Term 3, Week 6 – Kauri Blog

 

Term 3, Week 6!

Tēnā koutou! This term has been a successful and busy term so far!

Learning this term

In Team Kauri, our tamariki have been immersed in a vibrant mix of creative art and rich literacy learning.

  • Art & Design: Students are exploring diverse visual mediums, experimenting with texture and technique through mosaic work, layered art, mixed media creations, and anime-style drawing.

  • Literacy & Storytelling: In writing, learners are developing their narrative voices and honing their storytelling skills, anchored by their reading and analysis of Whale Pot Bay.

This combination allows our students to express themselves visually while deepening their comprehension and creative writing abilities.


Cantamath & Beckamath

Our school’s mathematicians truly shone over two exciting weeks of competition, showcasing our core values of ‘We Love Learning’ and We Love Challenge’. In Week 5, students headed to the Horncastle Arena to take on the fast-paced Cantamath team competition alongside the impressive display competition, representing our school with outstanding focus and creativity. The momentum carried right into Week 6 with our very own Beckamath Team Kauri competition held in the school hall, where students tackled complex problem-solving with remarkable grit and teamwork. Both events were thoroughly enjoyed by everyone involved, highlighting the passion, perseverance, and sharp mathematical minds across our school!


Duathlon & Winter Sport

Our school athletes demonstrated outstanding grit and school spirit during our recent school duathlon event, representing themselves with pride and showcasing exceptional sportsmanship from start to finish. A huge thank you goes out to our incredible parents and whānau—we truly appreciate everyone who pitched in as track helpers and cheered our competitors on with so much enthusiasm!

As we reach the end of our Thursday Winter Sport program, we would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who made the season such a success. A special thanks goes to our school sports coordinator, Kate McG, alongside all of the dedicated staff, student leaders, and parent helpers whose time, energy, and organization kept our teams thriving week after week.

Life Education Bus

During Weeks 8 and 9, our students will be visiting the Life Education bus to engage in an important learning sequence focused on Decision Making and Digital Citizenship.

As tamariki grow and navigate both face-to-face and online spaces, developing a strong sense of personal agency and self-awareness is critical. This programme will support students to explore two core inquiry questions:

  • Why are my reputation and identity important? (Understanding how personal values, self-image, and public perception shape who we are and how others see us.)

  • How do the decisions I make online and/or offline affect me and others? (Recognising the ripple effects of our choices, practicing empathy, and understanding accountability in a digital world.)

Life Education’s interactive sessions provide a safe, engaging environment for students to discuss real-world scenarios, build critical thinking skills, and practice making positive choices that protect their well-being and respect those around them.

How you can support at home: You can reinforce this learning by having open kōrero (conversations) with your child about their experiences online and offline. Ask them what apps or games they enjoy, discuss how they decide what is safe or kind to share, and talk about times they’ve made a great decision.

If you have any questions about the upcoming Life Education sessions, please feel free to get in touch.

Ski Trip Week 7
Team Kauri is hitting the slopes! We are planning an exciting day trip to Mt Hutt on Thursday 3rd September 2026. We are taking a bus and private transport up to Mt Hutt. Please ensure your child is appropriately dressed and present by 5:45am so we can leave on time at 6am.

Upcoming Events: Term 3

Week 7

  • Monday: He Hura Kōrero: Court Theatre Performance

  • Wednesday: Relationships & Sexuality Education Parent Evening - 6pm.

  • Thursday: Ski trip

  • Friday: Staff Only Day (No school)

Week 8 - We Care Week

  • Monday: Life Ed Bus Arrives & PSC Duathlon

  • Tuesday: Cashmere High school testing day

  • Wednesday: Cheese Roll - fundraiser

  • Thursday: Canterbury cricket sessions

  • Friday: Celebration assembly

Kauri Term 3 Week 4 Blog

 Kauri Term 3 Week 4 Blog

Kia ora koutou,

What a busy and productive couple of weeks it has been in the Kauri Hub! There has been plenty of learning, creativity and fun happening across the hub.

We have had our first session preparing for our ski trip in Week 7, with students getting organised and excited for the adventure ahead. Our Cantamath projects have been completed. The students certainly used brilliant minds, showing fantastic mathematical thinking and creativity.

In writing, we have been creating exciting narratives filled with suspense, action and interesting characters. It has been great to see students developing their ideas and bringing their stories to life.

Winter Sport continues to be a highlight each Thursday, with plenty of energy, teamwork and fun on the fields. A reminder that our last Winter Sport session will be in Week 6.

Our Passions sessions have also been a real highlight, with students getting stuck into cooking, movie-making, board games and buddy activities. There is so much enthusiasm and creativity being fostered, and it has been fantastic to see students sharing their interests, learning new skills and working together.

Art

We have been offering Art sessions twice a week in Term 3. The students were able to choose Mosaics - dry fit and gluing, Anime sketching, Mixed Media techniques, or Layered Art. We have some very talented artists on our team. Here are some pictures of the Mosaics being created.







Cantamaths Projects

Here are a few photos of Kauri’s maths projects. The projects chosen to go to Cantamaths will be delivered to their location on Tuesday. Well done team!



Te Mana Raupō Maths Challenge

Our maths team represented our kura with pride at the maths competition on Tuesday. The Year 8 children came second. They got all the questions correct. There was also a fun challenge after their break. They were given number/letter problems to solve. Ka pai to our mathematicians!

PSC Indoor Volleyball Tournament at Parakiore

Our volleyball team had a blast at the tournament on Monday. Although they didn’t place, they were energetic and proud of their achievements. 



Upcoming Dates:  

Term 3

Week 5: Wednesday: Cantamath Competition (4:00-7:00)

   Thursday: Winter Sport

Friday: School Disco 4:30-5:30 (Year 5-8)

Week 6: Wednesday: Year 5-8 School Duathlon (12:00-3:00) Beckenham Park

Friday: Celebration Assembly 

Ngā mihi,

Hugo, Kate McG, Sarah A, Megan C and Megan H 






Kauri News – Week 9

 

Welcome back to Term 2!

Learning in Team Kauri - Presentations for sustainability inquiry

This term, our students have been deeply engaged in an inquiry topic focused on sustainability, exploring how our choices impact the environment and looking at ways to protect our planet for the future. Over the last two weeks, students have been proudly presenting their final project outcomes to their peers. These presentations showcase an impressive variety of creative mediums, including hand-crafted models, informative posters, and student-led podcasts, covering a diverse range of critical sustainability topics. We are incredibly impressed by the depth of research, critical thinking, and passion our students have demonstrated throughout this unit.

Canterbury Cross Country

Congratulations to our Year 7-8 students who made it through to Canterbury Cross Country. We are extremely proud of their efforts and the way they represented themselves at such a prestigious event. Results below:

AWD

Jacob Hamilton - 2nd (5:07)

Year 7 Girls

Clara Shaw - 87th (14:44)

Year 7 Boys

Haydn O’Connor - 32nd (12:14)

Year 8 Girls

Laura Stoney - 3rd (11:58)

Misha Lee - 45th (13:34)

Year 8 Boys

Ben Stoney - 33rd (11:33)

Year 8 hoodies - preliminary design and fundraising

We are excited to begin the process of designing and creating our special Year 8 hoodies! To ensure these keepsakes are accessible for everyone, the cost to whānau will be kept to just $20 per hoodie, with the students actively fundraising to cover the remaining balance. The students will be heavily involved in the design process to make these shirts uniquely theirs. Further information regarding order forms, sizing, and fundraising details will follow as soon as the plans are finalized.


Bingo Night & Hampers

Get ready for a fun-filled evening at our upcoming School Bingo Night! This exciting fundraising event is a fantastic opportunity for our community to come together for an evening of friendly competition, great prizes, and school spirit. All proceeds raised throughout the night will directly support our upcoming school projects and student resources. Whether you're a seasoned pro or a first-time player, come along for a chance to shout "Bingo!" while making a meaningful contribution to our school. We look forward to seeing you there for a night to remember! A big thank you for all our whānau who contributed some amazing items for our Hamper prizes.

Cantamath planning & projects

The 2026 Cantamath competition information has noe become available outlining this year's three separate competitions: the Year 5&6 Challenge, the Year 7–10 Display Competition, and the Year 7–10 Team Competition. Please mark your calendars for two key dates in August: Tuesday, 18th August is the drop-off day for all Year 5&6 Challenge entries and Year 7–10 Displays, followed by the exciting Teams Competition on Wednesday, 19th August. The official theme inspiring this year's creations is "Maths in Nature", while students looking ahead can start brainstorming for the 2027 theme (and 2026 motifs), which will be "Maths in Games". The classes in Team Kauri will be spending some time over the next two weeks to go over expectations and ideas. We encourage whānau to spend some time with their child to work on their projects.

Upcoming Events: Term 2

Week 10

  • Learning Conferences - Tuesday and Wednesday

  • Early finish both days: 1:45pm

  • Bingo Night - Saturday 27th June 7pm in school hall (tickets available)

Week 11

  • Last day of Term - Friday 3rd July

Week 1, Term 3

  • Wednesday 22nd July Matariki Evening 5:30pm - 7:15pm


A nationwide creative writing competition for young Kiwi readers
Every Reader Has A Story … What’s Yours?
Books can stay with us long after we've turned the final page. Sometimes they help us through a difficult time. Sometimes they make us feel understood. Sometimes they open a door into a new world, a new idea, or a new way of seeing ourselves.
How has a book helped change you? 
To help celebrate the inaugural NZ Children’s Books Week: Read Around Aotearoa, the children's book-gifting charity, Kiwi Christmas Books, is inviting you, the keen young readers of Aotearoa, to tell us a true story about how a book made a difference in your life. Entry form
You could win $250 in books for yourself and $500 in books for your school, and have your story published! 

Term 2, Week 10 -  All Ages

Staying Safe Online: Scams

People in New Zealand are losing millions of dollars to scammers each year – and this is just the figures reported to Netsafe so the actual figure is likely much higher!


It’s important that you and your tamariki know what to look out for to avoid scams. Netsafe have put their best advice together to help you stay safe online and stay away from scams.


Read their scam tips here

















Kauri Week 7 Blog

 Kauri Week 7 Blog

Kia ora koutou,

What a busy and productive two weeks it has been in the Kauri Hub!

Our students are currently putting the finishing touches on their Sustainability Inquiry projects and explanation essays. Over the remainder of the term, students will be sharing their learning through presentations in their home rooms. They have been working diligently to prepare presentation scripts and showcase the knowledge they have gained throughout this inquiry. Be sure to ask your child what they have learned about sustainability and how they think we can make a positive difference for our planet.

Winter Sport

We have now completed two successful Winter Sport sessions. A huge thank you to all of the parents and whānau who generously volunteer their time to coach, manage, and support our teams. Winter Sport simply would not be possible without your commitment and enthusiasm.

Students are doing a fantastic job getting into the routine of bringing the correct gear each Thursday and being ready to go promptly. Those remaining at school have been enjoying a variety of activities, including badminton, table tennis, creative art projects, and cooperative games.

Trees for Survival

A group of our Year 5-8 students recently travelled to Kaiapoi with Sue to participate in the Trees for Survival planting programme. This valuable initiative gives students the opportunity to grow eco-sourced native seedlings before planting them to help restore eroding land, stabilise stream banks, and improve water quality.

The students returned to school a little muddy, a little tired, but full of stories and proud of the contribution they had made to the environment.


Literacy and Inquiry – Sustainability Explanation Essays

Over the past few weeks, students have been researching topics connected to sustainability, including sustainable cities, fast fashion, renewable energy, and protecting our oceans and waterways.

Throughout this process, students have demonstrated impressive perseverance, creativity, and critical thinking. Their inquiry projects highlight both their understanding of sustainability issues and their ideas for creating positive change.

In Literacy, students have focused on developing strong explanation essays by crafting effective topic sentences, paraphrasing research into their own words, and accurately citing sources. They have worked hard to clearly explain the how and why behind their chosen topics and should be proud of the progress they have made.

Ara Leadership Programme

Today marked the fourth and final session of our Ara Leadership Programme. Throughout the programme, students worked alongside Ara students and participated in a range of adventure-based learning activities designed to develop leadership, communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.

It has been wonderful to see students challenge themselves, build confidence, and develop valuable leadership skills that they can apply both in and out of the classroom.

Upcoming Dates:  If you have not provided your luxury item for our fundraiser, please have your child bring in their item next week. We appreciate all you do.

Term 2

Week 8:

Thursday: Winter Sport

Friday: Celebration Assembly (Leadership Awards will be given)


Week 9:

Wednesday: PSC Cross Country Canterbury Zones (Yr 5-8)


Ngā mihi,

Hugo, Kate McG, Sarah A, Megan C, Nicky and Megan H 


Kauri News – Week 1, Term 2

 

Welcome back to Term 2!

Tēnā koutou! The Team Kauri teachers have been excited to welcome back our Year 7 & 8 students. We hope you all had a restful break and are ready to get back into the swing of things for the new term.

Building Work in Kōmanawa

There was some exciting progress during the holidays: new walls and doors were installed in our Kōmanawa spaces! These additions will help our team create more learning-centered spaces, reducing noise across the hub while allowing for greater flexibility when we are working collaboratively.

Technology & Languages

The start of the term has coincided with our new technology rotations. Students have already started in their new groups, and there has been a hive of activity across the spaces with everyone keen to learn new skills.

Students also welcomed back our language teachers this week as they continue to develop their knowledge and acquisition of beginner French and Spanish.

Fundraisers

At the end of Term 1, Kahawai (Hugo’s HG) organised a school sausage sizzle fundraiser. It was a massive hit! The class sold over 300 sausages and made approximately $500 profit. A big thank you to our admin team for collecting the money and tracking orders, and to the teachers across the school who helped manage the distribution on the day. Well done to Kahawai for the hard work that made this so successful!


Quiz Night 2026

In Week 10, Team Kauri will be hosting our annual Quiz Night! Please keep an eye out for further notices regarding this event. From Week 5, we will be asking each Team Kauri family to contribute a luxury item for our hampers.

We are also looking for parent helpers both for the evening itself and to help with the lead-up. We are especially keen to find a parent coordinator to help source special prizes to be auctioned or awarded to our top quiz teams.


Upcoming Events: Term 2

Week 1

  • Friday: Welcome Assembly

Week 2

  • Monday: ANZAC Day Public Holiday (No School)

  • Wednesday: PSC Aqua-thon Event (Swim & Run)

  • Wednesday: World Vision Junior Youth Conference 2026 – Christchurch

  • Friday: Whole School Cross Country

Week 3

  • All Week: PTA Readathon
  • Monday: Winter Sport Trials (1:30 pm – 3:00 pm)
  • Tuesday: Winter Sport Trials (1:30 pm – 3:00 pm)