Kia ora koutou,

I can’t believe that we are very close to the end of the school year, and what a terrific year it has been! I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for making this school a truly special place. Have a safe and joyful holiday season and make lots of new memories!

It is with great sadness that I inform you all that Kerri Taylor, Mrs T has won a permanent position at Woodend school for 2025. Kerri has been a part of the Ōhoka community for a long time and she has given a lot to our school community. From our recent school productions to choreographing many Stars in Their Eyes acts. She will be dearly missed! We wish her all the very best at Woodend and hopefully she comes back and visits us!

Here are the last of the reminders and some information about 2025.

Prizegiving - Monday 16 December at 6pm

We will be holding our full school prizegiving in our hall on  Monday 16 December. This will start at 6pm. Students are expected to be in the hall, seated, at 5.45pm. We strongly encourage all students and whānau to attend as we celebrate the year, acknowledge our prize winners and Year 8 students. We expect this to conclude at 7.30pm. While we want everyone to attend, we understand that this is a long time sitting for some of our younger Weka students, we will leave it up to your good judgement if you decide to attend. Please feel free to talk to your classroom teacher about this.

End of Year Student Reports

On Tuesday 17 December at 3pm, you will be able to login to your HERO account and read your child/rens end of year report. This provides a wider picture of your child’s learning, progress and achievement to conclude the year.

The report includes information on;

• Comments and graphs indicating how your child is doing in Reading, Writing and Mathematics, against our curriculum expectations. In regards to the curriculum graphs that you will see, please know that it takes two years for students to move through a curriculum level (i.e Level 1 = Year 1 & 2) and student progress is not always linear. Students can sometimes have periods of consolidation and this is very normal. It doesn’t mean progress has not been made through the year. We have a no surprises policy and all teachers would have been in touch prior to reports going out, if they needed to talk to you about your child’s achievement in any of the curriculum areas.

• Comments in relation to other curriculum areas under each team, and may include; The Arts, Physical Education, Science and Taha Māori.

• A ‘General Comment’, which summarises your child/rens year and can include aspects of strengths, next steps, and how they demonstrate our school values.

• An assessment relating to how your child/ren is/are doing in relation to our school values dispositions.

Class Placements 2025

On Tuesday 17 December, when you log into HERO to look at the end of year report, you will also be able to see your child’s class placement and teacher for 2025. Please login to HERO to see all this information (reports and placements).

Student Meet the Teacher 

On Tuesday 17 December your child/ren will be spending some time with their 2025 teacher in their new space. During this time they will get to know their teacher and other classmates. Our students always look forward to this afternoon each year.

Helpers Morning Tea

We would love to invite everyone who has helped out in the school this year to a thank you morning tea from our staff on Monday 16 December at 11am (staffroom). If you have been a parent help in classrooms, attended trips and camps, helped out at fundraising events etc. We would love to be able to thank you in person - please come along!

Other Reminders:

Don’t forget your pool key - call into the office!

Bell Ringing Ceremony (to farewell student leavers and staff) - Wednesday 18 December 11.30am - please gather on the junior deck, families welcome.

School Finishes - Wednesday 18 December at 12pm.

Busses will leave at 12pm - Wednesday 18 December

When do we start back next year?

Wednesday 29 January and Thursday 30 January we are holding two days of Check and Connect Hui Ako. This is a chance to meet with your child’s teacher about your child’s strengths and interests, learning, classroom programme etc.

Check and Connect Hui Ako Bookings

From Wednesday the 18th of December you will also be able to book through Hero Check and Connect Hui Ako Meetings with your child's 2025 Teacher for the 29th and 30th of January 2025. More detailed information on how to book will be posted on the Hero community page on Wednesday.

Stationery orders

You can order your child's stationery through https://www.myschool.co.nz/ then type in Ohoka School this will take you to a page where you can click on your child's class and order the stationery.

Please have all stationery ordered and delivered to you home address ready to bring to school  by the first day back on the 31st January 2024. New entrants do not need to order stationery.

Friday 31 January - First day back to school

Please note: The school will be closed on Friday 7 February.

We also have a lot of lost property. Please make sure you have a look or send students to check!! We will aim to have it all out on display before the end of the year. 

Have a fabulous weekend!

Ngā mihi nui

Amy O’Kane