MY MAGNIFICENT MACHINE

This term's learning is all about my magnificent machine - my body: how it works, how to keep it healthy, what it needs to fuel itself and how do I compare to other living things?

Here is what some of our tamariki have learnt so far ⬇️

Rosie Wilson, 5 years: We have a rib cage to protect our lungs 🩻

Aria Marshall, 5 years: We have a bone at the front of our head to protect our brain 🧠

Isla Johnson, 10 years: The heart pumps and produces oxygen rich blood 🩸

Parker Smith, 9 years: This is the cranium and it protects your brain 💀

Sapphire Kuchler, 10 years: The Femur is the biggest bone in your body, it is your upper leg bone 🦵🏻

Madie Cadman, 10 years: Your brain is like an engine, it is the engine for your body 🚗

Ella Rauputu, 12 years: We have been learning about the human body and how it functions. I can name over 100 bones in the body 🦴

Vinnie & Leo Luke, 12 years & 10 years : Everyones body has the same parts but all bodies are different. Most people breathe through their mouth and nose and it goes down to their lungs. Vinnie can't breath through his mouth or nose so he breathes through the tracky in his throat 🫁

Lachie Waldron, 12 years: Look after your body because it is your machine. Then you can enjoy things like playing basketball 🏀

Pippa Perkinson, 8 years: When you break a bone it swells and you need an xray to see where the break is. I fell off the monkey bars yesterday and had to have an xray on my bones ❤️‍🩹

Romie Marlow, 7 years: I learned about the digestive system and where the food goes. When you eat it goes down your esophagus to your liver then stomach, after that it passes through your large intestine, then your small intestine, before it comes out in the toilet 💩

Lucian Hoskin, 13 years: I have learnt that you need to protect your brain, like wear a helmet when on a bike or wheels. If you do not protect your brain and have an accident then it will impair your motor control meaning you would not be able to climb and swing from trees like this 🧗‍♀️

Kingston Benton, 12 years: Falangies are the bones in our fingers, they are connected by joints and ligaments. These help me play my guitar 🎸

💛 DAFFODIL DAY 💛

This year we raised just under $200 for Daffodil day, to be donated to The Cancer Society.

Once again we have teamed up with Game Changer to provide quality Puketapu branded clothing.

Order directly through Game Changer and select shipping as 'I will pick up' - we will then arrange for the Game Changer Gear to be collected/dropped off in one go to save on shipping costs.

There is a range of colours you can choose from for most items and you can get your name printed on the back for no additional cost. Game Changer even have Laybuy and Afterpay available.

ORDER HERE : https://www.gamechanger.org.nz/puketapuschool

We will advise of the cut off date to ensure all orders arrive by the end of the term.

Cross Country - Fun Run / Walk Talk is coming…

Save the date: Thursday 31 August (with a postponement date of Friday 1 September)

Times and more information will come out closer to the event. 

Apologies if you had seen another date earlier, this clashed with other events.

 Meet Our School Leaders! 

 Kaitiaki Tama 

 Kingston Benton  Hey everyone! I'm Kingston, and I'm excited to be your Kaitiaki Tama this year. Puketapu School has been my home for the past five years, and I love the amazing kids and the incredible community here. As a music enthusiast, I'm determined to take our school band to new levels and make sure we have the best band experience ever!

 Taylor Harvey  Kia ora everyone! I'm Taylor Harvey, and I've had the privilege of being a part of the Puketapu family throughout my entire schooling journey. What I love most about our school is the diverse range of subjects and opportunities it offers. As your Head Boy, I'm here to encourage each and every one of you to take all the wonderful opportunities that come your way. Together, we'll make this year unforgettable!

 Kaitiaki Kotiro 

 Erin Sowman  Hi, everyone! Erin here, proudly serving as one of your Kaitiaki Kotiro. Puketapu School has been my second home since I was five, and it's where my passion for sports came from. As Head Girl, I'm excited to grow my leadership skills and make a positive impact on our school. Let's make the rest of this year full of energy and sportsmanship!

 Ella Rauputu , Kia ora tamariki & whānau! I'm Ella, and I have spent my entire schooling journey at Puketapu School. What makes this place so special to me is the bond I share with my teachers and friends. As one of your Kaitiaki Kotiro, I want to ensure we have amazing sports opportunities that bring us all together. Kia Manawanui, Kia Kaha, Kia Māia, Kia Ora!

We are proud to lead Puketapu School for the last half of the year. Let's work together to create unforgettable memories and make Puketapu even better than it already is!

🌟 Introducing a Dynamic Duo of Teachers in Kōwhai 1! 🌟

We are thrilled to introduce the fantastic teaching team in Kōwhai 1 for the remainder of 2023!

Please join us in warmly welcoming Milly Tuheke and Joshua Moreland, two incredible educators who bring a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to our school.

🍎Milly Tuheke 🍎

Milly joined us in Term 2, returning to the workforce after taking time off to raise her young son Tatum. Whaea Milly brings with her over 5 years of teaching experience and some of you might remember her from her placement days here at Puketapu School during her studies. We are delighted to have her back at Puketapu School. Whaea Milly is Ngāti Maniapoto and is on her own Te Reo Māori journey, joining a Kapa Haka Rōpū while studying online through Te Wānanga o Raukawa.

🎭 Joshua Moreland 🎭

Joining forces with Milly is Joshua Moreland, who many of you may already know from his part-time relieving work with us over the past year. Matua Josh has an extensive background in the early childhood sector with over 9 years of experience under his belt. Apart from his role as an educator, Josh also runs a business called MagicWorks, where he works as an entertainer, bringing joy and wonder to the lives of many children in Taranaki.

Together, Whaea Milly and Matua Josh make an exceptional team, blending their diverse experiences and teaching styles to create an environment that nurtures each child's individual growth. They share a common goal of inspiring curiosity, fostering a love for learning and encouraging their students to embrace challenges with confidence.

🌟 Raewyn and Rodney 🌟

We are thrilled to introduce you to the newest members of our caretaking team, Raewyn and Rodney! This wonderful couple come from a background of hard work in farming, and now they've decided to bring their amazing skills and dedication to help keep our school grounds neat and tidy. Raewyn has also previously worked in a School Office.

An extra helping hand for our current full-time caretaker Mr. Quince, who does an outstanding job but with the growth in our school it is great for him to have some help.

Raewyn and Rodney are also proud grandparents to some students attending our school. Their family connection makes them even more special and invested in ensuring our school remains a safe and nurturing place for all the children.

Next time you spot them around the school grounds, don't hesitate to say hello and give them a warm welcome. We are lucky to have Raewyn and Rodney as part of our school family, and we look forward to all the great things they will bring to our community.

We would like to welcome: Vicki Pihama

An accomplished educator with over 30 years of teaching experience, Vicki has recently returned to Taranaki from Western Australia.

Vicki has a wealth of experience and knowledge to support the learning of students from diverse cultural backgrounds and her expertise in bilingual education and commitment to cultural inclusivity make her a strong addition to our team.

Vicki strives to give her best to all the children she works with and is passionate about teaching and learning. She believes it is important to teach children skills and strategies they need to create a positive learning environment. The virtues and values of caring for others, empathy and respect are highly regarded within her classroom environment.

Nau mai haere mai Vicki

This week we will be introducing some of our new staff to our whānau and community.

We would like to welcome: Moana Te Waaka

Previously, Moana was working as a kaiako for Kindergarten Taranaki and enjoyed this mahi for almost 10 years. Moana embarked on her journey at the kindergarten because her teaching style aligned perfectly with the delivery of a play-based curriculum, which will make her a valuable asset to our new entrant ākonga and the Year 1-2 team at Puketapu School.

Foundational to Moana's teaching approach is hononga, which emphasizes strong collaborative and communicative skills. She takes pride in her abilities of whanaungatanga, fostering connections and relationships, and believes that these qualities, along with her manaakitanga, are precious treasures inherited from her tīpuna.

Moana is deeply committed to supporting Māori students in their journey to succeed within the education system while embracing their Māori identity. She has embarked on a personal quest to reclaim her cultural language and heritage, which has granted her a profound understanding of tikanga me te reo Māori.

Nau mai haere mai Moana

From this term, we are changing the way we communicate with our school community!

Here is the Term 3 Newsletter that has all the major information that you need for the term.  https://www.smore.com/dbn42

From now, rather than saving everything for one weekly roundup newsletter, we will have one big newsletter at the start of term, then share events and news via our web site, our public Facebook page and Hero, as they happen.

Using the Hero app, parents can still report absences, check learning, view reports, give permission for trips, book conference meeting times and much more. All major announcements come out via Hero anyway, now we will make sure news and updates come out to you this way as well.

Address
25 Dillon Drive,
Bell Block,
New Plymouth.
4312

Main Reception
Phone 06 755-0973
Online
office@puketapu.school.nz
©2022 Te Kura o Puketapu
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