"Together we are lifelong CREST learners"
Principal's Message
Hi Everyone
Our senior students all had the opportunity to try surfing last week — so apologies in advance if a surfboard has suddenly appeared on the birthday or Christmas wish list!
Thanks to Cath Franks, who put forward a successful funding application, and the incredible Te Motu teachers, all of our Year 7 and 8 students were able to travel to Ōtaki Beach for a fantastic day in the water, proudly sponsored by Tu Manawa Active Aotearoa. A pretty special Kiwi experience!
Water safety and confidence in the water are important to us at PBS. It’s one of the reasons we invest in maintaining our school pool. However, as our pool is too shallow for our senior students to get the most out of it, it’s wonderful that our teachers go the extra mile to provide opportunities like this.
It looked like an amazing day — plenty of smiles, a few wipe-outs, and lots of learning!
Keep reading this newsletter for information on:
- Parent Education evening – tell us what you’re interested to learn about
- New entrant parent information evening
- PTA AGM
Upcoming dates of importance:
- Today and tomorrow class photos & portraits (all years)
- Term 1 finishes at 3pm on Thursday, 2 April
Ngā mihi nui
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
During our recent Year 6 Pedal Ready Programme, one of our students truly stood out for his determination. That student was Rouve, who was very hesitant at the start of the programme.
The instructors could see how determined Rouve was, so they invited him to join a few additional practice sessions with other classes. Within just a few days, Rouve mastered the art of cycling. He went home proudly to share the news with his parents, and since then has started biking to school.
Rouve has not only gained confidence and independence, but also developed a valuable life-long skill.
We are all very proud of you Rouve!
Welcome to Our Recent New Students
Mahtab – Rm 8
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/
Parent Education Evening – What would you like to learn more about?
Parents often ask us, “What do all the curriculum changes actually mean for my child?”
Over the past two years the Ministry of Education has been refreshing the New Zealand Curriculum. While curriculum documents for all learning areas (Arts, Science, Technology, Health/PE and others) are being rewritten, the English and Mathematics curriculum changes are the ones impacting schools most significantly right now. Changes to assessment and reporting are also taking place this year and will continue through to 2027.
With all this change happening, teachers are working hard to stay on top of what needs to be taught and how learning will be assessed. At the same time, we want to ensure that parents and whānau feel well informed and understand what these changes mean for their children.
To support this, I am planning a Parent Education Evening in Term 2. The aim of the evening would be to share information about the curriculum updates and give parents the opportunity to learn more about other aspects of learning and teaching at our school.
To help us plan the evening, we would really value your feedback. Please click on the survey link below and tell us what you would most like to learn more about as a parent.
Depending on the responses we receive, we may set the evening up so parents can visit a number of classrooms or information stands to talk with teachers and gather information about different topics.
Please take a minute to complete the survey and let us know what would be most helpful for you – click here
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:
I pēhea tō rā? – How was your day?
E pono kereru ana au ia koe – I’m proud of you
Ko te aha tō tino mahi o te rā nei – What was the favourite part of your day?
New Entrant Parent Information Presentation – Tātahi Syndicate
A New Entrant Information Presentation will be held for all parents of new children on Friday, 27 March 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.
Student Council
We had many worthy candidates nominated and interviewed for our Student Council this year, making it very difficult to determine who would be our student representatives for 2026. How lucky are we to have so much student leadership potential in our kura, ka pai koutou!
Congratulations to this year’s PBS Student Councillors:
Aglika Angelova, Ami Burden, Jax Coles, Ardie Cooper, Maylei Davis, Devin Direen, Carter Harris, Frankie Houston-Manuel, Emily Kaye, Alyssa Kilsby, Jake Sale, Ruby Shaw, Sophie Tee, Lucie Thomson and Lani Vertongen.
Year 5-6 Have-A-Go Tennis Interschool Event
Last Wednesday, 56 students from the Te Moana Syndicate participated in the Have-A-Go Tennis Interschool Event, hosted by Kapiti Primary Sport and the Paraparaumu Tennis Club.
The event was filled with exciting activities that helped our students learn the essential skills of tennis. They were guided by dedicated volunteers from the Paraparaumu Tennis Club and Year 10 Sports Ambassadors from Paraparaumu College, who made the learning experience both educational and fun.
At lunchtime, our young tennis enthusiasts enjoyed a delicious sausage sizzle, refuelling them for more action on the court
We would like to thank our wonderful volunteer parents, Chris, Nadia, Jackie, Lani, Stefanie and Alyse, for their time and support on the day. We are truly grateful.
We were also very appreciative of the refreshing treat at the event — ice blocks kindly provided by one of our wonderful grandparents, Alna. They were a big hit with everyone!
Well done to all the students who took part — your enthusiasm and effort were fantastic, and we look forward to more exciting sporting opportunities in the future!
Netball
Don’t forget netball registration closes this Friday. If you haven’t filled out your form, you have 3 days left.
Zespri AIMS Games 2026 – Register Your Interest!
The Zespri AIMS Games, a highly anticipated national sporting event, will take place from 5–11 September 2026 in Tauranga. This exciting competition offers a wide range of individual and team sports for Year 7–8 students.
If your child is interested in participating, please view the sports on offer via the following link: https://www.nzaimsgames.co.nz/
Please note that the school will not be responsible for organising this event. We will assist with administrative tasks, including registration, booking tickets for the Opening Ceremony, and sharing correspondence from the AIMS Games Team. However, families are responsible for all individual arrangements and associated costs.
As school camps take priority, all school-based fundraising initiatives must be approved. Camp fundraisers will be prioritised; however, we are happy to support external AIMS Games fundraising efforts by promoting them in our school newsletter, provided they do not conflict with ongoing camp fundraising.
To register your interest or if you have any questions, please contact Hillary Houston at hhouston@pbs.school.nz.
School Memories Photos
School Memories are visiting our school today and tomorrow (17 & 18 March) to take class and individual photos. You do not order/pay for your child’s portrait or class photo until AFTER PHOTODAY.
You will receive your order form AFTER photoday.
Family/sibling photo request forms should have been returned to school.
Year 6 & 7s Camp 2027 – Fundraising Reminders
Easter Raffle
Don’t forget that Easter raffle donations can be dropped off in Room 28 for treats, chocolate, soaps, smellies, toys, vouchers etc.
PTA
PTA AGM
Join us for the PBS PTA Annual General Meeting on 18 March 2026 at 7:00pm in the school staffroom.
New members are always welcome—come along, meet the team, and see how you can be part of making a difference at PBS.
Support PBS PTA Toilet Paper Fundraiser!
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
