"Together we are lifelong CREST learners"
Principal's Message
Kia ora,
One real joy of my job is watching kids play when I’m on duty. I love watching them create games, enjoy each other’s company and get active. It’s a perfect score when they show how easy it is to be sun-safe when doing so.
Don’t stop reading just yet – this newsletter contains information on:
- The Board’s Outstanding Achievers Award – Last chance for nominations!
- Feedback from the Board’s survey of PBS Parents
- Pool re-painting project – we are halfway there with sponsorship funds!
- Dogs on our school grounds
Please, take the time to read the feedback from the Board’s parent survey in this newsletter. My staff and our Board appreciate all the positive feedback and are committed to addressing areas for improvement.
Ngā mihi nui,
Jess Ward
Principal – Tumuaki
P.S. Got a suggestion? Let us know through our online suggestion box.
PRINCIPAL’S C.R.E.S.T CORNER:
At PBS we champion our school C.R.E.S.T values in everything we do.
Curiosity. Respect. Excellence. Self Management. Teamwork
Last week, I had the pleasure of teaching in Room 19. I was so impressed to hear the 5-year-olds reminding each other about respect as they tidied up at the end of each session—specifically, respect for the items in their classroom. It was heartening to see these young learners applying the value of respect not just to people but to the world around them. Ka pai tamariki ma!
Welcome to Our Recent New Students
Isaac – Rm 18
Klara – Rm 18
Have You Checked Out Our Community Notices Directory?
Do you need to advertise your business, an upcoming event, need child care, or looking for a gift or new club to join? Check out the PBS Community Directory on our website https://kapiti.pbs.school.nz/
Board of Trustees Outstanding Achievement Award - Closing this week!
The purpose of this award is to acknowledge students who have achieved at a very high level of their chosen pursuit (academic, sporting, cultural, community service or other activities). It is intended to be used to promote these students as role models throughout the school community in a manner that encourages other children to look up to and strive to emulate. Students in Years 4-8 are eligible to be nominated for the award.
Official nomination forms are available from the school office or on the school website under ‘Board of Trustees’. They should be completed and returned as soon as possible. The nomination closing date is Friday, 22 November.
For further information on the awards process, please contact Assistant Principal Vicki Wilson during school hours on 298 5775.
Feedback from the Board's Survey of PBS Parents
Feedback from our Parent Survey (Term 3) highlighted strengths and areas for improvement at PBS. Below is an executive summary of the 165 responses received:
Communication
- Strengths: Parents gave positive feedback on receiving regular communications e.g. weekly newsletter Parents indicated a preference for receiving communications through email/SMS alerts
- Improvements: Parents want more advance notice of events, streamlined communication platforms, clearer syndicate updates
Reporting
- Strengths: Parents like the progress updates reports provide
- Improvements: Parents want more personalised, detailed, and frequent updates via school apps which are easier to navigate/understand
Parent Education Opportunities
- Parents showed an interest in learning more about maths, literacy and how to support their child/ren at home
- Parents indicated a preference for workshops and direction to online resources
- Parents indicated that they cannot always participate in such opportunities due to time, work commitments, and childcare challenges
Inclusivity & Culture
- Strengths: Survey feedback showed that celebrations like Matariki were well-received
- Improvements: Parents would like more consistent te reo use in all classrooms, expanded cultural events, and diverse classroom activities
CREST Values
- Strengths: Feedback highlighted that our school CREST values are visible across all aspects of school. Some families stated that they use CREST values at home too, which the Board and staff were delighted to hear
- Improvements: Parents would like increased communication, consistency, and modelling of values.
General Sentiment
- Overall Satisfaction: Many parents expressed happiness with the school, its environment, and their children’s progress, emphasising that PBS is meeting expectations
- Parents value the welcoming environment and student support. Events like Matariki and the Colour Run were appreciated, fostering a sense of community and belonging
- Acknowledgment of current efforts to celebrate cultural diversity and Te Ao Māori, with enthusiasm for expanding these initiatives
- Parents expressed a desire for a stronger academic focus as students progress into higher year levels
- Some feedback called for improved parent-staff interactions
In the new year, we will report to you on our plans to address areas for improvement. Many initiatives to deliver improvements are already underway, so we look forward to sharing these with you.
Thank you again for completing our survey; your feedback, overall, reinforces the school’s strengths in building a positive, inclusive, and community-centred environment.
From the Board - By Parent Representative Sam Direen
There are always such interesting and important issues to discuss at PBS Board meetings.
- At last week’s meeting, we delved into Term 3 syndicate reviews, analysed the staff and parent/caregiver survey and finalised three financial policies (amongst other things), all over a cup of tea and some chocolate!
- We also had a closer look at how we manage cash. PBS is mindful of carefully managing every dollar, so if we understand our cashflows well, we can put more cash to work until it’s needed and generate more income. Although the policy is still under development, the Board agreed on some basic cash management principles that could make us up to 10k additional revenue per year – money that is needed to help the school continue to thrive.
Using Māori Language at Home
Learning another language provides many benefits including greater academic achievement, greater cognitive development, and more positive attitudes towards other languages and cultures. So, let’s give it a go and help to revitalise this unique language to Aotearoa for our tamariki. Each week our newsletter will include words or phrases that you might like to try out at your kāinga/home.
Here are some essential kupu that you may hear ia ra (everyday)
Kīwaha (idiom)
A super simple saying that you can use in your everyday conversations.
Ka mau te wehi! (that is awesome)
Using the @School App
I will regularly highlight a button on the @school app. This week it is:
The Blog is where a student has published a piece of work they wish to share with the family. The number in the red bubble shows you how many blog posts have been published but have not yet been read. If you have not yet checked this feature out have a look.
On the caregiver app under each entry, there is an icon to download that blog. As Caregivers can download these and print your child’s blog.
Repainting the Pool - Your Support Will Help Us Make a Splash!
In term 2 this year I let you know about our project to sand-blast and repaint our much loved school pool. As only one of three schools on the Kapiti Coast still with a school pool, we are desperate to retain this resource.
The school has the funds to sandblast the pool interior but we’ve been seeking sponsorship from local businesses to cover the $16,000 epoxy painting costs. I’m delighted to let you know that we are half way there with funding. The following businesses have each donated $1000 to support us and we are so very grateful:
- Brosnan
- Contract Air Services Ltd
- Fun Zone Out of School Care
- JMac Contracting Ltd
- New World Kapiti
- Projex Electrical
- Property Brokers
- sKids
If your business is able to get us closer to our target please contact Marie on mbarfoote@pbs.school.nz and we will send you the sponsorship details for consideration. Thank you.
Student Success
Wow, PBS students have been hauling in the certificates for high achievement this year!
At our school, some of our students displaying special academic abilities undertake extra studies through Kōtui Ako – The Virtual Learning Network Aotearoa. This year their Kōtui Ako teachers have acknowledged the incredible work of Callum Rice in Physics and Emily Hamdan in Mathematics.
Congratulations on your wonderful achievements!
Dogs & Puppies at PBS
At PBS we have a number of authorised dogs and puppies that are allowed on school grounds during school time. There are special procedures for the owners/minders of these dogs and foster puppies, which help us ensure kids are safe, animals are treated well and the school grounds are not littered with poop.
However, we are finding dog poop on the field from time to time, which we know is not from our furry friends. This is really disappointing. It’s simply unacceptable for kids enjoying the playing fields to end up getting this on them. For this reason we encourage all dog users to make use of the Dog Park at Eatwell Reserve and not our school grounds.
Thank you.
Sport, Education, Community and Cultural Foundation (SECC)
Last week a lovely person from the SECC foundation dropped into our school with a big bag of sports equipment for use with our neurodiverse students. Absolutely amazing, they turned up out of the blue and caught us by surprise!
Ngā mihi nui to the foundation for their generosity and commitment to supporting tamariki being active and included.
Te Motu Camp 2025 Fundraiser
Friday, 22 November
$2 each
Yummy sausage and bread
Payment via KINDO
Fundraising for Te Motu Camp 2025
Interschool Athletics
Last Wednesday a team of Te Motu athletes attended the interschool athletics com-petition at the Paraparaumu Domain. They had a great day and we are very proud of all of their efforts, including a first placing in the Year 8 Girls Relay and a second placing in the Year 7 Boys Relay.
Congratulations to these students who qualified for the Regional competition in Wellington:
- Phoenix Tee – Long Jump
- Leo Holloway – High Jump
- Kade Gardiner – 100m, 200m, 1500m, Relay
- Holly McCullagh- Vortex, Shot Put, 100m, Relay
- Phoebe Corin – Discus, Shot Put, Long Jump
- Mia Thomson – Discus, High Jump, 200m, 1500m, Relay
- Corey Whitfield – Vortex
Fishing Gear Wanted
The Fishing Club are looking for any old fishing gear for salt water or fresh water you might have lying around, as one or two of the students don’t have rods.
Please email John Trask on jtrask@pbs.school.nz if you can help 🙂
Future Student Achievements
If your child has an achievement you would like us to share in our newsletter, then please send details (and a picture if you would like) to mbarfoote@pbs.school.nz
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