17/07/2025

From the Principal’s Desk – Welcome to Term 3

Kia ora koutou,

A warm welcome back to Term 3! Unfortunately I’ve been away unexpectedly this week due to family matters. I want to acknowledge our awesome team of staff who have ensured a smooth and engaging start to the term for our tamariki. I’m incredibly grateful for their mahi and commitment.

We have a packed term ahead, full of opportunities for learning, growth, and connection. Winter sport takes centre stage, alongside plenty of exciting events and extracurricular activities for our students to get involved in.

Here are a few key updates for our whānau:

• Community Consultation Afternoon – Sunday 20 July at 2pm (Room 7) – We’d love to see you there. It’s a great chance to have your say and help shape the future direction of our kura. At this stage, we have had about 8-9 parents confirm, so if you’re able to come and can fill out the survey on the community feed in HERO, that’d be fantastic! The more voices – the better the clarity.

• Home-School Partnership Hui (Week 3) – Bookings are open now. These hui are a great opportunity to sit down and have a deeper kōrero about your child’s progress and achievement, especially in light of the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum. We hope you were able to access your child’s mid-year report on HERO at the end of last term.

• Board of Trustees Elections – Wednesday 10 September – We encourage parents to consider standing as a representative on our school board. It’s a rewarding way to support the wider school community

With winter bugs doing the rounds, please continue to let us know about any absences. When we know your child is away, we can make sure learning support and classroom programmes are adjusted to help keep them on track.

As always, our doors are open – whether it’s a quick chat, an email, or a message via HERO. We value strong partnerships between home and school and always welcome your questions and input.

Thank you for being such a supportive and connected school community. It’s been a great year so far, and we’re excited for everything that lies ahead this term.

Ngā manaakitanga
Shane Burgess – Tumuaki / Principal
principal@ngaere.school.nz
022 451 5809

Ngaere School | 2025 Board Elections

Every three years, all public schools in Aotearoa hold elections for their School Boards — and it’s happening again in 2025!

At Ngaere School, our School Board plays a huge role behind the scenes. While their mahi might not always be visible, it’s vital to how our school runs. The Board:

• Writes and reviews our strategic plan relating to teaching and learning

• Consults with our community

• Oversees our finances and property

• Ensures we give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi in all aspects of school life

 How the election works:

We’ve appointed Election Pilot as our official Returning Officer, and this year the election will be run online.
Election Pilot has been supporting school elections for over 20 years and is the only Ministry-accredited provider of online election services since 2022.

You’ll receive important info (like nomination forms and voting details) directly by email from Election Pilot.

If we don’t have an email address for you — no worries — they’ll send everything out to you by post so you won’t miss out.

Your details and privacy:

To run the election, we’ve passed on your name and contact info to Election Pilot.
They’ll only use your details to manage the election for Ngaere School, and as required by law, your information will be deleted 60 days after the election.

Questions/Want more info?

If you have any questions about how the election works, get in touch directly with Election Pilot:
Phone:  0800 VOTENZ (0800 868 369)
Email: election@electionpilot.nz

It is important that members of the community who are considering standing for election do so fully informed of what the work of a school board involves.

Our Kōrari for Aspiring Board Member sessions help community members understand the work of the board, promote school board elections and attract potential candidates from our community.

Designed for those curious about joining a board, they provide an opportunity to ask questions and learn what the role involves.

If you’re keen on exploring a Board Nomination – you are encouraged to attend a free Kōrari for Aspiring Board Members webinar on Tuesday, 22^nd of July.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nzsba-korari-for-aspiring-board-members-webinar-tickets-1439486646309?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=

Community member guide to the role of the school board – link

Sunday 20th July @2pm:  Community Consultation Afternoon in ROOM 7 – Come and have your say!

Tuesday 22nd July:  Board Meeting 6.30pm at school all welcome

Friday 25th July:  Pizza Orders Due

Tuesday 29th July:  Home/School Hui

Wednesday 30th July:  Home/School Hui

Friday 01st August: Bookclub Issue 5 orders & payment Due

Tuesday 05th August:  Pizza Fundraiser Delivery #1 (please note change of date)

Thursday 07th August:  Pizza Fundraiser Delivery #2 (please note change of date)

Thursday 07th August:  Rich Weir Netball (possibly soccer)

Tuesday 19th August:  Tough Guy Challenge

Thursday 21st August:  Hurlstone Cup/McLeod Shield (Netball & Soccer)

Friday 22nd August:  Teachers Only Day – No School

Thursday 28th August:  Cross Country at Rawhitiroa

Wednesday 03rd September:  Central Cross Country

Friday 05th September:  School/Sports Photos

Wednesday 10th September:  Board of Trustee Elections

Friday 19th September:  End of Term 3

12/07/2025

Kia ora koutou e te whānau,

Nau mai, hāere mai ki Term 2!

I hope all of our rugrats have behaved themselves amongst the wet and wild weather over the break. We’re looking forward to seeing them all again at start of next week. A full newsletter will be published next week but for a now a few notices relating to:

1 – Home School Partnership Hui – see details below (71 bookings so far!)

2 – Community Consultation –  we really want your voice reflected in our new 2026-2029 Strategic Plan  – come along and make sure it is! Bring a friend 🙂

3 –Board of Trustees Election – set for Wednesday 10th September – see below for further information

Ngā manaakitanga
Shane Burgess – Tumuaki / Principal
principal@ngaere.school.nz
022 451 5809

• Should you wish to discuss any aspect of your child’s report or just generally chat about how your child is tracking based on assessment data collected this year to date, we will be offering short 10 minute home/school meetings with the teachers on:
• Tuesday 29th July  – 1:30pm and 5pm
• Wednesday 30th July – 1:30pm and 5pm

• Note: these meetings are NOT compulsory but do provide an opportunity for those parents who have anything they’d like to discuss relating to their child/rens education. School will remain open and students engaged in alternative learning experiences run by Mr B, Mrs Andrew and Support Staff. School finishes at 3pm for students as per usual
• Bookings can be made on HERO App. **These are now open** via the Home Page, then clicking on School Bookings and follow the step.

Please take the time to come along to our upcoming Community Consultation afternoon — a valuable opportunity to come together informally and hear from our parent community. We’d love to gather your thoughts on what’s working well, areas for improvement, and ideas that will help shape the future direction of our school.

Ngaere School | 2025 Board Elections

Every three years, all public schools in Aotearoa hold elections for their School Boards — and it’s happening again in 2025!

At Ngaere School, our School Board plays a huge role behind the scenes. While their mahi might not always be visible, it’s vital to how our school runs. The Board:

• Writes and reviews our strategic plan relating to teaching and learning

• Consults with our community

• Oversees our finances and property

• Ensures we give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi in all aspects of school life

 How the election works:

We’ve appointed Election Pilot as our official Returning Officer, and this year the election will be run online.
Election Pilot has been supporting school elections for over 20 years and is the only Ministry-accredited provider of online election services since 2022.

You’ll receive important info (like nomination forms and voting details) directly by email from Election Pilot.

If we don’t have an email address for you — no worries — they’ll send everything out to you by post so you won’t miss out.

Your details and privacy:

To run the election, we’ve passed on your name and contact info to Election Pilot.
They’ll only use your details to manage the election for Ngaere School, and as required by law, your information will be deleted 60 days after the election.

Questions/Want more info?

If you have any questions about how the election works, get in touch directly with Election Pilot:
Phone:  0800 VOTENZ (0800 868 369)
Email: election@electionpilot.nz

It is important that members of the community who are considering standing for election do so fully informed of what the work of a school board involves.

Our Kōrari for Aspiring Board Member sessions help community members understand the work of the board, promote school board elections and attract potential candidates from our community.

Designed for those curious about joining a board, they provide an opportunity to ask questions and learn what the role involves.

If you’re keen on exploring a Board Nomination – you are encouraged to attend a free Kōrari for Aspiring Board Members webinar on Tuesday, 22^nd of July.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nzsba-korari-for-aspiring-board-members-webinar-tickets-1439486646309?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=

Community member guide to the role of the school board – link

24/06/2025

Kia ora koutou e te whānau,

It’s really hard to believe that we’ve reached the end of Term 2. Time certainly does fly by! It’s been an action-packed term with amazing experiences for all our tamariki. It was heart-warming to see so many of our whānau brave the weather and show up at our Puanga Breakfast last Thursday. It was a very successful event – seemingly enjoyed by all. A huge thank you to Penny for her oversight of the morning and to our amazing PTA for bringing it all to life in the early hours of the morning.

Mid-Year Reports will be with you all by the end of the week. Please take the time to read through the information below and flick me or your child’s teacher a message if you have any questions or concerns. Interview slots for Home-School Partnership Hui are already filling up fast – over 30% of families have made bookings so far – great to see!

Term 3 looks to be action-packed also – with Inter-School Winter Sports filling up our timetable to round off our core curriculum. Key dates below.

Term 3 – Dates for your calendar:

• Thursday 7th August (Week 4) – Rich Weir – only Netball and possibly Soccer

• Wednesday 11th August (Week 5) – Ngā Whetū Mārama Kapa Haka – Room 4/5/6/7

• Tuesday 19th August (Week 6) – Tough Guy/Gal – for those students keen

• Thursday 21st August (Week 6) – Taranaki Inter-School Competition – this will involve most of our Year 7/8 students, with Ngaere looking to enter teams in Netball and Football. We don’t have the rugby players across Year 7/8 to field a team this year.

• Friday 22nd August – School Closed for Kāhui Maths Curriculum Teacher Only Day

• Thursday 28th August (Week 7) – School X-Country @ Rawhitiroa

• Wednesday 3rd September (Week 8) – Central X-Country

• Wednesday 10th September (Week 9) – School Board of Trustees Elections – 
  

Wishing you all a very safe and happy holiday period. If you’re travelling – enjoy – and we look forward to seeing everyone back on Monday 14th July.

Ngā manaakitanga
Shane Burgess – Tumuaki / Principal
principal@ngaere.school.nz
022 451 5809

Ngaere School Board of Trustees Elections
With the upcoming Board of Trustees Elections, please keep an eye out for our newsletter in Week 2 of the holidays. It will include all the important details you need to know about the election process.

 Key Info for Parents

• Mid Year Reporting this year will be shared with parents on HERO in digital format  – paper copies will not be sent home unless formally requested via emails sent to: office@ngaere.school.nz
• They will provide parents with mid-year snapshots of the strengths and areas for growth within Reading, Writing and Mathematics. 

Note: comments made will be reflective of how students are tracking aligned with the new curriculum requirements

• Teachers will also share a general comment outlining how the kids are tracking socially and emotionally e.g. friendships, work habits etc
• Each post or comment will be supported with either a photo of your child “in action” or evidence of their progress and achievement e.g. a writing sample or assessment snapshot
• Reports will be published (schoolwide) by the end of the day on Friday 27th June. As this is our first go at reporting in this way, please be considerate as we navigate any “teething” issues.

Home School Partnership Hui

• Should you wish to discuss any aspect of the report or just generally chat about how your child is tracking based on assessment data collected this year to date, we will be offering short 10 minute home/school meetings with the teachers on:

• Tuesday 29th July  – 1:30pm and 5pm
• Wednesday 30th July – 1:30pm and 5pm

• Note: these meetings are NOT compulsory but do provide an opportunity for those parents who have anything they’d like to discuss relating to their child/rens education. School will remain open and students engaged in alternative learning experiences run by Mr B, Mrs Andrew and Support Staff. School finishes at 3pm for students as per usual

• Bookings can be made on HERO App. **These are now open** via the Home Page, then clicking on School Bookings and follow the step.

To access your child’s report, open the HERO app and follow the steps as indicated:

School Attendance:

At the start of 2026, the Ministry of Education’s STAR (Stepped Attendance Response) system will come into legislation. This follows a clear set of guidelines and expectations for schools to follow. I will be working with the Board of Trustees to ascertain what this looks like in our setting. Click on the link HERE for more information.

Currently, we’re tracking slightly under the Ministry of Education’s target of having 80% of students at Tier 1 – with less than 5 days absent per school term. Let’s keep working together to close that gap.

Here’s the current Ngaere School attendance picture:

Tier 1 – Less than 5 days off in a school term (113/150 students OR 75%)

Tier 2 – Up to 10 days absent in a school term (11/150 students OR 7%)

Tier 3 – Up to 15 days absent in a school term (14/150 students OR 9%)

Tier 4  – 15+ days of absence in a school term (12/150 students OR 9%)

A huge congratulations to our Year 7/8 basketball team – the Ngaere Nitro – who’ve made the finals to face off against Stratford Primary on Friday evening. A great effort from you all – ka mau te wehi!

Celebrating Harold here with us this week we have available for purchase your very own Harold the Giraffe. 

Please order from the school office. CASH ONLY.  Thank you.

PET DAY  TROPHIES

Could we please have all Pet Day Trophies returned to school as soon as possible please.  We understand that this is a little earlier than usual but we would like to have them all back to ascertain if they need updating.  Thank you.

 Term 2 Dates

24th – 27th June: Life Education at school

Friday 27th June: School Assembly – Middle Hub (Room 4/5) – 2:15pm

Friday 27th June:  End of Term 2

Monday 14th July:  Beginning of Term 3

COMMUNITY NOTICES……

Thank you to our sponsors for their ongoing support!

13/06/2025

Kia ora whānau,

Twice a term, we love sharing all the awesome things happening around our kura in well-being world! There’s so much positive energy buzzing as we continue building a school that’s safe, happy, and full of confident tamariki who know how to care for themselves and each other.

Our School Leaders in Rooms 6 and 7 are shining!

Room 7 volunteers have teamed up with Miss Hulme to become our amazing playground mentors. You’ll spot them at every break time, wearing their bright vests and helping others solve playground problems with kindness and confidence. Miss Hulme has been working closely with them on ways to handle tricky moments positively, using a simple restorative process with clipboards and scripts to guide them. They’re doing a fantastic job creating good vibes out there!

These leaders have even started teaching other tamariki the positive behaviours we want to see at our Manaakitanga – Caring for Others assembly. The first episode of their self-made video series (about how to use the P.E. shed properly) was a hit with the whole school. Ka mau te wehi, team!

Lunchtimes are better than ever!

To help make lunchtimes more fun and chilled out, our awesome staff have picked up extra duties so tamariki feel even more supported. We’ve kicked off our first clubs, with Lego fun in the library and student-run movie sessions happening every Wednesday and Thursday lunchtime, thanks to some passionate Room 6 and 7 kids. Perfect for those rainy days!

Learning about feelings and friendships

At our kura, we’re always looking for ways to boost both learning and wellbeing. Room 3 and Room 4 are working with Mrs Vind, our Resource Teacher of Literacy, learning all about The Zones of Regulation. This helps kids notice what they’re feeling, learn strategies to manage big emotions, and understand how their actions affect others. They’re also building emotional literacy, problem-solving skills, and more. So much powerful learning!

Kapa Haka is on fire!

Our senior Kapa Haka group meets every Monday with Matua Lukey and Matua Lewis – and wow, their energy and singing is next level! We can’t wait to hear them perform at our Puanga Breakfast next week. Kia pai hoki koutou, team!

And not to be outdone, our junior Kapa Haka group is rocking it on Thursdays with Mr B – lots of waiata (songs) and mahi ā-ringa (action songs) to enjoy and join in with.

Come along and celebrate!
We’re really looking forward to seeing you all outside the hall at 7.50 a.m. on Thursday, 19 June for our special Puanga Breakfast. It’s such a great way for our community to come together and celebrate everything we’ve achieved.

Ngā mihi nui,

Penny Andrews

Deputy Principal

PET DAY  TROPHIES

Could we please have all Pet Day Trophies returned to school as soon as possible please.  We understand that this is a little earlier than usual but we would like to have them all back to ascertain if they need updating.  Thank you.

Key Term Dates

Monday 16th June: Jones Cup (Year 5-8) Postponement Wednesday 18th

Thursday 19th June:  Paunga Breakfast 7.50am in the hall

Friday 20th June: Matariki Public Holiday  – School closed

Monday 23rd June: Kāhui Ako Maths Curriculum Teacher Only Day  – School closed

24th – 27th June: Life Education at school

Friday 27th June: School Assembly – Middle Hub (Room 4/5) – 2:15pm

Friday 27th June:  End of Term 2

Monday 14th July:  Beginning of Term 3

COMMUNITY NOTICES……

Colouring Competition

Kia Ora,

We have something exciting to brighten up your Friday!

Roadsafe Taranaki is thrilled to announce a Helmet Design Competition open to all Taranaki schools. This is a fun and creative opportunity for students to get involved—and win an amazing prize!

 Competition Details:

• Students can design their own helmet using the attached template.
• The winning designs will be professionally airbrushed onto brand-new helmets—each valued at over $270!
• Prizes will be awarded across three age categories, with three winners per category (9 winners in total).
• Helmets will be personally delivered to the winners in Term 3.
• Entries will be judged by the Roadsafe Taranaki team with support from our local mayors.
• The competition is open to any student living in or attending school in Taranaki.

 Entries Close:  Wednesday, 26 June 2025

 How to Submit:

We require hard copies of entries to ensure colours and quality are accurately represented. Please send them via one of the following options:

• Post:
  Private Bag 902, Hāwera 4640
• Courier:
  South Taranaki District Council
  Attn: Zoe Boyle (Roadsafe Taranaki)
  105-111 Albion Street, Hāwera
• Drop-off Locations:
• South Taranaki: Your local LibraryPlus (Attn: Roadsafe Taranaki)
• Stratford: Stratford District Council (Attn: Roadsafe Taranaki)
• New Plymouth: New Plymouth District Council (Attn: Roadsafe Taranaki)

 Important Reminder:

Please ensure that each entry form includes:

• Child’s name
• Age group
• Phone number

Without this information, we may not be able to judge or contact the winners.

 We can’t wait to see the creativity from across the region!

Please click the link below to get a copy of the competition or a copy is available from the school office:

COME SKATE WITH US!

Introducing skate opportunities for school students – all ages – available at the indoor skate rink, East End Reserve, Nobs Line, Strandon, New Plymouth.

We have options for schools and individuals, families and groups.

Friday night sessions

Friday Night Public Sessions – most Fridays

12 & Under: 5:45 – 7pm ( with a responsible adult)

13 & Older: 7:15 – 8:3-pm Skates are available, if needed or bring your own

Learn to skate or skate with friends

Learn   to   skate   sessions  offered to individuals by each skate code and hosted by Inline Hockey, Rink Hockey, Figure Skating and Derby.

(loan gear available)

Rink events scheduled spectators free entry

Thank you to our sponsors for their ongoing support!

30/05/2025

Kia ora koutou e te whānau,

There’s not a lot from me this round so I just thought I’d share a quick curriculum update outlining what we think parents need to know as we head into the midway point in the year.

As you are aware, there have been some sweeping changes in the political landscape of late and school’s are working hard to try and navigate the pace of change while still ensuring that providing a top rate, well-rounded education that is child-centered, is at the heart of our decision making.

Below I’ve outlined some key points for your consideration. Teachers are working on mid-year reporting as we speak so parents and whānau will receive an update on how their kids are progressing in the near future. Watch this space.

As mentioned previously, I’d love to put a hightlight reel together on our winter sporting adventures. If parents/coaches are in a positition to flick thorough any photos to support this, that’d be greatly appreciated.

For now…enjoy the long weekend and let’s hope the sunshine at least gives us a wave.

Ngā manaakitanga

Shane Burgess – Tumuaki/Principal

principal@ngaere.school.nz

022 451 5809

Curriculum Update

At present we are working our way through the updates to the revised reading, writing and mathematics curriculum. This will take 12 – 18 months to fully unpack and understand the changes and implications. We are awaiting further guidance and information from the Ministry to support this process. The Year 7 – 8 writing curriculum has only just been made available and is still in draft, so for mid year reporting we will continue reporting against the existing curriculum.

So….what do we know?

• We have a revised curriculum for reading, writing and mathematics, and we know that the expectations inside these documents are higher than the previous 2007 curriculum. This is not a bad thing, but it is a difference we have to grapple with.
• We know that the Minister last year stated numeracy and literacy data to be very low across the country. We know at our school that our teaching practice works. At the end of last year (working at the old curriculum expectations) we had 81% of our children at or above in Reading, 70% in Mathematics and 68% in writing (our current school wide focus).
• We suspect however, that despite our results last year, we may find our achievement data could drop against the new, higher expectations in the new curriculum. It’s not like you can say ‘now the kids have to do better’ and they start doing better. So it may take time to lift achievement up to where it needs to be now.

So….what are we doing?

• Children are still learning as they were last year, but the difference is we are drawing from the revised curriculum in our planning. Our focus over the past term has been on the writing curriculum because our school wide data shows that this is where our focus needs to be.
• Our teaching practice is still great, still evidence- based and still at the innovative end of the scale. What we do works.
• Some of our testing is still appropriate to use, and we are using these tools. Some of the testing we used to do is no longer appropriate and we are in a state of change.
• We are still sharing learning stories with you via HERO, still sharing what learning is looking like for your child.
• Teachers are engaging with the new curriculum, doing their own learning about the new expectations and what these look like for learners.

So….what can we do next?

• Our Kahui Ako, principals and other school leaders are working together to discuss these issues, and are planning a way forward together.
• We can expect our achievement data to drop. This doesn’t mean children are going backwards in their learning, rather it is just a reflection of the raised expectations in the revised curriculum.
• We can still inform you of what your child has been learning and how they are progressing with it.
• We can still share learning via HERO of what your child is doing in class, what they are making, what they are participating in.

PET DAY  TROPHIES

Could we please have all Pet Day Trophies returned to school as soon as possible please.  We understand that this is a little earlier than usual but we would like to have them all back to ascertain if they need updating.  Thank you.

Key Term Dates

Monday 2nd June: Kings Birthday  – School Closed

Friday 6th June: School Assembly – Junior Hub/Room 3

Friday 6th June: Scholastic Bookclub orders due

Tuesday 10th June: Year 0-2 Play Day @Midhirst School

Friday 13th June – Fluro Friday St John Annual Appeal Mufti Day

Monday 16th June: Jones Cup (Year 5-8)

Friday 20th June: Matariki Public Holiday  – School closed

Monday 23rd June: Kāhui Ako Maths Curriculum Teacher Only Day  – School closed

24th – 27th June: Life Education at school

Friday 27th June: School Assembly – Middle Hub (Room 4/5) – 2:15pm

Friday 27th June:  End of Term 2

Monday 14th July:  Beginning of Term 3

COMMUNITY NOTICES……

UP & COMING CHEAL ROAD TRAFFIC DISRUPTIONS DUE TO RIG MOVEMENT  (Please see attached for information)

Thank you to our sponsors for their ongoing support!