Tēnā koutou katoa, e te whānau o Kio Kio,

It has been a vibrant and exciting start to the term, with plenty happening across our kura. A real highlight has been the way our students are living our school value of ownership — taking responsibility for their learning, showing pride in their work, and stepping up to support one another. We are seeing students come prepared, make positive choices, and take initiative both in and out of the classroom. These small, consistent actions are making a big difference and contribute to the strong, positive culture we are proud of at Kio Kio School.

Book Week
Next week we celebrate Book Week — always a highlight on our school calendar. A huge thank you to Amanda Wright, our Library Administrator, for the incredible organisation behind the full programme of events.

Students will enjoy a wide range of activities, including a visit from our Ōtorohanga District librarians who will work with classes on engaging STEM experiences, library-based activities, and opportunities to deepen their love of reading.

The week will culminate in a number of special events — from dressing up as favourite book characters, to lunchtime reading sessions with our librarians. Staff have also been busy preparing their costumes, and we look forward to sharing the fun with you all.

Grandparents & Special Persons Morning
One of the highlights of the year is our Grandparents and Special Persons Morning. This year, we are doing things slightly differently and warmly invite our Grandparents, Special People & parents to attend a special assembly beginning at 10:30 am in the Rec Centre.

Please arrive a little early so we can guide you to the appropriate seating area. Each class has been preparing items to share, and we look forward to showcasing their learning.

Following the assembly, grandparents and special guests are invited to spend time reading with their grandchildren. We will also provide a morning tea as a small way of acknowledging the important role you play in the lives of our tamariki. Everyone is welcome — we would love to see you there.

COPS Winter Sports Tournament Year 3-8
Our students are looking forward to participating in the COPS Winter Sports Tournament next Wednesday. Thank you to all families who have completed permission forms via SchoolBridge.

We understand that online systems can sometimes be challenging. If you require support, please feel free to visit your child’s classroom teacher — we are here to help.

Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) experiences provide valuable learning opportunities but do carry an element of risk. Completing permission forms ensures we have the most up-to-date medical and contact information for your child, enabling us to manage risks effectively. It also ensures that all information is in one place & mitigates the “lost notice” scenario.

The Board of Trustees holds responsibility for EOTC activities. Without completed consent, the school cannot accept responsibility for a student’s participation, as these experiences sit outside the core curriculum. We appreciate your understanding and support in ensuring all online forms are completed.

Mitey Programme
Yesterday, we welcomed Katie McQuaid from Mitey into our classrooms. Katie modelled lessons for our staff, providing an excellent opportunity for teachers to view teaching and learning through a different lens and gain insights from an expert in this field. We are very fortunate to have her working alongside us.

Property Update
We are excited to share that through the Ngā Iti Kahurangi Programme, the Ministry of Education is funding new carpet for three of our classrooms. There will be some temporary class changes while this work is completed in the coming weeks, and we appreciate the flexibility of students & staff, as we work towards improving our learning environments.

Supporters Committee Fundraiser
Our amazing Supporters Committee are selling tickets quickly for their upcoming event. If you haven’t yet secured a ticket and would like to attend, please contact the school office. This promises to be a fantastic evening filled with great music, food, décor, and auction items — a wonderful opportunity to come together as a community.

Winter Sports
Winter sports are now underway, and it is fantastic to see so many of our students involved.

The messages we are sharing with students — and encourage you to reinforce at home — are:

Give your best effort and enjoy the game & practices
Show up to practices, with the correct equipment & on time.
Keep a positive attitude, even when things don’t go your way
Show sportsmanship at all times

Win or lose, we expect our students to:

Shake hands with their opponents
Thank their coaches and supporters
Acknowledge referees and officials
Show humility in both victory and defeat

Sport provides valuable life lessons. Success comes from continued effort, resilience, and a willingness to keep improving. We are proud of the way our students represent our school.

There is certainly a lot happening, and we appreciate your ongoing support as we continue to provide rich and meaningful learning experiences for our tamariki. Enjoy your upcoming weekend.

Ngā mihi,

Pip Were

We’re excited to kick off our Staff Spotlight series, celebrating the amazing people who make Kio Kio School such a special place 💛 First up, we are proud to share 𝗠𝗿𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗳 – our wonderful Release Teacher! Di works across all areas of our kura, supporting both staff and ākonga, and always brings positivity, energy, and a love of learning wherever she goes. She has a real passion for teaching juniors, especially literacy, and making learning enjoyable for everyone. And of course… many of us look forward to Wednesdays when Di delivers our coffee orders ☕😊 Thank you, Di, for everything you do for our Kio Kio School whānau ❤️

We’re excited to shine the spotlight on the wonderful 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗲, one of our dedicated Teacher Aides here at Kio Kio School Lisa plays a vital role in supporting our ākonga across the school. Her calm, caring nature and commitment to helping every child succeed make a real difference each and every day. We are so lucky to have Lisa as part of our Kio Kio whānau!

We are proud to shine the spotlight on 𝗠𝗿𝘀 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻, our incredible Deputy Principal and Kahikatea classroom teacher. Karen plays a vital role in our kura—leading our senior school, supporting staff, and bringing her passion for literacy, math and student success into everything she does. A special part of Karen’s story is her deep connection to Kio Kio School, with four generations of her family having attended and taught here—a true reflection of her commitment to our community Thank you, Karen, for your leadership, passion, and the meaningful impact you make every day.

This week we are also celebrating the amazing 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲! Katie is a valued part of our Kio Kio School whānau, bringing energy, positivity, and enthusiasm into every space she works in. She is also well known as our resident “hype girl” for school events, always helping create a vibrant and encouraging environment for everyone around her! Thank you, Katie, for the passion, care, and positivity you bring to Kio Kio School every day

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.

LOST PROPERTY

Lost property racks and bins are piling up once again. Check out the lost property on the front deck and encourage your child/ren to have a look too. Named items will be returned to students, so please name your child's clothing and gear.