A warm welcome to our new students: Ari Clausen, Oakley Williams and Coco Mitchell

Kia ora koutou,

I hope you have had a lovely week, with a bit of sunshine, rain and wind sprinkled into the week so far! We were really pleased to see so many children with sunhats this week, so thank you to our families for helping with this.

This week at Puketaha, our focus has been on Courtesy. At Monday’s hui, we talked about what courtesy means, why it matters, and how it connects closely to our school values. For our tamariki, courtesy is something that needs to be taught, modelled, and valued before it becomes a natural part of who they are.

I shared a small example of courtesy that really stood out to me recently, a lovely young person offered to pick up my bags for me. My own child saw this and then offered to help as well. It was a great reminder of how kindness and thoughtfulness spread when they are noticed and appreciated.

Each morning, I’m lucky to be able to greet many of our students. Some give a confident greeting, with eye contact, and others even ask how my day is going. It’s a simple act, but it creates such positive energy and a real sense of pride when our students show courtesy towards others.

Here are some of the tangible ways our young people can show courtesy:

• Politely greeting people and making eye contact
  
• Using people’s names
  
• Asking others how their day has been
  
• Offering to help someone who needs it
  
• Using manners like “please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me”
  
• Being considerate of others by stepping aside or waiting patiently
  
• Saying “pardon” instead of “what?” if they mishear something
  
• Holding doors open for others
  
• Using a quiet voice in shared spaces
  
  

Courtesy is a habit and like any habit, it needs practice. Our tamariki have been putting these ideas into action this week, and teachers are keeping an eye out for students who are shining in this area.

When we focus on something, we start to notice it more often. Thank you to all our parents and caregivers for reinforcing these same values at home. Together, we’re helping to build a culture of respect and thoughtfulness here at Puketaha.

Thank you also for your support regarding the Strike Action yesterday. We hope you have a lovely long weekend and look forward to seeing you next week.

Ngaa mihi nui,
Nyree Olliver
Principal

PAC and Classroom Rebuild Project
We’re pleased to share that this project is now underway. Project Managers have been appointed, and geotechnical testing has begun on site. The next step will be working with an architect to develop a design brief and prepare to go to market.
If all goes to plan, the rebuild is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. In the meantime, we anticipate continuing to hire the Community Hall for 2026 while we wait for the new building to be ready.

Kaakano 1 and Kaakano 2 – 2026
We are still planning to swap these two classes for 2026. The current smaller Kaakano 1 building will become Kaakano 2, and the current larger Kaakano 2 space will become home to Kaakano 1 and 0.
This change will allow the larger area to accommodate our youngest learners as the Year 0 and 1 classes grow throughout the year, while the smaller Year 2 cohort can comfortably operate in the current Kaakano 1 building. This move will also make it possible to reopen our fully functioning library. The team plans to move at the end of the year so that children can see what their 2026 learning spaces will look like.

Kaakano 1 and 2 Cloak Bay and Covered Deck
The new cloak bays and covered deck were completed over the recent break, with only a few finishing touches still to come, such as the installation of cloak bay hooks for Kaakano 2.

Roofing Project
Our roofing project was also completed over the break. We now have a new roof and internal gutter for Kaakano 2, new clear light panels across the school, a new roof on the Puaawai toilet block, and repairs completed on the Maahuri deck roof.

Thank you to everyone who came along to our PTA meeting on Tuesday. We covered quite a bit, with lots happening this term!

Nothing Naughty Fundraiser
An order form for Nothing Naughty snack bars will be coming home with students today. These healthy protein treats have been very popular in the past! We’re selling them at a great price — $30 for a box of 12, or $15 for a half box.
Please share the order form with friends, family, workmates, or gym buddies. If there are multiple people on one order, please make sure everyone has paid before the order is placed. See the attached flyer for flavour options and ordering details.

Senior Athletics Day – November 5th
We’ll be running our usual food stall on the day, selling sausages, home baking, and juicies. Donations of baking would be greatly appreciated. Please jump in and help out if you’re able — many hands make light work!

Meyer Cheese & Holland Road Distillery Orders
In mid-November, we’ll also be sending out (via email) the Meyer Cheese and Holland Road Distillery order form. This will be an online-only fundraiser, as the alcohol portion has an R18 restriction.
This fundraiser is back by popular demand — these items make fantastic Christmas gifts! While it’s unusual for us to have two order-form fundraisers so close together, our suppliers have requested early orders due to Black Friday and Christmas demand.

As always, thank you for the support the PTA receives from our school community.

Kind regards,

Merynn Connors

PTA Chairperson

M: 027 6296820 E: pta@puketaha.school.

The school pool is available for school community use during the summer months (November – March) on payment of $120 and a signed pool use agreement.  Keys are available for family members on a first-come, first-served basis.  Only 25 keys will be issued.  

If you would like to purchase a key, please come into the school office and complete a "Pool Use Contract". Payment can be made by cash or internet banking.