☀️ Tōtara-tiaki, Aroha-mai: Our Final Newsletter of 2025! 🌍
Kio Ora koutou, Talofa lava, Malo e lelei, Ni hao, Namaste, Konnichiwa, and a huge warm hello to all our wonderful whānau!
It is truly hard to believe that our school year has nearly come to an end, and with that, this becomes our final newsletter of 2025.
As the busy school term winds down, I want to wish everyone a truly lovely summer break. This is your time to recharge, refresh, and make wonderful memories with your friends and family. Put your feet up, enjoy the sunshine, and remember to spend some quality, cherished moments with your loved ones. We can’t wait to hear all about your adventures when we see you again next year!
🎉 A Night to Remember: Gala & Fireworks Success!
Firstly, I want to extend a massive thank you to our incredible Supporters Committee, led by Mrs. Emma Telfer, along with her dedicated team of parent volunteers who effortlessly put on an unforgettable Gala & Fireworks evening.
The atmosphere was simply alive with laughter, good spirits, and excitement. Families were eager to try their luck at the games, activities, and quick-fire raffles. The awesome displays from the Police and Fire Brigade kept everyone gathered and engaged right to the end of the evening. Then there were the crowd-favourite stalls—particularly the face painting, hair braids, and wraps—that brightened up the event with so much colour, smiles, and sparkles. And what can we say about the mouth-watering food? The queues spoke for themselves as people lined up to enjoy the delicious kai on offer!
But the moment everyone waited for was the spectacular fireworks display that lit up the night sky! The vibrant bursts of colour were described by many as “the best fireworks I have ever witnessed.” I would absolutely have to agree—what a night, what a show!
📚 Reflecting on 2025: A Year of Growth
As I write this newsletter, I reflect on our 2025 school year and feel genuinely humbled to work alongside such a strong, supportive, and forward-thinking Board of Trustees. Both past and present members have ensured that finances and resources have been carefully allocated to align with our strategic direction and annual planning, always keeping our learners right at the centre of every decision.
I am pleased to report the fantastic results from our 2025 student achievement data:
Area | Percentage of Students Proficient or Excelling Reading | 71% at the expected phase or higher Writing | 70% at the expected phase or higher Mathematics | 76% at the expected phase or higher
✨ School Improvements: Projects Completed in 2025
It has been an incredibly busy year for improvements around the school! A huge thank you to everyone involved in making these enhancements a reality.
Board of Trustees Projects
Upgrade to Puriri class (including Autex walls and new flooring)
Swimming pool automatic doser system
Car park upgrade
New blinds installed throughout the school
New desks & chairs for Kauri class
Chromebooks & charging stations throughout the school
Whiteboard stations for junior classes
Completion of the bell system in the library and Kauri class
CCTV cameras installed for security
Waste Water system & monitor installed
Acoustic panels & RCD plugs
Supporters Committee Projects worth $45996.87
A general donation at the beginning of the year
House and school flags
New shade sails for outdoor areas
Decodable readers (a valuable resource!)
Plastic sides for the Kowhai deck area
New Chromebooks
Kio Kio School gazebo
Greenhouse cover
Camp & school trip subsidy (supporting all our students)
Lighting upgrade in the gymnasium
PB4L (Positive Behaviour for Learning) Projects
Individual POWER character signs installed at the school entrance
Double-sided 6m POWER character sign on the astro turf
School POWER bands and reward system
🤝 Thanks to Our Wonderful Community
To our incredible parents, caregivers, and past students: thank you! Whether you coached our sports teams, helped on school camps and trips, assisted with fundraisers, returned to support us on Ag Day, helped at our Gala, or simply stepped in whenever we’ve needed a hand—your generosity and continued connection to our school means more than you know. We are so fortunate to have you.
📅 School Timetable – Final Two Weeks
Next week is our final full week of school.
Reports: Student achievement reports will be sent home on Monday, 15 December.
Whole School Prizegiving: All students are expected to attend our whole school Prizegiving on Monday, 15 December, 6:00 pm sharp. Please ensure students arrive by 5:45 pm. The dress code for students is “smart dress (your best out-of-school clothes).” For a wonderful surprise, teachers will not be notifying families about prize recipients—we expect all students to be present to celebrate the success of the year! Please inform the office if your child is unable to attend.
Tuesday: Classroom clean-up, tidy up, and putting everything away.
Wednesday: Year 8’s final day—a half day at school with pick up at 12 noon.
🛠️ School Projects & Acknowledgements
School Sign
A huge thank you to Kirsten Beck for organising our fantastic new POWER Values sign, and to Dan Brice and Mark Hughes for generously giving their time, energy, and resources to design and install the border to ensure it was stable and beautifully presented. It looks absolutely fantastic and is a great welcome to the school.
New Trophy Cabinet
Thank you so much to Luke Ganley and Kelly Rowe, who spent many hours building, sanding, and staining our brand-new trophy cabinet. Crafted from lovely macrocarpa, it displays all of our trophies beautifully and with the respect they deserve.
🏊 Student Success Spotlight
Caro Cup Champion
A massive congratulations to Jonty, who had an outstanding day swimming for Waikato. He was selected to swim in the freestyle relay, medley relay, individual freestyle, and the cannon freestyle relay. Waikato/Counties entered two teams, with only eight 10-year-old boys selected across the region. An amazing achievement—well done, Jonty! We are so proud of you!
💖 A Message of Thanks to Our Staff
Finally, I want to express my deepest appreciation to our wonderful staff—the administration team, library team, teacher aides, teachers, relief teachers, caretaker, and cleaning contractors.
Each one of you plays an essential role in making Kio Kio School the warm, vibrant, and successful place it is. Your dedication, kindness, and commitment to our students never go unnoticed. Together, you create a school where children feel supported, inspired, and proud to belong. Thank you for giving so much of yourselves, every single day.
I wish everyone a safe, restful, and happy summer holiday.
Nga Mihi nui,
Pip Were
Principal
School start date for 2026
School to resume on Monday 2nd February 2026 - 9am
Buses will be running as normal.
Bring your stationery to start the year off ready to learn
Bring along your togs & towel for swimming
Make sure you bring a sunhat
and your morning tea, lunch & a drink bottle
BOARD OF TRUSTEES REPORT
Good afternoon to all our Kio Kio families and whānau,
As another school year draws to an end, I would like to take the opportunity, on behalf of the parent members of both the current Board of Trustees (Nick Willis, Craig Mora, Leanne Lawrence, Louise Payne, and Karl Morrow) and the previously serving members (Karen Thompson, Paul Fleming, Russell Thorpe, and Natalie McMullan) from earlier in the year, to thank Pip Were, Shirley McKinley, our amazing teachers, and all our support staff for their hard work over the past 12 months.
It never ceases to amaze me how much extra work happens behind the scenes—from the governance and compliance required to run a school, to the constant upskilling and professional development of staff, the time and energy poured into making camps and activities outside the classroom possible, the ongoing curriculum changes, and the hundreds of small ways our staff go above and beyond each day to give our children the best possible opportunities while at Kio Kio School.
To Emma Telfer, Dan Brice, Amanda Fleming, and the incredible team that is our Supporters Committee—you are the doers in our community, and your efforts make a tangible difference each year in our budget, in our community, and in the learning experience of every child at Kio Kio School.
Enjoy the break, don’t forget your sunscreen and raincoat this summer holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you all back in 2026!
Best wishes, Charlie Telfer - Presiding Member - Kio Kio School Board of Trustees
OUT OF ZONE ENROLMENTS
LIBRARIAN REPORT
GARDEN COMPETITION REPORT
Our annual Garden Judging took place on Monday 1 December, with 20 gardens visited throughout the day. Children travelled in small groups and had the chance to visit a selection of their peers’ gardens, where the proud gardeners shared the ideas and effort behind their creations. Our local judge, Mr Telfer, spent time with each group, taking in the wide range of designs and plant choices on display. The garden competition links closely with our Agricultural Day traditions and supports our ongoing Enviroschools journey by encouraging students to care for their environment and grow sustainably. The results will be announced at a school assembly next week. We have included some photo highlights below.
Some photos below
YR 7 & 8 FORMAL
Kōrakonui School Formal
Our Year 7/8 students had an absolutely amazing time at the Kōrakonui School Formal last night. It was a fantastic evening filled with fun, dancing, and plenty of smiles. The students looked incredible and represented Kio Kio School with pride.
A huge thank you to Kōrakonui School for hosting such a well-organised and memorable event, and to our wonderful parents and whānau for supporting the night — from transporting students to and from the event to making sure the kids arrived looking sharp. Your efforts helped make it a truly special experience for our students.
LOST PROPERTY
PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THE LOST PROPERTY RACK AND BINS ON THE FRONT DECK AND CLAIM YOUR CHILDREN'S CLOTHING THAT HAS BEEN LEFT AT SCHOOL.
All unclaimed clothing will go to a charity shop in the holidays.
IMPORTANT DATES
2025 TERM DATES
Term 4 - Mon 6th October - 17th December
DECEMBER 2025
4th December - Technology Challenge - Pukenui School 5th December - Christmas parade 15th December - Prizegiving Assembly 15th December - Reports 17th December - Last day of Term 4
2026 TERM DATES
Term 1 - Monday 2nd February - Thursday 2nd April Term 2 - Monday 20th April - Friday 3rd July Term 3 - Monday 20th July - Friday 25th September Term 4 - Monday 12th October - Monday 14th December
IMPORTANT NOTICES
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.
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.
NEXT BOT MEETING - 2026
OUR SCHOOL VALUES
SCHOOL SWIMMING POOL
Our school pool is now open to our school community. The keys, conditions and contract are available from the School Office. The cost stays the same at $75 per key. Families will be able to use our pool after school, on the weekends, and during the school holidays for the next 4-5 months.
SCHOOL STATIONERY 2026
Children will receive their stationery lists for next year with their reports on Monday 15th December.
All class stationery lists have been uploaded onto OFFICEMAX MY SCHOOL AND WAREHOUSE STATIONERY for online ordering.
PAPER PLUS OTOROHANGA will also stock all class stationery.
PRIZEGIVING
FRIDAY LUNCHES AVAILABLE
Please place order by each WEDNESDAY , 8PM:
Note Email Address: orders@fatkiwicafe.co.nz
Email : orders@fatkiwicafe.co.nz
BY WEDNESDAY, 8PM
Phone: 07 2146300
with each child's first and last name, class name & when the payment was made online.
Bank details: Account 02-0316-0562720-000
KIO KIO SCHOOL POLICIES
SCHOOL DOCS:
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
We would like to bring to your attention the following policies to read and update on procedures.
Attendance Behaviour Concerns and complaints
Learning Support Police Vetting Sun Protection
WORKING BEE
GALA AND FIREWORKS EVENING – A NIGHT TO REMEMBER!
What an incredible night we had at our annual Gala and Fireworks Evening! From the very beginning, the school was alive with colour and creativity — face painting, hair wraps, crazy hair-dos, and balloon sculptures added buzz and excitement as families poured through the gates.
Our school grounds were soon filled with the sounds and smiles of whānau enjoying delicious food, fun games, bouncy castles, friendly competition, the ever-popular Wobbly Train, steam train rides, and a dedicated under-5s activity zone. The grand finale — our spectacular fireworks reaching up to 140 metres in the air — lit up the night sky and brought the whole community together in awe.
This event would not be possible without the generosity of our many amazing supporters who donated money, goods, services, time, and expertise. A special thank you to Ben and Selena Pratt from Pratts Motorcycles for generously donating our major raffle prize — the Can-Am Renegade 110 EFI quad bike. Your support is truly appreciated.
We were also extremely fortunate to receive two community grants from the Ōtorohanga District Council and the Ōtorohanga Charitable Trust, helping us bring this fantastic fireworks experience to our wider community.
A massive thank you to the Ōtorohanga Volunteer Fire Brigade for their generous support on the night. Their presence and assistance added an important layer of safety and reassurance for everyone attending.
A huge thank you as well to Simple Traffic, who generously donated our traffic management. With crowds now exceeding 1,000 attendees, the safe movement of vehicles and pedestrians is absolutely essential, and their support ensured everything ran smoothly.
As Chairperson of the Committee, I want to acknowledge the phenomenal mahi of our Supporters Committee, who give countless hours of time, energy, and heart to make an event of this scale possible. To our wonderful Principal Pip Were and our dedicated staff, thank you for your ongoing support and for giving up your time to help us create such a memorable night.
Finally, thank you to our school community and wider community for showing up, joining in, and supporting our fundraising efforts. Every ticket purchased, every game played, and every smile shared helps us continue providing amazing opportunities for our tamariki.
We appreciate you all — and we can’t wait to do it again next year!
Ngā mihi nui,
Emma Telfer
MOTORBIKE RAFFLE RESULT
Congratulations to Bryan!A huge congratulations to Bryan, the lucky winner of our 2024 Can-Am Renegade 110 EFI, proudly sponsored by Pratts Motorcycles!
This raffle was drawn under police supervision on Monday afternoon, ensuring full transparency and fairness. The quad bike has now been collected, and we hope Bryan enjoys every moment with his awesome new wheels!
A big thank you to everyone who supported us and bought a raffle ticket — your support means a lot to our school community!
Community Notices
We’re on a mission to reduce waste by transforming excess or unwanted stationery into ‘good as new’ resources for schools and Tamariki in our District. By donating, you help cut down on the need for new resources and make sure perfectly good stationery finds its way back into the hands of eager students. We’ll refurbish and redistribute these items completely free, ready for the next school year. Give your old stationery a new lease on life and join us in making a positive impact! DROP IT IN THE BOX IN THE SCHOOL OFFICE.
The attached gives a bit more info on how it works but it’s super simple with Ōtorohanga District Council providing the signage and boxes, collecting and refurbishing the items ready for sharing with families in our Community.
A similar project took place last year in New Plymouth and 2721 items were able to be refurbished and shared with their community, it would be awesome to do this here in our District too
.png)
.png)
%20(1).jpg)
-page-001.jpg)
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.png)
%20(1).jpg)
-page-001.jpg)
-page-001.jpg)
-page-002.jpg)
-1.png)
