What an incredible two weeks we’ve had at Kio Kio School! Our days have been filled with classroom learning and physical activity, and we’ve been fortunate with the weather, which has held out just when we needed it.

First, a huge thank you to Mrs Emma Telfer for her impeccable organisation of our Cross-Country event. The students gave 100% effort, running the courses to the best of their ability. It was truly awesome to see our students embody our school P.O.W.E.R. values throughout the event. One student, after finishing his race, even went back out to run an extra lap to motivate and encourage his friends. Others congratulated each other with hugs and high-fives as they crossed the finish line. But perhaps the best part was the enthusiastic encouragement from students, parents and grandparents on the sidelines, cheering each other on. It was a fantastic day!

I also want to extend a big thank you to our fantastic parent helpers and to Kelly from Fern Fuels for organising, cooking, and selling the BBQ – your support was greatly appreciated! And a special congratulations to the students selected for the upcoming COPS Cross-Country inter-school event – well done!

After a great deal of fundraising, most of our Year 7 & 8 students headed off to Totara Springs Sports Camp in Matamata this week. They had three full-on days of competing in a wide variety of sports, including darts, bowls, hockey, soccer, netball, mini-golf, and wall ball – just to name a few! The team was brilliantly led by Emma Telfer, with support from three wonderful parent helpers – Charlie McGillivray, Pila Rata and Janna Gray, who generously gave up three days to coach, organise and support our students. Our students achieved some fantastic results – winning indoor hockey, finishing as runners-up in basketball and field hockey, and ultimately placing SECOND equal overall! What an outstanding achievement – well done to everyone involved! And a special thanks to the parents who helped transport the students to and from camp.

We’re also grateful to Gerard Dorssers from Base Line Basketball Academy for volunteering his time to upskill our older students in basketball. The students are really enjoying the drills! Alongside this, Abby Keech from King Country Rugby has been coaching rippa rugby sessions in preparation for the upcoming tournament in Te Kuiti. Mrs Rosemary Fleming is also enjoying teaching our Year 7 & 8 students how to play badminton each Tuesday. As you can see, our school is offering a wide range of sporting opportunities this term.

At Kio Kio School, our P.O.W.E.R. values – Perseverance, Ownership, Wonder, Excellence, and Respect – are extremely important in all facets of school life. These values were originally developed through consultation with our school community and key stakeholders several years ago. You can see our P.O.W.E.R. characters around the school, encouraging students to embody these principles.

This term, we are bringing these values to life again by actively teaching one value each week and helping students recognise these skills and actions. Last week, our focus was on OWNERSHIP – which means taking responsibility for our actions and words. This week, students have been learning about WONDER – fostering curiosity by asking questions to discover new things. The teachers have shared with me that the conversations in the classrooms have been powerful and engaging. Please chat with your children about the P.O.W.E.R. values and ask them what they are learning.

This week, I had the absolute pleasure of visiting Puriri and Kowhai classes, and tomorrow I’m heading into Pohutukawa. It fills my heart with joy to talk with our students, watch, listen, and help them with their learning tasks. Our wonderful classroom teachers dedicate countless hours to crafting learning programmes that cater to the needs of their students. I encourage you to chat with your child’s teacher to see how their learning is going and how you can support your child at home.

Next week, we’ll be welcoming a new member to our team – Terry, our new caretaker, who is employed through a school maintenance scheme by the Ministry of Education. Terry has a long list of jobs to work through, and we hope to see our school property begin to shine in the coming months.

On the 28th, 29th of August, and 11th of September, our Junior teachers will be attending a Ministry of Education-funded Structured Literacy Professional Learning Development (PLD) led by Learning Matters. This PLD fits perfectly with our current structured literacy approach and will provide our teachers with even more tools to use in the classroom with your children.

Finally, on behalf of the Board of Trustees I would like to send out a HUGE thank you to our incredible Supporters Committee for their generous donations of:

Defibrillator case               $  743.41
50% Rec Centre chairs     $3950.00
Tennis net system             $6783.05
Sentence trains                 $2300.00
Playground balls              $1500.00
Production/Art                  $2000.00
Mini whiteboards             $   500.00
Total | $17,776.46

THANK YOU very much for giving our school and students the best possible learning tools and equipment. We appreciate your time and effort that you donate for your fundraising events.

I would also like to thank the Otorohanga Charitable Trust for their donation to pay for the lighting for our school production - The Lorax. Thanks to your generous donation our students definitely shone brightly on stage! 

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our school community. Let’s keep up the fantastic mahi!

Have a wonderful Friday and weekend.

Good attendance helps your child:

- Reach their full potential

- Develop a positive attitude towards school and good habits of being on time

- Feel like they’re a valued part of our school community

2024 TERM DATES
Term 1 -  Wed 7th Feb - Fri 12th Apr
Term 2 -  Mon 29th Apr - Fri 5th July
Term 3 -  Mon 22nd July - Fri 27th Sept
Term 4 -  Mon 14th Oct - Thurs 19th Dec


AUGUST
21st August - COPS Cross Country
23rd August - Celebration Assembly
27th August - Kio Kio School Speech Finals

SEPTEMBER
4th Sept  -  COPS Mathletics
6th Sept - NKC Rippa Tournament Yr5-8
16th Sept  -  Photolife School Photos
17th Sept - Otorohanga College Experience Day Yr7-8
18th Sept  -  Speech Finals (Waikato)
20th Sept - Superhero Friday
27th Sept  -  Celebration Assembly

PEANUT ALLERGY
We have a student in Totara class with a severe peanut allergy who cannot come in contact with peanuts or products with peanuts in them. We are asking that parents do not send peanuts or any peanut related products to school, so that we can keep this student safe. Thank you for your understanding.

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.

DOGS ON SCHOOL GROUNDS
Just a reminder, please do not use the school grounds to exercise your dogs. Our students are finding dog poo on our bottom field. This is not cool!

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 PARENT VOLUNTEEERS to run the TUESDAY and THURSDAY morning. If you are able to help on one of these days, 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.

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 11th September at 6.30 pm

Thank you to Wayne Davies and Tyelar for taking time out of their weekend schedule to chop down the camelias at the entrance way and removing the trees to the rubbish pile.
We appreciate your help and assistance.
We are fortunate to have a community willing to assist us in various ways and many people who fly under the radar and help out when they can.  Thank you to those.

 Are you eager to learn the finer points of judging? Join us for our Judges Day event, where you'll gain valuable insights into calf, lamb and kid goat judging! 
 This event is perfect for

  Anyone interested in understanding what makes a prize- winning calf, lamb or kid goat
 This is an unmissable opportunity to deepen your expertise and contribute to the future of boys and girls agricultural competitions. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, we welcome everyone to join us!
 Spread the word, and let's make this a day to remember!