"Together we are lifelong CREST learners"
Principal's Message
Kia ora PBS whānau
Today’s forecast looked different in all the various apps/sites we looked at. However I have made the executive decision to go ahead. There may be a little rain early this afternoon, but this should clear. As I type this our hangi fire is burning bright; thanks to our wonderful team of dads who arrived early to dig the pit and stoke the flames. Last night Di Puati and a team of fabulous mums prepped all the hangi food, wrapping parcel after parcel to ensure the juiciness stays in.
During the day, under the guidance of Hillary Houston, our staff and kids will hang lights and decorations and Jalah Davis will run our final dress rehearsals for our performances. So it’s all hands on deck!
So, tonight dress up warm, bring some cash to purchase yummy hot food for your dinner (nachos, sausage sizzles, hot dogs, chips) and most of all come and enjoy the sense of community and belonging as we celebrate the Māori New Year together.
Please keep reading as today’s newsletter contains information about:
- Booking in for Learning Conferences – Wednesday, 3 July (PBS closed for instruction)
- Matariki – see you there!
- Seeking business sponsorship to repaint our pool
Ngā mihi nui,
Jess Ward
Principal – Tumuaki
Upcoming dates for your awareness:
- Tuesday, 25 June – Matariki event at PBS
- Friday, 28 June – Matariki Public holiday
- Wednesday, 3 July – Learning Conferences – school closed for instruction
PRINCIPAL’S C.R.E.S.T CORNER:
Sharing good news spreads positivity, changes attitudes and ultimately leads to more people feeling encouraged and happy
CREST value of SELF MANAGEMENT:
Last week we held an earthquake drill during morning tea time. Our teachers have been reminding students about the importance of sheltering in a ‘turtle’ position if they are outside during an earthquake. For the drill we had prepped the students for the sound of an airhorn to signal an earthquake alarm, as we obviously can’t make the ground shake on command. Staff were very impressed with how well our students all did, and then how calmly they carried out the rest of our evacuation drill, reassembling in their classes on the field. As parents, you can be super proud of your kids’ self management skills in this area.
Welcome to Our Recent New Students
Reef – Rm 11
Jax – Rm 1
Have You Checked Out Our Community Notices Directory?
Do you need to advertise your business, an upcoming event, need child care, or looking for a gift or new club to join? Check out the PBS Community Directory on our website https://kapiti.pbs.school.nz/
Learning Conferences (Parent-Student-Teacher Interviews) TOMORROW - Wednesday, 26 June for Rm 5 Only
This year our mid-year learning conferences for Room 5 will be held on , Wednesday, 26 June (tomorrow).
To book your learning conference slot, see the info above as for the rest of the school. Interview bookings will close at 3pm today (Tuesday, 25 June).
Learning Conferences (Parent-Student-Teacher Interviews) Wednesday, 3 July
This year our mid-year learning conferences will be held on Wednesday, 3 July (in the last week of the school term). Please note that school will be closed for instruction on this day, however we will offer childcare for families who cannot arrange alternative care on this day. Complete this form if you have no alternative care for your child/ren https://forms.gle/bcEPPt3iujw5BEYK9
To book your learning conference slot, see the info below.
At PBS, we recognise the importance of involving students in discussions about their learning. This enables the student to feel more ownership over their learning, be praised for their progress, and encouraged in their next steps by the important adults at home and school.
During these conferences…
- The role of the teacher is to facilitate and lead the conversation about the student’s learning
- The role of the student is to share some of their learning and join in the discussion as they feel comfortable or as prompted by their teacher
- The role of the parent or whānau member is to listen, ask questions (of their child or the teacher) and encourage their child to participate
Important information for parents:
- Parents will need to book an interview slot and bring their child/children along to school at that time. See the instructions on Skool Loop (below)
- If for whatever reason you cannot make it along on this day, I encourage you to email your child’s teacher and try to set up another time or set up a zoom call on another date
- Know that the school playgrounds and library will be available for siblings to wait or play during the interview slots. This means your child can have your full focus during their learning conference slot
- Know that these conferences are not the time to raise complex social issues or sensitive matters, as it may be preferential to discuss these without your child present. You can arrange a time to do this with your child’s teacher by emailing them
- Note that there is only one interview slot per child. Therefore, we encourage parents living apart to attend together – what better way to show your child that they come first
Interview bookings will close off at 12 noon on 2 July.
Kids Quote
A student was overhead saying: “Awesome is my middle name”!
Kids Arriving to School Too Early
Recently, I have noticed an increase in kids arriving at school too early. PBS kids should not be arriving at school before 8.15 am. Though many local schools stipulate 8.30am as their earliest time, we understand that our kids do like lots of time to socialise before school starts. However, most teachers use the morning as prep-time so children are often required to play outside until the learning day begins.
Using the @School App
I will regularly highlight a button on the @school app. This week it is the
If you have a child in Year 1 – Year 2 it is important that you enter the @school app and look at the entries in the ‘Blog’. When you meet your child’s teacher on Learning Conference night the discussion will be around what is in here.
If you have a child in Year 3 – Year 8 your child’s class teacher may have added entries in this space.
And the
If you have a child in Years 3 – Year 8 this button is important to you. This is the button where you will find a summary of your child’s learning twice a year. Our learning summaries (reports) get published in this space towards the end of term 2 and the end of term 4. You may want to look at your child’s learning summary before learning conferences.
Using Māori Language at Home
Learning another language provides many benefits including greater academic achievement, greater cognitive development, and more positive attitudes towards other languages and cultures. So, let’s give it a go and help to revitalise this unique language to Aotearoa for our tamariki. Each week our newsletter will include words or phrases that you might like to try out at your kāinga/home.
Puanga: Many iwi observe the rise of Puanga to mark the new year instead of Matariki as it made more sense to their geographical settings.
Puanaga (the star Rigel) is the brightest star in the Orion Constellation in the late autumn and early winter sky. The iwi of Taranaki, Whanganui, parts of the far North, parts of the South Island and the Chatham Islands observe Puanga.
Mānawatia a Matariki: (meaning to honour, acknowledge, and welcome in Matariki)
Around the end of May or early June in New Zealand, the Pleiades cluster of stars can be seen low on the north-eastern horizon just before dawn. This cluster carries the Māori name, Matariki. The rise of Matariki and the sighting of the next new moon during June/July mark the Māori New Year.
Waitī: is the whetū connected to fresh water and all of the creatures that live within rivers, streams and lakes
Waitā: is the whetū
associated with the oceans and many kinds of kai (food) you can gather from the sea
Ururangi: is the whetū connected to the winds. It determines the nature of the winds for the year. Uruangi can be translated to mean ‘the winds of the sky’.
Waipunarangi: is the whetū
connected to the rain, and the waipunarangi can be translated to mean ‘water that pools in the sky’.
Pōhutukawa: is the whetū that connects Matariki to the deceased and is the reason people would cry out the names of the dead and weep when Matariki was seen rising in the early morning. It is through Pōhutukawa that Māori remember those who have died in the past year.
Help Make a Splash! Seeking Business Sponsorship for Our School Pool
We all know how important it is to teach kiwi kids to swim and be water-confident, right? Well, we need your support in continuing on this mission as our school pool needs sandblasting and repainting, with a quote of $16,000. Grant applications haven’t been successful, so we’re turning to our amazing community for support.
The Solution: With your help, we can reach our goal! If 16 businesses contribute $1,000 each, we’ll be able to complete the project and be ready for next summer!
Be a Part of Something Special: Sponsoring businesses will be recognised on a prominent display board by the pool, showcasing their commitment to our students’ safety and well-being.
If your business is able to contribute please email Marie on mbarfoote@pbs.school.nz and together, let’s make a splash!
A huge thank you to those businesses who have already donated 🙂
Emily and Pranav Join Paul Ness On Coast Access Radio
Last Friday, Emily and Pranav proudly represented our school on Coast Access Radio’s interview with Paul Nees! They discussed our exciting upcoming Matariki event, giving listeners a taste of the activities and amazing performances we have planned. Our sponsors were thanked for their support, and the audience was even treated to a special sneak peek! Emily wowed everyone with a snippet of her solo – her talent is truly awe-inspiring!
A huge thanks to Coast Access Radio for giving us this fantastic opportunity to spread the word about our Matariki celebrations.
Kapiti Cross-Country Interschool Event
Last Tuesday, Kapiti’s young athletes battled it out at the Kapiti Cross-Country Interschool event, one of the district’s biggest annual sporting events! This year, runners from Years 4 to 8 tackled a challenging new course at Queen Elizabeth Park with lots of hills and puddles.
P.B.S. is proud of all our athletes who showed incredible effort and determination throughout the race. A big thanks to Kapiti Primary Sport for organising the event and to all the supportive parents who helped manage our tamariki.
Congratulations to our athletes who placed or qualified for the next stage! They’ll be representing Kapiti at the Wellington Regional Cross Country event on Tuesday, July 2nd (or postponement date, Thursday, July 4th).
Year 4 Boys: 1st Jackson Ferris, 9th Zachary Willis
Year 6 Girls: 1st Lucie Thomson
Year 6 Boys: 4th Ty Gardiner, 6th Isaac Ransfield
Year 7 Girls: 8th Peyton McGarry-Paku
Year 7 Boys: 6th Kade Gardiner
AWD: 1st Angus Wilson
Year 8 Girls: 1st Mia Thomson, 7th Quin Steinmetz
Year 8 Boys: 8th Juvan Scholtz, 10th Mitchell Moloney
Quiz Night - Save the Date
PBS Te Motu camp fundraiser in conjunction with Salty’s Diner is going to hold another fun quiz night on Wednesday, 7 August.
Tickets will be on sale in Term 3, so keep an eye out for further details. In the meantime, get your quiz team of 4-6 people ready to go!
Lost Property
Please remember to check for lost property from over the term. Items will be on display by the netball courts on fine days until the end of term.
Anything unnamed or unclaimed will be sent to the Koha Shed.
Future Student Achievements
If your child has an achievement you would like us to share in our newsletter, then please send details (and a picture if you would like) to mbarfoote@pbs.school.nz
The All-New Kindo App is Here!
We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to bring you a completely reimagined Kindo app, and it’s finally here!
We’ve redesigned the myKindo App from the ground up, focusing on user feedback and the needs of busy parents like you. The new app offers a more intuitive navigation, faster performance, and secure transactions, making it easier than ever to manage your child’s school expenses.
With the new Kindo app, you can:
• Order lunches, complete forms, and make payments in just a few taps
• Navigate effortlessly with our intuitive, user-friendly design
• Enjoy lightning-fast performance and secure transactions
• Stay informed with notifications about the things that matter most to you
Whether you’re a current Kindo user or new to our platform, now is the perfect time to download the app and see the difference for yourself. Existing users can update their app to access all the new features, while new users can sign up for an account directly within the app.
You might need to update your password!
Kindo is committed to being compliant with critical security and privacy standards set out by the Ministry of Education’s ‘Safer Technology for Schools (ST4S)’ initiative. That means that some parents may need to update their password when they log in to the new app.
Our goal at Kindo is to simplify school payments, giving you more time to focus on what really matters – your child’s education and well-being. If you have any questions or suggestions, our dedicated support team is here to assist you.
Take control of your child’s school expenses with the new Kindo app – download it today and experience the convenience firsthand!
