September 2021

Kia ora koutou e te Maungaraki whānau,

At our most recent Board meeting we were joined by the four syndicate leaders, Trish Cherry, Chris Cowman, Hazel Andis, and Ben Young. They spoke about all the exciting activities and teaching that their students have been doing this year.

A few highlights mentioned include the new reading strategies being implemented in the Kākano Syndicate, which are facilitating great learning and engagement. The Tipu students are thoroughly enjoying their weekly Pākiki sessions and the staff have been focussing on the team’s well-being and connectedness. The Koru Syndicate have had a lot of fun with Banqer City, while gaining valuable financial literary and awareness using the New Zealand Banqer programme. The Fern Syndicate have been busy creating and learning along their own lines of enquiry and interests. In particular, a big project has been the setting up and running of the popular school radio station, Heart FM. This is played over the loud speakers two lunchtimes a week and is loved by the whole school.

The Board heard the staff and children coped well with the home learning of lockdown and have settled back to school well. Drop-offs and pick-ups are flowing smoothly with many parents liking the ability to drop their children at the gate and also being welcomed by lead staff.

There is a busy term 4 ahead. The school production is transforming its format to a movie. We can expect a movie screening about halfway through next term. The Koru Syndicate are going on camp early in the term and we have much more happening across the school.

The reporting and management system at school is set to change from the out-dated and underperforming E-tap system, to a new, much more comprehensive and user-friendly programme called Hero. Caro Wills is leading this process and it is hoped Hero will be up and running for the start of next year.

The property around school continues to develop with the recent addition of a long deck outside the back of rooms 1, 2, 3, and 4, adjacent to the court. This space is already being used by the children. These classrooms will eventually get direct access to the deck with doors leading out from each room.

Other upcoming projects include the installation of heat pumps into a large number classrooms that do not yet have one. This will take place in the next school holidays and will allow the old boiler to be decommissioned. The much-anticipated flying fox should be installed over the summer break. The library block and new classrooms are currently out for tender, with a building start date at the end of the tender process, and the driveway and entrance project currently being discussed with the Council.

Noho ora mai,

Julie, Shane, Megan, Paul, Lizzie, Chris, Kaylee and Wayne
Board of Trustees
Maungaraki School