Issue 3: Week 3, Term 1 2024
Principal's Message - Karere a te Tumuaki
Kia ora koutou and welcome to the very first edition to our revamped Karaka School newsletter! We hope you enjoy the new layout and find it easier to navigate - Mrs Fell and I have spent some time finding our way around this new platform and are excited to share this first edition with you all. In this edition, I have a few people I would like to thank on the Property front. You'll see in the 'Property Update' section I have gone into more detail (please make sure you check out the pics of our newly refurbished pool!), but I also wanted to thank these people personally here.
Firstly, you would have noticed the crumbling pot holes in our front car park in recent months. I want to say a huge thank you to Isaac McLaren for tar sealing these for us and making our car park a safer place for everyone in our school community!
Next, you will be aware that our pool was sanded and repainted over the holiday break . What you won't be aware of is that two of our families have helped us out to ensure a smoother process in the background. Thank you to Mitch O'Kane for bringing a pump in the day after school ended in December 2023 - due to our drain not functioning properly, his efforts that Saturday meant the rennovation work could commence on time. And just this past Saturday, having signed off the paintwork poject on Thursday, Andre Stenson came in with his truck and filled the pool so that we didn't have to wait another week for it to fill by hose. Your efforts are truly appreciated.
On the EOTC front, our Yr 7&8 students headed off to Finlay Park Adventure Camp this week along with Mrs Sutton, Mr V, Mrs Sutherland, a group of excited parents and our resident 'in-house chef' Patricia McKelvey. I am excited to head down on Thursday morning to join them for the night - seeing as they will have just completed their outcamp night in the bush the night before, I'll try not to seem too 'fresh and cheerful' when I arrive.....!!
This week also saw our Senior Kapa Haka Group start up for 2024 with our new Kapa Haka Tutor - Mātua T (Tiare Herewini). Mātua T works currently works with 6 other schools in the Waiuku area and we are excited to have him join us here in Karaka. We also have plans in motion for our Junior Kapa Haka Group which we hope to also get up and running soon - I will keep you posted on this too.
Lastly, I would like to put in a pitch for our PTA this edition. I will be at the first meeting next Wednesday (and have already convinced my husband Stu to come along and offer his services this year - and to add to the 'Dad poulation' of the PTA!). This meeting is a chance to come along and hear a bit more about how you can contribute; if you can't commit to being a full PTA member there are other options. And there will be nibbles and refreshments so it is a win win! Hope to see as many of you in the Staffroom next Wednesday night at 7pm (21st Feb) as possible.
Have a good week - whakatō rā kia pai te wiki.
Pool Refurbishment
This photo speaks for itself!!!
After a lot of careful deliberation in the latter half of 2023, the Board made the decision to give our pool the TLC it deserved. I mentioned in a previous newsletter that the Ministry of Education does not give schools any money towards the upkeep of school pools - an inequitable way to spend crown funds is their explanation. Luckily, our Board have been savvy enough with our finances to be able to afford this project for the benefit of our students. When you see the pics below of the pool before the project began in December, I'm sure you'll agree that this was money well spent for the benefit of every Karaka School learner!
Now that the pool project is completed and the pool is full of water again, we are just waiting for the chlorine levels to settle now the pump is activated again. We are hoping to open the pool this week sometime - fingers crossed 🤞
It might pay for kids to start bringing their togs again every day just in case.....
Notices From the Office
- Piano Lessons with Jeanette Kurz - these lessons will now be on Thursdays. Don't forget to bring your books.
- Absentees - please remember to report absentees through Hero, the absentee phone line, via the Website or email the class teacher AND the office.
- Signing Your Children Out During School Hours - when you need to sign your child/children out during school hours, please come to the office first and the Office Staff will call your child’s classroom for them to meet you at the Office. Please do not go to the classroom first to collect your child/children. Please avoid collection times between 11.00am-11.20am and 12.30pm-1.20pm as these are break times. Also please avoid collecting your child during our fortnightly Friday assemblies (1.45-2.30pm).
School Donations 2024
Thank you so much to the families who have supported Karaka School this year and already paid the donations through Kindo. We are certainly noticing the reduced transactions on our bank rec and not so much cash to be banked at the bank each week which is fantastic. If you still need to create a Kindo account we ask that you please do this as soon as possible so you can access your child's finances through Kindo. Please visit the school website www.karaka.school.nz and select the Kindo tab to create your account.
The school donations cover many expenses our school incurs in support of students. Each year we ask for a donation of $200 (eldest and only) and $150 for siblings. This amount has not increased for many years. Photocopying donation @ $40.00 per year per student helps towards the cost of the copying expenses, paper and machine consumables and the ICT / e-learning donation @ $90.00 per year per student goes towards the costs of any devices (chromebooks and ipads) the school purchases for your child's use in class and any other ICT expenses incurred as we have opted not to be a BYOD school (Bring Your Own Device). As a lower equity school we receive less financial support than schools with a higher number. Those schools are also able to opt-in to a payment from the government in exchange for not asking families for a donation, the Ministry pays them an extra $160 per student.
Many of the families who do support us pay a portion per term,or per month. This spreads the amount over the year. If you would like to pay this way, please contact either Debbie or Lynne in the Office. Payment can be made through your Kindo account.