Thank you for the prompt return of the code of conduct agreements for students travelling on the school bus.  

Also thank you to everyone who has offered to support our new programme of Garden to Table. We are very excited about the opportunities this will provide our tamariki and will be keen to extend this if successful in 2024 to other classes. Volunteers are always needed for various things throughout the year and we appreciate it a lot when ever people are available to support. 

Today, Tuesday 21 February, the annual Commemoration of Rangiaowhia is being held.  Some of our students are attending and will stay for the morning as this is an important part of our local history which all out students will be learning about. 

The Primary School's Teachers and Principal's will be restarting their collective agreement negotiations. The current collective agreement expired in June last year  and since then we have been attempting to negotiate a new agreement. There are an alarming number of teachers and Principal's leaving the profession due to the many issues associated with workload, stress, low pay rates and high demands from external areas. For many of us, there is no incentive to stay in the education sector as there are other careers and jobs out there that can provide better options. Unless we can negotiate a better outcome for our future teachers then being able to staff a school might not be achievable which in turn leaves our children without the trained and qualified professionals we so desperately need right now.  This is why we are holding Paid union meetings over the coming week. At our school we have chosen not to close early at any time and are attending meetings at different times to minimise the disruption to you as parents. School remains open as normal this week. 

If you have information about a community event or club that you would like us to share, please feel free to send the office the details to include in the 'Community' section of this newsletter - office@kihikihi.school.nz

This newsletter includes a few bits of information for our new families including our policy about storing and administering medicine at school and some information about our school lunches programme.  Scroll down to find out more!  Happy reading.

We were so happy to see a big turn out for our first Whānau day this year. Thank you to all those who were able to attend and spend time with your children. It was a brief glimpse at what a small piece of the learning week looks like. Our aim was to help make you feel welcome in the school, have a chance to see what it was like in the class as well as get to meet the class teacher on an informal basis. 

There will be many more of these days throughout the year to help break the ice of getting to know you as a parent/whānau. The plan will be to hold these events at the start of each term either in week one or week two. Other formal meetings and creative celebrations of learning will also be scheduled throughout the term. The big goal is to regain whānau connections and involvement in the school with a variety of options available throughout the year. 

There were so many happy faces during the last whānau day and I know many of the students were super excited to know their whānau were attending on that day. 

Waipā District Council is in the early stages of developing Ahu Ake - Waipā Community Spatial Plan which will be a blueprint for our district for the next 30+ years.  This plan will have a direct impact on our future, and the future of our children and grandchildren and will be the most important plan we create.  Now the plan needs you.

Council will be coming to our school on Monday 27 February from 3.00pm - 4.00pm to speak with parents about what is important to them for the future of Kihikihi and the wider district.

There will also be entertainment for the kids and the chance to win some cool prizes. 

So, when picking up your children on the Monday, please feel free to stop at their event (they'll be on the tennis courts if it isn't raining or in the hall if it is) and have your say.

Council is also looking for your feedback on proposed new cycleways and walkways around Kihikihi which will make it safer and easier for residents to get around on foot or by bike.

Your feedback is a critical part of both these plans!  If you can't make it, they'll also be at the Kihikihi Town Hall from 5.30pm - 8.00pm that evening to speak with residents.  You can find more information about this project and have your say online here.

The Kihikihi Community Health Hub operates from the old dental clinic on the Kihikihi School grounds next to the admin block.  Entry is through the gate off Whitaker Street.

In 2023 during school term time, you will be able to get free medical care for your whānau on Wednesday mornings between 8.30am and 10.30am.  These are walk in clinics and no appointment is necessary.

Save time, save on travel and save money - FREE health checks and treatments for medical issues in Kihikihi - only at the Kihikihi Community Heath Hub.

Volunteers wanted for our kitchen and garden programme.

Our school is introducing the Garden to Table programme.  It's a unique and inspiring programme teaching our children how to grow and harvest produce grown in the school garden, to then be prepared and shared in the school kitchen.

For this to be successful, we need you!  This project relies on the support of volunteers to work with children in the garden and kitchen, sharing their experience, enthusiasm and knowledge.

You don't have to be an expert!  Our Garden and Kitchen Specialists are always on hand to provide expert advice and oversee the sessions.  You just need to be interested in helping children learn about growing food, cooking and sharing food, and enjoy working with children.

Have we talked you into it?  We'd love to hear from you.

Call and talk to Sandy Smith on 027 715 4460 or 870 6152 for more information.

We would also like to extend a big thank you to one of our sponsors GARDENA.  They have sent our school a tool pack to help us get started.  This includes hoses and fittings, gardening gloves and tools.  We really appreciate their support of the programme in our school!

At Kihikihi School we have a policy for storing and administering medication at school.  This policy applies to prescription and non-prescription medication. 

Parents are asked to administer student medication outside school hours when possible.  If a student requires medication during school hours, we only administer prescription medication to students whose parents/caregivers have completed a medicine authority form at the school office.

Medication must be delivered to the school by parents/caregivers, not by students and must be supplied in its original container/packaging labelled with the name of the student and dose required.  

For more information on medicines at school, please read the attached policy.

Kihikihi School is part of the government initiative - Ka Ora, Ka Ako - Healthy School Lunches Programme.

Our provider for school lunches is BiteLab.  You can check out their term 1 menu here.  Please remember to pack a small morning tea snack for your child also.  If your child does not like the lunches provided, they are welcome to bring their own from home.

Ka Ora, Ka Ako aims to reduce food insecurity by providing access to a nutritious lunch every day. The name Ka Ora, Ka Ako is about being healthy and well in order to be in a good place to learn. 

Research indicates that reducing food insecurity for children and young people:

You can read more about the programme here.