Tēnā Koutou, Talofa Lava, Malo e Lelei, Namaste, Ni sa bula, Noaia’e mauri, Fakalofa lahi atu, Kia Orana, Ni Hao, An Nyung Ha Sai Yo, Nay Ho, Hej, Hallo, Sawat Dee, Cześć, Goeie Dag, សួស្តី, Здравствуйте, hola, 안녕하세요Greetings to our school families.

It’s starting to feel like we are really getting into our groove now, with teaching and learning programmes well underway and planning for big school events happening. Please keep an eye out next week for details about a Literacy Information Evening for parents and whanau on Weds 13 March. There always seems to be a stream of inconsistent and incorrect information in the media about what schools teach. Come along and find out what actually goes on, and how you can support your children in their learning.

Winter activities are starting to ramp up in preparation also – please check the bottom of this newsletter, and our Facebook page, for all sorts of sports and activities that your child might like to register for.

Ngā mihi nui,

Kathryn Ramel

Principal

School Diary

Week 6: 4 Mar – 8 Mar

  • Weds 6.3 Year 5 Camp Parent Meeting, 5.15pm Nikau 2
  • Fri 8.3  Cultural Friday Practices (Kapa Haka & Cultural Group). Pizza/Juicies Lunch

Week 7: 11 Mar – 15 Mar

  • Wed 13.3  Literacy Information Evening for parents & whanau – more info to come
  • Thurs 14.3 Inter School Swimming – Year 4-6 competitive students only
  • Friday 15.3  Whole School Assembly, Pizza/Juicies Lunch

Week 8: 18 Mar – 22 Mar

  • Tues 19.3 Fun Rugby Skills Sessions with North Harbour Rugby, Year 5 Girls Rugby Session  9.00am – 10.00am, Year 6 Girls Rugby Session 10.00am – 11.00am
  • Fri 22.3 Cultural Friday Practices (Kapa Haka & Cultural Group). Pizza/Juicies Lunch

Welcome to our new students – we hope you enjoy your time at our school!

Caden D, Ruby H and Kaea S

Congratulations to our 2024 School Council!

House Captains
Kiki E  & Beau K (Cutters)
Darcy B & Gwen P-B (Dories)
Fergus H & Zahria B (Schooners)
Tatum F & Carter J (Scows)
Head Peer Mediators
Paeton K-H, Emily T, Alexis C, Macdara B
Head AV Monitors
Ciera M, Locky T, Amelie C, Grace C, Oscar G
Head Librarian
Helena H, Jessica T, Summah A, Braxton P
Head Travelwise
Cora F, Aston B, Jack H, Sammy T
Would you like to come and share knowledge of your culture with us?
Last year our Cultural Performance Group performed a wonderful Samoan Sasa for us at our Prize Giving. We would really love to recognise other cultures as well in our performance group. Do you have some time and knowledge that you could gift us to support our tamariki to learn songs, dances or other areas of performance from your culture? We can offer teacher support to help you. Don’t worry if you haven’t done this before – it’s a fun and relaxed opportunity to learn together. Our cultural Group practices every second Friday afternoon, at 2:10pm, starting next week.
Kapa Haka practices starting again – Fri afternoons
Our Kapa Haka Roopu will start practices again next Friday. Practices are every second Friday afternoon, straight after lunch. No experience necessary, but students do have to commit on a term by term basis (they can “try” for a few sessions first). For further information please contact:
Senior (Yr 3-6) Roopu – Kathryn Ramel, Principal
Junior (Yr 0-2) Roopu – Rachel Waterhouse in Rimu 1
Kapa Haka is fun- everyone is welcome.
Performing Arts Club – Weds Lunchtimes

Are you interested in the performing arts? Do you need a space in which to practise your singing solo, dance routine or magic act? Then
come and join the PA Club, held in the Hall every Wednesday at lunchtime for Years 4-6 students. Come with an idea of what you would
like to practise and we’ll give you the space and the time. Sign up sheet is outside of Rata 1. For further information, or questions, please contact Mrs Jess Supernault in Rātā 1.

Another thanks to Mitre10 for their Hammer Donation
Who knew hammers were so popular?! Massive thanks again to Mitre 10 for their donation of 60 hammers as advertised in our last newsletter. These sold in a couple of days, raising $2,400 for our school. We are so appreciative of your support!

School Sharing Garden

Dear Snells Beach Whānau

The vegetables in our school garden have grown well over the summer break and we would like to share them with our community. At the moment we have pumpkins, spring onions and baby tomatoes outside the school office in the sharing pantry. Pātaka Kai, which means storehouse or pantry in te reo Māori, is a place where people can leave food for other people to take for free.

The idea surrounding this sharing pantry is “take what you need, leave what you can”. So if you have excess fruit on your trees like lemons, apples, figs etc or crops in your garden, consider placing them in our sharing pantry for others to enjoy.

Strategic Aims Feedback – A Message from the SBS Board

Thanks for those who took the time either via the link in the last newsletter (& via your emails), or in person, to provide feedback on the Board’s Strategic Aims. This was overwhelmingly supportive. Two points suggested which the Board will be acting on are:

  • using individual texts to notify parents in case of Emergency Closure (eg: Bomb Threat), as well as our usual avenues of communication. We try to push the same messages through multiple streams of communication: app, email, Facebook etc to contact people as quickly as we can. Text is a very expensive option (schools pay per text), but in those extreme circumstances, we will add this in as well. 
  • the purchase of some “old school” type climbing frames for the Middle School kids in particular, to use. SBS staff repeatedly ask kids not to swing on the handrails heading down between Manawa & Puriri Blocks but, well, kids love swinging on rails! So we will provide an alternative place to do this that is not over the concrete.

Junior School Swimming/Water Confidence

What a great summer we have had for swimming! We love teaching our kids to have fun, but be safe, in our local environment. As locals, it’s so easy to overlook how beautiful our nearby beaches are. We wanted to say a huge thank you to all parents and whanau who have come along to assist with our junior swimming and water confidence programme. Our Middle School students will have swimming lessons in a pool with instructors in Term 4 & our Senior Students do Water Safety & Survival in Term 4 also.

Reminder: Year 5 Camp Meeting 2024

We’ve scheduled a meeting time for all Year 5 parents to go over all things Year 5 Camp. This will be in Nikau 2 from 5.15pm next Wednesday 6 March.

Previously, our Year 5 Camp has been held at Peter Snell Youth Village in Whangaparaoa, however this now has new owners who were unable to confirm our booking for this year. We have been incredibly lucky that a sought after slot has come available at Camp Bentzon on Kawau Island. Miss Ramel & Mr Port went over to the island last week to conduct a safety and planning check – they came back buzzing & can’t wait for our kids to go there!

Bottle Caps Please!

Did you know that you can’t put bottle tops (off milk etc) into the recycling any more? It’s ok – we would like them please! Any colours or sizes, but plastic please. Drop them into the office or Rātā 2. 

 

Keeping in touch – communication is key

In current times more that ever, keeping in touch is important. We need to be able to contact whanau quickly and efficiently. If you have changed address or contact details, please let us know asap, either via email admin@snellsbeach.school.nz, or by calling the school office 09 425 6058. 

  • Following our school Facebook page or Instagram

“Snells Beach School”, which operate as a digital newsletters. This is a great way to get quick updates and reminders. We post reminders and notices on Facebook – Instagram is more quick updates and snapshots of school life

  • Downloading our School App

Simply download the “Skool Loop” app from either App Store or Play Store & select “Snells Beach School” from the drop down box to receive instant notifications & reminders. This is an effective way to get immediate notices – they will pop up direct to your phone. Mahurangi College use the same app which is useful – just use the drop down box to change schools.

  • Subscribing to our school email database

Please email us admin@snellsbeach.school.nz to be added to the list. If you do not receive this newsletter via email on Friday afternoon, you are NOT in our database. All new families should have been added – please check. You can unsubscribe at any time.

  • School Newsletters

We do not usually print newsletters– just the first one each term while people update their contact details if needed. They are emailed out or linked to our school Facebook page. School newsletters come out once a fortnight – teachers may send home additional class or team messages at other times.

  • Staff Emails

All SBS staff emails are available via our website. Our main email is admin@snellsbeach.school.nz

After School Activities

Toukon Ryu Karate
Classes Starting again at SNELLS BEACH SCHOOL next TUESDAY THE 5th MARCH 2024, 6.30 – 7.30PM.
My name is Paul Hart and I am the Founder and Chief Instructor of Toukon Ryu Karate New Zealand; affiliated to JKF (Gojukai Japanese Karate Federation). I have been involved with Martial Arts for over 35 years. I have studied Goju Ryu Karate for the past 26 years and I have been teaching a variety of students from the age of 5 through to students in their 80s!
I’m very excited to be bringing karate to the local community.
Karate is the ideal sport/activity for kids and adults alike. In today’s world it is vital that we equip ourselves, and especially our children, with self defence skills. Karate helps promotes self-confidence, balance, fitness, co-ordination, discipline, courtesy, health and wellness, responsibility, and will power. Children may start training in Toukon Ryu Karate as young as 5 years of age.
I hope to see all the students again from last year, but also all Beginners are welcome to come along and have a go. Uniforms are called a ” Gi ” pronounced ” Gee ” – parents will need to purchase one which they can do through Paul if they wish.
All other information regarding joining etc will be supplied at the class or feel free to txt Sensei Paul on 021 297 2431
FB toukon ryu karate
I look forward to seeing you
Winter Hockey 

Rugby

Football

Performing arts

Coding Lessons

 

Community events

Seaweek events at the Mahurangi East Library

Get intouch with your creative side, let’s upcycle items into sea creatures!
Saturday 9 March, kicking of with an interactive education session @ 10 am
Drop-in crafts session from 10:30 to 3pm
Join Shelly from Tinker Designs at Mahurangi East Library to create sea creature artwork from upcycled materials! Get creative creating 3D collages and sculptures of your favourite sea creatures, or relax with some mindfulness sea creatures colouring-in pages.
This craft session at Mahurangi East Library is preceded by the Wonderful World of Marine Food Webs marine education session led by MERC educators, starting at 10 am.
There is also an opportunity for your creations to be part of a sea creature art installation at Matakana Cinemas!
Cost: Free
Location: The Betty Paxton Room, Mahurangi East Community Center 22 Hamatana Rd Snells Beach

 

Local businesses

FAMILY WELLNESS AUTUMN SPECIAL
Snells Chiro is offering a 50% discount on initial consultations for Snells Beach families for the month of March at just $47, this includes a health history and first chiropractic adjustments.
Dr Sarah Solley offers relational and gentle chiropractic care for the whole family. She is a parent of Snells beach school and wanted to offer something to help the families of the school as things get rolling for the year, chiropractic can help with injuries (ACC), posture and health goals. Function at your best this year.
Book online at www.snellschiro.co.nz or call Sarah on 0221763325
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