sarah Oke Senior School Deputy Principal, Careers/Pathways, Tech on 45

David Cripps SENCO

Viola Fung English

Ros James Maths Term 1

Steve Leppard Hard Materials Technology, Tech on 45

Kelly Waugh Visual/ Performing Arts

Natalie Bound Science

Sarah Warren Release Teacher, P.E Teacher

Keegan Bruckner Social Sciences, Geography, P.E Teacher

Hayley Gilmour Release Teacher

Liana Roberts Pouakai Team Leader, Year 7/8 Teacher

Dee Heath Year 7/8 Teacher

Renee Leathley Kaitake Team Leader, Year 5/6 Teacher

Emily Finey Year 5/6 Teacher

Johannah Poutini Year 4/5Teacher

Annie Harris NE Transition Teacher

Jemma Moorby Year 2/3 Teacher

Philippa Hofmans Pukeiti Team Leader, Year 1/2 Teacher

Tara Ross Year 3/4 Teachers

Jacky Kopu Office Manager

Alana Campbell Office Receptionist

Delwyn Pearce School Librarian

Kirsty Koboski Publicity Officer

Ole Bucka Grounds & Maintenance

Learning Assistants

Darryl Levett

Kirsty Koboski

Paula Fleming

Ruth Barron

Nicole Whittle

Fon Julian

Lisa Schrader