Newsletter – 23rd September 2019 – Pakuranga Heights School

It’s been an exciting term and a very busy two weeks of learning here at Pakuranga Heights School. Post production, we had the Interschool Speech Competition, Middle School Speech and Poetry Festival and all students in the Middle and Junior school visited Te Tuhi Art Gallery where they learnt about expressing themselves through art. Last week St Johns visited all classrooms teaching students to be Emergency Smart (Years 1-2), Emergency Ready (Years 3-4) and Emergency Responder (Years 5-6). Our staff are undoubtedly superheroes for continuing to work tirelessly to provide rich and exciting learning opportunities for our students.

We said goodbye to Mr Kelly on Friday as he embarks on his very exciting Travelling Fellowship and wish him well on his travels.

As this is the last newsletter for the term I would like to wish you all a pleasant and peaceful holiday break. Please keep reading with your children over the break, as going the two weeks without regular reading, especially in the early years, does impact student’s rate of progress.

Interschool Speech Finals
Last Tuesday we took two of our finalists, Abi Robertson and Aariz Khan to the Interschool Competition held at Elm Park School. The standard of the speeches this year was exceptionally high and it was hard to believe that the finalists were 9 and 10 year olds. Aariz was the only rap entrant, a new category introduced this year, out of the 14 schools participating. Both speakers were outstanding and very brave standing up in front of a room of adults and projecting their voices so well.

New Classroom Update
Room 23 moved into their new classroom on Thursday after being passed by the council and blessed by Ricky Solomon. The students and Mr Hopkinson have happily settled in with brand new state of the art furniture and equipment and are loving it. We are very grateful to our school community for all the help and support you so generously provided us with.

Sue Kandasamy
Acting Principal

Upcoming events

Kapa Haka title

PTA

PTA Term 3 Update

Junior School Shade Sail Project
On Friday 20th September there were 2 wonderful new additions added to the junior school playgrounds. The installation of the shade sails was the product of hard work from the PTA, huge contributions from our amazing school friends and family and also a very generous successful grant application from Grassroots to the tune of $11,131.00. The PTA contributed a total of $7419.65 to make up the difference for the total project cost. Huge thank you to all involved with making this possible.

Middle School Playground Replacement Project
The PTA discussed what project that we wanted to tackle next and agreed the Middle School deserved something. From there the PTA started the process of getting the very tired Middle School playground finally replaced. Of course we wanted to make sure that the new playground had what the children wanted so with the help of a big group of Middle School students, Deanne Williams Rm12 & Lana Ferencz Rm 15, we had a very exciting wish list of what they wanted. Complete with flying foxes, climbing walls, monkey bars etc we have put their requests to a few companies to see what designs they come back with. We expect to have quotes and designs back within the next month and then work with one to get the project underway. All going well we hope for the project to be completed before the end of Term 1 2020. Watch this space.

Grant Application process
Even with the amazing contributions from our Pakuranga Heights School friends and families the PTA sometimes needs a little help financially to get a project across the line. Spending the time Investigating and applying for these grants is a big task and sometimes a lot for one person to deal with. The call was put out for someone to help Tara Fletcher with the Grants and Marnie Rosser came to the rescue. Thank you so much Marnie for putting in that time to help. It is very true that many hands make light work.

Mathathon
This year we smashed all previous amounts raised for Mathathons and brought in a staggering $11090.50. Thank you Libby Slaughter for promoting the Mathathon and providing the wonderful spot prizes. Thank you to Amanda Winter, Marnie Rosser & Tara Fletcher for their time collecting and counting the money. Well done to Rooms 1, 15 & 20 who were the classes who raised the most money and got to enjoy a pizza lunch & Room 1 who were overall winners. They received a $50 warehouse voucher for teacher, Melissa Quinn to spend on the classroom.

Dads Celebration Raffle Fundraiser
With the success of the Mother’s Day raffle at the beginning of the year, the PTA decided it would be nice to celebrate Dad’s too. With Father’s Day being so close to school production and Mathathon we decided to run a Dad’s Celebration Raffle. Tickets have been sent out with all the kids and they have been steadily been coming back in. Each ticket is $2 and can be purchased also via KINDO or extra tickets are at the office. Some of our amazing sponsors: The Red Boats Fishing Charters, Barkers Menswear, Hell’s Pizza Botany, Bunnings, Monterey Cinemas, Western Springs passes

Pak Heights Primary Parent and Community Page
Do you have a Facebook account? If so, please join the Pakuranga Heights Primary Parent and Community Facebook page. This is an online space to connect with other families, ask questions and share local information. Click on the following link or search for Pak Heights Primary and Community.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1352236104787200/?ref=group_browse_new

Upcoming PTA events September

25th – ‘Hero’ Themed Mufti Day
27th – Dad’s Celebration Raffle Drawn at full school assembly

Term 4

Disco
Mufti Day – Theme to be decided
Christmas Tree for Sale

Next PTA meeting – Monday 21st October at 7pm in staffroom. Would love to see you there!

Walking School Bus – Please join the Facebook Page:

Pakuranga Heights School WSB Community

This term the Walking School Bus mascot has been very busy cursing around exciting the kids about being on the Walking School buses. Twice this term a group of WSB parents, Vicky Mailei, Tara Fletcher, Marnie Rosser, Amanda Winter, Jesse Nankivell & Matt Franetovic organised some promotional mornings which the WSB parents and children got to enjoy hot cross buns, biscuits and juice. At these mornings if they are due to get one, the children get their certificates for reaching their next milestone of walks (eg 100, 150, 300 walks to school). They also have the chance to pick a spot prize if Mr Ward pulls out their completed WSB ticket. It is great way to get the parents and children who walk to school together to say thank you and well done. Also we have had a great group of year 4 students who have been trained up to get their leader licences. This means that they get given more responsibility when walking to school and can help the parent volunteer. Huge thank you to Vicky Mailei for running these training sessions. Next term keep an eye out for when our Milo and biscuit morning will be. Special thank you to Daniel Ward who has been amazing & Matt Franetovic who has dressed up both times this term. The kids LOVED it.

MEGASTARS AWARDS!!!
On the 14th June, Auckland Transport hosted their annual Megastars awards which is put on to celebrate the WSB parent volunteers & teachers. This year there were just over 400 parents and teachers there to enjoy each others company, a delicious buffet dinner and also be congratulated for their work that they do in relation to the walking school bus programme in their school. Pakuranga Heights School was represented by the following parents who were also nominated but sadly didn’t win awards – Vicky Mailei, Tara Fletcher, Marnie Rosser, Amanda Winter, Jesse Nankivell & Matt Franetovic. Jack Hopkinson & Daniel Ward also attended. Huge thank you to the people who nominated the parents. It means a lot.

Just because it is winter doesn’t mean that the walking school bus stops. We keep going and we want you with us! If you would like to be involved with a WSB for the school please don’t hesitate to contact Vicky Mailei on 021 188 2536 or vickymailei25@gmail.com