Kia ora koutou

I hope that you have all had a good rest over Christmas and New Year and feel energised for the year ahead.

It has been a really positive start to the year for staff and tamariki.  It is lovely to welcome all of you back to a new year.  Huge thanks to all of you who were able to make the time to attend our Hui a-whānau day last Monday.  Our teachers felt it was a great opportunity to get to know you and to talk through any changes in the whānau, concerns or goals for the year ahead.

Our staff are really excited to have their own Staffroom for the first time in over 5 years.  The space is welcoming and calm - it is great to see everyone taking the opportunity to have a break within our busy work days.  Having a shared space is so important in making sure we are all on the same waka - He waka eke noa!

We have lots of changes in the education sphere coming up this year.  We started the year by joining with One Tree Point School to learn about Trauma Aware Education.  Our kaiako are all continuing their Structured Literacy training too.  We will also continue our Maths focus with The Learner First training. 


 
Ngā mihi

Helen 

As you will have seen our Admin team have now moved into the new building.  When you come through the main gate come up the ramp and through the doors into our new Office.   

Our previous admin area is being turned into a new classroom.  This area and our old Rooms 1 and 2 will eventually become a new shared area for Years 0-2.  The previous entrance will become an outdoor play area for these classes.  There is no date yet on when this will be completed.

The Sanctuary is also being upgraded - this should be completed by halfway through the term.  We appreciate the hard work of Emma our Learning Support Coordinator and Kylie our Acting Special Needs Coordinator to set up a temporary Sanctuary area in Room 2.    

Our new playground is installed - it cannot be used until we have a safety surface completed.  When we consulted our tamariki about their preferences, they were very definite that they did not want bark mulch as a safety surface!  The artificial turf surface will be installed in April.  We will then begin preparation for an artificial turf netball/basketball/tennis court next to Te Pā Harakeke and Room 37.  

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/19VPXkMvm1rQp3Mw2-1_yiLqpBm-xVkaFbzdqWHIVhsU/present

You may be aware that on the 10th December 2024 ERO released a report on the RSE Curriculum here.  In my own view it is an excellent summary of many of the issues we have been wrestling with as kura in New Zealand.

On the same day the Beehive released a statement from Erica Stanford which concluded that the RSE Curriculum will be refreshed and the current guidelines will be removed during Term 1 2025.  I will therefore present this to the BoT next week and a decision will be made regarding the scope of the Health Curriculum Consultation provided the requirement to consult remains - it is possible we may have received more detail from the Minister at that point.  

Thanks to the whānau who have been part of the Health Curriculum Focus Group - your mahi is appreciated.  

We are required to send all of our attendance data to the Ministry of Education daily.  If whānau do not let us know the reason for a tamaiti's absence it is first recorded as a ?.  After 5 days we will change all ? days to T for Truant.   Please let us know the reason for an absence when you call ie unwell, attending  medical appointment, tangi etc.  

If your child is not wanting to come to school and you think there are friendship or learning issues please get in touch with their teacher as soon as possible.  The faster we can find out what is happening and make a plan to support the less likely this is to turn into a bigger issue.

We understand that from time to time many issues such as physical or mental health, financial hardship and other challenges can affect attendance - if you need support or advice please give us a call.  No judgment - just support!

 We recently consulted  all Year 0-2 and prospective new entrant whānau in 2025 on the proposed changes that would see the implementation of cohort entry at Ruakākā School in term 2.  Feedback received was 100% in favour of this change.  

 

How does Cohort Entry work?

Currently, a child|tamaiti will start with us when they turn 5 years old - regardless of what time of the term it is or if anyone else they know will be starting their school journey with them.  Often they will leave all the familiar faces that they have built positive relationships with in their early childhood environment and then move into a new classroom where they may not know anyone (other than the times they attend school visits). We want to facilitate the very best start to school for every new entrant learner.  It is imperative for every tamaiti to feel safe and secure from their very first day with us at Ruakākā School.  For this reason, we strongly encourage all whānau to attend kura visits prior to their tamaiti’s first day at school.

We believe that having new tamariki entering their room in a sporadic fashion is very unsettling for existing students.  Each time a new student starts on the day of their 5th birthday, the teacher has to begin all over again.  We will facilitate this process in a far less disruptive manner for our tamariki and new entrant teachers.

From term 2, 2025 we will start Cohort entry at Ruakākā School.

From 1 January 2020, changes made to the Education Amendment Act 2019 take effect so that:

Benefits of cohort entry for children

Cohort entry is about helping children to settle better in school. The evidence clearly suggests that starting school alongside other tamariki helps them to build relationships and supports a smoother entry to school life.

Schools that have adopted cohort entry believe it offers their tamariki and whānau the best possible start to their educational journey at school. It also means less disruption for new entrant teachers who can now prepare for groups of tamariki arriving on a specific date, rather than on an individual and ad hoc basis through the year.  This is the ERO report on Cohort Entry.

In Term 1 tamariki will start school on their 5th birthday as usual.  

We realise that this will require a shift in mindset for many of our whānau.  In New Zealand we have been conditioned to believe that our tamariki must start school on their 5th birthday.  In actual fact, research shows that the longer children can have within the ECE sector the more advantageous for their learning and development.  By law, children are entitled to stay at ECE until 6 years old.  We are really spoilt in Ruakākā with the quality of ECE centres that our children can attend.  Spending a few extra weeks at these centres is a real bonus for tamariki.  

 Please email me principal@ruakaka.school.nz if you have any questions about the implementation of this policy. 

 

We have 20 free child tickets to the circus.  Please call or email the office if you would like one.  You will need to buy full price adult tickets (cheapest are $35) in order to use them.  First come first served!

Our Magic Show is hilarious and full of audience interaction and commits to educational value. We place content first. Educational themes lay the foundation on which messaging and magic are built, bringing lessons to life. Amazing tricks, exciting music, rabbit, doves, professional magical props and audience participation all combine in a fast paced and fun show, the duration is one hour. The combination of student-pleasing magic, comedy and participation as well as the educational theme make this show one you will be proud to bring to your school.

For more information please visit: https://educationalmagic.nz/

Welcome to the start of another exciting year!
We are on the lookout for new member to join our PTA whānau. 
We meet two times per term - in week 3 and week 8 to discuss fundraising ideas, plan events, support our tamariki and kaiako abd promote our school positively in the community.
Our first meeting is on Tuesday 25th February at 6pm in the Multi Purpose Room. (Please note: meeting date is a week later due to Board meeting).
We would love to welcome back our PTA whānau and hope to see some new faces come along too.

Please make sure your tamariki has a change of clothes in their bag every day. We only have a small amount of clothes in the office in case of emergencies, so we may need to call you to bring in some clothes for your child. 

Alexis Westlake has spots available for music lessons. Please contact Alexis on 0273419535 or email jawestlake3@gmail.com. 

 Introducing Becky:
It is a privilege to be available to support the students and amazing teachers here .
My whānau : I am a grand-mother, wife, and mother of 3 children & 2 mokopuna . I live in the Bream Bay area and have enjoyed this beautiful local area for 17 years.
I understand how tough some of life's challenges are and that is why I am here as a listening ear to any student that wishes to meet up.