Kia Ora, Namaste, Mabuhay, नमस्ते, Mālō e lelei, Hallo, Howzit, හෙලෝ, Hello, G’day,

What an exciting start we’ve had to the term at Kio Kio School! Our Agricultural Day was a standout event—don’t miss the stunning photos in this newsletter. I hope you enjoyed a lovely long weekend with your family during Labour Weekend.

At Kio Kio School, we are dedicated to nurturing our school values. This week, our focus has been on WONDER—think of it as the spark that ignites curiosity in our minds. During the assembly, I also discussed the importance of positive self-talk and developing a growth mindset, which is like planting seeds of encouragement that help us flourish even in challenging times.

Ag Day: What a beautiful sunny day we had for our annual Agricultural Day! Students showcased their pets with pride, demonstrating the care and effort they invested in their animals. This experience fosters a sense of responsibility and compassion as they learn to feed, groom, and care for their pets. A heartfelt thank you to all the parents, grandparents, family, and friends who supported our students; it was a wonderful opportunity for our community to come together and celebrate our unique rural character. Yesterday, many students participated in the Ag Group Day, and I’m thrilled to report that several returned with ribbons! Congratulations to all who took part!

Welcoming Our New PE Teacher: We’re thrilled to welcome Gerard Dorssers to Kio Kio School as our senior PE teacher. He’ll be working with our senior students on Fridays, currently focusing on athletics skills. This special project is funded through to the end of the year, so let’s make the most of it!

Gumboot Friday: Tomorrow, we will be supporting Gumboot Friday, a free counselling service for young people in New Zealand aged 25 and under. With public mental health services facing long wait times, Gumboot Friday provides timely access to qualified counselors. Students are encouraged to wear their gumboots and bring a gold coin donation to show support.

Community Consultation: Thank you to the families who participated in our community consultation. The Board of Trustees will carefully review your feedback to help us enhance the success of our students at Kio Kio School.

ASB GET WISE Banking Programme: Over the last two days, Callum Braithwaite from ASB Bank has been guiding our students through the ins and outs of money and banking. Think of this as equipping our students with a financial toolkit. They learned about how money works, how to spot a good deal, and even how to set savings goals. We discussed entrepreneurship—using one’s strengths to solve problems and start new ventures. They also explored spending influences and how to make wise financial choices, like choosing the right time to spend. Finally, we covered ScamWiSe, teaching our students to recognize and protect themselves from scams, ensuring their financial well-being.

Teacher Only Day on November 4th: Please remember that Kio Kio School will be CLOSED for instruction on Monday, November 4th, for a curriculum refresh. Our staff will engage in professional learning to implement the newly released curriculum content for English and Maths. This day will be a fantastic opportunity for growth as we explore new assessment platforms and the Writing Revolution.

Mathematics Curriculum Refresh: In conjunction with the new mathematics curriculum, the government is providing a school-wide math programme with a scope and sequence. We are currently exploring the best options for our students.

Disco Countdown: The excitement is building for our school disco on Friday, November 8th! The entry fee is $3 per student, and there will be snacks, drinks, and other items for sale. Check out the poster for more details!

Cyber Safety Evening: Don’t forget to join us for the Cyber Safety evening at Otorohanga South School on November 6th. I encourage at least one parent from each family to attend—it promises to be an incredibly informative evening. More details are in the newsletter.

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend ahead!

Kind Regards,
Pip Were
Kio Kio School Principal

 

  

 

 

Here are some strategies to improve punctuality:

   

  

2024 TERM DATES
Term 4 -  Mon 14th Oct - Thurs 19th Dec

NOVEMBER
1st Nov - Gumboot Friday
4th Nov - Teacher Only Day - Teachers attending Professional development  training
6th Nov - BOT Meeting
8th Nov - School Disco
13th Nov - School Athletics - Yr 4-8
14th Nov - School Athletics - Whole School
15th Nov - Celebration Assembly
18th Nov - Librarians visit to Otorohanga Library
20th Nov - COPS Athletics
29th Nov - Fireworks Gala

DECEMBER
6th Dec - Christmas Parade
9th Dec - Garden Judging
17th Dec - Prize Giving
19th  Dec - Last day of Term/school for year

2025 TERM DATES
Term 1 - Mon 3rd Feb - Fri 11th Apr
Term 2 - Mon 28th Apr - Fri 27th June
Term 3 - Mon 14th July - Fri 19th Sept
Term 4 - Mon 6th October - 17th Dec

FEBRUARY 2025
3rd Feb - Term 1 Starts
6th Feb - Waitangi Day (NO SCHOOL) Public Holiday
7th Feb -  School Closed

 Enrolment at Kio Kio School is governed by an enrolment scheme, details of which are available from the school office.

Applications for out-of-zone places are now being invited for those students who will become eligible for enrolment during the period January 31st to April 11th, 2025.

The deadline for receipt of applications for out-of-zone places is the 1st of November 2024.

If a ballot for out-of-zone places is required, it will be held on 8th of November 2024. Parents will be informed of the outcome of the ballot within three school days of the ballot being held.

If you live in the home zone and have not yet signalled your intention to enrol your child next year, please contact the school immediately to assist us to plan appropriately.

 

Order through the Fat Kiwi Cafe by each Thursday before 7pm by:
emailing orders@fatkiwicafe.co.nz  or by phone 07 2146300
with each child's first and last name, and class name & when the payment was made online.
The bank details are:  Account   02-0316-0562720-000

Our staff will be attending a teacher only day on Monday 4th November.  Our school will be closed for instruction on this day.

SUNSMART - HATS

All students have to wear a hat when playing outside. No Hat, No Play. Those students without a hat are asked to sit under the large tree on our Cobham Lawn. Please name your child/ren's hats.

LOST PROPERTY
Please check out the lost property on the racks for your child/rens lost items. As the term progresses we seem to have a great deal of clothing and footwear. It would be helpful if you named your child/rens drink bottles, footwear and clothing so they can be returned to them. Whatever is left at the end of term will be washed and given to a charity shop in town.

STUDENTS ENTERING & LEAVING SCHOOL
Please make sure that your child/ren are dropped off and collected from the bus shelter each day.
We are enforcing safety rules at school pick-up and drop-off. Children are NOT to open our school gates. Parents are required to drop off inside the gate and come into the school grounds to collect their children. This is a safety measure. Our carpark is very busy at the end of the day and we need to do everything we can to keep everyone safe.

SCHOOL GATES
A Reminder to shut all school gates behind you please, in particular the large gates on the top and bottom fields. When collecting your children after school, please close the large gate behind you on the top field.

BUS BOOK REMINDER
Please ensure that the school office is informed early if your child won't be on the school bus in the afternoon. We also need to be contacted if your child/ren are getting off at another stop. You can do this by phoning the school office on 07 8731816 or emailing admin@kiokio.school.nz

STUDENT ABSENCES
If your child is going to be absent from school, please advise the office by phone (078731816), email (admin@kiokio.school.nz) or the absent tab on the Parent APP with the reason so the absence can be marked correctly for the Ministry of Education. If the school is not notified, the child is deemed TRUANT and marked accordingly. If your child is late to school, they must come to the office and sign in on the electronic register.

BREAKFAST CLUB VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We are on the lookout for a PARENT VOLUNTEEER to run the THURSDAY morning. If you are able to help on this day, please contact the school office. Our Breakfast Club runs on Monday - Thursday each week beginning at 8.30am. All students are welcome to receive a bowl of milk and some weetbix before settling into the days work.
THANK YOU to our amazing volunteers on Monday and Wednesday - Katie Krukerink and Greer Morrow in Term 3, and to all the senior students who help out.

SCHOOL DOCS:

Kio Kio School Board of Trustees uses “School Docs” policies and procedures. If you would like to view any of these documents please log on to
1.  www.schooldocs.co.nz
2. Click Search for your school - Start typing the school's name and then select from the dropdown list
3. Username:  Kiokio
    Password: 3974

 NEXT BOT MEETING to be held on the 6th November at 6.30 pm

Huge thanks to Craig Mora and Dan Brice for their work in organising and delivering sand for our long jump pit and sandpit!

The sand is kindly donated by Bowers & Son Ltd (Bowers Concrete Otorohanga). We’re so grateful for the community support that helps keep our school spaces thriving. Thank you, Craig, Dan, and Bowers Concrete!

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