Newsletter | Term 1, Week 8

Where has the term gone? It’s hard to believe we are already moving into Week 8 of Term 1!

Time seems to be flying, but it has been wonderful to see our kura buzzing with learning,

laughter, and connection.

A huge ngā mihi to everyone who joined us for Whānau Night. The turnout was fantastic,

and it was heartwarming to see our community come together. A special thank you

to Horiana and Shanece for preparing such delicious kai, and to Puke and Rose for

ensuring our school grounds looked amazing. Behind every successful event, there are

hardworking people behind the scenes, so a big thank you also to Hayley for all her efforts.

It was a pleasure meeting many of you for the first time and having meaningful kōrero.

Thank you to those who shared ideas about what you’d love to see at Awapuni School. It

was reassuring to hear that our whānau values and aspirations align with our existing

vision and plans. We also received some fantastic new ideas, and we look forward to

exploring ways to bring them to life!

I also want to take a moment to express my gratitude and appreciation to Te Ara for

stepping into the Acting Deputy Principal role. She has already lifted a huge weight off my

shoulders with her hard work and dedication. Te Ara brings fantastic ideas, and we are

working incredibly well together—it truly feels like we’ve been a team for much longer than

just a few weeks!

Ngā mihi maioha,

Ms. Russell

Tumuaki | Principal

Awapuni School

Friday, 28th March

• Swimming Sports, 12:30pm - 2:30pm (Lido Aquatic Centre)

Friday, 11th April

• Term 1 Ends, 3:00pm

Monday, 28th April

• Term 2 Starts, 9:00am

Monday, 12th May

• Board Meeting, 4:30pm

Friday, 30th May

• Teacher Only Day – School Closed

Monday, 2nd June

• King's Birthday – School Closed

A huge mihi to Sarai, who has been organising visits to Lido for our tamariki to practise their swimming skills. Kererū and Tui have already had their turn, and this week, Kea and Year 3 students from Kākā will be heading off for their sessions.

A reminder that our Swimming Sports event will take place on Friday, March 28th at Lido—we hope to see you there cheering on our tamariki!

We were fortunate to have Neitana and Mahalia from Ora Konnect speak about the important mahi they do in our community at our Whānau Night. If you haven’t yet completed the whānau survey, we encourage you to do so – your feedback helps strengthen our kura and community.

As an added bonus, students will receive Mana Vouchers for returned surveys! Please click on the link below to complete the survey

Over the weekend, our basketball court was resurfaced and painted, and it looks absolutely stunning! We’ve also added some new four-square games for our students to enjoy. Looking ahead to Term 2, we are thrilled to share that a brand-new junior playground will be installed. To make it even more special, the wet-pour rubber surface underneath will be shaped like the Manawatū River—a meaningful and unique addition to our kura.

The school board has begun the principal recruitment process with the help of a consultant. An important part of this process is seeking feedback from our staff, students, and parents/caregivers about the key skills, qualities, and attributes you feel are important for the principal role at our kura.

We encourage our school community to take part in this consultation and let us know what's important to your whānau by completing the survey below.

Each term, the whole school community is invited to review and comment on specific policies and procedures. This feedback is captured using the review button on topic for the board to consider.

This term our Health, Safety and Welfare policies are under review.

There are a number of outstanding accounts that will need to be paid before the end of term!! Please contact the office if you would like to arrange a payment plan or have any student billing queries.

You can view your child’s statement anytime using the Hero app. Payments can be made by direct credit to the school's bank account number: ASB | 12-3142-0505673-00

Parents/caregivers need let the school know if your child is going to be absent for each day they are away during the school term. You can let us know in the following ways, please include the reason for absence so we can record this correctly in our system:

1. Hero: Report an absence function
2. Phone: 06 358 1735 (absentee line)
3. Email: admin@awapuni-primary.school.nz

We strongly recommend parents download the Hero app to stay in the loop with Awapuni School. This is how we share important school messages with parents and keep you informed about new learning posts from your child/ren.

Please click here to download the Hero app and login – Follow the steps to sign up with the email address you provided the school. If you are having any issues, please contact the school office to ensure we have the correct email in the system.

April Holiday Camp & Term 2 Registrations Open!

With only a few weeks left in Term 1, we’re excited to announce that registrations are now open for Term 2 and our April holiday camp! Visit www.bounceacademy.nz to register

Our holiday programmes focus on skillsets, fundamentals, games and team skills for boys and girls aged 5 - 15 years old.

Dates: 14th & 15th April, 9am - 3pm

Cost: $80 for Yr 1 - 10 (both days)

Manawatu Youth Theatre are looking for our next talented cast of young people to stage Elf The Musical Jr.

We are holding auditions for our 2025 musical production of Elf Jr. on 28th / 29th March. There is no cost to be involved.

• Audition Information Pack

Email Lorna - elfjr2025@gmail.com for more information!

Camp Wharerama is an awesome holiday camp and experience for children from ages 5-12. For more information, visit wharerama.com