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

Pānui ā-Kura | Term 4, Week 4 – 2026

Tēnā koutou e te whānau o Te Kura o Coastal Taranaki kei Ōkato,

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 mātou ki a tātou te hunga ora, nō reira, tēnā tātou katoa.

As we move further into Term 4, it is wonderful to reflect on the many opportunities, achievements and experiences that continue to enrich learning across our kura. This is always a particularly busy time of year, with our tamariki and rangatahi working towards their learning goals, preparing for assessments, participating in sporting and cultural events, and celebrating their successes.

We are incredibly proud of the way our learners continue to demonstrate our kura values of Ako, Manaakitanga and Whanaungatanga, both within and beyond the classroom.

Nau mai, haere mai – Welcome to our New Deputy Principal Y0–6!

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Anna Watkin as our new Deputy Principal Y0–6, commencing at Coastal Taranaki School in Term 1, 2027.

Anna brings extensive experience in primary education and school leadership, most recently serving as Assistant Principal at Massey Primary School in West Auckland, where she has also undertaken the role of Acting Principal.

She has a strong background in curriculum development, literacy and numeracy leadership, student achievement, and supporting teachers to grow their professional practice. Anna is passionate about building positive relationships with tamariki, whānau and staff, and creating engaging, inclusive learning environments where every learner can thrive.

Anna's appointment is also a very special homecoming! Growing up in Ōkato, Anna attended Ōkato Primary School and Ōkato College before continuing her education and teaching career elsewhere. She is excited to return to her roots, reconnect with the local community and contribute to the future of our kura.

Anna is also actively involved in literacy education across Aotearoa and is currently President of the Taranaki Literacy Association.

We look forward to the knowledge, experience, energy and enthusiasm Anna will bring to our leadership team and kura.

Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Anna and her whānau as they prepare to join our Coastal Taranaki School community in 2027.

Nau mai, hoki mai ki tō kāinga, Anna!

Mā te whānau te tamaiti e pūawai – Through collaboration our learners will thrive.

Puanga Kapa Haka Festival Performance in Waitara

On Friday, October 30th, our Coastal Taranaki School Kapa Haka Rōpū proudly performed at the Waitara War Memorial Hall for the annual Puanga Festival.

Our tamariki mokopuna took to the stage with immense pride, passion, and mana. The group represented our kura outstandingly, showcasing the values of Whanaungatanga, Manaakitanga, and Ako through their bracket.

A huge thank you to Matua Lukey Rihari and Whaea Te Ariki Clay-Williams for their dedicated tutoring and leadership, as well as to our parents, whānau and staff who supported the rōpū in preparing and getting festival-ready. We could not be prouder of how our rōpū shone on stage and the way they represented Coastal Taranaki School with immense mana.

Ka nui te mihi atu ki a koutou katoa.

Watch our Kapa Haka Rōpū performance

He Mihi Whakawhetai | Celebrating and Appreciating Our Kaimahi

Last week, we had the pleasure of celebrating Teacher Appreciation Day, an opportunity to acknowledge the incredible mahi, dedication and commitment of our kaiako, who make such a positive difference in the lives of our tamariki mokopuna and rangatahi every day.

Teaching is so much more than what happens in the classroom. It is about building relationships, nurturing confidence, inspiring curiosity, creating opportunities and supporting every learner to grow and thrive. We are grateful for the care, passion and professionalism our kaiako bring to their mahi and the many ways they contribute to our kura community.

A particularly special highlight was our Staff Appreciation Breakfast, thoughtfully organised and led by Rebecca Goodin, with the wonderful support of Uli Mesquita Temoteo and Lara Smith.

We extend a very special thank you to Rebecca for the outstanding organisation, preparation and delivery of this event. Her initiative, attention to detail and excellent leadership ensured that everything came together beautifully, creating a warm and welcoming occasion for our staff to connect, share kai and feel appreciated.

A heartfelt thank you also to Uli and Lara for their valuable contributions and support in making the breakfast such a success.

It was a lovely expression of Manaakitanga and Whanaungatanga in action, reminding us of the importance of looking after one another, recognising the contributions of others and celebrating the people who make our kura such a special place.

Ngā mihi nui ki a Rebecca koutou ko Uli ko Lara. He mihi hoki ki ngā kaiako o te kura nei. Your mahi, dedication and aroha for our learners and kura are deeply appreciated.

Celebrating Learning Across Our Kura

There has been plenty to celebrate across our primary and secondary learning spaces.

Our recent Pet Day was a wonderful celebration of our tamariki, their animals, creativity and the strong connections between kura and whānau. Thank you to our many sponsors, volunteers, staff, Friends of Coastal Taranaki School (FOCTS) and the many whānau who contributed to making this such a memorable occasion.

Our younger learners have also been enjoying rich learning experiences beyond the classroom, including visits to Pukeiti Gardens, where they have been exploring our natural environment, native wildlife and the importance of kaitiakitanga. These experiences are wonderful examples of learning that connects our tamariki to the unique environment and community around us.

Literacy Week was another fantastic highlight, bringing together students and staff through storytelling, reading, creative activities, competitions and our much-loved dress-up day. A special thank you to Ms Fung, Whaea Delwyn, our senior student leaders, Whaea Jackie as guest judge for best costumes, and everyone who contributed to making the week such a success.

We also acknowledge the achievements of our learners in sport, including outstanding performances in swimming, football and downhill mountain biking. Congratulations to all those who have represented themselves, their teams and our kura with such pride.

It is heartening to see the many ways our learners are growing in confidence, developing their talents and embracing opportunities to challenge themselves.

Senior Secondary Examinations and NZQA

Our senior secondary learners are now preparing for their NCEA external examinations, which commence on Tuesday 10 November.

We wish all our rangatahi sitting examinations the very best. We acknowledge the mahi they have invested throughout the year and encourage them to approach this final stage with confidence, preparation and a positive mindset.

We also recently received very positive feedback following our NZQA Managing National Assessment review. This is an important acknowledgement of the work undertaken to strengthen our assessment systems and practices.

A special thank you to our secondary kaiako, Deputy Principal Sarah Oke, Principal's Nominee Natalie Bound, and the wider team for their ongoing commitment to supporting our learners and ensuring robust assessment practices across the kura.

Assessment and End-of-Year Reporting | Years 0–10

Our end-of-year assessment and moderation processes are now underway across Reading, Writing and Mathematics for Years 0–10.

As part of this process, our kaiako are gathering and moderating a range of assessment information, including DIBELS Reading, PROBE Reading, Year 2 Mathematics, e-asTTle Writing, PAT Mathematics and classroom learning evidence. This information supports teachers to make accurate Overall Teacher Judgements (OTJs) about student progress and achievement.

This is an important part of our ongoing work to strengthen assessment practices, ensure consistency across learning areas, and develop a clearer picture of each learner's progress and next learning steps.

End-of-Year Reporting

Years 0–10 end-of-year reports will be printed and sent home with students on Monday 14 December (Week 10).

We are also working with our advisor from Helix (our SMS - Student Management System) to explore making reports available electronically. Further information will be shared with parents and whānau once this process has been confirmed.

The assessment information gathered will also support classroom transitions and teaching and learning planning for Term 1, 2027, ensuring our kaiako are well informed about the strengths, achievements and next steps of our learners.

Thank you to our whānau for your ongoing partnership as we continue to strengthen clear, consistent and high-quality learning pathways for our tamariki.

Looking Ahead | Strategic Planning for 2027–2028

As shared in our School Board update, we are beginning the process of reviewing and refining our strategic goals for 2027–2028.

This work will build on our existing strategic direction, our kura vision Mā te whānau te tamaiti e pūawai – Through collaboration our learners will thrive, and the valuable feedback previously shared by our community.

We look forward to providing opportunities for our staff, whānau and wider community to contribute their perspectives and aspirations as we plan for the future of Coastal Taranaki School.

Your voice and partnership are important in helping shape the direction of our kura.

Important End-of-Year Dates

Prize Giving | Wednesday 9 December, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm

We warmly invite our whānau to join us for our end-of-year Prize Giving as we celebrate the achievements, efforts and successes of our tamariki and rangatahi throughout 2026.

This is a special occasion for our kura community, recognising not only academic achievement but also the many ways our learners have demonstrated growth, leadership, commitment and our kura values.

We look forward to celebrating together.

End-of-Year Reports | Monday 14 December

Years 0–10 hardcopy reports will be sent home with students.

Last Day of Term | Wednesday 16 December, 1:00 pm

Our kura will finish for the 2026 school year at 1:00 pm on Wednesday 16 December.

We ask whānau to please make the necessary arrangements for their tamariki to be collected at this earlier time.

He Kupu Whakamutunga | Closing Acknowledgements

As we enter the final weeks of the school year, we extend our sincere appreciation to our kaiako, kaimahi, Board, whānau and wider community for the many ways you continue to support our kura.

To our tamariki mokopuna and rangatahi, we encourage you to make the most of the learning opportunities still ahead, continue to demonstrate our kura values, and finish the year with pride in what you have achieved.

Our strength as a kura lies in the relationships we build, the care we show one another, and our shared commitment to ensuring every learner has the opportunity to thrive.

Mā te whānau te tamaiti e pūawai – Through collaboration our learners will thrive.

Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa,

Te Kapa Hautū Matua | Senior Leadership Team

Whaea Sonia Mau - Tumuaki | Principal

Whaea Sarah Oke - Tumuaki Tuarua | Deputy Principal Y7-13

Whaea Wes Mau - Kaihautū Marautanga | Curriculum Lead Y0-6

Spring greetings from the School Board! Ngā mihi o koanga.

We’re looking ahead to the next chapter for our school! Updated requirements under the Education Amendment Regulations 2026 will apply to strategic plans starting 1 January 2027. Whānau may remember sharing their ideas during our school community consultation in 2025, which helped shape the current strategic plan. Before the end of 2026, the Board and Senior Leadership Team (SLT) will host several sessions for staff and whānau to share ideas to help us review and refine three strategic goals for our school. We’d love to hear from you! Keep an eye on Helix and social media for more details and your invitation.

There’s plenty to celebrate this month, starting with a wonderful Pet Day! Well done to all our students who cared for and raised calves and lambs this spring. Your dedication and kindness shone through. The classrooms’ creative work was a visual feast! A big thank you to our staff and Friends of Coastal Taranaki School for your mahi and for making the day so special for our tamariki.

We were pleased to hear positive updates on finance and property committees, along with valuable reporting on student achievement from our Tumuaki | Principal, Sonia Mau. Another highlight was the secondary team’s positive report from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority on assessment practices—great news to celebrate!

Let’s keep the spring energy going! Thank you, whānau, for helping your tamaiti, tamariki, mokopuna get to kura each day, ready to learn, connect and enjoy all that school has to offer.

Ngā mihi,

Jane Bowden-Dobson

Presiding Member

Coastal Taranaki School Board

FREE Haircuts & Hair Services at CTS!

We were excited to offer FREE haircuts last week from WITT Level 4 Barber graduates and WITT hairdressers who provided a range of free hair services for our learners.

In Room 22, we have been learning about pets, building on the excitement of Pets Day.

As part of our learning, Mrs Gilmour brought her guinea pigs into the classroom for the day, giving the children an opportunity to observe and interact with them.

We are exploring the responsibilities involved in caring for animals and learning about their needs, including proper nutrition, shelter, exercise and handling, to help keep them happy and healthy.

Room 21 had a wonderful learning adventure at Pukeiti Gardens, exploring the natural world and discovering how we can care for our environment as kaitiaki.

Students took part in engaging activities about our native birds, learning to recognise their eggs and listen to the different sounds they make. We also explored predators in the bush, discussed how trapping helps protect our native wildlife, and investigated the different types of traps used.

One of the highlights was our bug hunt! Students discovered that many insects and bugs play an important role in a healthy ecosystem. We learnt how the smallest creatures help keep our natural environments thriving.

It was a fantastic opportunity for our tamariki to learn outdoors, ask questions, make discoveries and deepen their understanding of the importance of protecting Aotearoa’s unique plants and wildlife.

Years 11-13 As the year draws to a close, our seniors are working hard in revision lessons. Good luck to all our seniors! All resources and revision materials are on the class site: https://sites.google.com/coastaltaranaki.school.nz/2026english/home

Years 9-10 In Term 4, we are focusing on our Oral Language Texts. We are exploring poetry before we move onto a play and speeches.

Important Dates:

Wednesday 11th November

• Level 3 English exam (3.1 Studied Text - A Streetcar Named Desire)

Thursday 12th November

• Level 2 English exam (2.1 Studied Text - Macbeth or The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde)

Tuesday 17th November

• Level 1 English exam (1.3 Written Text - The Hunger Games)

• Level 1 English exam (1.4 Unfamiliar Texts)

Literacy Week 2026

We have enjoyed an exploration of literature heroes and legends from around the world during last week’s Literacy Week. Other memorable experiences included: the Scholastic Book Fair run by our fantastic librarian, Delwyn; Spellathon; Film Thursday and Dress Up Friday and assembly. Congratulations to all our competition winners.

Many thanks to all those who have sponsored or supported our Literacy Week. Our Spellathon sponsorship money will go towards the 2027 Literacy Events Fund. Watch this space in the new year for some exciting literary events and competitions!

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An exceptional effort by Sophie Juffermans, earning top 8 in every single race she swam at the North Island Shakedown (formally known as CNI's)

A massive weekend with 5 sessions of swimming over 3 days and 6 podium positions.

5th place 50m Free
7th place 50m Back
3rd place 50m Breaststroke
7th place 50m Fly
2nd place 200m IM
5th place 100m Free
3rd place 100m Breaststroke
3rd place 200m Free
1st place 400m Free
3rd place 100m IM

Earlier this month at the Taranaki Swimming Prizegiving, Sophie was awarded two trophies, one for Taranaki Development swimmer of the year due to her results this year at NZ Junior Festival and also top Taranaki 10 year old female swimmer of the year.

Lois Evans - represented the New Plymouth Rangers soccer team in the McCartney Soccer Tournament in Taupo over the school holidays. She was awarded Player of the Tournament for her team.

Lois says her highlight of the tournament was playing with her team mates and scoring epic goals.

During the weekend of 17th October, Bodhi and Dane travelled to Rotorua for the New Zealand DownHill Mountain Bike competition.

For the under 11 boys, Bodhi placed 4th and Dane a close 5th by only a split second.

Below : Bodhi on left, Dane on right

Upcoming sports to look out for -

• Interschool Touch Tournament - Years 3-8, being held Wednesday 4th November in Opunake.

• 3x3 Basketball social competition, girls and boys, being held in Opunake for Years 5 & 6 and 7 & 8 - Please show your interest at the school office.

• Rippa Rugby Tournament Year 1- 4 boys and girls mixed - Tuesday 17th November, Sanders Park New Plymouth.

We will need a coach per team and help with transport.

Please show interest to Whaea Tara - tara.ross@coastaltaranaki.school.nz

It's that time again! We're gearing up for another fantastic summer at NPOB Surf Life Saving Club, and we'd love to see returning and new members on the beach with us this season.

Register Now https://npobsurflifesaving.friendlymanager.com/public/register

Junior Surf Starts Sunday 1 November 2026 at New Plymouth Old Boys Surf Club

Returning members: Please arrive at 9:45 AM for a 10:00 AM start on the lawn!

New members: Please arrive from 9:00 AM for introductions, a club tour, and registration support.

We Need You!

Volunteer coaches and helpers are essential to keeping our Junior Surf programme running.

We are always looking for support across all age groups, this season we're particularly keen to hear from anyone interested in helping with our Makos (9-11 year olds) age group.

No surf club experience is required, just enthusiasm and a willingness to get involved.

Contact Annabel: 022 139 0107

Stay Connected

Follow our Facebook page for updates, event information, and weather cancellations: NPOB Surf Life Saving Club Ōakura https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567083236092

We can't wait to see everyone back on the beach for another great season!

COASTAL TARANAKI SCHOOL

Sonia Mau Principal

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

Wes Mau Innovative Curriculum & Design Project Lead (Y0–6)

Viola Fung English

Ros James Maths

Steve Leppard Hard Materials Technology, Tech on 45

Natalie Bound Science, Principals Nominee

Keegan Bruckner Social Sciences, Geography, P.E Teacher

Dee Heath Year 7/8 Teacher

John Hudson Year 7/8 Teacher

Renee Leathley Kaitake Team Leader, Year 5/6 Teacher

Emily Finey Year 5/6 Teacher

Johannah Poutini Year 4/5 Teacher

Tara Ross Pukeiti Team Leader, Year 3/4 Teacher

Annie Harris NE Transition Teacher

Jemma Moorby Year 2/3 Teacher

Sarah Warren Year 1/2 Teacher

Rebecca Connolly Year 1/2 Teacher, Release Teacher

Hayley Gilmour Release Teacher

Craig Taylor Release Teacher

Alana Campbell Office Manager

Delwyn Pearce School Librarian

Kirsty Koboski Publicity Officer

Ole Bucka Grounds & Maintenance

Amy Mills Guidance Counsellor

Fon Julian Office Reception

Learning Assistants

Darryl Levett

Kirsty Koboski

Paula Fleming

Ruth Barron

Lisa Schrader

Marcus Wade

Crystelle Deegan

Chloe Wooldridge