25 July 2023

Kia Ora Parents and whanau.

I trust everybody is keeping warm during these frosty times.

Term three is a very busy term with no holidays set for the term.

Year 9-13 conferences will be held in the Whare Toi which is best accessed through the Te Rangitautahanga Road entrance.

With some of our students, we are having an issue with them arriving at school on time. I am asking that parents reinforce the point that school starts at 8.45 and that all students should be at school by that time. Your support here would be much appreciated.

We also have a Teacher Only Day planned for Wednesday 16th August which is one of the Curriculum Refresh Days organized by the Ministry of Education. This means that the school will be closed for instruction on that day for staff to participate in professional development around the new curriculum.

Please do not send your children to school on that day.

The building work around the school is progressing well with us hopefully having the Technology block back in operation next term and the new Secondary building available at the beginning of 2024.

The new Junior block is still in the planning stages and will be a little way off so those classes will remain in the prefabs at the front of the school for a little longer than expected.

Nga mihi

Steve Allen

Principal Tongariro School

13th June 2023

Kia Ora Parents and whanau.

It is so nice to finally have some sun to enjoy rather than the continual wet weather we have been having.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our community for their continued support and forbearance with regard to the ongoing industrial action being undertaken by PPTA. The union is quite within their right to take this action but I also acknowledge that it does interfere with ongoing teaching and learning programmes.

This Friday a combined Tongariro School, Te Kura o Hirangi and Ngapuke School Kapa Haka group will be performing at the Te Arawa Kura Tuarua Kapa Haka Whakataetae o Rohe. Their performance begins at 1.30 pm and if whanau want to get tickets, they are available at Ticketmaster for Friday session 2. Good luck to the group who have been learning and practicing for months with many weekend sessions.

Please note the following the School Board has received this week.

The Executive of the Post Primary Teachers’ Association has directed members covered by the Secondary Teachers' Collective Agreement (STCA) and the Area School Teachers' Collective Agreement (ASTCA) to attend regional paid union meetings (PUM) held under the provisions of Section 26 of the Employment Relations Act 2000.

The Executive will be briefing members on latest developments in the negotiations of the STCA and ASTCA.

The meeting for our school (Years 9-13 teachers) will be held on Thursday 29 June at Taupo-nui-a-tia College beginning at 1.30 pm. The organisation of our school on this day will be as follows.

1. 1.  A normal school morning for periods 1-4.  All students will attend school.

   2.  We have been able to organise with the School Lunches contractor to bring forward the lunchtime to 12.15 pm instead of 1.15.

   3.  Once lunch has finished at about 12.30 pm. All students will be sent home except for bus students who will remain at school until normal bus time and will be supervised by non-union staff.

   4.  This means that on Thursday 29 June there will be no period 5 for Years 9-13 students.

   5.  Years 1-8 students will have a normal school day except for the school lunch time changing to 12.15 pm.

Nga mihi nui,

Steve Allen

Principal – Tongariro School