Newsletter 7th April, 2025
From the Principal
Thank you for ensuring your children are present at school and on time. We will miss the fantastic weather we have been enjoying as we head into Winter.
THANK YOU GRAINCORP
A massive thank you to Graincorp East Tamaki for their extremely generous donation of Olivani Spread and furniture. The spread has been given to families and whanau before and after school, very much appreciated by everyone.
A special thank you to Mrs Stella Adjie and her Graincorp team for making it possible.
END OF TERM REMINDER
Lost property
We have quite a few items in lost property so if your child has misplaced any clothing please get them check the box between Rooms 6 and 7 and their class cloak bay.
Sunhats are not compulsory until Term 4.
LATENESS RATE REDUCED
Thank you for ensuring your child is on time for school we had an excellent improvement in Week 9.
One of the most important things affecting a child’s progress at school is regular attendance. For a child to gain the most benefit from education, it is important we work in partnership to encourage good attendance and punctuality.
The winning classes last week were:
Juniors: Room 2 - 3 lates
Middles: Room 14 - 2 lates
Seniors: Room 18 - 1 late
ANZAC DAY
What is Anzac Day?
It's a day of remembrance in New Zealand and Australia, focused on the sacrifices made by soldiers from both countries in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping missions.
Significance of Anzac Day
ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. April 25th marks the first major military action fought by the Australian and New Zealand forces during World War 1.
It's particularly significant for the landing of the ANZAC forces on the Gallipoli Peninsula during World War I on April 25, 1915.
Why is it celebrated?
To honor the memory of New Zealanders and Australians who have died in war.
To remember and thank all those who have served and continue to serve in the Australian and New Zealand armies.
To acknowledge the sacrifices made by the ANZAC soldiers during the Gallipoli campaign.
Remembering local residents who died at Gallipoli
STUDENT LEADERS TRIP TO WELLINGTON THIS WEDNESDAY
This trip is designed to give House Captains an opportunity to see leadership in action and develop an understanding of how groups of people work together to lead effectively. In the lead up to the trip, House Captains will learn how Parliament works, including the process for new laws.
During the tour the students will visit:
- The House of Representatives (debating chamber)
- The Legislative Council Chamber
- A select committee room
- The Theatrette (Press conference room)
- The Parliamentary Library
We were fortunate to receive a grant to assist with some costs, our thanks to the NZ Business and Parliament Trust for their support with this trip.
EMERGENCY CONTACTS
It is important we have all your contacts correct including address, cell phone and an emergency contact in case we cannot get hold of a parent.
We ring if your child has had any knock to the head or injury we feel needs further medical attention.
TERM 2
School starts back on Monday 28th April at 9.00 am – Normal school day
JUNIOR PARENT INFORMATION SESSIONS IN TERM 2
We are running two curriculum information sessions on Wednesday, 7th May. Both sessions will deliver the same information so just choose one to attend.
The sessions times are:
- Session 1: 9 -10am
- Session 2: 6 -7pm
This meeting will provide an opportunity to learn more about the new English Curriculum, including our structured approach to teaching Reading and Writing to students in Year 1 and Year 2 and how we assess your child’s progress.
We encourage you to attend to gain a deeper understanding of your child's learning journey and how you can support their academic success.
We will run similar sessions for parents with children in Year 3 to Year 6 once their teachers have completed their professional learning journey.
We look forward to seeing you in Term 2
Fintan, Sue and Monique
Celebrating Excellence
Room 6 have been learning about measurement. We explored length using both standard and non-standard units of measurement. For the smaller objects we used a 30cm ruler, the 1m ruler was used for the longer objects and the tape measure for the longest objects. Next we wrote down our findings on a worksheet and made comparisons. Then we created some artwork by tracing each object with a pencil and permanent marker. We finished by colouring in our pictures. We had great fun investigating length!
Sports News
Howick Fun Run 2025
What a fantastic morning at the Howick Fun Run! Nearly 70 enthusiastic students from Pakuranga Heights School showed up on a sunny Sunday, ready to take on the challenge. From our youngest 5-year-olds to our senior students, everyone gave it their all, tackling the tough uphills and embracing the competitive spirit. With the largest school turnout by far, we were proud to see our students, parents, and even our teachers Mrs. Harper & Miss Elders cross the finish line with big smiles. The event wrapped up with exciting raffle prizes, and one lucky Junior even rode away with a brand-new bike! A huge well done to everyone who participated—what an incredible day.
Swimming News
Our Year 3-6 students have wrapped up their Term 1 swimming lessons at Lloyd Elsmore Pools. Each week, they built confidence in the water while learning essential swimming and survival skills. From mastering proper breathing techniques and different strokes to practicing how to stay afloat and be safe around water, the students had a fantastic time. We ended the term with an exciting survival lesson using life jackets! A huge thank you to the Find Your Field of Dreams foundation, Lloyd Elsmore Pools, and the amazing swim teachers for their support in making this such a valuable and fun experience.
From the Community
Neighbourhood Support Pakuranga / Bucklands Beach / Flat Bush (NSNZ), along with Howick Local Board, NZ Police, Fire Emergency New Zealand and Auckland Emergency Management are proud to present Ormiston Safer Communities Day.
Gear up for an exciting day! Ormiston Safer Communities Day is East Auckland's free family-fun community event where our community can meet our local legends - our amazing unsung non-for-profit/public service Community Heroes and First Responders! The theme is 'Community resilience and empowerment': come and be inspired with fire safety and crime prevention tips, and learn how the prepare and be resilient in a natural disaster, as well as the wonderful community services in our area.
It's your chance to say hello, snap a pic, see our heroes in action and learn more about the amazing work of the legends in our community. Don’t miss out! Please see our poster.
VISITOR INFORMATION:
1. We encourage all visitors to take public (bus) or active (walk, cycle) transport on the day;
2. There is limited parking on the day at the area during event times;
3. This is a SVAD-free (smoke, vape, alcohol and drug free) event.
Andrew Poon
Pakuranga/Bucklands Beach/Flat Bush (Howick Ward area) Community Activator | Neighbourhood Support New Zealand
M 0225469474 - E howick@neighbourhoodsupport.
Counties Manukau East District Police Headquarters, Level 1, 50 Ormiston Road, East Tamaki, Auckland 2019 | PO Box 3017, Wellington 6011
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