Wow! We can't believe it's the end of Term 1 already! Here we reflect on a wonderful first term for our Pekapeka tamariki who have embarked on their school journey with pride and confidence. It has been a term of remarkable growth, discovery, and connection within our Pekapeka whānau.

Embracing the Adventure of Learning:

Our tamariki have dived into the new world of Maths and Literacy, where they are learning numbers, letters, their sounds and how to make these into words in order to read and write. With grit and self belief the tamariki have tackled these tasks with eagerness and curiosity. We are so proud of your mahi in these curriculum areas and can't wait to see the progress in Term 2! 

PE has brought an opportunity to develop an understanding of our school value whanaungatanga where we have been learning how to work effectively together as a team. Being physical also supports our ability to learn so we place a huge emphasis on designing PE lessons that are fun and competitive whilst weaving through our school values. 

Te reo māori-we have mastererd our own wee mihi, where tamariki know how to introduce themselves and their family in te reo. Keep practising this at home team, as continue to build on this each year.

Big buddies and Deep Dive Learning: We have loved exploring our school value of Whanaungatanga with our Buddies! Our buddies support us in our learning and during play, so keep an eye on our seesaw for our big buddy book. 

Understanding Taonga: Nurturing Connections to People and Place:

Here at Te Kura o Manga Kawari we treasure the rich local history of our culture and environment. Throughout Term 1, our ākonga have deepened their understanding of taonga, embracing the importance of both people and place in shaping our own identity and that of our community. From engaging child led discussions about our own cultural heritage, to exploring the natural wonders that surround us in our place, we've cultivated a profound sense of connection, belonging, and understanding that we can make a difference in ensuring our taonga is protected. Come check out our awesome artwork of our local native birds, they are pretty impressive! A big thank you to Nick Ledgard from Rakahuri Rivercare group who came and spoke to us about how we can preserve our local taonga through awareness and trapping.

What's coming up: 

-Waiswim: In Term 2 in Weeks 3 & 4, Pekapeka get to go to Waiswim everyday for swimming lessons and water safety/awareness. Please fill out the following form to give permission please. Permission form

We will be going to the pool on the bus, leaving at 12pm from school and returning by 2pm. The cost for this is $25 per child which will be put on your school account.

We will need parent help each day to support the tamariki to get dressed in a timely manner. If you think you can help us please email Sally outlining what days you can support and come and get a police vetting form please. 

-Hot kai: In Terms 2 and 3 tamariki have the opportunity to bring kai to school that can be heated. This needs to be wrapped in tin foil with your child's name on it with food that is already been cooked. Good examples of this is left over pizza, fish fingers, sausages, chicken nuggets, pasta, and toasties. We don't recommend ceramic containers as these can break, but you can get those tin foil containers for leftover meals that keep the kai safe and leak proof. A tray will be placed on the bench each morning for this to be put on ready for heating.

-Cross country: This is run in week 2 of term 2. So over the holidays get active! Cross country is a memorable for each of us personally, (both good and bad), so support your child by upping the physical activity before we plunge into the winter months. Enjoy what our place has to offer with awesome trials and bike tracks! Look at the sports notices for more details.

-Writing books: Can all tamariki bring a new Writing book-LWB for Term 2 please. We are whizzing through out writing books with all of our fabulous mahi we are doing! Getting the right book is incredibly important so ensure it is the LWB. See picture for details. 

Goodbye

It is with a heavy heart we say good bye to Mr Waihi who has been our student kaiako for the last 5 weeks. Wow what an impact he has made on every level here in Pekapeka! We will really miss his humour, passion and knowledge that he brought to our team. We wish you the best for the rest of your studies and know Shirley Boys High School is very lucky to have such an inspiring kaiako in front of their students everyday. 

Thank you to our incredible ākonga, kaiako, whānau, and wider community for your unwavering support and dedication. Here's to a Term 1 filled with learning, growth and laughter! Bring on Term 2! 

Ngā mihi, 

Ella, Emily, Chez, Ida, Alice, Mark and Sally