Kia ora koutou, Namaste, Talofa Lava, Konnichiwa, Ni hao, Kia orana, Malo e lelei, Chao, Hallo, Zdravstvuite, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Salam, Suostei, Hola, Annoyong Haseyo, Caio, Nei ho, Suoday, Ni sa Bula, Kamusta, Xin chào, Gutentag, Bonjour, Greetings

We would like to extend a very special welcome to all of our new whānau who have started this week. We hope that everyone has a wonderful week.  Mauri Ora!  From your Totara Grove School team.

What's in this newsletter…..

The winners of the Ngā Mātāpono Awards for the last two weeks:

Rm 1: Raniera, Wikitoria, Kemperr, Te Arapo, Josh
Rm 2: Eliza, Luke, Ky-Mahli, Jordon
Rm 4: Stevie, Wiremu, Tukariri
Rm 5: Ricardo, Henoa, Queens'lee
Rm 6: Kaide, Alexis, Lyra, Te-Arai, Christopher
Rm 7: Zane, Sade
Rm 8: Lance, Keison, Tupono, Laya
Rm 9: Onkarjot, Ben, Tatianah
Rm 10: Jessica, Maddison, Harper, Lillian, Tumanako, Pertrice
Rm 11: Syhlas, Aavya
Rm 12: Eerika, Nirav, Nevaeh, Tarzan
Rm 13: Hati, Bruno, Jaybe, Mauri, Amanii-Leigh
Rm 14: Hartley, Axl, Rylee, Hannah, Bella, Arlo

The winners of books for the last two weeks were:

Rm 1: Kyah, Kohatu
Rm 2: Dominic, Helena
Rm 4: Jahlaya, Stevie
Rm 5: Ākenihi
Rm 6: Charlie, Lyra
Rm 8: Owen, Dreyl
Rm 9: Mahaalia, Maahaki
Rm 10: Micah
Rm 11: Willow, Hayden
Rm 12: Phoenix
Rm 14: Andre, Nolan

Come and have a korero with your child’s teacher to talk and plan your goals, dreams and aspirations for your child this year. These are held in the classroom with the teacher. School will finish at 1pm on Wednesday 12th March, lunch will still be provided. Bookings are available now on the SKOOL LOOP App – 15 min time slots. 

Wednesday 12 March 1:30pm – 6pm (Early school finish at 1pm ) 
Thursday 13 March, 3:30pm – 6pm. (Finish at normal time 3pm) 

As teachers will be busy with their whānau appointments on the Wednesday, there will be no normal classroom programmes from 1pm.  However, we will be able to supervise some children in the hall till 3pm if needed. Kidzones afterschool care will be running at their usual times.

Thank you to all whānau who are able to pick up their children at 1pm on Wednesday 12th March.   We really appreciate it.

We look forward to this korero to share all the great things about your child. Nau mai, haere mai e te whānau 

Our tamariki have been learning about Water Safety over the last few weeks.  This is a very important topic and we would like to invite you all to come along to your child’s class lesson at our school pool to observe what our wonderful instructor has been teaching them.  Due to the low number of swimmers in our older classes we will not be having swimming sports but if your child is a top swimmer and you would like the opportunity for them to try out to compete in the Whangarei schools swimming sports please let your child’s teacher know as we will be holding time trials during morning interval over the next couple of days.   You are most welcome to come along to the trials too if your child is swimming.  If you have any further questions about our Water Safety lessons please feel free to contact your child’s teacher.  We look forward to welcoming you next Monday or Friday to come along to these lessons and we have attached a timetable below of what times classes will be at the pool.

We would like to inform our community that this year, we will have Jo Campbell, an experienced Creative Arts Therapist working at our kura.  Arts therapy can support emotional, cognitive, and social development through visual arts, sensory-based activities, and nature-connected practices. It is process-driven, focusing on self-expression rather than artistic skill, and is particularly beneficial for students who find verbal communication challenging.  Jo’s strengths-based approach helps children regulate their nervous systems, develop their identity, and connect with their strengths.  If teacher’s feel this could be beneficial for your child, your permission would be required and further information would be provided to you as well. Jo looks forward to working alongside ākonga, whānau, and staff throughout 2025.

If you are interested in any of the items below, please see the office and collect from school.

If you have a concern about your child’s language development, learning progress, social and emotional wellbeing, or behaviour, Te Manawa Tahi have specialists available so you can discuss your concerns directly with them.

This is a free service and each site will be identified by a Te Manawa Tahi sign or flag. Drop into a hub or make an appointment by phoning 0800 524 842 or emailing TT.Support@education.govt.nz. 

Term 1         29th Jan – 11th April
                     2nd April - School board meeting
Term 2         28th April – 27th June
Term 3         14th July – 19th Sep
Term 4         6th Oct – 11th Dec

For school dates, office hours and school break times please refer to the school website linked here: