I hope everyone enjoyed a refreshing two-week break and had the opportunity to create special memories with family and friends. It was wonderful to begin the term by welcoming our new students and whānau to Kio Kio School with a mihi whakatau on Monday. We are delighted to have you join our school community and hope you already feel the warmth, care and sense of belonging that makes our school such a special place.

We have certainly hit the ground running this term! Students have already begun writing and preparing their speeches and poems. As part of their learning, they are developing persuasive writing skills by carefully structuring their ideas and supporting their opinions with strong reasons and evidence. While the content of a speech is incredibly important, the delivery is just as vital. Confidence, expression, eye contact and regular practice all help transform a good speech into a memorable performance. I am looking forward to hearing the wide variety of creative speeches inspired by our school production theme, The Jungle Book.

Our whole-school production, The Jungle Book, will be the highlight of Term 3, with performances taking place from 14–17 September, including both daytime and evening shows. Rehearsals are already well underway under the leadership of our Production Directors, Mrs Kelly and Mrs Coleman. Every class has an important role to play, with each performing during one of the production's featured songs. Our lead actors have also begun learning their scripts and rehearsing their scenes each afternoon. It is exciting to see the production coming to life, and I know our students will amaze audiences with their talent, enthusiasm and confidence. Mrs Kelly and Mrs Coleman will share more information with families over the coming weeks.

Our annual whole-school Cross Country will be held on Wednesday 12 August. Students have already begun preparing through a variety of fitness activities and regular running sessions designed to build their endurance, resilience and determination. Cross Country is much more than a race—it is an opportunity for every student to challenge themselves, strive for a personal best and demonstrate perseverance. We look forward to seeing our students encourage one another, show great sportsmanship and give their very best effort on the day.

A massive thank you to our AMAZING families who supported our recent Cadbury Chocolate Fundraiser. Together we raised an incredible $3096, which will go directly towards enhancing our students' learning environments.

A special congratulations to our top-selling families:

Thank you also to every family who sold chocolate or supported the fundraiser in any way. Your generosity and commitment make a real difference to the opportunities we can provide for our tamariki.

Our school value focus this term is Excellence. At Kio Kio School, excellence isn't about being the best—it is about giving your best. It means taking pride in your learning, striving to improve every day, showing resilience when things become challenging and always aiming for your personal best. Excellence is reflected in the effort we put in, the choices we make and the pride we take in everything we do. When every member of our school community commits to giving their best, we create a culture where everyone can thrive.

The school holidays were also a busy time behind the scenes as we continued to improve and maintain our learning environment. A huge thank you to our wonderful caretaker, Peter Cornelissen, who spent many hours water blasting our buildings, clearing spouting, trimming hedges and completing a long list of maintenance jobs around the school. We also welcomed painters who refreshed the junior block toilets and the breakout space in Rimu Class, plumbers who completed repairs to one of our toilet blocks, and technicians who serviced all of our heat pumps to ensure they are ready for the colder months. A special thank you to Craig Mora and his father Brian for generously moving fresh bark into our playground, helping to keep it safe for our students. Kahikatea Class has also started the term with brand-new student desks as part of our planned furniture replacement programme, ensuring our learning spaces continue to be modern, functional and welcoming.

During the first Saturday of the holidays, I had the pleasure of heading to the Otorohanga Sports Grounds to watch some of our students compete in the Under 9 and Under 11 rugby finals. What a fantastic morning! Our students represented their teams with heart, grit and determination, competing in incredibly close games. I was especially proud of the outstanding sportsmanship, teamwork and respect they showed both on and off the field.

As another winter sports season comes to an end, I would also like to sincerely thank every parent, caregiver and volunteer who gave their time to coach or manage our netball, football and rugby teams. Your commitment provides our tamariki with so much more than sporting skills. Through your encouragement they learn teamwork, resilience, responsibility, commitment, perseverance and the importance of supporting one another. These are life skills that will stay with them long after the final whistle has blown. Thank you for investing your time and energy into creating these wonderful opportunities for our students.

Thank you, as always, for the incredible support, encouragement and care you show our school. The partnership between home and school is something we value deeply, and together we continue to provide wonderful opportunities for our students. We are looking forward to another exciting term filled with learning, growth and celebration.

 

Kirsten wears many hats at Kio Kio School, including Junior Team Leader, PB4L Lead Teacher, and Beginning Teacher Mentor. She is passionate about creating a classroom where learning is fun, engaging, and positive, and where every child feels safe, supported, and confident to give things a go.
Thank you, Kirsten, for the energy, care, enthusiasm, and laughter you bring to our Kio Kio School whānau every day.

Whaea Nicky welcomes our newest tamariki and whānau to Kio Kio School, helping them learn routines, expectations, and settle into a happy, positive classroom where learners feel safe, confident, and ready to grow.
We are lucky to have Whaea Nicky as part of our Kio Kio whānau.

Shirley is often the first friendly face you see when you visit our school. From managing enrolments, attendance, payroll, newsletters, accounts, and the daily running of the office, she keeps everything ticking along behind the scenes. Whether it's helping a student in the sick bay, supporting staff, or answering parent enquiries, Shirley is always ready to lend a hand.
Thank you, Shirley for everything you do for our Kio Kio School whānau. We appreciate your dedication, kindness, and the countless ways you support our school community everyday.

Stacey supports students across Years 0-8 in literacy and numeracy, helping learners build confidence, make progress, and experience success through targeted, evidence-based teaching.
Thank you, Stacey, for the positive impact you make on our tamariki every day and for helping our learners discover what they are capable of achieving.

Pip is passionate about creating a school where every child feels known, valued, and capable of success. Through strong relationships, high expectations, and our POWER values, she leads our kura with a clear vision of ensuring every  learner has the opportunity to thrive.
One of the things we value most about Pip is the incredible support she provides to our staff. She empowers those around her, celebrates successes, and is always there with encouragement, guidance, and a listening ear. We are incredibly fortunate to have such a supportive leader, and we genuinely love working alongside her.
Outside of school, Pip has completed the legendary Coast to Coast and GODZone A1 Adventure Race, reflecting the determination and resilience she brings to everything she does.
Thank you, Pip, for your inspiring leadership, unwavering commitment to our students, your support of our team, and for helping make Kio Kio School such a special place to learn, grow, and belong.

Term 3 - Monday 20th July -  Friday 25th September 
Term 4 - Monday 12th October - Monday 14th December  

5th August - BOT Meeting 6pm
12th August - Cross Country
17th August - Speech Finals (Seniors)
19th August - COPS Cross Country
21st August - Celebration Assembly 9.15am
24-28th August - Sports Camp
25th- 26th August - Rippa Festival
28th August - Daffodil Day

2nd Sept - Wig Wednesday
7th Sept - BOT Meeting 6pm
8th Sept - Yr7-8 First Aid  9am - 10.30 am
9th Sept - COPS Mathletics
16-17th Sept - School Production
21 Sept - Celebration assembly 2.00pm
22-25 Sept - Kahikatea/Totara classes camp at Inglewood
25th Sept - Last day of Term 3

12th Oct - First day of Term 4

The official teaching day begins at 9.00am and ends at 2.55pm . Our bus students arrive at school close to 8.30am. We prefer that students are dropped off from 8.30am onwards as staff are preparing for the day and may not be able to supervise students.
Under special circumstances we will accept students arriving at school earlier than this through consultation with your child's teacher.

If your child is going to be absent from school, please advise the office by phone (078731816), email (admin@kiokio.school.nz) or the absent tab on the @School Parent APP with the reason so the absence can be marked correctly for the Ministry of Education. If the school is not notified, the child is deemed TRUANT and marked accordingly. If your child is late to school, they must come to the office and sign in on the electronic register.

Please ensure that the school office is informed early if your child won't be on the school bus in the afternoon. We also need to be contacted if your child/ren are getting off at another stop. You can do this by phoning the school office on 07 8731816 or emailing admin@kiokio.school.nz

We have a student in Kowhai and Kauri classes with severe peanut allergies who cannot come into contact with peanuts or products with peanuts in them. We ask that parents do not send peanuts or any peanut related products to school, so that we can keep this student safe. Thank you for your understanding.

Lost property rack and bins have mounted up over Term 2. Check it out on the front deck and encourage your child/ren to have a look to reclaim their clothing items.
Named items will be returned to students, so please name your child's clothing and gear.

At Kio Kio School, our school policies are provided by SchoolDocs. SchoolDocs is an independent service that provides core policies that meet legislative and regulatory requirements and good practice, incorporating relevant school-specific information.
If you would like to view any of these documents please log on to
1.  www.schooldocs.co.nz
2. Click Search for your school - Start typing the school's name and then select from the dropdown list
3. Username:  Kiokio
    Password: 3974

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