Principal Talk - Kia ora, talofa and hello whānau/families. We have two weeks left of Term 1, and Easter is only 13 sleeps away. It is hard to believe that Term 1 is almost over.

 What's on top?

• Community Partnership/Kotahitanga - Whānau Workshops
• Community Events - The Fun Run
• School Property
• National Curriculum Refresh
• ERO - Education Review Office
• School Camp
• Hut Building Initiative 
• COVID and Illness

Community Partnership/Kotahitanga - Whānau Workshops

A new initiative at Tai Tapu School is a planned approach to providing whānau with more information about learning and support programmes. We place all workshops on the school calendar at the beginning of each term.

The first of these workshops for Term 1 was our Structured Literacy workshop to provide expert knowledge on our Structured Literacy programme. We had a small but successful turnout. 

Our next workshop is on Tuesday, 26 March, starting at 6 pm. The topic is Mathematics, developing a mathematics learning community. Emily Pearce will facilitate this workshop. Emily works at Massey University and also has a background in teaching. Lisa Seeley, our Mathematics Development Lead, will join Emily. This will also allow you time to ask questions about our Mathematics programme. The workshop will be held in Pikorua Learning Hub and should conclude at 7.00pmish.

We look forward to seeing you there.

I am in the process of planning the workshops for Term 2. It would be great to hear from whānau about the topics you want to attend. If you wish to contribute, please complete the quick survey by clicking the link below.

Whānau Workshop Survey

Community Events - The Fun Run!

Yes, it is that time of year again. The Tai Tapu School Fun Run, organised by Brendan Leslie and Lisa Mason, will get underway at 1 pm on Thursday, 6 April, the last day of the Term. Remember, this is a major House event. Tamariki, dress up in your house colours and prepare to get wet! Parents, if you want to join in, come on down!

School Property

The swimming pool is well on the way to completion. The concrete around the swimming pool will be poured on Wednesday, 29 March. Once the concrete is cured, the builders will return to complete the swimming pool shed, the fencing will go up, and the landscaping can begin. 

The repaint of the school is progressing well. Kuro block and the library external paint are complete. Over the weekend, the painters are starting the work on the Administration Block. The aim is to minimise the disruption to the day-to-day running of the school. There will be some scaffolding around the front entrance to the office. However, you can access the office through the back staff entrance. The scaffolding will not be in place until mid-next week. You will receive a communication to your mobile phone when it goes up.

The Oak trees and Marcrocapa hedge will have yearly maintenance during the school holidays on 18 April. There will be heavy machinery and arborists working around the school. Please take care and do your best not to get in their way.

National Curriculum Refresh

Please read the article in the school newsletter for more detailed information.

The timeline for the Refresh - Tai Tapu School

Below is a document that illustrates the journey we will be taking as a school and the timing of implementation of the refreshed curriculum in line with the roadmap.

We have already implemented the first refreshed curriculum, the Aotearoa New Zealand’s Histories. This year, as a staff, we are working toward implementing the refreshed English and Mathematics curriculum. We plan to keep you updated as we move through the process. 

ERO - Education Review Office

The Education Review Office (ERO) will visit Tai Tapu School on Monday, 1 May. We have a Mihi Whakatau to welcome our guests to the school. 

What does ERO do? Ngā Mahi a Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga

The Education Review Office / Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga (ERO) is the New Zealand government’s external evaluation agency. They evaluate and report on the education and care of learners in schools, kura, kohanga reo, puna reo, and early childhood services. 

ERO's work model has changed, and they now have a growth model to support schools in achieving their strategic goals and aspirations. Our school's ERO partner will work in the school over the year. 

This is an excellent opportunity to showcase the school's growth during the last three years and what our journey will look like over the next three years.

School Camp

The last of the senior school camps, our Year 8 camp at Orton Bradley Park, concluded on Friday. Tamariki and kaiako had a wonderful time despite the weather.  Helen Schulte and Rach Howard did a fantastic job of putting the camp together and making quick changes due to the weather.

The Senior Leadership Team will hold post-camp reviews and evaluations of all senior camps. This allows the school to provide camps that meet the needs of ākonga/students and whānau/families. The review will cover the following:

• Ākonga experiences
• Quality of outdoor education provider
• Location of camp and facilities
• Transportation
• Overall costs and quality of experience for price.

Hut Building Initiative

We have a wonderful group of Year 5-6 ākonga/students developing an outdoor programme for tamariki interested in hut construction. They want this programme self-sustaining, so they must fundraise to build up their resources. The first of their fundraising initiatives is a Sausage Sizzle at lunchtime on 4 April. A sausage, bread and sauce will cost $3. They also have a supply of dairy and gluten-free sausages and bread. Please support their efforts by purchasing a sausage for your tamariki.

COVID and Illness

We have a small number of whānau and tamariki with illnesses. This includes a small number of students and staff with COVID. We also have an increase in head colds and coughs. Please monitor and check that the colds and coughs are not COVID. We will keep you in the loop if the numbers increase. Otherwise, it is business as usual. 

And finally, I hope everyone is well and that you enjoy your weekend and the final weeks of Term 1.

Nga mihi nui

Bernadette