Kia ora e te whānau,

What a start to the year it has been. Like many across our wider community, a number of our Kio Kio families have been impacted by the recent devastating flooding. Homes, farms and properties have suffered damage, and the clean-up process is ongoing for many.

In times like these, we are reminded of the strength and heart of our rural community. I would like to acknowledge the many unsung heroes who have stepped up to help — neighbours turning up with shovels and tractors, families providing meals and food vouchers, volunteers giving up their time, and emergency services working tirelessly behind the scenes. Your kindness, practical support and quiet determination truly reflect the spirit of our community. Thank you.

Here at school, we experienced some leaks, and minor electrical work was required. We are very grateful that, overall, Kio Kio School came through in good order. Our grounds and classrooms are safe, and we were able to resume learning with minimal disruption. Thank you to those who assisted with checks, repairs and ensuring our school remained a safe place for our tamariki.

Student Leadership 2026

This week, we proudly announced our 2026 student leaders. These roles are highly regarded and are earned through consistently demonstrating our POWER values across learning, playground behaviour, leadership, sport, service and attitude. We are incredibly proud of the students who have worked hard and shown dedication to achieve these positions.

A huge congratulations to our 2026 School Councillors:

Naia Willis
Carter Albert
Adam Hodges
Bosandi Parana Gamaralalage

Please check out the leadership roles published in this newsletter — congratulations to each and every one of you. I know you will shine brightly in your roles, uphold our POWER values with pride, and inspire others through your actions.

Mitey – Building Healthy Minds

Yesterday, Katie McQuaid from the Sir John Kirwan Foundation delivered Mitey lessons in our classrooms.

Mitey is a mental health education programme designed specifically for primary and intermediate-aged children. It supports students to understand their emotions, develop resilience, build positive relationships and learn practical strategies to navigate challenges. The programme empowers tamariki with the language and tools to talk about their feelings in a safe and supportive environment.

At Kio Kio School, we believe that healthy minds are extremely important. Programmes like Mitey help strengthen wellbeing, confidence and self-awareness — equipping our students not only for school, but for life.

Attendance Matters

Regular attendance is essential for student success. Every day at school builds learning, strengthens friendships and supports wellbeing. When students attend consistently, they develop routines, confidence and a stronger connection to their learning.

We understand that recent events have created challenges for some families. If flooding or other circumstances are impacting your child’s attendance, please communicate with us. We are here to support you and work alongside you.

Student Information Update

At the beginning of each year, we ask all families to review and update their child’s information to ensure our records are accurate. On Monday, the office will send home the details we currently have on file for your child.

Please check this information carefully and return it promptly if any updates or corrections are required.

It is the responsibility of parents and caregivers to provide current contact and emergency contact details at enrolment and to notify the school of any changes throughout the year. Keeping this information up to date is essential so we can contact you quickly if needed.

Thank you for your support in helping us maintain accurate records for the safety and well-being of our tamariki.

As always, thank you for your continued support of our kura. Through challenges and celebrations alike, our community remains strong, connected and committed to the success of our tamariki.

Ngā mihi nui,
Pip Were
Principal
Kio Kio School

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.

START OF THE SCHOOL DAY

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.

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 Kauri 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.