Newsletter 15 - Term 4
Principal’s Message
Dear Parents and Whānau,
Welcome back to Term 4. I hope you all had a restful break and are ready for what promises to be a busy, action-packed, and exciting final term of the year.
We have a wonderful lineup of events ahead, including Book Week, Athletics Day, Wheels Day, Junior Water Fun Day, our end-of-year Prize Givings, and our final Celebration Assembly on our last day of school, Tuesday, 15 December.
This term, we have two Curriculum Days scheduled. These days are essential for our school as they allow our entire teaching staff to collaborate and ensure that the new curriculum in Mathematics and Writing is being consistently implemented across all year levels to deliver high-quality teaching and learning. Please note that children will need to remain at home on these two days - Friday 23 October and Friday 6 November.
Our school motto, “Education with a Heart,” is something I see brought to life every single day. We are fortunate to have a vibrant, happy, and settled staff. In a recent staff survey, 93% of respondents rated our current workplace culture a 4 or 5 out of 5 for inclusivity, with no respondents rating it a 1 or 2.
That same heart is reflected in our students. Towards the end of last term, when several new students joined our school, I watched with pride as their classmates immediately rushed over, eager to introduce themselves and volunteer as buddies. It is this natural kindness and care that makes our school such a special place to learn.
We pride ourselves on academic excellence. Throughout Term 4, our dedicated staff and hard-working students will be focused on ensuring every child can demonstrate their very best learning in preparation for our end of year reports.
Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. Let’s make this final term a fantastic success for all our learners!
Warm regards,
Ngā mihi nui,
Phebe Rossiter
Principal
Pigeon Mountain Primary School
Student Achievement and Celebration
Chess:
A huge congratulations to our Chess team who competed on 26 and 27 September in the nationwide chess tournament. The team placed 3rd out of 32 teams from across New Zealand. Hayden won best of Board 2 and Kayley was MVP of Board 4.
School News and Announcements
PB4L: This week our lesson focuses on learning to make good choices. Students are exploring how every decision, big or small, has an impact on themselves and those around them. Students are practising pausing and reflecting on whether a choice is kind, safe, fair and helpful before acting. Classes are discovering that while choices have consequences, making mistakes is simply a valuable opportunity to grow.
Enrolment: Our Ballot for Out-of-Zone students closes on 14 October. If we have more applications than places available a ballot will be held on 21 October. If you are interested in applying please email enrolment@pmps.school.nz and you will be sent a form to complete.
Action required! If you have a child turning 5 at any time in 2027 please ensure that you have completed the enrolment form so we know how many out-of-zone places are available. It is really easy to complete an in-zone enrolment and you complete the form online via our website.
Bikes and Scooters: As a proud Travelwise School, we love seeing our students stay active by riding their bikes and scooters to school! To keep our paths safe and ensure everyone enjoys a smooth ride, we require all students who roll to school to complete a School Wheels License.
This license must be filled out together by a parent/guardian and student so that both understand and agree to our safety expectations.
Ready to ride? Please complete the online agreement before your child brings their bike or scooter to school. https://forms.gle/Cjt4tNGWy8N8nh4n6
Friday Freeze: This term our Friday Freeze will be up and running. You can purchase tickets on KINDO and then on Friday your child will be able to pick up an iceblock from the tiger turf. This new fundraiser is to raise money to enhance our playground areas.
Book week parade: On Wednesday 21 October we will have a book character parade. Your child will need to come dressed as their favourite book character.
Classes for 2027: We will be starting the process for organising our classes for 2027 very shortly. Next year all classes will have only 1 year group and our teachers and school leaders use an online tool to ensure that every child has a friend from their current class. Keep an eye out later this week for our optional student placement form. This is your opportunity to share crucial information regarding your child’s needs, such as ongoing social challenges or specific learning and behavioural considerations. Please keep in mind that we cannot accept requests for specific teachers or friends, but we value your insight into factors that will support your child’s success.
Year 6 Graduation: Remember to order your graduation Bear before Thursday 22 October.
Yearbook: Our annual yearbook is the ultimate keepsake, capturing the energy, achievements, and unforgettable moments of the past school year. Inside, you’ll find dedicated pages for every class, along with special features spotlighting our sports teams, cultural clubs, and Prize Giving award winners. Copies are available to order now via KINDO before Friday 20 November.
Hats for Term 4: As we head into Term 4, please remember that sun-smart habits are back in full swing. All students will be required to wear their school hats during outdoor activities, morning tea, and lunchtime. With a hot summer on the horizon, hats, sunscreen, and daily water bottles will be essential for keeping everyone safe and hydrated. Please take some time over the upcoming break to hunt down your child’s hat and make sure it is clearly labeled with their name.
After school routine: A friendly reminder to all families that students must leave the school grounds by 3:15 PM unless they are directly supervised by an adult.
If you are staying to enjoy the playground after hours, you are more than welcome—we just ask that you remain with your child to ensure their safety. For students who need care after 3:15 PM, BizzyBodz offers on-site supervision every afternoon until 6:00 PM. Please reach out to them directly to arrange a placement.
Attendance Information
This term there has been a lot of sickness in our community and this is reflected in our term 3 attendance summary. 74% of students had regular attendance. Our goal is for 80% of students to have regular attendance so it is still a good result. We are very proud to say that 94% of students are arriving on-time regularly. Hopefully as we move into the summer months there will be less sickness and we can improve our attendance results. Please note that our last day of school is Tuesday 15 December at 12.30pm. We really encourage students to stay at school for the whole term.
Property
As you can see our new Admin block is well underway. At this stage the construction team is on track and we can't wait to move into our new space. This week, an article about our new admin building featured in the Howick and Pakuranga times. I know some students and families were surprised by the cost. Due to our current admin building being wet, damp and leaky the cost of the new admin building will be paid for by the Ministry of Education.
A huge thank you to our school community, our fundraising this year has meant that early this term we will be able to install 3 new basketball hoops.
Important Dates and Reminders
Term Dates
Term 4: Monday 12th October - Tuesday 15 December
Curriculum Day (Teacher Only Day) Friday 23rd October
Labour Day – Monday 26th October
Curriculum Day (Teacher Only Day) Friday 6 November
Important event dates at Pigeon Mountain Primary School:
Please check our school website which has a link to our Pigeon Mountain Community Calendar
Community Notices
Art with Janet
PMPS Wednesday after school art class
Art class: drawing. painting. oil pastels drawing
Day: Wednesday
Time: 3.15pm-4.15pm
Fee: $17 per hour
Classroom: Room 23
Please phone: 027-6555574 Janet
Email: janeto@xtra.co.nz
