Kia ora koutou,

Last week, we had our PTA Colour Run, which was a huge success. I still have shades of green in my hair as a memory, and it’s been neat seeing children wearing their colour run day t-shirts that are now splashed with colour. We are truly grateful to the PTA for organising this event and raising a substantial amount of money to help rebuild our playground. Thank you to all our wider community for setting up the fundraising pages and gathering so much support. 

Here is a video of the day if you haven't already seen it. https://youtu.be/qcV1CXTt1Tc

On other news, the Puketaha School Board and I would like to keep you updated on the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) decisions regarding the rebuild of our Performing Arts Centre (PAC) and classroom, which were damaged by the fire in October 2024. While we have made some positive progress, there are still challenges we are working through, and we wanted to keep you informed.

What’s Happening with the PAC? As you know, the fire destroyed our PAC and a classroom. The MOE does not carry external insurance for its buildings, so it reallocates existing funds to cover repairs and replacements. The rebuilding process has proven to be more complex than we initially anticipated, particularly as MOE policies for rebuilding are influenced by the number of in-zone students. Since our school runs a ballot system for out-of-zone students, it has led to some complications.

On a positive note, the MOE has confirmed that the PAC will be rebuilt to a similar size to the original, with only minor variations. This is a big step forward, and we are optimistic that the new facility will closely resemble what was lost. The MOE is considering two options: rebuilding on the existing concrete pad, or removing the pad and using Offsite Manufactured Buildings. They are currently pricing both options, and we are working with them to ensure the final design meets both the school’s needs and the MOE’s cost-efficiency goals. We are confident the result will be a functional and versatile space for our students.

Classroom Space –  Unfortunately, the MOE has informed us that the classroom will not be rebuilt. This decision is based on our proportion of out-of-zone students and the total floor space we already have in relation to our current enrollment numbers. The MOE believes that our school already has more space compared to others of a similar size, and we are not entitled to any funding to rebuild.

We want to assure you that the Board is fully committed to advocating for the restoration of classroom space. The Board has already discussed the next steps and plans to approach the MOE to explore options in a way that doesn’t risk changes to our current enrollment scheme. We also recognise that many of you may want to support this cause, and we will keep you updated on how you can help. Your continued patience and support are deeply appreciated during this time.

Short-Term Solutions for Our Students In the meantime, we are making the best use of our existing classroom spaces to ensure we meet the needs of our students. For Terms 3 and 4, we will temporarily use the library as a classroom for our Year 0 students, who will continue to enroll throughout the year. Additionally, some Year 1 students will move into Kaakano 2, as part of our regular yearly process to balance class sizes and meet teacher-child ratio requirements. This will also help reduce the numbers in Kaakano 1 and ensure a more optimal learning environment for all.

Looking ahead to 2026, we are planning how to best utilise the available space to accommodate all of our students, with some immediate solutions supported by the Board’s funding. It’s important to note that the Board cannot independently build new classrooms without MOE approval, as our entitlement rules remain unchanged.

Our Commitment to Your Children’s Education Despite both the good and disappointing news, we want to reassure you that the needs of our students remain our top priority. We are committed to ensuring that every student has the best possible learning environment. Thank you for your continued support and patience as we navigate these challenges together.

We will keep you informed of any further updates and appreciate your ongoing partnership as we work towards rebuilding and improving our school facilities.

I hope you have a lovely rest of your week.

Ngaa mihi,

Nyree Olliver