Tēnā koutou e te whānau

I would like to begin this newsletter acknowledging the service of Viv Van Veen to Arataki School. Viv has worked at Arataki School for over 30 years. At the end of this year, Viv will be retiring. Viv has taught countless children to read, write, spell over the years. For the past few years, Viv has led two specialist areas - Reading Recovery teaching and our Kindy Heroes programme. Viv is a ray of sunshine and colour around our school. She always has a smile and is extremely passionate about her work and Arataki School.
 

Christmas on the Field

How amazing was our Christmas on the Field last night. We were fortunate with the weather. It was great to celebrate the festive season with our families. I have enjoyed watching the children practise their performances over the past couple of weeks. It was really special seeing so many children dressed up in the Christmas theme.

A massive thank you to all our parents from Arataki Friends of School for your organisation of this event. We are in the process of finalising the amount fundraised and this will be updated on the Arataki Friends of School facebook page. 

Reminders

The last week of term is a busy one. We have end of year celebrations and prize givings. There is a lot on and our classroom routines are slightly different. Teachers will continue to share information via HERO of upcoming events.

School Reports

End of year school reports will be shared on HERO on Friday 12th December. Please make sure you have downloaded the HERO app. If you need any help with accessing HERO, please pop into the school office so that we can help you.

Good luck to our Flippa Ball team for your game on Sunday and to our Arataki School touch teams. Congratulations to our Year 3 & 4 teams who made the touch competition semi-finals. Good luck to Arataki Kakariki for your final on Sunday.

Have a great weekend with your whanau.

Nga mihi nui, Vicki Hiini - Tumuaki/Principal

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Dates for the Diary

Click here for 2025 - 2026 Term Dates

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In this issue:

• News and Events
• ATK here Everyday
• Arataki Friends of the School
• Community Notices
• After School Care/Programmes
• Extra Curriculars at Arataki
• Sponsors Wall

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NEWS AND EVENTS

Room 23 Waka Enquiry

Mangatawa Whakahii Showcase

Check out the video with some snippets of the Mangatawa Whakahii Showcase.  

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ATK here Everyday

Each week we have been celebrating those that have hit the 5 weeks with 100% attendance.  It's lovely to see their smiling faces each week.

With the end of the term and year coming up we are looking forward to celebrating 100% for the term with some sprinkler fun on the field and our 100% for the year with a bit of a surprise.  Can't wait to celebrate with them.

In case you missed it, the outline of the ATK here Everyday Weekly Rewards Card is below.

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Friends of the School

Arataki Christmas on the Field: A Night of Fun and Generosity!

Last night's Christmas on the Field was a huge success, thanks to the fantastic weather and incredible community spirit! Fun was had by all, with the bouncy castle slides buzzing all evening and great competitive spirit at the games like Ring Toss and Three in a Row.

The evening was made possible by the generosity of our sponsors: a massive shout-out to Verge for providing the stage, Baker's Delight for the delicious bread, and Fresh Choice Papamoa for the kai donation.

A special thank you to Santa for taking the time to visit and collect all the heartfelt letters written by our students - we hope you get everything you asked for!

Finally, our deepest gratitude goes to every single person who donated a hamper item, contributed yummy treats to the bake sale, and to everyone who came to buy last night. especially to our amazing volunteers and kaiako who organized craft stalls, manned the events, ran the BBQ, and managed the set up and pack down. Your time and effort ensure these events are successful every year!

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COMMUNITY NOTICES

Maranui Street/Omanu Way 

Safety Improvements

We have started works to construct two new pedestrian crossings near Omanu Way, one on Oceanbeach Road and one on Maranui Street.  Working hours are generally between 7am and 5pm. However, we will need to undertake some night works prior to 10pm to minimise traffic impact.

Please follow the temporary 30km/h speed restrictions at the work sites and at times there will be pedestrian diversions around works on Maranui Street, Seaspray Drive, Oceanbeach Road and OmanuWay.

These works are expected to take up to four weeks, weather permitting and if not completed by the Christmas shut down, minor works will be completed in January with minimum disruption.

Get Summer-Ready with Fulton Swim School!

Secure you child's spot for the summer season by booking lessons now. We are open for 2025 until Sunday, 21st December, and will reopen in 2026 from Monday, 5th January, with warm indoor pools and our expert instructors ready to help your child build confidence and skills in the water.

Plus, don’t miss our one-week Holiday Intensives from 19th–23rd January — a perfect way for your child to make fast progress before schools and routines start again in the new year. Book by 30th November to enjoy $10 off the fee!

Spaces are limited, so head to www.fultonswimschool.co.nz or visit us in person to secure your child’s place today.

You can choose a one-off Veggie Box for a burst of green inspiration, or a three-month subscription to give them an ongoing gardening adventure. The first box will arrive at their door in February 2026, ready for a new year full of fresh harvests!

Even better — every box purchased helps grow the PiPS Garden Programme, supporting hands-on learning in your school gardens, helping tamariki learn where food comes from, how to grow it, and how to care for Papatūānuku.

Order online now at vegbabies.co.nz 

Let’s grow a greener, healthier future together — one Veggie Box at a time.

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AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

Whether your tamaiti has dreams of the stage or just want to try something new, these lessons will:

• Build musical foundations in rhythm, pitch, and performance

• Encourage teamwork and listening skills

• Boost self-esteem and resilience through performance

• Give students opportunities to showcase their talents at school events

You may even spot me gigging around Tauranga.

I'm excited to add another creative outlet for kids at Arataki School. 

Wheriko

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Play Time @ Arataki

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EXTRA CURRICULARS 

@ ARATAKI

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PRE LOVED UNIFORMS

Have your tamariki grown out of their uniforms? 

Please consider donating them back to the kura.  These uniform donations are:

• sold to our whanau for donations of $5. The money raised is used for resources for our classrooms. 
• used for our tamariki who may need them.

These donations are gratefully received at the school office.

We are especially in need of Polo Shirts please if you have any spare.

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Please remember to enrol your preschoolers as early as you can. This helps us to get prepared for their arrival.

To enrol you can click this link to the online application form or come into the office for an application pack.

For more information on enrolment check out our website www.arataki.school.nz

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SPONSORS WALL