Newsletter 1 - Term 1
Principal’s Message
Kia ora koutou katoa,
Dear Parents and Whānau,
A very warm welcome back to all our returning families and a special "hello" to those joining our Pigeon Mountain Primary School community for the first time. It has been wonderful to see the school grounds come alive today with the energy and smiles of our students.
As we embark on this new year, our core values of Excellence, Respect, Resilience, and Responsibility continue to guide us. These values, alongside our motto—"Education with a Heart"—remain at the very center of everything we do.
Our Strategic Vision
I want to extend a sincere thank you to the parents, staff, and students who contributed to our strategic planning through surveys and interviews last year. Your voice was essential in shaping our path forward. Our strategic goals for the coming years are:
Learning: Delivering the best possible learning experiences so all students are highly engaged and successful.
Wellbeing: Building a whole-school approach where everyone feels safe, supported, and well.
Community: Creating strong connections with our families so our school welcomes, celebrates, and learns from everyone’s unique background.
Setting the Stage for Success
To ensure we hit the ground running, our staff participated in several productive Teacher Only Days recently. These sessions were incredibly valuable and included:
Safety First: All staff completed a comprehensive First Aid qualification.
Smooth Transitions: Dedicated time was spent on "positive transition" sessions, where teachers learned about the specific needs and strengths of every student in their new class.
Professional Growth: We explored how Assessment for Learning supports student achievement and enjoyed an inspiring visual arts session with local artist Amber Adams.
Partnerships: Our "Meet the Teacher" conferences have already been invaluable in strengthening the home-school bond from day one.
Connecting at Home
I hope your children have had a positive first day! Sometimes, asking "How was school?" results in a one-word answer. To get the conversation flowing, you might try asking:
"What is one thing that made you laugh today?"
"What was the most interesting thing your teacher said?"
"Who did you play with at lunchtime?"
"What is one thing you are looking forward to doing tomorrow?"
My Open Door Policy
I feel incredibly lucky to be the Principal of such a vibrant and caring school. While I encourage you to touch base with your child’s classroom teacher as a first point of contact, please know that I maintain an open-door policy. I am always happy to make time to meet with parents and hear your thoughts.
I am truly looking forward to a fantastic year of growth and learning together.
Ngā mihi nui,
Phebe Rossiter
Principal
Pigeon Mountain Primary School
Student Achievement and Celebration
Meet the teacher Conferences: It was wonderful to see so many of you at our Meet the Teacher conferences yesterday! This was a vital opportunity for you and your child to connect with their new teacher, find their classroom, and share those personal insights—like your child’s strengths, learning style, and anything else you feel is important for us to know. As education consultant Mark Osborne notes, these sessions are about "strengthening the home-school partnership" and building that "magic triangle" between the child, the teacher, and the family. Research consistently shows that when we work together, our students achieve much better outcomes. It was such a positive, lovely start to the year that we already plan to make this a permanent fixture in our calendar for next year!
Whanau picnic: Our Whanau Picnic is just around the corner, and we would love to see you all there! Please mark your calendars for Thursday, 12 February, from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The picnic is a fantastic, relaxed opportunity to come onto the school grounds, catch up with teachers, and watch the children enjoy playing games with their classmates on the field. Simply pack a picnic, bring the family, and join us for a fun evening of community connection. Keep an eye out for more information coming your way soon!
School News and Announcements
Out-of-Zone enrolments for 2026
Our Ballot for students starting in Term 2 closes tomorrow. If you would like to join the Pigeon Mountain family please register for the ballot today.
Out-of Zone enrolment: At Pigeon Mountain School, we live by our motto: Education with a heart. We are delighted to continue serving our community and welcoming new students to our nurturing environment.
We currently have a few places available for students entering Year 0 throughout the 2026 school year. As per Ministry of Education guidelines, if the number of Out-of-Zone applications exceeds the number of places available, a ballot must be held.
For families planning entry for 2026, please note the following eligibility cut-off dates based on a child's 5th birthday: Your child can start in Term 2 if their 5th birthday is after 20 April, Term 3 if their birthday is after 20 July and Term 4 if their birthday is after 12 October.
We have scheduled three ballots for the remainder of 2026 to ensure fair access to these limited places. We encourage all interested families who reside outside our school zone to submit their applications by the respective closing dates:
Ballot Term Application Closing Date Ballot Date
Term 2 Wednesday 4 February 2026 Wednesday 11 February 2026
Term 3 Wednesday 22 April 2026 Wednesday 29 April 2026
Term 4 Wednesday 22 July 2026 Wednesday 29 July 2026
How to Apply: Please email enrolment@pmps.school.nz for further details regarding your child’s Year 0 enrolment at our school.
An Online enrolment application form and details regarding the priority of enrolment categories are available on the school website or from the school office. Please ensure your application reaches us by the closing date for the term you wish to apply for.
We look forward to welcoming the newest members of our school family.
Is your child turning 5 in 2026?
To help us plan for staff and classrooms this year please contact the office to enroll your child if they are turning 5 and starting school this year.
Staff for 2026
We are really pleased to share that we are fully staffed for the year ahead.
Staff 2026
Formal welcome: We would like to host a Mihi Whakatau (formal welcome assembly) to all our new staff and students on Thursday 5 February at 10.00am. All new staff, students and their families will meet by the library at 9.50am ready to be welcomed into Pigeon Mountain Primary school. This will be a special welcome ceremony followed by tea, coffee, biscuits. If you would like to attend you don't need to RSVP, just meet us on the day.
Academic Excellence: 2026 Roadmap
We are dedicated to providing high-quality teaching and learning programs. This year, we are continuing to embed best practice across our core subjects to ensure every student succeeds.
Mathematics
We are utilising the Maths — No Problem! series to supplement our curriculum. This approach focuses on deep understanding through problem-solving and visual tools.
Extension Program: Starting later this term, led by Mrs. Phebe Rossiter and Mrs. Mandy Attard.
Structured Literacy
Our school-wide literacy program is supported by Liz Kane Literacy and BSLA (Better Start Literacy Approach). These programs provide a systematic, research-backed foundation for reading and writing.
Continuous Teacher Growth
Last year, our staff underwent intensive professional learning in the "Big Three" (Reading, Writing, and Maths). We are maintaining that momentum with ongoing professional development throughout 2026 to keep our teaching standards at the highest level.
New Targeted Support Position
We are thrilled to announce a new dedicated teaching role focused on intensive additional support. Mrs Sarah Tallack will work with small groups in both Maths and English, providing the focused attention necessary for students to truly thrive.
Connecting With Our Classrooms
We value the partnership between home and school. Please mark your calendars for our Open Mornings, where you can hear about our goals and see the learning environment in action.
Date Time Focus Area
Friday, 19 June 9:00 - 10:30am Maths Open Morning
Friday, 16 October 9:00 - 10:30am English (Reading & Writing) Open Morning
Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L): Our focus for our weekly PB4L lessons over the next two weeks will be turning our school values into positive "I Can" statements, ensuring everyone knows exactly how to succeed and contribute to a great class environment. For example under our value of Respect an ‘I Can’ statement might be I can use kind words.
We are also beginning our Value Heart system for the year. Students receive Value Hearts when they are "caught in the act" of showing our school values, which they then add to their team's collection. Every heart counts toward a total tally; the team with the most hearts at the end of the term will celebrate with a special reward they have already helped choose. It is a wonderful way to see our values in action across the whole school!
Drop-off & Pick-up: To ensure the safety of our students and a smooth start to the morning, please note our drop-off and pick-up routines.
Students may arrive from 8:15am via either the Wells Road or Loloma Drive entrances; those arriving before 8:30am are asked to wait under the Tiger Turf. At 8:30 am, students can head to their classrooms to organise their gear for the day before choosing to play quietly inside or burn off some energy on the field or playground. It is essential that all students are in their classrooms ready to learn by 8:45 am.
For afternoon pick-up, please be aware that traffic is exceptionally heavy in our area due to our proximity to Macleans College and Bucklands Beach Intermediate. We ask that you be extra mindful of our neighbors by ensuring you do not park over driveways or on the curb. Thank you for your patience and for helping us keep our community safe during these busy times.
School uniform: Please see our website. Our school uniform can be purchased from John Russell Schoolwear in Howick.
General Uniform Guidelines:
Polo shirts: Long-sleeved or short-sleeved polo shirts may be worn all year round.
Trousers: Available as an option during the cooler months (Terms 2 and 3).
Fleece: School fleece jackets can be worn year-round.
Footwear: Black or navy lace-up or Velcro school shoes, worn with navy socks or tights.
Please note: Sports shoes or branded footwear are not to be worn as school shoes.Hats: A hat must be worn in term 1 and 4. If your child does not have a hat they will be asked to play in the shaded areas.
PE Uniform:
Students in Years 3–6 are required to wear PE gear in their house colour on sports and PE days. Your child’s class teacher will be able to let you know which house they are in if you are not sure.
Thank you for helping us maintain high standards and pride in our school community.
Communication Channels: Maintaining clear and open communication is vital for your child’s success. As a parent, your first point of contact should always be your child's classroom teacher; they know your child best and are most likely to have the answers you need. You can stay connected through ClassDojo, where teachers share important updates and provide a direct messaging feature. Alternatively, you are welcome to email them. While teachers are often available for a quick chat before or after school, please email to organize a formal meeting if you require more detailed information.
Should you need further support, our Team Leaders are available to assist. Our Deputy Principals, who also hold the SENCo portfolio, are the next point of contact for concerns regarding learning support, health, or behavior.
For general information, our school website is a comprehensive resource, and our school newsletter is sent out every second week.
We also host a school WeChat account—if you are interested in joining this community, please join up to WeChat and scan the barcode below and one of our Board members will invite you to the WeChat group .
Parent WeChat Group Announcement
家长微信群公告
1. Please change your individual
nickname to Room number+ Child’s Name + mum/Dad. The school will verify this
information.
请改昵称为：教室号码+孩子名字+ 爸爸/妈妈。学校将核对信息。
2. This group is only for sharing
school-related information, including:
本群仅用于分享与学校相关的信息，包括：
• School notices 学校通知
• Event arrangements 活动安排
• Learning matters 学习事项
• Communication between parents regarding school issues 家长之间与学校相关的沟通
3. Prohibited content:
以下内容禁止发布：
• Advertisements / commercial promotions 广告或商业推广
• Political statements 政治言论
• Non-school-related content or spamming 与学校无关的信息或刷屏
• Unfriendly or controversial remarks 不友善或引起争议的言论
Thank you for your cooperation.
Let’s work together to maintain a positive and safe communication environment!
感谢您的配合，让我们共同维护积极、安全的沟通环境！
Hello everyone, we are very pleased that our official parent group has been re-established!
This means that our Asian parents now have a better platform to access school information and a more direct channel to communicate with the school. We hope this group will become a strong bridge between home and school, providing more support for the overall development of our students.
A brief introduction: we currently have two principals in the group (Mrs Rossiter and Miss King), as well as three Chinese BOT members (Ruiling, Yongchun, and myself). As we all have full-time jobs and the principals are also very busy, you are welcome to ask questions in either English or Chinese, and we kindly ask for your patience while waiting for responses. Your child’s classroom teacher is your first point of contact. We also warmly welcome enthusiastic parents to help answer questions so we can create an efficient, friendly, and supportive communication space together.
大家好，非常高兴我们的官方群重新建立起来！
这意味着亚裔家长将拥有一个更便捷的平台了解学校信息，也有一个更直接的渠道与校方沟通。希望这个平台能成为家校之间的重要纽带，为学生的全面发展提供更多支持。
先做一个简单介绍：目前群里有两位校长（Mrs Rossiter 和 Miss King），以及三位华人校董（Ruiling、Yongchun 和我）。由于我们都有全职工作，校长们的日程也非常繁忙，欢迎大家用中文或英文提出问题，也请大家耐心等待回复。班级老师是你的第一联系人。同时，我们非常欢迎热心家长一起参与解答，共同营造一个高效、友好、互助的交流空间
Road patrol: Our Road Patrol programme has begun this week. We are still seeking parents and caregivers who can support this important initiative by volunteering for either a morning or an afternoon each week. Your help is vital in keeping our school community safe.
For more information, please email our Deputy Principal, Susie Allen: susiea@pmps.school.nz
Attendance Information
Our attendance goal remains focused on seeing 80% of our students attending school regularly. We are incredibly pleased with our Term 4 summary, which showed 76% regular attendance. This is a fantastic trend, and we truly appreciate your honesty and commitment to ensuring your children are here and ready to learn every day.
In light of our upcoming celebrations, Pigeon Mountain Primary School was recently asked to provide feedback for an RNZ news article regarding Lunar New Year and school attendance. It highlights the balance between cultural celebrations and classroom time. You are welcome to read the full article here: Auckland schools fear uptick in Lunar New Year absences.
Important Dates and Reminders
Term Dates
Term 1: Tuesday 3rd February - Thursday 2nd April
Waitangi Day Holiday - Friday 6th February
ANZAC Day Public Holiday - Monday 27th April
Term 2: Monday 20th April - Friday 3rd July
King’s Birthday - Monday 1st June
Curriculum day (Teacher Only Day) 29th May
Term 3: Monday 20th July - Friday 25th September
Term 4: Monday 12th October - Tuesday 15 December
Curriculum Day (Teacher Only Day) Friday 23rd October
Labour Day – Monday 26th October
Important event dates at Pigeon Mountain Primary School:
Term 1:
4 February 6:00pm - Year 6 Camp Parent Information Evening - Hall
12 February 5.00pm- 6.00pm: Whanau/family picnic
Monday 16 February - Friday 19 February: Lunar New Year celebrations
Friday 27 February: Cultural Day
Wednesday 4 March 3.30 - 5.00: Maori and Pasifika Whanau Hui
Tuesday 10 - Friday 13 March: Year 6 camp and Lakewood Lodge
Thursday 26 March 1.30 - 8.00pm: 3 Way conferences
Term 2
Week 1-5 Knowledge-athon Fundraiser
Thursday 23 April - Friday 24 April: Year 5 camp at Willow park
Friday 1 May 11.00 - 12.30pm: Grandparents day
Friday 19 June 9.00 - 10.30am: Maths open morning
Monday 29 June - Friday 3 July: Matariki week celebrations
Thursday 2 July: Matariki Noho (Overnight experience and Hikoi)
Term 3
Wednesday 16 September 3.30 - 5.30pm: Student led Conferences and Art Exhibition
Thursday 17 September 3.30 - 5.30pm: Student led Conferences and Art Exhibition
TBC - Maori and Pasifika Whanau Hui
Term 4
Friday 16 October 9.00 - 10.30am: English (Reading and writing) open morning
Monday 19 Oct - Friday 23 Oct: Book week
Thursday 22 October: Book character Parade
TBC - Wheels Day
TBC - Year 6 Fun day
TBC - Prizegiving and Year 6 Graduation
