Te Kura o Te Pāroa

School Newsletter # 1 - Friday 13th February 2026

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Nau mai, hoki mai ki tenei timatanga hou o Te Kura o Te Pāroa 2026,

Ka tuku atu te mihi mahana ki nga whānau me nga tamariki katoa. I tēnei tau ka kimi tonu mātou o te kura ki te whakakaha i te hono i waenganui i a tatou ko nga Mātua, ki nga whānau hei awhi i te mahi ki te whakaako i nga tamariki.

We warmly welcome all whānau and tamariki to the new school year at Te Kura o Te Pāroa. This year we continue to strengthen our partnership with whānau, because the best outcomes for tamariki happen when kura and home work together with shared expectations.

Attendance Matters.

Regular attendance is one of the most important ways you can support your tamaiti. Every day at Kura builds confidence, strengthens learning, and deepens understanding. When tamariki miss school, they miss essential teaching time that cannot easily be replaced.

Every day counts.

Be Involved in your tamaiti's Learning

We encourage whānau to attend key events this year:

Maths Hui parents/ tamariki/ kaiako – 19 March Term 1. Find out what your tamaiti is learning and how you can help them.
Student-Led Conferences. Term 3 and 4 Your tamaiti will share with you their work, their goals and their progress.
Literacy Hui - parents/ tamariki/ kaiako - Term 3

These are important opportunities to understand your tamaiti’s progress and how to support learning at home.

Talk with your tamaiti each day about what they are learning. Ask what they practised, what challenged them, and what they are proud of.

Our Direction for the Kura

This year our focus is on:

Consistency across classrooms
High engagement
Strong, uninterrupted morning learning

Morning literacy and mathematics time will remain protected and sacrosanct to ensure deep, focused learning.

We are also strengthening our use of explicit direct teaching practices across the kura. This means teachers clearly explain learning, model expectations, guide practice, and give immediate feedback.

One of the first shared tools we are using is mini whiteboards, which allow every tamaiti to show their thinking and receive quick feedback during lessons.

Please ask your tamaiti to share with you information about using the mini whiteboards?

Together, through strong attendance, engagement, and partnership, we will ensure every tamaiti thrives this year.

Kia kaha tātou katoa.

Ngā mihi nui,

Erin Te Pou
Tūmuaki
Te Kura o Te Pāroa

6 new classrooms landed and are almost ready. Only a few more weeks to go when classes can move into them. Watch ClassDojo pānui for when the move occurs.
Thank you for following new expectations regarding pick-up and drop-off. Next month you will see the construction team move to B Block to begin the renovations. During this time the front of the kura access will be restricted by fencing.

Thank you for being amazing role models of our school values. We are proud of you. Keep it up!

Awarahe - Whāea Rose Herewini

Jaydene Gulliver - Mauri Tū - For showing confidence when using our Student Engagement Norms and always participating in class discussions.

Te Tōtara - Whāea Bethan Kohunui

Anahera Martinovich - Mauri Mātauranga - For giving her best with all her learning and being a positive role model for her peers in her akomanga.

Ohuirehe - Whāea Ardelle Williams

Te Aroha Pounamu Ohlson - Mauri Mātauranga - For being an active learner by participating in and contributing to all our learning in Ohuirehe.

Kakahoroa - Whāea Helen Korewha

Wharehuia Henare Hikawera - Mauri Mātauranga - Participation in Numicon and being confident to take risks. And he loves the Whiteboards.

Te Korokoro - Whāea Te Amiona Korewha

Azariah-Leigh Wallace-Mahaki - Mauri Tū - As a tamaiti hou, Azariah-Leigh has settled into TKOTP well. She participates in all kaupapa ako and will give everything a go with a positive attitude.

Te Pahitaua - Whāea Rahora Riini

Manawa Palmer - Mauri Tū - He tama aumangea a Manawa.

He kawe i a ia anō i roto i te pouri ki te māramatanga, kia whītikina ai ia e ngā ihiihi o Tamanui ki te ora.

“He Manawa tītī, he Manawa Piharau”

Owhataiti - Whāea Helen Kingi

Tye Heemi-Salmon - Mauri Mātauranga - Likes to participate in classroom learning whenever possible, especially Panui. He is learning to confidently read with his reading voice.

Kawarehe - Whāea Te Rumate Mahutoto

Te Rehita Rika-Hill - Mauri Mātauranga - Ko koe tēra e āhei ana ki te whai i ngā rautaki panui.

Te Pakora - Whāea Takirimu Teddy

Reign Maunsell -Mauri Mātauranga - Mo tō tino kaha ki te korero Te Reo Maori i ngā wā katoa.

Te Karaka - Whāea Edna Osborne

Aihe-Belle Tutua-Fullick - Mauri Tangata - He kaha a Aihe-Belle ki te tiaki i te kōtiro hou, kia noho harikoa, kia noho mauri tau hoki.

Te Pekapekatahi - Whāea Cilla Gray

Anahera Thrupp - Mauri Ora - Anahera has confidently caught the bus to and from kura this week. Ka wani kē Anahera.

Access to SchoolDocs:

Available to the principal, board, and school community (parents, caregivers, whānau).
How to log in:

Go to schooldocs.co.nz.
Search for "Te Kura o Te Pāroa."
Enter credentials:

Username: paroa
Password: turukihia

Use the search bar to find specific policies.

How it works

Students must live at least 3.2km from their kura.

The conveyance allowance is a contribution to help with the cost of getting your eligible child to school or the nearest bus route. The kura will give you a conveyance allowance form to complete if you qualify. The conveyance allowance is paid into the parents nominated bank account at the end of every term. This payment is based on the childs attendance.

Who can get the allowance

To receive the conveyance allowance your child must meet the 3 criteria for being eligible for transport assistance and have limited access to a school bus. This means either:

there is no school bus or public transport available in your area, or
there is a school bus or public transport in your area, but you live more than 2.4km from the nearest bus route.
If your child attends a Māori-medium school, whichever kura is chosen will be considered the closest. This is to allow students to attend a kura that aligns to their iwi and hapū affiliation.

From Term 1 2026, our Kura is required to have an Attendance Management Plan (AMP) in place.

These plans aim to improve student attendance by providing clear pathways to identify and address absences at different thresholds.

We know that for tamariki to succeed in te reo matatini and pāngarau, they need to be at school on time on every day. All students need to be in class by 8.45am ready to go.

At Te Kura o Te Pāroa, being present is how we grow confident, capable, and connected. future iwi leaders.

Outline of plan will be aligned to the STAR reporting, whereby actions will be determined by the number of days tamariki are absent.

For example:

For students with less that 5 days absence in a school term - 90% + attendance

- Contact maintained with whānau regarding any absences.

- Students and whānau given termly updates on their attendance.

- Tamariki given opportunities to catch up on any missed learning tasks (where possible).

- Celebrate great attendance in assemblies.

For students with up to 10 days absence in a school term - 80% attendance

- Contact made with whānau regarding any absences through phone calls or letters.

- Attendance monitored by class teacher and team leader.

- Check and connect hui with tamariki and Attendance team to monitor and celebrate attendance.

- Support to catch up on any missed learning tasks (where possible).

- Support and referrals for any identified barriers to attending kura.

- Additional time allocated to support missed learning tasks (where possible).

-Celebrate attendance improvement with Deputy Principal and Principal.

On Wednesday 11th February, the DHB vaccination team visited our kura to present an education session for our Year 7 & 8 students about the HPV and Boostrix (Tetanus, Diphtheria and Whooping Cough) vaccinations.

All students were given a consent form to bring home.

If your tamaiti will be receiving the vaccinations, please complete Section A of the form.
If your tamaiti will NOT be receiving the vaccinations, please complete Section B.

All forms must be completed and returned to the school office by Thursday 20th February, regardless of your decision.

Please ask your tamaiti for their form, complete it, and return it to the office as soon as possible.

Ngā mihi

Sport fees - All tamariki are to pay sports fees before they play.

School Contact Details

Email: office@paroa.school.nz
Website: https://www.paroa.school.nz
Location: 34 Paroa Road, Whakatane 3191
Phone: 073086652

School Mobile phone: 0274471900
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/910834023142312

Health checks at Kura

The nurse from Te Tohu o Te Ora o Ngāti Awa will come into the kura every Tuesday from 10am to do student health checks. If you would like your child to see the nurse, please ring the kura on 07 3086652 or go onto Skool Loop to complete the permission form.

Rheumatic Fever - Strep Throat.

Rheumatic fever commonly appears in school age children, it is a preventable disease by identifying sore throats caused by strep throat. Treatment is a course of an appropriate antibiotic. Team of trained professionals can ensure the prevention of this disease through early detection and are based in schools within Kawerau and the surrounding areas including Whakatane.

Nurses from Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau Hauroa come into the kura every Monday from 1-2pm to do free throat swabs and basic skin assessments.

If you would like your child to see the nurse, please ring the kura on 07 3086652.

Bus messages

Reminder you must contact the kura no later than 1.45pm daily if there are changes to your childs normal travel home.

Students who are on private vehicles need to be collected from kura before 3.15pm.

Class DoJo

Your child's teachers will need to invite you to join their class. They can either invite you by text, email, or send home a parent code. Easily stay connected with your child's classrooms on ClassDojo.

Te Kura o Te Pāroa