Te Kura o Te Pāroa

Matariki hunga nui, Matariki ahunga nui, Matariki manako nui.
Whāngaia ngā wawata, poipoia ngā tūmanako, kia puāwai ai ā tātou tamariki.
Haumi e, hui e, tāiki e.

Tēnā koutou e te whānau o Te Kura o Te Pāroa,

I tēnei wā o Matariki, let's pause to acknowledge the many people who continue to support and strengthen our kura.

A special mihi goes to our kaiako and staff for their flexibility, patience and hard work throughout the many shifts and changes across the kura. We are also very grateful to our Board of Trustees, kaumātua and wider community for guiding us through three important karakia as our new buildings and spaces have been completed.

We are thankful to be nearing the end of our major building projects. Our next areas of focus will be improving our kura environment and outdoor spaces so they reflect the aspirations, identity and needs of our tamariki and whānau.

We warmly welcome Whaea Kelly our new Deputy Principal, to our kura. She brings many skills and strengths and most importantly, she brings a genuine love for Te Kura o Te Pāroa, positive energy and a willingness to work hard for our tamariki, staff and whānau.

As we continue to focus on success, we remind whānau that regular attendance makes a significant difference to learning. Mondays are important because they set tamariki up for the week. The first and last days of each term are also important full learning days.

Let us continue working together towards our shared goal:

Be present and learning every day.

Kia tae mai, kia ako, ia rā, ia rā.

Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa mō tō koutou tautoko, manawanui me tō koutou aroha ki tō tātou kura.

Mānawatia a Matariki.

Erin Te Pou
Tumuaki

My first week at Te Kura o Te Pāroa has been wonderful! A massive thank you to our staff, whānau and especially our tamariki for the warmest of welcomes.

I have been so impressed with the manaaki and positive attitudes our kids show every day, they love being at kura and they love learning. I have been in classes every day this week, and it's awesome to see the quality routines and high engagement levels, our kaiako do an amazing job!

Your tamariki are beautiful whānau, be sure to give me a wave at the school gate in the mornings.

Whaea Kelly

Today we were honoured to welcome the Hon. Erica Stanford, Minister of Education, and her team to Te Kura o Te Pāroa to visit and view our new classrooms.

A special thank you to our kaumātua—Alfie, Mera, Stan, Hiwa, Maria, Glenna, and Julie—for being with us today to tautoko this special occasion. Your presence, guidance, and support helped make this visit a memorable one for our kura and community.

1. Pākora- Te Pakora-o-Orini is a culturally significant site located at the mouth of the Orini River. The name Pakora refers to a special place within the Orini River that has long sustained the people of Ngāi Taiwhakaea. Traditionally, it was an important mahinga kai. Pākora reminds us that places of significance are not only remembered for historic events, but also for the everyday relationships between people and the natural world.

2. Ōraukaurehe- Orakaurehe-o-Taiwhakaea is the traditional name for the area now occupied by the Taiwhakaea II Marae complex at the end of Golf Links Road, Whakatāne. The name preserves the memory of the ancestor Taiwhakaea I and reflects the close relationship between people, cultivation, and the whenua. Ōraukaurehe-o-Taiwhakaea reminds us that even everyday experiences—such as tending an orchard and observing the seasons—can become part of the cultural memory of a people.

3. Owhataiti- Owhataiti-o-Rangitupukiwaho situated near the approach to the Aerodrome Road and the north eastern end where Golf links Road rises. In former times, the great grandson of Taiwhakaea I, Rangitupukiwaho, built a medium size store house of food in this location. In memory of this store house, Rangitupukiwaho named this area Owhataiti-o-Rangitupukiwaho. This site was one of the former sites of Te Kura o Te Pāroa Tōtara.

It was a privilege to welcome our manuhiri from the Tulalip Tribes of Washington State and begin forming new friendships between our communities. The Tulalip Tribes are a sovereign Coast Salish nation and descendants of the Snohomish, Snoqualmie, Skykomish and other allied tribal groups. Their reservation is located in the Puget Sound region of Washington State.

We were excited and humbled that they chose to visit Te Kura o Te Pāroa. Thank you to Te Whare wānanga Awanuiarangi for the opportunity. A heartfelt mihi goes to our kaumātua who came to pōwhiri and host our manuhiri alongside us, and who generously shared their memories and experiences of Pāroa Totara and Pāroa School.

The visit provided a special opportunity to share our histories, cultures and aspirations for our tamariki. We hope this is the beginning of a lasting relationship and the first of many occasions when our whānau and the Tulalip people will meet, learn from one another and strengthen our connections.

He hononga tangata, he hononga ngākau.

Last Friday saw Beau Te Aomarere take part in the Maori Women's Welfare League Pū Kōrero Competition. The theme of Beau's kōrero was: Ko te piko o te mahuri, tērā te tupu o te rākau, He moemoea tōu, he aha kei tua o te pai? Nurtured with strong foundations, my dreams and future aspirations are....

A great experience, Beau came away with third place. Tau kē, e Beau!

👕 Te Kura o Te Pāroa School Uniform

We encourage all tamariki to wear the correct school uniform to kura every day.

Wearing the correct uniform helps our tamariki to:

• 💙 Feel proud to be part of Te Kura o Te Pāroa
• 🌟 Show respect for themselves, their classmates, and our kura
• 🤝 Create a strong sense of belonging and school pride

Whānau support is important. By ensuring your tamaiti comes to kura in the correct uniform each day, you are helping us build a positive, respectful, and united school community.

Together, we can help every tamaiti wear their uniform with pride.

"Proud to be part of Te Kura o Te Pāroa."

Kia ora whānau please support us by ensuring your tamariki are wearing their correct uniform everyday.

Whānau Reminder – Student Pick-Up Times

To support your child's learning and achievement, we ask that students are collected from kura at 3.00pm, unless they have a pre-arranged medical or other important appointment.

Regular early pick-ups mean your child misses valuable teaching and learning time, which can impact their progress, routines, and achievement.

If your child needs to leave early for an appointment, please notify the school office in advance where possible.

Thank you for your support in ensuring our tamariki are at kura for the full school day and have every opportunity to succeed.

TERM 2 100% Attendance

A huge congratulations to our amazing tauira who achieved 100% attendance for Term 2!

Ka mau te wehi! We are so proud of each and every one of you. Keep striving for excellence!

Hoani Crawford
Mikaele Elia
Toby Te Whata

Kia ora whanau

It is time to celebrate the final stage is here! new classes are filled with happy, healthy students and staff! Only a few tasks to complete and the build is all over! All of us have to celebrate all the patience, disruptions and skills we have found as the build comes to a finish. Our modern learning spaces are just the spaces our tamariki, staff and whanau deserve to be in!

"Mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu." Adorn the bird with feathers so it may fly.

Construction and Site Updates

• B Block renovations complete. Junior Auraki have moved in! Just awaiting the cubby holes and a few minor touch ups here and there. So much space for tamariki to play now all the fences have been removed! Great to see Seniors moved to back classrooms, closer to the courts and the field as well!

• Grass areas- Once the weather warms up in a few months, we can sow our grass seed and get some green spaces back.

• Carpark behind the hall is still impacted on the shed build. Next week, please can you park with noses towards the hall. The driveway access (both the hall entry and the driveway to the back) MUST be left clear. Emergency vehicles and work trucks will still need access.

• Sheds for our vans and Koro Chris is underway! Concrete has been laid and next week we will see the walls go up.

• Court is looking great and tamariki love the extra space!

• Our Waharoa has been reinstated. Thank you to staff and whānau that attended last Sunday. Friday 4th September has been set for a whole school celebration and acknowledge all the work and workers that have contributed to our new, warm, healthy and exciting learning spaces.

• Fencing by the swale will be built in the next few weeks.

• Driveway fencing will be reinstated in the next few weeks as well. Thank you for your patience.

• Fire Speakers are still being considered to ensure we get emergency alarms in the play spaces.

• Thank you to Mark Pyle for all his amazing help at the end of the build. Although he is no longer onsite, he will be in and out to ensure the last few tidy up jobs are completed.

Sarah - Build Communications

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.

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