Welcome Back to School

The purpose of this newsletter is to bring you up to speed with all that is happening in Term 3.

Attendance Summary 2024 - Term 1 & 2
Term 1, 2024 - Overall Attendance: 64% of students attended school regularly (above 90% of the time), an increase from 57% in Term 1, 2023.
Punctuality: 81% of students were on time to class.
Term 2, 2024 - Overall Attendance: 61% of students attended school regularly (above 90% of the time), an increase from 52% in Term 2, 2023.
Punctuality: 83% of students were on time to class.
Best Attendance Days:

Effects of too many missed days at school...

1. Missed Lessons = Falling Behind: Even one day can mean missing critical instructions and activities, making it harder for your child to catch up.

2. Impact on Future Success: Consistent attendance is a strong predictor of academic achievement and future opportunities.

3. Building Resilience: Regular attendance teaches your child the value of perseverance and responsibility—essential skills for success in life.

4. Stronger Friendships: Daily presence helps your child develop and sustain friendships, which are crucial for emotional and social development.

5. Healthy Routine: Attending school every day establishes a stable routine, promoting better mental and physical health.

We are here to help and support you with any attendance issues that you might have. We also have agencies like 'Starfish' that are able to support families and whānau with getting children to school if there are barriers to attendance. Please keep in contact with the school and always let Lucy (office administrator) or your child's teacher know if they are going to be absent.

Lucy will be phoning up the family and whānau of any students not at school to ensure we are recording absences as accurately as possible.

We thank you for your support as we work together to have our students attending school regularly.

Thursday 25 July - Year 7 & 8 Tech at TAC (every Thursday morning)

Tuesday 30 July - School Photos

Wednesday 31 July - Learning conversations 1:00pm - 6:00pm

Thursday 1 August - Learning conversations 3:30pm - 5:15pm

Tuesday 6 August - NZ author visit (Nicole Miller)

Monday 12 - Friday 16 August - Maths Week

Tuesday 13 August - School Cross-country (14th postponement date)

Sunday 11 August - PTA Duck Day

Tuesday 20 August - Te Aroha District Schools Cross Country

Wednesday 21 August - Rippa Rugby tournament

Monday 26 - Friday 30 August - Totara Springs Sports Camp

Friday 30 August - Daffodil Day

Tuesday 3 September - Thames Valley Cross Country

Thursday 5 September - Jase Williams parent session. Events centre. Time TBC

Thursday 12 September - Rotary Speech finals. St Joesph's, Stanley Ave and TAPS

Saturday 14 September - PTA Bingo Night

Monday 16 - Friday 20 September - Māori language week

Wednesday 25 September - Rotary Speech dinner

Friday 27 September - Last day of Term 3

Jase Williams (Ngāti Tamaterā) is one of the most sought after presenters, keynote speakers and professional ​development facilitators in the country.

He is the leading voice in Trauma Informed Practice in Education in New Zealand, with 20+ years experience working as an educator, and is the former Principal of Henry Hill School - decile 1A Primary School in Napier, Hawke's Bay.
The school’s Trauma Informed Approach raised attendance, academic achievement, and improved health outcomes for students at the school. Henry Hill School were the winners of the most recent Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards - Wellbeing category.
As a Ministry of Education Accredited Facilitator he has worked with thousands of educators and hundreds of ECE, Primary School, Intermediate and High Schools across the country and he has also presented internationally.

This term we will be spotlighting the importance of appropriate behaviour, having a positive 'Can Do' attitude to school and life, and how using good manners can make everyday a little brighter and build good habits. We will be starting every week with a 10-15 minute hui to set the tone for the week ahead. Our students, teachers and support staff will take their lead from these hui and promote the desired behaviours in class and the playground. We are taking a very low tolerance to poor behaviour this term. We understand that all behaviour is a form of communication and will be working quickly to understand what the needs are of those individual students and address them swiftly. It is never our preference to stand students down, but the health, safety and wellbeing of all our students is important, so if we feel this step needs to be taken while we set up supports for particular students, we will do so.

School is a safe place where students come to learn, grow and play...we need to make sure this is our daily reality.

Feel free to use this information to have a discussion with your children ahead of the new term starting.

Here is the link to the booking site BOOKING SITE

Use the code b36ss

We understand that sometimes it is difficult keeping children in a school uniform, however, at Te Aroha Primary School we have a uniform and we are going to be focussing this term on ensuring everyone has the correct uniform on.

It is initially a reasonable amount of money purchasing the uniform, but it is made from quality material and will give you a number of years of good wearing. As the uniform embeds (this is only the 2nd year) more and more 2nd hand items will become available.

If finance is an issue, there are agencies in Te Aroha that can help with the costs. Come in and see Lucy, our office administrator and she can apply on your behalf.

We understand that household finances are stretched currently and will do what we can to support you through the purchasing process.

Winter uniform consists of:

● School Beanie (optional)
● Green polo shirt with school logo
● Navy Polo shirt with school logo
● School hooded jacket
● School navy blue shorts
● School navy blue skorts
● School navy blue track bottom (no sweatpants material)
● Tights – black, dark or navy blue (optional) NO COMPRESSION CLOTHING
● Sensible shoes

● Navy blue or black long sleeve tops/thermals may be worn under the polo shirt (optional). No other colours are permitted.
● A wrist watch is permitted.
● Shorts/ skorts must be worn on the fields or in the sandpit.
● A reminder, Heelys,Ugg boots or high heeled boots are not sensible shoes for children to wear to school. Slippers are for wearing inside only.
● 1 pair of stud earrings is permitted. No sleepers or hoop/ dangle earrings.
● If you have a nose piercing then a clear retainer must be worn.
● No other jewellery is permitted except 1 necklace of cultural or religious significance which cannot be seen.

We want our students to be neat and tidy and a good example of what our school stands for when they are at school and out in the community.

Our School office is now online with myKindo, and taking uniform orders.
All of the above uniforms are available on myKindo and can be collected from the office (except the shoes)