"Together we are lifelong CREST learners"
Principal's Message
Tēnā koutou
Yesterday, I republished the link via HERO to our PBS Board Survey. A huge thank you to the 100 parents who have already taken the time to complete it – we really appreciate your feedback.
We would love to double that response rate and hear from as many of our PBS families as possible.
There are now just 24 hours left to complete the survey and go in the draw to win one of two $100 Warehouse vouchers!
The survey is anonymous, takes around 5–8 minutes, and your feedback will help our Board understand what we are doing well and where we can continue to improve as we work towards our 2026–2028 Strategic Plan.
If you haven’t completed it yet, please jump onto HERO and have your say before the survey closes tomorrow, Wednesday 19 August.
Thank you in advance.
Keep reading this newsletter for information on:
- Student Council News
- Touch Rugby
- Junior Winter Tournament results
- Camp fundraisers – delicious pies on sale!
- KCDC’s draft Speed Management Plan 2026–2036
Upcoming dates of importance:
- Term 4 – Friday, 23 October for our second Curriculum day (as gifted by the Minister for Education)
Mā te wā
Jess Ward
Principal – Tumuaki
P.S. Got a suggestion? Let us know through our online suggestion box.
PRINCIPAL’S C.R.E.S.T CORNER:
At PBS we champion our school C.R.E.S.T values in everything we do.
Curiosity. Respect. Excellence. Self Management. Teamwork
Last week, while Mrs Chambers was away, I had the privilege of working alongside our Student Council and seeing them in action up close. I was so impressed by their teamwork and the way they worked collaboratively, drawing on each other’s individual strengths to organise and run both the Cupcake Bake-Off and Super Hero Friday Parade.
They showed a real awareness of each other’s strengths — knowing who was good at organising, who had creative ideas, who could confidently lead, and who could be relied on to get things done. Rather than everyone trying to do everything, they supported one another and worked together towards a shared goal.
It was a great reminder that leadership isn’t always about being the person out front. Sometimes, it’s about recognising what others bring to the team and creating the space for everyone to contribute.
Welcome to Our Recent New Students
There were no new students this week
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/
From the Student Council
Thank you so much for your support of our charity fundraisers last week for The Ronald McDonald House. The Cupcake bake off was awesome, we had over 40 entries (260 cupcakes)! There are some very talented bakers out there, which made it incredibly hard for our judges. Super Hero Friday saw loads of great costumes too. Turns out Spiderman is a very popular hero here at PBS, as well as our Mums and Dads. Together we raised over $600; ka rawe koutou!
We’re looking forward to presenting this koha to the charity in the coming weeks.
Congratulations to the following students for their efforts:
- Indi Phelps 1st place for Cupcake design creativity
- Jackson Ferris 2nd place for Cupcake design creativity
- Aurora Paques 1st place for Cupcake deliciousness
- Ben Paton 2nd place for Cupcake deliciousness
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.
Here are some essential kupu that you may hear ia ra (everyday)
Give these phrases a try this week.
Kia pai te rā – Have a great day
Kia pai te ata – Have a good morning
Kia pai te ahiahi – Have a good afternoon
Kia pai te pō – Have a good evening
Kia pai te wiki – Have a good week
Kia pai te mutunga wiki – Have a good afternoon
Touch Rugby
Touch rugby registration forms will come home later this week for the 2026/27 season. Please complete the form and return to the school office before Monday, September 7.
Thank you to Michelle Ferris, who is taking on the role of Touch Coordinator for this season. We appreciate you, Michelle.
Key details are as follows:
Season Dates
Leg One: 8 weeks, 20 October – 10 December 2026
Leg Two: 6 weeks, 9 February – 17 March 2027
Grades & Game Times
U7, U8 & U10 grades play Tuesdays. U12 & U14 play Wednesdays. All games are at Mazengarb Reserve. Game times can be anywhere from 5:10pm-6:50pm.
Costs
$45 for first child ($25 per subsequent family member)
Year 8s – Year 8 students finish playing in December. The cost for these students is $35
New Entrant Parent Information Presentation – Tātahi Syndicate
A New Entrant Information Presentation will be held for all parents of new children on Friday, 21 August at 10am – 10.30am in the school staffroom.
This session will:
- provide an overview of the ‘Transition to School’
- provide an overview of the New Entrant Programme in reading, writing and mathematics
- highlight how you can help at home with learning
In Tātahi Syndicate, we believe that successful partnerships between home and school are established when both parties have a shared expectation and knowledge of their child’s learning. We would love to see you there.
Te Motu Camp 2027 Fundraising
Family Pie Fundraiser
Path to Camp Raffle
Tuesday Treats
Morning tea treats of yummy homebaking will be for sale from Tuesday, 18 August until Tuesday, 15 September at morning tea time. Everything is 50c – $2 and everything is delicious! Thank you for supporting Te Motu Senior Camp.
Inter-School Junior Winter Tournament
Last Wednesday, our Year 5–6 students took part in the Inter-school Junior Winter Tournament. Over the past month, all students have been developing the fundamental skills of their chosen sport in preparation for the event.
We were incredibly proud of the way our students represented PBS, demonstrating sportsmanship, determination and teamwork throughout the day. They encouraged and supported one another, gave everything their best, and showed fantastic attitudes both on and off the field.
We were also fortunate to have our wonderful Sports Ambassadors — Madi, Oliver, Dakota, Lexi, Riannon, Devin, Joey, Grace, Ty, Campbell, Aidan and Ashton — supporting our teams throughout the tournament. Their leadership, encouragement and commitment to our younger students were greatly appreciated.
A huge thank you to our parents and whānau who helped make the day possible by walking with teams and managing teams throughout the tournament. We simply couldn’t have run the event without your support!
There were some fantastic results across the day, with our Rippa Rugby teams placing first and second, our Hockey teams winning all of their games, and our Netball team finishing 3rd overall in the tournament. We are still awaiting the final results for our Football teams.
What a fantastic day of sport, teamwork and school spirit! We are incredibly proud of all our students and everyone who contributed to making the Junior Winter Tournament such a success.
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
Kindo
Kindo has a fresh new look. The updated experience is now rolling out, making school admin even easier to manage.
Watch what’s new (2 mins) 
https://bit.ly/4fWYaMc
Consultation is now open on Kāpiti Coast District Council’s Draft Speed Management Plan 2026–36
KCDC is asking for feedback on its draft Speed Management Plan. The plan looks at safer speeds and road safety improvements on local roads, including around schools. Have your say by midnight on Tuesday, 15 September at https://haveyoursay.kapiticoast.govt.nz/SpeedManagementPlan.
Feedback is encouraged from school staff, parents, caregivers, students and Boards of Trustees about local safety issues and priorities.
NB: Hard copy information and submission forms are also available at Council’s libraries or service centres.
