Announcement : 

~ Kia ora! Welcome to Cockle Bay School ~   

Newsletter – 30 July 2025

Wednesday, 30 July 2025

 Principal’s Message

Dear Parents and Whānau,

Board Matters

Nominations for Board members close in eight days, at noon on 6 August 2025. HERE is an informational video about board membership. Please contact the school office if you need any further information around elections.

Thanks to all families who have participated in our recent community survey. In due course, feedback will be summarised and shared with you.

The Winter Term

Attendance

You will be well aware by now that our Ministry of Education is expecting schools to monitor attendance carefully. Please see a summary of our students’ attendance for last term.

It is important that all children attend school regularly, as this helps them in their learning and with social relationships and confidence. 

If a child is sick and doesn’t feel well or is contagious, they should stay home. Parents are asked to inform the office at the earliest opportunity.

Safety on the Roads around our School

With wet and wild weather, parking at the front of the school was unbelievable yesterday. There were double and triple parked cars, cars in the bus bay and cars left in the P2. Only one line of cars can be parked, and not in the bus stop. Drivers cannot leave their vehicle in the P2 parks. 

We will be stepping up our monitoring of driver behaviours at the front of the school, and have asked for police and Auckland Transport assistance. The police have suggested we photograph infringements and report these to them. This is a last resort for us, as we seek your cooperation with keeping the roads safe for children. It is important, for children’s safety, that basic road rules are obeyed. 

Everyone is rushing at drop off and pick up times. Please try to allow extra time, and follow road rules, so that our children are kept safe. A flyer is being sent out today, in English and Chinese, with specific road rules that need to be followed.

N.B. Please do not use the Litten Road shops, nor the Howick College drop off bay, for drop offs and collecting students. Our staff carparks are not available either, and this includes pulling into reception. Thanks.

We really appreciate the help of our Trelawn Crossing volunteers, who help ensure that children navigate the road safely. If you could assist for 15 minutes once a week, kindly contact the school office. We often have a shortfall of helpers, so a few extras would make a real difference.

Digital Agreements

Thank you for reading and going over digital agreements with your child/children, and returning them signed to school. Find the link HERE.

If you have overlooked this, it is important. Kindly note that phones and smart watches are not permitted. 

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.

Toys at School

The school cannot take responsibility for toys brought to school and asks that they remain at home. Items brought for news should not be highly valued objects, as we cannot guarantee their safety. Named balls can be brought to play with, at the owner’s risk, to supplement the sports equipment we provide at school. Children may not bring to school any object that could endanger safety, affect the learning environment, or be harmful. I’m sure everyone in our school community expects us to provide a safe environment.

Ngā mihi

Dorothy Bigwood

 Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L)

Respect, Responsibility and the 4 C’s

As a proud PB4L school, we continue to nurture a positive, respectful learning environment where our values are taught, modelled and celebrated. This term, we’ve been focusing on key behaviours that support both individual growth and our wider school community.

Our current PB4L focus includes:

  • Making Good Choices – encouraging students to stop, think, and choose actions that are respectful, kind, and safe. Whether in the playground, classroom, or online, making good choices helps everyone learn and thrive.
  • Respecting Property – reinforcing the importance of looking after school equipment, especially Chromebooks and other digital tools. Using devices responsibly shows maturity and supports a focused learning environment.
  • Caring for the Environment – reminding students to take pride in our school by picking up rubbish, using bins correctly, and treating shared spaces with care.

How you can help at home:

  • Encourage your child to talk about the choices they make during the day and how they solve problems.
  • Remind them to treat devices and belongings with care and responsibility.
  • Get them involved in looking after spaces at home—whether it’s helping with recycling or keeping their room tidy—to build those environmental care habits.
  • Celebrate their efforts with praise or a simple acknowledgement when they’ve shown respect, kindness or made a great choice.

Together, by reinforcing these values at school and at home, we continue to grow thoughtful, responsible learners who contribute positively to their world.

 Thank You!

Our Councillors would like to thank you for your support!

  • Jammies in June – we collected 72 pairs of pyjamas
  • Fluro Friday – we donated $892 to Hato Hone St John

Jumping June

Together we raised $812 for the Heart Foundation. Your energy and generosity have helped make a real difference. Ka pai!

 Key Dates

  • Literacy Open Morning – Friday 1 August
  • PTN Disco – Friday, 5 September
  • New Board takes office – Wednesday 17 September
  • Out of Zone enrolments close – Wednesday 8 October
  • Art Expo – Monday 13th to Friday 17th October
  • Photolife New Entrant and Catch Up Photos – Thursday 16 October
  • Teacher Only Day – Friday 24 October
  • Labour Day (school closed) – Monday 27 October
  • Celebration Night – Tuesday 9 December
  • Last day of school – Thursday 18 December

 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.

 

 Out of Zone Enrolments

Applications for out of zone enrolments will close on Wednesday, 8 October.
Application forms are available from the school office, or can be completed via the online form on our website.

Please note that late applications will not be accepted.

 Uniform Shop 

The uniform shop will be open Monday, 11 August 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:

Username: cocklebay
Password: sandspit

The following policies are under review Term 3 2025:

  • Child Protection
  • Abuse Recognition and Reporting
  • Food and Nutrition
  • Safety Checking
  • Police Vetting
  • Missing Student Procedure

 2025 Term Dates

Term Three (Monday 14 July – Friday 19 September)

Term Four (Monday 6 October – Thursday 18 December)

 For Sale  

 
Piano – Strauss, Model UP-110A Series
$650 ONO
Small Piano, approx 10 years old in great condition internally. Some surface marks on the body.  Strauss pianos are made by the Shanghai Piano Company.
Pick up Cockle Bay School.
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