Term 4, Week 1, 6/10/2025 - 10/10/2025

From the Principal's Desk

Kia ora koutou katoa, Parents and Caregivers

We have started the term with many exciting events and activities known as (LEOTC) - Learning Experiences Outside The Classroom. At the moment, the school and BOT are looking at our strategic direction in this area and will have more information out on what parents would like to see happen over the next 3 years. We do need parents to help with these events. So please catch up with teachers as they start the process of planning different trips.

Over the holidays, we have had all the classroom carpets re-done, and on the 23rd of October, the upgrades to the administration and staffroom will happen. We have replaced the water system with water tanks and a whole new upgrade to the water filtration system. A huge thanks to the work done by JTP. We are in the process of cleaning up the area where the old water tanks were and creating a better flow into the school, and how to maximise this area.

Camp

Room 6 and 7 go to camp on November 10th - 14th of November. The new cost at the moment, after fundraising in term 3, is about $375, which has already been subsidised by the Cooks Beach Carnival group and BOT. If parents need help with fundraising or require assistance with covering costs, please come in and have a catch-up and chat. Let's work together to get everyone to camp. One fundraiser that we are starting is a Maths-Whizz. 

Maths Whizz and Maths Quiz

We have started Maths Whizz, which is a school-wide trial of an online maths programme that runs for approximately 15 minutes a day for 4 days. This will be another assessment tool to help us support students and communities' understanding of maths today. 

Maths Quiz

At the same time, we will also be running a Maths Quiz that allows students to fundraise for EOTC experiences. The fundraiser will also help with learning and the House challenge - Maths Quiz! This will have incentives for individuals and House groups. Some of the incentives will be a movie at school, in school disco , pizza party, BBQ lunch, ice blocks for the winning Houses. Money raised go back to EOTC - Education Outside The Classroom events, trips and camp costs.

As the Maths Quiz has started 

For Draw One (sign up and go in the draw) – Winners this week are Mariah and Ari - most sponsors week 1.

For Draw Two (sign up and get at least one donation) –This will be a special lucky draw at the Assembly

Thanks, Nga mihi, Gary Veysi - Principal

BoT

Meeting in Room 1 – On Wednesday, 22nd of October, start time 3.30pm.

The community/parents are welcome to attend.

Attendance & Protocol
1.1    Welcomes and Apologies, 1.2    Speaking Rights, 1.3    Declarations of Interest (PLD - NZSTA)

Strategic Decisions
 2.1 Co–Opting a member onto the Board for property projects, 2.2 Staffing Entitlement and funding 2026                    2.3 Camps/trips 2026 planning and engagement with families

Strategic Discussions 
3.1  Induction Pack for BOT members, 3.2 Term 4 Overview – Dates and times,  3.3 Budget 2026 preparation

Monitoring/Review Portfolio Reports - sub-committees
4.1 Principal 4.2 Finance 4.3 Property 4.4 Compliance/legislation 4.5 Personnel  4.6 Community Engagement 4.7 Policy Review – up to date
Administration
5.1 Confirmation of previous minutes 5.2 Correspondence - Inwards/outwards
In Committee Discussions
6.1 Nil
Items for next meeting
7.1 PLD for the BOT
7.2 Draft Budget 2026

Meeting dates - Wednesday 26th November.  (December holidays)

Maths Quiz

2025 Whenukite School Maths Quiz – Online Fundraiser

Whenuakite School is excited to launch our 2025 Maths Quiz fundraiser! Our Maths Quiz will give students a fun and rewarding opportunity to build their numeracy skills, while also raising essential funds to support our comprehensive Education Outside the Classroom programme – trips and camps out of the school.

This year, students will be seeking online sponsorship for their efforts across the Maths Quiz fundraiser. All funds raised will go towards a range of Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom (LEOTC) opportunities that will benefit all our students.

How will this fundraiser work? We have partnered with online fundraising company Go Raise It.  Collecting sponsorship online makes it super easy for everyone - no more door knocking, your child can collect more donations from further afield (friends & family living overseas, work colleagues etc) and no need to worry about handling cash!

How do I sign my child up to fundraise online? Each child can sign up for their very own fundraising web page to send out to collect online sponsorship from anyone, anywhere! Just go to our Fundraising Hub page at: https://whenuakitemathsquiz.raiseit.co.nz/   Or use the QR Code to visit the hub page:

Prizes:  We have a great range of fundraising prizes available, including spot prizes and overall fundraising prizes for classes/individuals. Please see the Prizes page linked on the Fundraising Hub page of our fundraising website.

Event Details: The Maths Quiz event will be on Wednesday, 29^th of October 2025. The aim is to make it fun and enjoyable for all students, and we will practice the questions prior to the event. On the day, each class will have sets of questions, puzzles and games to do. It will be about giving everything a go!  As we start the fundraiser and learning, we will have more information that will come out on how parents/caregivers andthe community can be involved.

Rooms 1 – 5 are fundraising as a group to help cover costs for the day trips and events.

Rooms 6 - 7 will be fundraising individually for their camp to Lakewood Lodge and what they raise will come off their camp costs first. If students fundraise more than what is needed, this will be used to help cover costs involved with trips and camps. Our AIM is to try get all students to camp!

Kindest regards, Mr Veysi, Whenuakite team and Fundraiser Organiser

Production

Call for Muscle (and Mettle)! 💪
We need five strong guys — or their equally competitive wives — to help move the stage from its current spot to the school in preparation for our upcoming production!

You don’t have to be a CrossFit champ (though it wouldn’t hurt 😉) — just ready to lift, laugh, and lend a hand.

📅 Thursday 16th, after soccer prizegiving
📍 Meet at the school — we’ll move it together!

📞 Call Kelly: 022 085 7877

Let’s get this show on the road (literally)! 🎭💥

Disco

Athletics

Being a K.I.T.E Kid Awards

Certificates presented to: -

Room 1 - Charlie Farrance, Alice Probett

Room 2 - Kaiser-Ray James-Tairua, Jack Carter

Room 3 - Luca Shortland, Gihansa Perera

Room 4 - Wylie Ramage, Aurelia McDonald, Sparrow Sheriff

Room 5 -Kahu Gemmell, Oscar Frost, John-Henry Heath

Room 6 -Ana van-Beynen, Archie Ryan

Room 7 - Awana Clow, Indie-Rose Smith

Principal Awards - George Roach - being a kind and caring Whenuakite Kid

Sport

Karate

Congratulations to our Counties Shotokan Karate team who all brought home medals or trophies from the tournament in Pukekohe at the beginning of the holidays.

Luke fought incredibly hard to win his Second Place medal in kumite in a big division.

Up and coming events

Term 4 

We have some amazing events planned, and we have finalised some of the trips for everyone and the camp for the seniors. More information was sent home on Tuesday. It is critical if you would like to be involved with trips and especially camp, we do need you to complete a police vet. These are taking about 6 weeks to complete. Please see Donna asap if you need to get this done.

Key dates

Week 2

Tuessday 14th - Junior Athletics

Wednesday Junior Athletics pp

Thursday 16th - Cricket Smash -This is at school and we have guest coaches coming in to help the students with learning the basics

Friday 17th - Loud Shirt Day - Supporting the hearing impaired foundation

Fiday 17th - Cooks Beach Disco