General Info
School Hours
9am Start of School Bell
10.40 – 11.10am Morning Interval
12.50-1.40pm Lunch Break
2.55pm End of School Bell
The School Office is open from 8.30am to 3pm daily
School Donation and Fees
Year 7 & 8 - A technology fee for take home products is $90 for the year.
Fee information about extra-curricular activities and School Sports teams is available on a needs basis.
Should the payment of your child’s fees cause a problem please contact the office to make alternative arrangements.
Puketaha School Board of Trustees do not request a donation from families.
Payments
The schools preferred method of payment is internet based Kindo. To sign up use the links on the school website. Cash payments should be handed in at the school office. If you have any problems with this method of payment please contact the school office.
Out of School Care
We are fortunate to have out of school care available. Hours are 7am - 8.20am & 2.55pm - 6pm each day. For booking information go to https://www.journeykids.co.nz/ or email admin@journeykids.co.nz phone contact (027) 261-5849.
Dental Nurse
Check-up appointments are sent to parents. The nurses can be contacted through the Fairfield Dental Clinic or 0800 Talk Teeth if an appointment is required.
School App
The school app has information, dates, links and contact details about the school and is a great way to keep in touch with what is happening at Puketaha by sending out alerts and reminders. Find it by searching in the Google Play or Apple app store.
Library
Each class visits the library at least once each week. Junior children are able to borrow one book each week (to be taken home in the book bag issued when they start school) and the older children can borrow two books. E-books are also available through Wheelers e-platform. The librarian will have login details.
Lunches
Lunch can be purchased for students once a week on a Friday - menu and purchase details are available on Kindo or the school app.
Newsletters
The school newsletter is published every second Thursday (odd weeks) and the link emailed to our parent/caregiver contact. The newsletter is full of information and celebrations about the events at school, sports fixtures etc. Class newsletters and notices will be emailed seperately by classroom teachers.
Parking
There are two areas available for delivering your children to school and picking them up in the afternoon. These are: the main gate on Sainsbury Road and the Puketaha Community Hall carpark. Please escort your children to the school gate and pick them up from the school gate, via the designated paths in both locations. This is for the safety of all of our Puketaha students. There is no parking in the Bus Bay area (Sainsbury Road).
PTA
The Puketaha PTA is an integral part of the school. We are proud that at Puketaha we have an active, enthusiastic and social PTA. For more information or enquires about the PTA, please contact the school office.
Agricultural Day
We are a rural school and agricultural day is a highlight for many children and parents. This is held at the beginning of Term 4. Children are encouraged to enter a lamb, kid goat or calf.
Absences
Please inform the school office if your child is going to be away for any reason. This can be done via phone message 07 8243870, text 020 404 28607 or via the App.
Reports
We aim to report on your child’s learning request throughout the year in a range of ways, from class blogs, emails, texts and possible catching up informally at the end of the school day.
In addition to this, we send home two written reports a year. For the first three years you will receive a progress and anniversary report within a month of their 6 month and annual anniversary. For Years 4-8 this will be at the end of Term 2 and Term 4.
We also have oppurtunites for whaanau to find out more about their child's learning and share information with the teaching staff about their child. These will be communicated via the School Newsletter and bookings can be made online.
School Bus
We have a bus that provides transport for children in some roads in our zone – please contact the School Office if you would like to find out more about the bus route.
School Houses
All students are members of one of our four School Houses. Siblings are generally in the same house. Puketaha’s Houses are Rimu (green), Tawa (purple), Rata (red), Kowhai (yellow).
Stationery
Teachers will determine stationery requirements at the commencement of each year. Parents are encouraged to purchase the stationery from the school, this can be purchased at the start of the year via the school payment system, Kindo. New entrants will be given stationery to start at school with payment via Kindo. Stationery is available during the year from the school office.
Sunsafe Students
Puketaha is a sunsafe school, therefore, hats are essential for all of our children for outdoor activities during Term 1 and Term 4. Please ensure that your child is responsible for this and wears a hat at school during these terms.
Other School Activities
Puketaha School prides itself on the number of sporting opportunities available for Puketaha students.
Puketaha School is one of the schools in the Eastern Waikato Country Schools (EWCS) Cluster. This enables our children to participate in EWCS competitions, including Swimming, Cross Country, Hardcourt Sports, Athletics, Technology and Speeches. Children who qualify at school events are selected to attend these events.
There are also school based sports events, including the annual TRY Challenge, Swimming Sports, Cross Country & Athletics and a Sports Camp for Year 7 & 8.
Puketaha enters a number of teams in different sporting codes.
At Puketaha School children are also given the opportunity to attend various events, activities, trips and excursions. In previous years this has included a Technology Challenge, Writers Club, Science Fair, Water Safety, Environment Club, Chess Club, Languages Club, Talent Show and Summer Games.
Each learning environment is involved in weekly Kapa Haka practices.
Music lessons are available from Music House and are held at school. Contact Music House directly to make this booking.
School Zone
Puketaha School has a school zone, please visit Education Counts School Zoning for more information about the zoning area.
