Term 1 Newsletter 2

From the Acting Principal

Kia ora koutou,

Tēnā koutou te whānau,

We have had a wonderful start to the year. Our tamariki are settled in their classrooms and they are enjoying catching up with friends from last year and making new friends.

Thank you to our amazing whānau who paid their school donations last year. This really does make such a difference to our school. It is great that you can pay your school donation through KINDO and you do not need to come to the office. Thank you once again for your contributions to our school.

Our Pigeon Mountain Primary School Facebook page is a showcase of our celebrations of learning. Here you can see our amazing tamariki and their achievements and learning at our kura.

Ngā mihi nui,
Dylan Marshall, Acting Principal – Tumuaki

Teaching and Learning (Akoranga)

Assessments at Pigeon Mountain Primary School

As part of our focus on supporting student learning, we use assessments to celebrate progress and guide next steps. These are not just tests—they help us understand how students are growing and where we can support them best.

Numeracy and Literacy Assessments
In Weeks 3 and 4, students in Years 3–6 will take part in e-asTTle assessments for numeracy and literacy. These provide valuable insights for both teachers and students, helping us build on strengths and set new learning goals together.

Structured Literacy
In 2025, we are excited to introduce the Better Start Literacy Approach (BSLA) in Years 2–3 and The Code (spelling) in Years 4–6. These programmes include engaging activities and assessments designed to support each child’s literacy journey.

NZ-Wide Phonics Check
The Ministry of Education has introduced a new phonics check to help track early reading progress. Students will complete this after 20 and 40 weeks of schooling, and we’re currently exploring the materials. We expect to begin this around July for students who started school this year.

At PMPS, learning remains hands-on, engaging, and relevant. Assessments are just one way we ensure every child gets the support they need to thrive!

Extra Curricular

Trials

Cricket and Swimming trials have been completed for our senior students taking part in their respective HPPA events. We wish these students the best of luck as they now carry out their training programme.

Lunch-time extra curricular activities

We’re excited to offer a range of wonderful extra-curricular activities for our students. These groups will begin from next week, providing opportunities for students to explore their interests, develop leadership skills, and have fun!

Ukulele Group
Choir
Enviro Group
Leaders Meetings
♟️ Chess
Softball
Cricket
Kapa Haka

We encourage all students to get involved and make the most of these fantastic opportunities!

School Community Events

Whānau Picnic

The family picnic is one of my favourite events of the year. While we aimed to create some structure by organising families into their school houses, I got the sense that many of you were happy to find a shady spot and connect with those around you—whether familiar friends or new faces. I hope you had the chance to touch base with your child’s teacher and felt comfortable having conversations in a more relaxed setting.

New Families Welcome

It will be a pleasure to have our new families in for a cup of tea and coffee this afternoon at 2:15pm. This is a chance for new families to connect with each other and the school senior staff as we share some of the important elements of who we are as a school.

Enjoying our School Grounds

We love seeing our school grounds enjoyed by families and the community outside school hours! To keep them safe and welcoming for everyone, we ask that you show respect for our environment and take responsibility for looking after it.

To protect our facilities, please avoid riding e-scooters and e-bikes on our turfed surfaces. If you see anything suspicious, please report it to the school or the appropriate authorities. Together, we can keep Pigeon Mountain Primary a place we’re all proud of!

Policies and Procedures

Car Park Safety

Our car park is strictly out of bounds for students, including before and after school. We kindly remind you to use the designated pathways around the buildings rather than walking through the car park. This helps us reinforce road safety awareness for your children.

Dates for your Diary

Friday 28 February – Cultural Dress Down Day

Thursday 6 March – Salvation Army Food Appeal

School Grounds at the end of the day

We have a policy that our playground is not allowed to be used after school until 4pm. We stipulate this time as it gives children enough time to go home, have a snack and return with adult supervision to play. A reminder that all students should be off site by 3:15pm unless they are in BizzyBodz.

2025 School Donations

Our School Donations are now available for payment on myKindo app.

Terms 1-4 Full Year Fees $270.00 GST Exempt

Per Term Fees $67.50 GST Exempt

We thank you and appreciate all contributions made.

@school parent app

Please ensure that you have downloaded the @school parent app. The @school parent app is our preferred method of reporting absences, accessing student reports, receiving newsletters and school notices. When setting up your app please make sure that you enter yes to notifications – this will mean that you will get an alert each time a notice/newsletter is available. Please contact the office if you are unable to access the @school app.

Absences from School

Please use the @school parent app to report an absence or the school website

Collecting Students during the school day

If you need to collect your child for an appointment during the school day please contact the office 09 534 9765 or email general@pmps.school.nz to arrange. If possible please arrange to collect your child before or after the morning tea and lunch breaks, as it is difficult to find children during these times. Morning tea is 10.50am until 11.15am, lunch from 12.45pm until 1.45pm.

Current Contact Details

It is important that we have current contact details for our students. If you have moved house, changed your email address or mobile number, please contact the school office to have our records updated. You can check the contact information that we have for your child on the parent app.