Kia ora e te whānau,

Week 3 is shaping up to be another full and exciting one here at TAPS. Here’s what you need to know:

🔹 Welcome, Millie Loomans!
We’re thrilled to welcome student teacher Millie to Room 7 this week — nau mai, haere mai!

🎓 Student Learning & Development

🎶 Kapa Haka
Matua Rawiri is back on Monday for our regular Kapa Haka session.

🥣 Sausage Sizzle & Ice Blocks – Wednesday!
A tasty fundraiser at Kai Break Wednesday. Pre-orders can be made at the office or on classroom sheets.
🌭 Sausage = $2 | ❄️ Ice Block = $2

⚙️ Year 7/8 Tech - Thursday
Our senior students head to Te Aroha College for Technology on Thursday.

🕺 Kahui Ako Year 7/8 Disco
Don’t miss the fun at Te Aroha College on Friday night, 6:00pm – 7:30pm! bring a water bottle, and come dressed to dance. (tickets will be given out this week - entry is free)

💚 Other Highlights

• International Day of Friendship 💛 – a perfect chance to chat about kindness and connection.

• Ready Set GO continues Thursday at 1:40pm in Room 1

• Bible in Schools / Values returns Friday morning.

• Bowls training is back Wednesday 1:40pm.

Thank you for continuing to support our kura — from morning routines to learning celebrations and everything in between. Your partnership makes all the difference. 💫

🎉 Attendance Celebrations – Term 3, Weeks 1–2

🔹 Whole School:
63% of our students are regularly attending (90%+ attendance) — that’s 150 tamariki making the most of their learning time and showing strong school engagement from the outset of the term.

🔹 By Year Group:

• Year 5 is leading the charge with an impressive 78% regular attendance. Ka rawe!

• Year 7 and Year 4 both sit strongly at 69%, showing settled patterns as they head into the middle of the term.

• Year 6 is right up there with 70% — our senior students are clearly showing their commitment.

🔹 By Class:

• Room 7 is a standout with 83% of students regularly attending — top of the kura!

• Room 9 also shines at 79%, and Room 5 and Room 3 both hover around 59–63%, showing solid starts.

• Most classrooms are hovering around or above 60% regular attendance — a solid platform to build on.

🔹 By Gender:

• Our female students lead with 66% regular attendance.

• Male students are close behind at 60%, and we’re tracking their progress closely to help lift this further.

📈 TAPS Pulse Check – Week 3, Term 3, 2025

Last week’s Pulse data shows another encouraging snapshot of student wellbeing and experience at TAPS—with signs of both strength and areas to watch as we move deeper into the term.

🌱 Wellbeing & Sentiment

Our wellbeing score has climbed slightly to 7.9, with a strong majority of students reporting they feel either positive (40) or great (88). Encouragingly, only 4 students indicated they were feeling negative, and 28 were “in the middle.” No students reported needing help, which signals that our support systems are continuing to work as intended.

📊 Experience Domains

Our total experience score holds steady at 8.0, continuing to track above the national average for NZ primary schools (7.8). Across the domains:

• Valued & Safe – 8.4 (↑0.1): A sign that students feel seen, supported, and emotionally secure.

• Healthy – 6.9 (↑0.1): A small improvement, but still an area to prioritise – especially with regard to sleep, emotional regulation, and general wellbeing.

• Material Basics – 8.5 (↓0.1): Remains high, with strong access to essentials reported at home and school.

• Learning – 8.1 (↑0.1): Shows students feel cognitively engaged and connected to the learning process.

• Participating – 8.3 (↑0.1): A quiet rise here indicates more students feeling involved and active in their environments.

• Positive Identity & Culture – 8.2 (↓0.1): Still a strong result that reflects a continued sense of belonging and cultural identity.

💚 Gratitude & Heart Data

• 144 instances of gratitude were logged this week, with Kindness (46), Friends (29), and Humour (27) most mentioned.

• Most common gratitude themes: Whānau (41), Home (23), Pets (15), and Health (9).

• Student comments reflect a deep appreciation for relationships and personal safety—consistent with our focus on relational and trauma-informed practices.

🧭 Summary

The Pulse is steady, reflective, and hopeful. Our tamariki continue to show strong signs of feeling valued, connected, and engaged. This data isn’t just a snapshot—it’s a reflection of the environment we’re all building together.

Ngā mihi nui for walking alongside us in the mahi. Let’s keep listening, supporting, and lifting each other.