Newsletter - Week 10, Term 3 2026
Principal’s Update
Kia ora Waitetuna Whaanau, we have come to end of an interesting term delving into the science of the animal world. It was great to see the Tuakana/Teina as the students worked in multi-year groups to create an amazing Diorama showing how to enrich the life of ani-mals in a zoo. Garden to Table and Potatoes New Zealand representatives joined the Middle Room last Friday to see all the great learning that happens with this. Well done to the team showcasing the learning here. Ngaa mihi nui for all of your support this term whaanau. A huge congratulations to Tāwhai and Joel for representing our school at the Waikato Full Primary speech competition and for Tāwhai’s runner up result at Ohaupo School last week. This is the culmination of the ‘best of the best’ speeches from all over the Waikato so tumeke to these students for their amazing public speaking.
I had a special time away celebrating Imanueli’s 21st and then an inspiring New Zealand Principals Federation International conference. Nearly 30 countries and over 1250 participants attended this event at the new ‘New Zealand International Convention Centre’. Highlights for me included Sir Ian Taylor talking about the new resources he has developed using the new curriculum and making the new curriculum work for students and teachers. He talked about the inspirational team he has that developed technology to predict, record and share to world as it is happening—from yachting to golf to Ameri-can baseball. Sir Ian discussed how everyone of his employees created this technology after having all of their schooling in New Zealand. He said teach kids to be creative, think, be curious and ask great questions, things he said his son’s generation were taught well (his son is now the CEO of this business—Virtual Eye)and have served them in this age of exciting new technologies—which he said embrace. Valuing teachers time by allowing technology to create exciting resources which allow for exciting ways to learn through the new curriculum is a win/win. Another highlight was Gilbert Enoka who is the mental coach for the All Blacks. He spoke of the importance of teaching children how to deal with anxiety. He said ‘Pressure isn’t the enemy it is the arena’.
Thanks for sharing your feedback with the board to support in our planning for 2027 and 2028. As a part of the board meeting on Tuesday we discussed your thoughts and have begun putting these together another with staff and stu-dents to plan for the next two years. I will share further feedback next term. This will be our last newsletter in this format.
Publisher will no longer be in existence from the beginning of October so a new newsletter format will begin next term. For those who did their study using the Microsoft Word package this is certainly the end of an era. We wish Robyn all the very best on her sabbatical next term. Jess Otton is very excited and ready to go after working
closely with Robyn over the year but also in the last two weeks on her return from practicum. I hope you have a good break and see you next term.
Ngaa mihi Amanda & staff
All the Happenings
Term 4 starts—Mon 12th Oct
Ag Day—Tues 13th Oct
Group Day—Fri 16th Oct at Te Uku School
Tabloid Sports—Year 1 and 2—23rd October
Garden to Table—from seed to seedling
Celebrating Garden to Table with manuhuri—visitors from G to T and the organisation Potatoes NZ
Full brim hats are back for next term and remember sunsmart clothing please
PTA News
Ag Day—Tuesday 13th October
We are working on having food for sale for Ag Day.
And our meeting date for Term 4 will be shared next term.
Waitetuna Way
Well done to Thea & Charlie H for
Determination
Set your own goals and strive to achieve them
Show persistence in my learning
Ask questions to clarify and extend understanding
Set yourself up for success by being prepared
Together we are growing the seeds of success
Na too manaaki, na tooku manaaki, ka puawai mai nga kaakano
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