"Together we are lifelong CREST learners"
Principal's Message
Kia ora koutou
Frosty mornings are upon us and so is the end of Term 2!
Thank you to our parents, caregivers and extended whānau for all your support during the first half of the year. You can’t achieve success as a school without a community of parents willing to transport students to and from events, coach and manage sports teams, cheer from the sideline of events, keep up regular reading of notices and newsletters, attend meetings, support fundraisers, and more. Our community of parents and staff make a really fantastic team, and I am so grateful to lead a school that has such a super community. Thank you.
During the upcoming term break it’s Matariki. Matariki is traditionally viewed early in the morning just before dawn as it reappears in the midwinter sky. Best tips for seeing Matariki from Paraparaumu:
- Go out around 5:30–6:30am, before the sky gets too light.
- Face east / north-east, ideally with a clear horizon.
- Look for a small, tight cluster of stars — Matariki is the Pleiades cluster in Taurus.
- It is easier to see away from streetlights and binoculars make it much easier.
So in case I don’t see you before the break, have a happy and safe Māori New Year.
Keep reading this newsletter for information on:
- Book your Learning Conference slot via HERO
- Explanation of the 2026 reporting ‘Progress Descriptors’
- Closure of our school Facebook page
- Seeking Donations of Quality-used clothing for kids
- Special PTA meeting
Upcoming dates of importance:
- Friday, 3 July – School Assembly is at 9.15am. All Welcome!
- Wednesday, 8 July – Special PTA meeting 7pm in Staffroom
- Monday, 20 July – First day of Term 3
- Wednesday, 29 July – Learning Conferences throughout the day (school closed for instruction)
- NB: For your awareness: 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
A group of students in Te Moana syndicate have been showing lots of curiosity recently. Through their reading and inquiry learning, they have been motivated to take action in minimising plastics and waste from getting into waterways and out to the ocean. They have been discussing plans to trap waste from school drains as a first step. As part of this project this group is writing to our mayor.
I simply love seeing learning move into genuine action; I will ensure their progress is shared with you next term. Kia kaha tamariki!
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/
2026 Progress Descriptors for Student Reporting
This week parents/caregivers will receive their child’s mid-year progress descriptor for reading, writing and maths via HERO (see further details of what the descriptors mean below). These descriptors indicate how your child is progressing in relation to the curriculum expectations for their year level.
2026 Progress Descriptors | Details |
Emerging | Students require support to meet curriculum expectations for their year level and/or goals as described in their personalised learning plan. |
Developing | Students are making some progress towards curriculum expectations for their year level. |
Consolidating | Students are meeting many curriculum expectations for their year level and are steadily strengthening their understanding across learning areas. |
Proficient | Students are meeting curriculum expectations for their year level. |
Exceeding | Students are exceeding curriculum expectations for their year level. |
Learning Conferences - 29 July
Families should have received notice via the Hero app yesterday that interview slots for Learning Conferences on Wednesday 29 July are now open. We are pleased to see that 46% have already made their bookings through the app!
Please note that there are only enough interview slots for one slot per student – 10 minutes per slot. If you are a family that requires separate interview slots (or more than the allocated 10 minute allowance), please contact your child’s teacher to make an alternative date and time for an interview.
Thank you.
If you have any problems with booking interviews, please phone the school office during school hours.
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)
Kupu (words) to acknowledge Matariki.
Maumahara – To remember, recall, reminisce
Kai – Food
Whetū – Star
Tohatoha – Share
Noho tahi – Coming together
Hiahia – Wish
Matariki is about three things
- It is about honouring and remembering those people who have passed
- About celebrating the present; this can be coming together with family and having a meal, playing games, or sport, music
- Putting together things we want in our hopes and desires, what we want for the future
Te Iwa o Matariki (the nine stars of Matariki) and what they align to
Matariki – the mother star associated with health and well-being
Tupuānuku – food grown in the ground
Tupuārangi – food that comes from the trees
Waitī – freshwater
Waipu-ā-rangi – rain
Ururangi – winds
Waitā – ocean
Pōhutukawa – remembrance star, remembering those who have passed
Hiwa-i-te-rangi – wishing star, aligned to hopes, dreams and aspirations
Closure of Our School's Facebook Page
As a school, we have been reflecting on the placement of student and staff photos on publicly accessible digital spaces. This is in response to global concerns about the growing misuse of personal images. As a result, and as a starting point, we have closed our facebook page. Fortunately, our Hero app has proven to be an excellent, highly secure communication platform. Moving forward, we will utilise Hero as our primary channel for all school updates, notices, and celebrations.
Our next step is to remove/replace images on our school website. Thank you for your continued support as we work to keep our digital environment safe for us all.
Seeking Donations of Quality-Used Clothing
Thanks to the tremendous support of our kind PBS community we have established a collection of quality pre-owned clothing to support students in need.
Currently, we are running low on warm clothing items for girls. So if you can help out please send any donations to the school office. Thank you in advance 🙂
As a community we understand the financial challenges some families face, and our aim is to ensure every child has access to seasonally-appropriate clothing that fosters confidence, comfort, and a sense of equality alongside their classmates.
If your child needs clothing at any time during the school year, they can pop into the office at any time and speak to Marie. Parents are also welcome to come in and select items for their children.
REMINDER - Notice of PTA Special General Meeting
The PTA Committee invites all parents, caregivers, and members of the school community to attend a Special General Meeting.
Date: 8 July 2026
Time: 7.00pm
Location: Paraparaumu Beach School Staffroom
Purpose of the Meeting
Due to a lack of committee members available to continue running the PTA, the committee is proposing to formally wind up and close the PTA.
Before any decision is made, we are seeking expressions of interest from any parents, caregivers, or community members who would be willing to join the committee and take over the operation of the PTA. If sufficient new members come forward, the PTA may be able to continue.
Agenda
- Welcome and apologies (Briar and Sarah)
- Overview of the PTA’s current position
- Call for nominations and expressions of interest for new committee members
- Discussion regarding the future of the PTA
- Motion to wind up and close the PTA (if no new committee can be formed)
- Closing finances
- Any other business
We encourage anyone interested in supporting the school community through the PTA to attend this meeting. If you want to join but can’t make the meeting please email sandys@pbs.school.nz
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Additional Note from the Principal:
After 60 years of PTA service at Paraparaumu Beach School, it would be incredibly sad to have no PTA to continue the decades of hard work, support and success of our current PTA. Saying that though, I understand people have busy lives – so a HUGE and heartfelt thank you to the current members who are moving on or stepping down. Your efforts have been appreciated and admired.
Kids at PBS have benefitted immensely from this group’s fundraising efforts and working bees, big and small. So I encourage anyone thinking of joining the PTA to attend this meeting. Ngā mihi nui, Jess Ward
Year 7 Vision Screening - Information for Parents
Te Whatu Ora, Health New Zealand provides a vision screening programme for all Year 7 students and will be visiting on 3 July.
- Vision – pupils will be advised of results at the time of screening. If further assessment is recommended you will be notified by mail.
- Children who wear glasses and/or are under professional care and have regular checks will not require a vision check from our service.
Non-Consent – please notify school if you do not want your child being screened.
This screening is not a full assessment of your child’s vision. If you have any concerns, please see an optometrist.
Midweek Munchies
The final week of delicious morning tea treats will be available tomorrow (Wednesday). Yummy home baking and treats from 50c – $2. Fundraising for Te Motu Camp 2027.
Lost Property
We’ve accumulated quite a bit of lost property again this term. Please come and have a look through the lost property room.
The weather is looking great, so it will be hanging out on the courts from Monday to Wednesday. Any unclaimed items will be donated at the end of term.
Recent Student Achievements
Jiu Jitsu: A big congratulations to Teina Walker who competed at the Palmerston North Open Championship in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu on Sunday. Teina won two gold medals, in both the Gi and No-Gi divisions. What excellent results, well done Teina!
Recent Student Achievements
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
Autopay - New Kindo Feature
Staying on top of school payments just got a whole lot easier. Did you know you can set up your Kindo account so it gets topped up automatically? Kindo’s latest feature, Autopay, works with automatic payments to help you stay on top of school payment requests.
How it works:
You set your preferences (types of payments you want covered, wallet reserve etc)
Kindo emails you 48 hours before a payment run (so you can review or make changes)
Kindo pays the request automatically
Less hassle, fewer “wait, did I pay that?” moments, and more peace of mind for busy families.
Learn more about Autopay here: https://bit.ly/4oL0A4I
Learn how to set up automatic payments into your Kindo wallet here: https://bit.ly/4fVE1Id
Invitation to Attend Matariki celebrations
When: Friday, 10 July
Where: Paraparaumu Beach Bowling Club (Toru Street)
Time: 4 – 7pm
An opportunity to support community. Food and refreshments are available for sale.
