It's starting to feel a bit like summer!  It has been awesome this week wandering around the playground during break times, seeing our tamariki enjoying the sunshine and warmer weather.  A large number of our students are regularly on the field playing rugby and soccer with their friends.  The soccer games this week have been fiercely competitive and a lot of fun! 

All classes have been enjoying this term's House of Science Kits.  Students have been learning about earthquakes and volcanoes. These kits provide excellent hands-on learning experiences that allow our students to engage in some pretty cool scientific phenomenon.  I encourage you to ask your children about the learning they have been doing.  I even learnt a new word from the students' in Karearea - Viscosity!

Students in Ruru have been creating some very impressive Christmas Stories online using online digital tools ... and in Pīwakawaka there have been some pretty impressive Santa wish lists being written.  Santa has some work to do - with ponies and motorbikes featuring on some of the lists! 

Our Year 8 Leavers Dinner will be held at Oreti Village Restaurant on Wednesday 13th December.  See below for more details. 

On Thursday 19th December we will be holding our end of year prize-giving.  This will start at 12.30pm.  Parents/caregivers and other family members are warmly invited to attend this event, as we celebrate students progress, attitude and achievement.  We hope to see you join us.  See below for more details.

This will be our final school newsletter for 2023.  I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support towards Kuratau School.  We are very fortunate to have a supportive Board and community who have the best interests of our tamariki at heart.  A big thank you to the Friends of Kuratau School fundraising group for the money they have raised this year ($6,425).  I know they have some exciting things planned for 2024. 

Our new Strategic Plan and Annual Targets will be shared with our community early next year and I am looking forward to the mahi we have planned for 2024.  The feedback we received from our community, staff and students, as well as from other data we have collected throughout the year will be used to create our new Strategic Plan for Kuratau School.  We have some exciting Literacy and Numeracy professional learning planned for teachers in 2024 and we are looking forward seeing the impact of this professional learning on our teaching practice and our students' progress and achievement in 2024. 

I wish you all a happy, safe and relaxing holiday break.  Enjoy the summer with your whānau and I look forward to welcoming you back in 2024.  To those families who are leaving us at the end of the year - we wish you and your children all the best for their future learning journey.   

Meri Kirihimete me te Hape Nū Ia
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Shirley Bailey & the Kuratau School Team

At the end of this year we will be farewelling two important staff members.  

Whaea Kathryn will be heading off to begin her parental leave next year.  Kathryn has had a fantastic year teaching in Pīwakawaka and, although we will all miss her lots, we are looking forward to her returning from parental leave during 2024.  We wish her and her whānau all the best with the arrival of their newest family member.  

Whaea Sue, our amazing Pīrere teacher, is heading off to begin her retirement years.  Whaea Sue joined us in Term 3 to start up our new entrant overflow class.  She has done an incredible job and is a valued member of our team.  Her positive 'can do' attitude and quick witted humour will be missed by all.  We wish Sue all the best and hope she will be available for some relieving days next year.  

In 2024 we welcome Lou Wright to our teaching team.  Whaea Lou will be teaching in Pīwakawaka, guiding our youngest learners.  Lou comes with lots of experience teaching in Early Childhood and we are excited about the skills and experience she can bring to our team. See the message below from Whaea Lou.

This is a semi-formal event and all Year 8 students are expected to attend,  This is our chance to enjoy an evening with our Year 8 leavers to celebrate their years at Kuratau School and wish then well for their future.  There is no cost to families for this event.

Details:

Our annual Kuratau School Prizegiving will be held on Tuesday 19th December in the school hall.  You are invited to come along and celebrate with us as we award our tamariki in their achievements and success following another eventful year of teaching and learning.  We will also farewell those that will be moving on to Intermediate or High School in 2024.

We look forward to seeing you.

The programme for the day will be as follows:

Get your child's water gun ready for our LAST DAY FUN DAY.  Our annual water fight will be held on Wednesday 20th December.  Everybody is involved (including the teachers) in this fun hour of all out water play!  If the weather is warm we will also be operating the slip n slide on the field. 

If your child wishes to participate they will need:

On Wednesday 6th December, updated student statements detailing all outstanding charges for the 2023 school year were emailed. 

These statements include any outstanding fees for stationery and bus for the year.  If you have opted to order a stationery pack for your child/children through the school for 2024 this cost will also show on your statement.

All 2023 charges are now due.  Charges for 2024 stationery can be paid at any time prior to the start of Term 1 2024.

We appreciate your prompt payment and trust all accounts will be settled prior to December 20th 2023.  

NOTE:  Our Turangi Bus remains at capacity.  Any unsettled bus accounts may result in a loss of your child's space on the bus.

Thank you to all whānau who shared their thoughts and ideas on our long term and annual plan for 2024 (and beyond), providing some great feedback in helping to plan for our school's future. 

Your voice and experiences are valuable to us and we thank you for your involvement in helping to grow our future.
 
The winner of our Grocery Hamper was Pauline Jenkins.  Pauline, thanks again and we hope you enjoy your goodies.