Kia ora whānau,

It's been another fantastic fortnight here at Kio Kio Primary, filled with the hum of progress, the thrill of competition, and the anticipation of summer activities. Our positive energy and collaborative spirit continue to shine brightly!

I'm pleased to share the following updates:

Property Project Update: Nga Iti Kahurangi

We've recently completed a significant phase of our property project, Nga Iti Kahurangi, which has brought exciting upgrades to our learning spaces.

We have had contractors working throughout the school installing acoustic panelling in our classrooms. These panels are essential for creating an optimal learning environment; they work by absorbing sound waves, significantly reducing echo and lowering the overall noise level in the classroom. This means improved concentration for our students and clearer communication between students and kaiako (teachers).

In addition, we have installed RCD Power Points (Residual Current Devices) throughout the school. This represents a substantial upgrade to our electrical safety. RCDs are designed to protect people from electric shock by constantly monitoring the flow of electricity and instantaneously cutting the power if they detect a fault or current leakage. This extra, vital layer of safety ensures a much more secure learning environment for all our students and staff.

To further enhance the safety and security of our school environment, we have also installed nine new security cameras strategically placed around the school grounds. These cameras will act as a significant deterrent and add a valuable layer of protection for our property and everyone on site. I want to reassure our community that strict privacy protocols are in place; the footage can only be played back and viewed by myself as the school's designated Privacy Officer. We are committed to keeping our learning environment safe and secure for all.

Thank you to everyone involved in managing this important work.

Dive In: Our Swim Safe Programme is Here!

Despite a little rain earlier this week, our swimming season has officially kicked off! Having our students in the pool is a refreshing change of pace as we head into the warmer days.

I am thrilled to share the fantastic news that we have secured dedicated funding through Swimming Waikato for Swim Magic to deliver the crucial Swim Safe programme. Every class will receive five tailored lessons with two to three specialist swimming instructors. Importantly, one of these lessons will take place at the Ōtorohanga Pools, giving our students valuable experience in a different setting.

These vital swimming and water safety skills are integral for all our tamariki to possess before heading into summer. Whether we are visiting local pools, lakes, or beaches, water competency & safety are non-negotiable life skills, and we are proud to provide this essential, high-quality instruction.

Congratulations: Miniball & Ag Group Day Champions

I need to send a massive congratulations to all our students who participated in the Ag Group Day! We had a large bunch of students who were highly competitive, demonstrating pride and skill in their projects. A special shout-out must go to:

Nate Fleming, who won the prestigious Colin Graham Memorial Cup for Boys and Girls Agricultural Champion Calf for Handling and Rearing.
Sam Hughes, who won the LIC Kiwi Cross Champion, presented to the best senior dairy type.

In sports, we also have two of our miniball teams who have successfully made their respective finals this week! This is a fantastic achievement. A huge thank you to all the coaches across all our miniball teams for your time, dedication, and supportive spirit—you are integral to our students' success.

Structured Literacy & Numeracy Intervention Teacher

I am delighted to inform our parent community of a staff appointment for 2026. Stacey Lee Reynolds has been appointed as our new Structured Literacy and Numeracy Intervention Teacher.

Stacey is an extremely experienced teacher known to our school community, having worked at Kio Kio School over the years. In this critical intervention role, she will be focused on providing targeted, intensive support to accelerate the foundational literacy and numeracy skills of our students. We are very excited to welcome her back next year.

Gala & Guy Fawkes Next Friday!

Next Friday is our annual Gala and Guy Fawkes fundraiser! The Supporters Committee are working incredibly hard behind the scenes to get everything organised, and they have secured bigger and better fireworks than we have ever held before!

Please invite your friends, family, and neighbours to come and join us to celebrate and help raise vital money for our students and school.

The Final Countdown:

We are now heading into the final three and a half weeks of the term. Let's keep our heads held high and finish strong! I encourage everyone to stay accountable, stay focused, stay determined, and stay resilient as we navigate to the finish line.

Thank you for your ongoing time, energy, and commitment to Kio Kio Primary School.

Ngā Mihi,

Pip Were

Principal

Kio Kio School

NO DOGS ON SCHOOL GROUNDS

Just a reminder, please do not use the school grounds to exercise your dogs. Our students have stepped in poo on our top field. This is not cool.

STUDENT LUNCHES

Just a reminder, can we please not have sent to school food that needs heating or cooking for children school lunches. Our teachers are having their well deserved lunch break themselves, therefore are unavailable or on duty. Your assistance with this would be very much appreciated.

SUN SMART- HATS

All students are to wear a hat when playing outstide. NO HAT- NO PLAY! Those students without a hat are asked to sit under the large tree on our Cobham Lawn. Please name your child/ren's hats.

LOST PROPERTY

Please check the Lost Property rack that is on the front deck at the moment and encourage your children to take a look too. Named items will be returned to students, but unnamed gear is starting to pile up.

STUDENT ABSENCES

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.

STUDENTS ENTERING & LEAVING SCHOOL

Please make sure that your child/ren are dropped off and collected from the bus shelter each day.
We are enforcing safety rules at school pick-up and drop-off. Children are NOT to open our school gates. Parents are required to drop off inside the gate and come into the school grounds to collect their children. This is a safety measure. Our carpark is very busy at the end of the day and we need to do everything we can to keep everyone safe.

BUS BOOK REMINDER

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

PEANUT ALLERGY

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.