'THE FLASH'

Kia ora Kio Kio School Families and Friends,

We are heading towards the end of Week 7 of Term 3, and it is amazing to see just how much has been achieved already this term. The classrooms are buzzing with learning, our students are embracing new opportunities, and there’s a wonderful sense of energy and pride right across our kura.

It has been a busy few weeks, beginning with the Speech Finals on Monday 18th of August. There were eight finalists in the Year 5 & 6 section who spoke on a wide range of topics. It was wonderful to see their stagecraft come to life as students convinced the audience of their chosen subject with confidence and flair. Then the Year 7 & 8 students took to the stage, showing the next step up in presentation skills — demonstrating maturity, depth of thinking, and a real sense of audience connection.

A huge congratulations to all of the students who made the finals.

Year 5 & 6 winner: Eva Anselmi
Year 5 & 6 runner-up: Jonty Aymes
Year 7 & 8 winner: Caitlin Gill
Year 7 & 8 runner-up: Naia Willis

I would also like to acknowledge the wonderful effort from our Year 1–4 classes in preparing and presenting their speeches. The enthusiasm, expression, and use of actions that the students brought to their delivery was fantastic to see. It’s also exciting to watch these skills develop across the year levels, building a strong foundation for their future learning and confidence.

The following day, our Year 7 & 8 cohort headed to Otorohanga College for a day to experience what college life might be like. The students came back buzzing with excitement about the specialist subjects they had explored, including Music, Cooking, Science, and PE. It was a valuable taste of the next step in their learning journey.

Yesterday, some of our Year 5–8 students took to the rugby field barefoot to play in the King Country Rugby Rippa Festival held in Te Kuiti. We entered five teams, some of which were mixed with Korokanui and St Mary’s. It was awesome to see and hear how our students played with heart, determination, and respect, proudly showing their Kio Kio POWER values throughout the day. As one parent put it, “you could really see the Kio Kio team spirit shining through — playing hard, supporting each other, and smiling the whole way.” Out of the five teams we entered, three made the quarterfinals, two reached the semis, and one team — our Year 5 & 6 boys — made it all the way to the final, narrowly losing 6–10 to Otorohanga South. What a day!

A huge thank you to Emma Telfer for the organisation, to Abby Keech for the extra training sessions, and to all the parents & staff who managed teams, transported students, and helped with supervision.

This Friday is Daffodil Day, a special day dedicated to raising awareness and funds for the Cancer Society of New Zealand. It is an opportunity to come together to support those affected by cancer and to contribute towards vital research and care. We are asking students to wear something yellow to show their support, and if you are able to send along a gold coin donation, we will ensure it goes directly to the Cancer Society.

A friendly reminder that there is a Paid Union Meeting on Friday 29th of August. We are asking for all students to be picked up between 12.45–1.00pm so staff can head off to the meeting. Thank you for your support with this.

We are very excited to share that our Learning Support Coordinator, Emma Telfer, was able to secure a grant of $9,500 to purchase new decodable readers. These books follow a carefully sequenced progression to help students build strong literacy skills step by step, providing targeted support as they develop their reading. All 950 books needed to be taped to ensure their longevity as they will be used by many students for years to come. A huge thank you goes out to all the wonderful volunteers who gave up their time to help, and especially to Lisa Guise, who completed taping hundreds of these over her weekends. Our students will benefit greatly from this resource.

Next week on Tuesday, we have the privilege of welcoming two well-known authors to Kio Kio School. Kristen Kelly, author of The Squeakling, Mitchell Itches, Verity Finds Her Voice, and Kate De Goldi, who has written numerous novels and picture books including Clubs: A Lolly Leopold Story (Winner of the NZ Post Children’s Book Awards, 2005). They will be speaking separately to our junior and senior students about their journeys as writers and sharing insights into the world of storytelling. What an incredible opportunity for our tamariki to be inspired.

Also next week, we are hosting the COPS Schools Mathletics Competition for our Year 6–8 students. Teams will work together to solve a wide range of maths problems under time pressure. A big thank you to Helen Twentyman for organising what looks set to be an “equally exciting” competition — a real chance to put our problem-solving to the test!

School photos are scheduled for Thursday 4th of September. Information has been sent home with your child regarding orders. If you need further details, please contact the school office.

In the coming weeks, we will also be sending out a Parent Survey asking for your thoughts on the future direction of our kura. This is an important opportunity to share your voice and help shape the next steps in our strategic planning.

Finally, our current Board of Trustees will hold their last meeting next Tuesday. I would like to extend a huge thank you to Karen Thompson, our Presiding Member, who is stepping down after providing outstanding leadership, wisdom, and countless hours of behind-the-scenes work to ensure the very best outcomes for our students. I would also like to acknowledge Natalie McMullan, our Finance Manager and accountant, who is also finishing her time on the Board. Her incredible attention to detail and financial expertise have kept our school’s finances in excellent shape. We are truly grateful for the dedication, knowledge, and consistency that both Karen and Natalie have given to Kio Kio School. I look forward to introducing the new Board members in the coming newsletter.

Thank you for the ongoing support you put into making Kio Kio School the incredible kura it is.

Ngā mihi nui,
Pip Were
Principal
Kio Kio School