Kia ora e te whānau,

As we near the end of Term 2, I’m reminded of the importance of perseverance—one of our core school values. Perseverance begins with simply showing up, even when things feel challenging, when you're nervous, or when you're stepping into something completely new. Preparing well builds confidence, visualising your goals helps set your direction, and thinking about long-term results keeps you motivated. Perseverance is about having the bravery to keep going, the resilience to bounce back when things get tough, and the determination to learn and grow from every experience. Life is what we make of it, so I encourage all of our amazing Kio Kio students to keep showing up, keep trying, and keep believing in what’s possible.

Yesterday, our student counsellors attended an inspiring leadership day in Kirikiriroa/Hamilton, where they heard from a range of incredible speakers, including Cam Calkoen, Elisa Harley, Jase Te Patu, and Georgia Lines.

A unifying message throughout the day was “Stronger Together”. Each speaker echoed the sentiment that when we support and uplift each other, we achieve more than we ever could alone. The whakataukī shared—“Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini”—reminds us that my strength is not mine alone, but the strength of many.

Our student leaders came away with fresh insights, new tools for their kete, and the confidence to continue showing up and making brave choices in their leadership journeys.

We are pleased to see an overall improvement in student attendance across the school—ka pai, tamariki mā! This is something worth celebrating. Every day that a student is at school makes a real difference to their learning, progress, and connection with others. When students show up consistently, they are more confident, more engaged, and more likely to achieve success. Thank you to all our families for supporting your children to attend regularly. Let’s keep up the great work!

Next week, we come together as a kura to celebrate Matariki, a time for reflection, learning, and connection. Students will take part in a range of hands-on learning activities such as flax weaving, poi making, waiata, and learning traditional pūrākau (stories).

We invite all whānau to join us early on Wednesday morning (6 am start) for a Hautapu ceremony, followed by the preparation of our school hāngi. It will be a special and meaningful way to welcome the Māori New Year—sharing food, stories, and aspirations for the year ahead.

Student reports will be sent home on Wednesday, 18 June. Please take some time to sit with your child and go through their report together. These conversations are an important opportunity to acknowledge their progress, celebrate successes, and set goals for the term ahead.

Parent interviews will be held on Tuesday, 24 and Wednesday, 25 June, beginning at 2pm on both days. We kindly ask that students be collected early on those days if possible.

You can book your interview time via the ETAP app or by contacting the school office. These meetings are a valuable chance for you to connect with your child’s teacher, hear about their learning, and discuss how we can work together to best support their learning progress.

We’re launching a school-wide chocolate fundraiser, with each family asked to sell one box of Cadbury chocolate bars ($2 each). Boxes will be available for pick-up from the office during parent interviews.

Once collected, your school account will be invoiced. If you return the money in cash, it will be credited to your account. This fundraiser is a big one for us—we have 120 boxes to sell, and we’d love each family to get involved. If you're unable to sell the chocolates, please let the office know. Your support makes a big difference!

We're excited to announce our next School Disco will be held on the first Thursday evening of Term 3. More details, including times and themes, will be sent out before the end of the term—watch this space!

Our end-of-term Celebration Assembly will take place on Friday 27 June at 2pm. We warmly invite all whānau to join us as we reflect on Term 2, acknowledge achievements, and share in the joy of learning together.

Thank you for your continued support throughout this term. Whether it's helping your child with homework, cheering from the sidelines, volunteering your time, or just showing up—you are part of what makes our school community strong.

Have a safe and restful break when it comes. I look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming events.

Ngā mihi nui,

Pip Were
Principal

Families can book an interview time using the @school Parent APP.
If you have not already downloaded the @school Parent APP, please do so by using the instructions emailed to you last week.  
SCHOOL WILL BE CLOSING FOR CLASS INSTRUCTIONS AT 1.00PM  TUESDAY 24th  AND WEDNESDAY 25th June FOR ALL STUDENTS.  We would prefer if parents could arrange the collection of their child/ren at 1pm. 

We’re launching a school-wide chocolate fundraiser, with each family asked to sell one box of 30 Cadbury chocolate bars ($2 each) over the school holidays. Boxes will be available for pick-up from the office during parent interviews.

Once collected, your school account will be invoiced.  Your account will be credited when the money is returned to the office, week 1, term 3. 

This fundraiser is a big one for us—we have 120 boxes to sell, and we’d love each family to get involved. If you're unable to sell the chocolates, please let the office know. Your support makes a big difference!

2025 TERM DATES
Term 2 - Mon 28th Apr - Fri 27th June
Term 3 - Mon 14th July - Fri 19th Sept
Term 4 - Mon 6th October - 17th Dec

JUNE 2025
18th June - Matariki Day at school - Hangi
19th June - Aria Orienteering
18th June - School reports home to parents
20th June - Public Holiday - Matariki - NO SCHOOL
24th June - Parent Interviews - (2-7pm)
25th June - Parent Interviews - (2-5pm)
26th June - Pyjama Day (Ronald McDonald House Charities)
27th June - Celebration Assembly
27th June - Last Day of Term 2

JULY 2025
14th July - 1st day of Term 3

🛌 Wear Your Pyjamas – Keep it cozy and spread the word.

💛 Make a Donation – BRING ALONG A GOLD COIN  and Help keep families together when their little one needs medical care.

We are still on the lookout for parent volunteers to run the Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings for approximately 3/4 of an hour before school. If you are able to help out please contact the school office. 

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 Kahikatea class with a severe peanut allergy 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.

Our Lost Property bin is overflowing and some of the items are crying out for help – quite literally!

Please check the Lost Property area outside the Rec Centre and encourage your children to take a look too. Named items will be returned to students, but unnamed gear is piling up fast.

Help reunite our poor hats, jerseys, shoes, and lunchboxes with their rightful homes!

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.
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