Principal’s Message
Kia ora koutou katoa,
It has been a truly exciting time welcoming our new international learners to our school community. We’ve had some wonderful local adventures together, including a walk up Pigeon Mountain followed by an ice cream at the Marina, and a visit to Eastern Beach for hot chips and lemonade. It has been incredibly heartwarming to see our “Kiwi buddies” look out for our new friends, sharing their experiences, and building strong friendships. These cross-cultural connections are so valuable for our domestic students, teaching them about culture and fostering a spirit of support and kindness.
Ngā mihi nui,
Phebe Rossiter
Principal
Pigeon Mountain Primary School
Student Achievement and Celebration
Junior school Cross Country
What a fantastic day we had for our first Junior School cross country on Friday, August 1st! The sun was shining, and it was wonderful to see so many parents, teachers, and student leaders come out to support our young runners. Our students truly embraced our school values of excellence and resilience as they pushed themselves to the finish line. We are so proud of every single participant. Congratulations to all our place-getters, who received their well-deserved certificates in assembly last week!
Interschool (HPPA) Cross country
A big congratulations to our fantastic team of 48 athletes who represented our school at the recent HPPA Cross Country event! The course at Lloyd Elsmore was a true test of grit and determination, with plenty of mud, water, and hills. Our students gave it their all and ran with incredible spirit. A special congratulations to Kayley for her outstanding performance, finishing in first place and Maddie placed 11th. A special thank you to Ms Alex Donaldson for all her hard work in organising the event.
Games evening
Our Student Council have been busy planning a fun games night
Cycle skills
Our Year 5 and 6 students have participated in Cycle skills this week. Every student was given the opportunity to learn practical knowledge and skills to enable them to ride safely and confidently. Students had their own bike to ride and the instructors groups students by confidence …
A Huge Thank You to the John Walker Field of Dreams Foundation!
This term, our Year 3 and 4 students have had an incredible opportunity to participate in free swimming lessons, thanks to the generosity of the John Walker Field of Dreams Foundation.
Every Monday, our students have been bussed to Lloyd Elsmore for a 30-minute lesson with a Swim Gym instructor. It has been amazing to see the progress they have made in such a short time. Their confidence in the water has soared, and their swimming skills have improved dramatically. We are so grateful for this chance to give our students a valuable life skill.
Choir
On Thursday, July 31st, our school choir joined with students from our local Kāhui Ako—Bucklands Beach Intermediate, Mellons Bay, Bucklands Beach, Macleans Primary, and Owairoa Primary—for a special matinee and evening performance. The theme was “Sing the Hits,” and our students sang popular songs from across the decades, including a fantastic rendition of “Double Trouble” from Harry Potter. We are so proud of their hard work and dedication. A huge thank you to Ms Esther Kim and Mrs Sandy Wang for their wonderful guidance, and a special mention to Mrs Alice Lee from Bucklands Beach Intermediate for her expert choir coaching. It was a fantastic evening and a great opportunity for our students to perform with their peers.
School News and Announcements
Out of Zone applications:
For all Term 4 2025 New Entrant students – Applications close on Wednesday 20 August with the ballot happening on Friday 22 August 2025 if required.
For all 2026 students in Year 1-5 – Application closing date on Wednesday 8 October 2025 with the ballot date – Wednesday 15 October 2025.
Social Media and Our Students
We have heard that some of our students are connecting online through social media and we want to be clear – we do not support or encourage students messaging each other or groups through online chat groups. Specifically, we want to address two popular apps: Discord and Snapchat. While these platforms are often used for connecting with friends, they also present potential risks.
Discord allows users to create private servers, which can be difficult to monitor. This can expose students to inappropriate content or cyberbullying without your knowledge. The app’s anonymity can also lead to interactions with strangers, which is a significant safety concern.
Similarly, Snapchat has an age requirement of 13. We want to remind parents and guardians that anyone under this age is not permitted to have an account. The nature of these platforms makes it difficult to supervise what’s being shared, and their features, like disappearing messages, can contribute to unsafe situations.
We urge you to have open conversations with your children about online safety and to actively monitor their use of these and other social media apps. For more information, please see our school’s Digital Citizenship policy, which is available on our website. WE would also recommend Netsafe.org.nz which has a range of great resources for parents and caregivers.
Tūpuna / Grandparents’ Day
We warmly invite you to join us for our Tūpuna / Grandparents’ Day on Friday, August 22nd. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to share their learning and spend quality time with the special elders or significant family members in their lives.
Here’s a brief outline of the day:
- 11:30 a.m: Head to your grandchild’s classroom to see what they have been learning and to join in with some fun games and craft activities.
- 12:30 p.m: We’ll gather in the school hall for a cup of tea or coffee. You are also welcome to have lunch with your grandchild at this time.
You are welcome to bring a nut-free picnic to share with your grandchild. We can’t wait to welcome you to our school for this special occasion!
Māori and Pasifika Whānau Hui
We would love to connect with our Māori and Pasifika Whānau on Thursday 4 September from 3 – 4.30pm. We have not met together as a group this year, so this will be a relaxed afternoon with a sausage sizzle, games and performance from our Kapa Haka group. The aim of the afternoon is to share together and get to know our whānau. An invite will be sent out shortly to these families.
A message from the Board Presiding Member
To our Pigeon Mountain Parents and Community,
As the current Presiding Member (Board chairman) I would like to take this opportunity to thank personally my fellow Board members for their wonderful support, wisdom and guidance over the last 3 years. A big thanks to Ian, Dylan and Phebe along with all the wonderful staff and the Pigeon Mountain community for your support and confidence in ensuring your child’s education and wellbeing is at the very heart of our community.
To Iley, Serena and Brian it has been a true pleasure to serve and work alongside you.
A very big thank you to Richard Spong who has served on the Board for the last 15 years, your guidance and wisdom will be missed.
Chris thank you for making yourself available for re-nomination and the very best of luck. I am greatly honoured to be nominated for re-election and to be part of what is a wonderful team, School and community.
I encourage all our parents to please take the time to read and review the outstanding candidates and cast your vote.
Thanks again to you all.
Kind Regards
Mark Eades
Presiding Member (Board Chair)
Attendance Information
In Term 2, our students were on time for class 75% of the time. While this is a good result, we know we can do even better! Punctuality is a key life skill, and arriving on time for class has a huge impact on your child’s learning.
Arriving on time allows students to settle in, prepare for the day, and connect with their friends and teacher. It helps them develop positive habits, time management skills, and a sense of responsibility—all of which are crucial for their future success. We encourage everyone to work together to ensure our students start each day ready and on time for learning. The school is open at 8.30am and the bell for the start of class is 8.50am.
Important dates and Reminders
Term 3: Monday 14 July – Friday 19 September
Term 3 dates:
13 August – ICAS English
21 August ICAS Science
22 August – Grandparents Day
28 August – ICAS Maths
28 August – Daffodil Day
1 September – Curriculum Day (Teacher Only Day)
4 September – Māori and Pasifika Whanau Hui
11 September – Chinese Parent meeting
11 September – Silly Socks day and Pizza lunch day
15- 19 Māori Language week
17 and 19 September – Student Led Conferences
Bizzy Bodz School Holiday programme will be run from Wakaaranga School please click on the link for more information.
