Te Kura o Te Pāroa

Tēnā koutou e te whānau,

E rere ana te aroha me te whakawhetai ki a koutou katoa. I a tātou e lititaha ana ki ngā mea katoa e mahia ana i tō tātou kura, kotahi tonu te kupu e matatū ana: ko te whakawhetai. He hoa noho tātou no tētahi hāpori e tino māmā ana te hāpai, te tautoko, me te manaaki; he momo e tino manaakitia ana tātou.

There is so much to celebrate right now, starting with our preparations for the upcoming Rangitaiki Haka Festival. Seeing 200 of our tamariki stepping up to perform is breathtaking. A milestone like this doesn't happen by chance—it is made possible by the dedicated work of our tutors across five teams, our guitarists, and the support from our parents helping with fundraising for haka t-shirts. A massive ngā mihi to our own Rangitaiki organising committee, led by Ngahuia Brown, for their tireless work behind the scenes.

Our gratitude also extends deeply to our Kaumatua for their support during the visits of our last two manuhiri. Their presence ensures our kura remains firmly grounded in tikanga and manaakitanga.

I am equally proud of our staff, who continue to show outstanding professionalism and passion. Their hard work recently earned high praise from both the Minister of Education and our special visitors from the Tulalip Nation.

Above all, I am filled with pride watching our tamariki stand strong in who they are. The haka pōwhiri they deliver shows just how proud they are to be Māori. Check out the Pukaea post!

Thank you to everyone—our tamariki, staff, whānau, and Kaumatua—for making our kura such an amazing place to learn and grow. I am truly grateful to be part of this whānau.

Ngā manaakitanga,

Erin Te Pou

1. Ohuirehe- Ōhuirehe is a sacred ancestral land area situated north-east of and opposite the Taiwhakaea Marae complex, encompassing the present-day urupā. For Ngāi Taiwhakaea, it is one of the most significant wāhi tapu in the rohe, as it is the resting place of revered ancestors and a place where whakapapa, history, and wairua remain deeply connected.
2. Ōkōrero- Ōkōrero is the traditional Māori name associated with the Thornton area on the eastern side of the Rangitāiki River mouth, west of Whakatāne. It is a place of considerable historical and cultural importance to Ngāti Awa, particularly the hapū of Ngāti Awa ki Rangitāiki. Ōkōrero sits near the mouth of the Rangitāiki River, where the river flows into Te Moana-nui-a-Toi (the Bay of Plenty).
3. Te Karaka- Te Karaka Tapu-o-Toroa is a place of profound spiritual significance within the Ngāti Awa rohe. Situated on the western side of Huna Road, the area extends east of Te Pahitaua, and south of the Oriini Drain. Toroa travelled to this spot and recited rituals here to lift tapu and Mākutu that had been placed upon his people. Hence the name Te Karaka Tapu-o-Toroa. Te Karaka is an enduring reminder that landscapes are repositories of memory. Its sacred tree, the rituals of Toroa, and the healing work of Ringatū tohunga all contribute to its identity as a place of wairua, healing, and renewal.

Kia ora whānau,

On Tuesday 11th August, we held an earthquake evacuation drill for all students and staff at Te Kura o Te Pāroa.

The drill provided an important opportunity for our tamariki and staff to practise our emergency procedures and ensure everyone knows what to do in the event of an earthquake.

We will be holding another surprise earthquake drill in the near future. This will help us to check that our procedures are well understood and that everyone is prepared to respond safely and calmly.

Thank you to our tamariki and staff for taking the drill seriously and helping to keep our kura safe.

He mea nui te haumaru o ā tātou tamariki.
The safety of our tamariki is our priority.

Payment options are:

Correct cash in the envelope or you can pay online.

Online Ordering Link - https://lazerphoto.co.nz/products/te-kura-o-te-paroa

Whakatāne High School

Open Day/Open Evening

Tuesday, 15 September 2026

Our Open Day will be held on Tuesday, 15 September from 9.15am - 10.40am. Whakatāne High

School will provide a bus to transport students to arrive at this time. The bus will be leaving Te Kura o Te Paroa at 8.55am and will return by 11am.

Whakatāne High School Open Evening will also be held on Tuesday 15 September. We ask that families arrive by 5.30pm for a 5.45pm start.

Online bookings for enrolment interviews are available via the following website:

www.schoolinterviews.co.nz. The event code is: twxva. Alternatively phone the school office on

07 308 8251, to arrange an appointment.

This year we once again have Online Enrolments to help streamline the enrolment process. This can

be accessed via our website www.whakatanehigh.school.nz/enrolment. An enrolment interview is

still required. Any out-of-zone students need to have enrolled AND had an enrolment interview by

21 October to be included in the out-of-zone ballot on Thursday 22 October (if required).

Remember, as part of the Attendance Strategy, kura are expected to contact whānau when tamariki are at yellow, orange and red. Whānau can expect a text, an email, a friendly phone call to check in and see how you are doing. We are always here to help.

If your tamariki are going to be at Rangitaiki next week (and not at kura) please can you still let the office know so we can record the absences correctly.

Our term attendance is doing really well and we thank everyone for making Kura the place to be! 82% of tamariki have been attending 80% or more. Ka rawe whānau!

On Thursday 6 August, our taiohi had the opportunity to attend the Science Roadshow at Apanui School. It was a great day of hands-on learning, exploration and discovering the wonders of science through exciting demonstrations and activities. Our taiohi represented Te Kura o Te Pāroa with pride and enjoyed the opportunity to learn, engage and have fun!

Kua eke panuku ētahi tamariki nō Te Kura o te Pāroa ki Te Reo Matatini are, ko ngā Prerequisites Literacy.

Ko Te Rangiāio, Ahikā, Ariaa, me Kahlea.

Ko rātou ngā tau tuaiwa tuatahi I aro atu ki tēnei reanga aromatawai ki tō mātou kura.

Kua whakahīhi~katoa matou i tenei whakatūtukinga o ratou.

Some tamariki from Te Kura o te Pāroa have successfully achieved the Literacy Prerequisite assessment in Te Reo Matatini.

They are Te Rangiāio, Ahikā, Ariaa, and Kahlea.

They are the first Year 9 students at our kura to undertake this level of assessment.

We are all extremely proud of their achievement.

Our build is finally at the last few jobs and we are excited to have a date set for our Ra Whakanui (September 4th).

The Van sheds build has started and the poles are in for our driveway fence. Fencing is the name of the game, with additional fencing going up down the back of the kura as well.

Once the rains have stopped, we can sow seed and get some green spaces around the kura again!

A huge mihi to each and every whanau for your continued patience and confidence as the build went on. We could not have done it without all of your support. It was super lucky of me to get the chance to talk to the Minister last week and remind her that we had to be demolished and rebuilt at the same time! We look amazing now but boy, what a journey to get here!

📢 FRIENDLY REMINDER 🚗

Just a friendly reminder that the parking area behind the hall is for STAFF ONLY.

Please use the BUS BAY for drop-off and pick-up.

This helps us keep the area clear and safe for everyone, especially our tamariki.

Access to SchoolDocs:

• Available to the principal, board, and school community (parents, caregivers, whānau).

• How to log in:

1. Go to schooldocs.co.nz.

2. Search for "Te Kura o Te Pāroa."

3. Enter credentials:

• Username: paroa

• Password: turukihia

4. Use the search bar to find specific policies.

This week has been a real winter one and we have had both students and staff away mauiui. Thank you all for continuing to stay in touch with the office to record absences. Lets hope everyone is feeling better for rangitaiki festival next week!

Did you know you can buy 4 in one tests at Adams Pharmacy for $10? The test will identify if you or your tamaiti have Covid, RSV, Influenza a or Influenza B. This test may help organise the right medication needed to beat the winter ills!

BOP TAI MITCHELL TOURNAMENT 2026

Ngā mihi nui ki ā tātou tamariki!

A huge congratulations and thank you to all our students who represented our kura at the BOP Tai Mitchell Tournament 2026. Your commitment, teamwork and mana were something to be proud of.

Ngā mihi nunui ki Te Kura o Te Pāroa Board of Trustees mō tō koutou tautoko i ā tātou tamariki kia whai wāhi atu ki tēnei whakataetae.

He mihi whakahirahira hoki ki te Tīma Kōtiro o Whakatāne mō tō rātou ekenga ki te tūranga tuarua – he tino whakatutukitanga!

PikiTaane, Ihimaia and Beau, WASP Tournament Teams. Ka mau te wehi!

Ka mau te wehi, e ngā tamariki!

Kia ora whānau,

Our school enrolment forms are now available online. Please click on the link below to complete the enrolment form:

https://etap.co.nz/OnlineEnrolment/EnrolmentForm/?access=1888:1

Please also upload a copy of your tamaiti’s birth certificate as part of the enrolment.

You will need to download the Device and Website Agreements, complete them, and return them to the kura.

If you prefer, you are welcome to come into the kura and complete the online enrolment here.

Ngā mihi nui

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