Newsletter – 25 June 2025 – Cockle Bay School

Wednesday, 25 June 2025

Principal’s Message

Dear Parents and Whānau,

Board Information Evening, Wednesday 23 July, 5.45pm – 6.30pm

Board elections will take place in September. If you’re a parent interested in standing, we invite you to an information evening on Wednesday, 23 July at 5.45pm in the Cockle Bay School staffroom. Our current board members will share what their role involves to help you decide if it’s right for you.

A strong, well-functioning board is key to our school’s success, and we’ve been fortunate to have dedicated members with a wide range of skills working together for the good of our students, whānau, and wider community.

Please let the office know if you are planning on attending.

Thank You

As we come to the end of a very busy term, it is important to acknowledge our dedicated staff for their commitment to our children.

From coaching sports teams and supporting day trips to maintaining our usual high standards of classroom learning, their energy and enthusiasm is greatly appreciated.

Thank you to our parent community too, for your support and involvement in what the school offers. Special thanks to our wonderful P.T.N. Exec and team for their significant workload and contributions.

School Holiday Activities

See below for a variety of school holiday activities to suit all interests and help keep children engaged and entertained over the break.

Over the Holidays

Our school facilities are available for the community to enjoy during the holidays. Please ensure children are closely supervised at all times, as caretakers and contractors are also working on site. Rat traps have been placed around the grounds, so for everyone’s safety, please make sure children and pets do not touch them.

If you see any suspicious activity or vandalism, please report it to the police. For any other issues, please email the school office.

Wishing you a safe, relaxing and enjoyable holiday break.

Regards.

Dorothy Bigwood

Key Dates

Parent Conferences, Wednesday 23rd July
Year 1 – 100 Days of Learning, Friday 25th July
Somerville Intermediate visit Year 6 students, Friday 25 July
Literacy Open Morning, Friday 1st August

Student Cyber Safety and Publication of Students’ Images and Work Agreement

The current student agreements expire at the end of this term. Please refer to the link below to familiarise yourself and your child/children with the updated agreement. This document will also be discussed with students in class.

There are significant changes to this agreement that take into account the new Ministry directives related to health and safety, which state that cellphones and smartphones for students are not permitted, unless an exemption is in place (such as the phone or smart watch is needed for medical purposes, eg. diabetes). If you need to communicate with your child during the school day, please liaise with the classroom teacher or the school office. If you are concerned about the whereabouts of your child, particularly if they are walking to or from school, an alternative would be to discreetly place a tracking tile or Apple AirTag in your child’s school bag.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qwqIQAHnSJfsRvAYOwHbzkjPUS2W23gl/view?usp=sharing

The last page of this document needs to be signed and returned to the classroom teacher on the first day of term 3. You may scan and send this to the teacher instead.

PB4L

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) – This Term’s Focus

At our school, we are proud to be a PB4L school. Positive Behaviour for Learning helps create a safe, respectful, and supportive environment where all tamariki can thrive. Each term, we focus on specific behaviours to help students develop the skills they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom.

This term, our PB4L learning has included:

Using the Wheel of Choice – helping students manage conflict and make positive choices when faced with challenges.
Being an Upstander – encouraging students to speak up, support others, and do the right thing even when it’s hard.
Welcoming Visitors – learning how to show kindness and respect to guests and new people in our school.
Apologising the Right Way – understanding why it’s important to apologise and how to say “I’m sorry for…” in a meaningful way.
Moving Safely Around the School – reinforcing expectations around walking calmly and respectfully in shared spaces.

As we come to the end of the term, we look forward to celebrating the success of our learners and acknowledging the positive choices they’ve made. By working together -students, staff, and whānau – we continue to strengthen the positive culture of our school.

ICAS Registrations

If you would like your child to participate in ICAS this year, please register and pay via the Parent Portal by Monday 28 July 2025, 11:59pm. Any questions, please email rochelle@cocklebay.school.nz or click on the link below for further information.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MFzWCp3unQJiQVTWPlERaX0p2SADt8fY/view?usp=sharing

We’re excited to be taking part in Jumping June, a one-month skipping challenge that encourages students to get active while raising funds for an amazing cause! All proceeds will go to the Heart Foundation, supporting their mission to help all New Zealanders keep their hearts fit for life.

We’ve nearly finished handing out over 700 skipping ropes, with one going home to every child at CBS.

Students will take part during class time and have their ropes ready for the following days (weather permitting):

Thursday 26 June – Year 3 / Year 4
Friday 27 June – Year 5 / Year 6

Please give generously through Kindo, the school office, or cash on the day.

Fluro Friday Non-Uniform Day – Friday, 27 June 2025

We’re finishing the term with a Non-Uniform Day in support of Hato Hone St John.
Organised by our awesome student Councillors, this is a great chance to have some fun while giving back to a vital service in our community. Please support us through Kindo or a gold coin donation.

Jammies for June

Our amazing school counsellors are getting behind the ‘Jammies for June’ challenge, and we’d love your support! They’ve organised a collection to help keep tamariki warm this winter. If you’d like to donate, please drop off new pyjamas to the school office, or make a contribution via Kindo.

Jammies for June is back – and your donation provides warm jammies and winter essentials to children in our community who need it most.

This winter, thousands of tamariki in our community are at risk — simply because they’re cold. Kidz First Hospital is already stretched to capacity, with up to four children in ICU every day, battling preventable respiratory illnesses like RSV, asthma, and rheumatic fever – conditions made worse by cold, damp homes.

That’s why Dame Valerie Adams is once again leading the Jammie Army, rallying New Zealanders to keep our tamariki toasty warm this winter. She’s issued the challenge: Let’s get 20,000 pairs of jammies to 20,000 kids.

Lost and Found

Please remember to check our lost and found for any missing items. After the holidays excess items will be donated to the second hand uniform shop. Replacing lost belongings can be costly, so we encourage all families to clearly name clothing, lunchboxes, drink bottles, and other personal items. Named items are much easier to return to their owners promptly.

In Zone Enrolments

If you have a child turning five this year, and you have not yet completed an enrolment form, please do so now. Knowing student numbers is crucial for effective school planning and the allocation of resources (classrooms, teachers, and other essentials)

Forms can be collected from the school office or downloaded from the school website.

Uniform Shop

The uniform shop will be open Monday, 14 July, 8:15am-8:45am and 2:45pm-3:15pm.

The SchoolDocs review process allows the school community to provide feedback on policies and procedures, and ensures information stays up to date. To access our School documents, use the community usernames and password below: