Awakeri School Newsletter 25/09/26

We have reached the end of a very positive and action-packed term! Today, we are looking forward to the final of Awakeri’s Got Talent, presenting our end-of-term Gold Certificates, and drawing the popular ticket prizes.

Term 4 Starts with a Bang! We are leaping straight into Ag Day on the 16th and hosting Group Day on the 19th. It is exciting to see over 100 entries for Ag Day—thank you for your fantastic support! For a rural school like ours, Ag Day is a cherished tradition that underlines who we are and where we come from. Raising, training, and caring for an animal takes months of early mornings, patience, and dedication. It teaches important life skills that simply can’t be learned in a classroom, showcasing responsibility, empathy, resilience, and pride in consistent hard work.

It also brings together our wider community like no other event. Parents, grandparents, neighbours, and local experts come together to share in the skills and passion our students—your children—bring to their animals and pets. Whether your child is bringing a calf, lamb, kid, dog, chicken, emu, or small pet, we look forward to recognising the care and effort put in behind the scenes. Ag Day is definitely a highlight of the year for many, myself included. While I know it is sometimes easier not to enter or arrange an animal, moving forward we would love to see participation rise to include over 50% of our students again!

Looking Ahead to 2027. We have already begun working on plans to ensure we provide the best possible support and outcomes for our school community. In 2027, our management structure will consist of a Principal, two Deputy Principals, and four Team Leaders.

We are delighted to announce that Jeff Dunn has been appointed as our second Deputy Principal! Jeff and I will work alongside Craig as DPs when he returns as Principal in 2027. Congratulations to Jeff on his new appointment—I have thoroughly appreciated his support and insight this year and know he brings a fresh perspective and valuable experience to the role. This is an exciting step forward that will enhance leadership and support across the school for students, teachers, support staff, and whānau.

A Fond Farewell to Sara Elliot. Sara Elliot will be retiring at the end of this year after an incredible 40 years at Awakeri School, having served as a core member of our management team for a large part of that time. Sara’s expertise and wisdom will be greatly missed, but thankfully she will only be a phone call away and has assured us she is looking forward to being on call for relief teaching.

Kārearea Team Fundraiser. On Wednesday, our Kārearea team held their annual FUN-Raiser, and what a fantastic day it was! The goal of this event is to guide our senior students through designing, advertising, promoting, planning, facilitating, and managing finances for a live event. They truly outdid themselves this year, organising a wide variety of activities and treats for the rest of the school. All funds raised will go towards their Wellington camp in November.

A massive thank you to Brigette and Bella for coordinating this huge task and guiding our Year 7 and 8 students through every step of the process. Thank you to our school community for your support, too—the children had an absolute ball jumping out of windows, throwing sponges at Deputy Dunn and Mr Ogle, enjoying treats, and so much more!

A Note on Screen Time. Screen time in education has been in the media a lot recently, so we want to offer reassurance that screen time at Awakeri School is kept to a minimum and intentionally managed. Over the last two years, we have stepped back from many online programs and apps.

While students still use Chromebooks to enhance learning programmes and build digital literacy, devices are strictly used as learning tools. Many updated assessments are now online, and key literacy and maths programmes use adaptive digital resources to reinforce classroom teaching. Device use is also a required component of the updated curriculum and assessments. Rest assured, screen time at school is always purposeful, guided, and monitored.

Our teachers do use screens regularly throughout the day to deliver content via structured slides, visual prompts, and to review content. Having learning materials ready at the click of a button maximises quality teaching time and keeps content clear for everyone. Occasionally, YouTube clips are used to introduce new topics, or a movie is shown as an end-of-term reward or novel study follow-up. Any other screen use is carefully planned.

Upcoming Term 4 Key Dates. Following Ag Day, we have an action-packed term ahead, including Athletics, our annual Garage Sale, the School Halloween Disco, end-of-year celebrations and much more. Please keep a close eye on the School App, emails, and newsletters so you don't miss any important notices!

Top School Hui. We had a fantastic Top School meeting on Monday, and it was wonderful to have three new parents come on board to help organise aspects of the event and get the Top School wheels turning. We will begin asking for donations, volunteers, and sponsorships next term, so please keep an eye out and assist where you can. We need everyone to get involved and support the committee to make Top School 2027 a roaring success.

Mark the date in your calendars: Sunday, 14 March 2027!

Enjoy the School Break! I hope you get to enjoy some relaxing downtime with your children over the upcoming break. Encourage them to get outside, stay active, catch up with friends, cut down on screen time, and enjoy a well-deserved break from the routine of school lunches, drop-offs, and pick-ups.

See you all next term!

Ngā mihi

Louise