Kia ora koutou,

Our Year 5–8 students have been working incredibly hard preparing for this year’s production. At Puketaha, our school productions are always unique and child-centred. Each year, the script is written fresh to reflect the interests, strengths, and ideas of the students involved. Our Year 7 and 8 students, in particular, play a key role in shaping the storyline and dialogue, writing large parts of the script themselves.

I want to acknowledge the extra effort our staff and students have put in this year. With no Performing Arts Centre (PAC) just yet, we’ve had to adapt to using the community hall. While we are grateful to have access to this facility and still be able to do a Production this year, unlike our PAC, the hall doesn't have a built-in projector, sound and lighting system. 

So, although this year’s production may not have all the technical bells and whistles of previous years, it’s a true testament to the resilience and creativity of our students and teachers. We’re proud of what they’ve achieved and can’t wait to share it with you.

Update on Classroom Appeal and Rebuild Plans

Recently, Puketaha School submitted a formal appeal to the Ministry of Education regarding their decision not to reinstate the Kaakano teaching space, which was destroyed in the 2024 fire. Our letter outlined many factors, including the impact the loss of this purpose-built learning space has had on teaching and learning. The appeal was supported by a comprehensive architectural assessment of the space and a strong letter of endorsement from the Waikato District Council Mayor and Chief Executive. Following a visit to the school, our local Member of Parliament was also included in the communications, along with other key community members and Ministry of Education representatives. The appeal prompted robust internal conversations within the Ministry of Education’s property team, and we are very pleased to share that the Ministry has agreed to reverse its original decision and they will reinstate the lost teaching space in conjunction with the rebuild of the Performing Arts Centre (PAC). This is a fantastic outcome for our school. 

The Ministry has confirmed that while the exact design is still to be determined, the new teaching space will be included in the PAC design process moving forward. We will be meeting with the Ministry soon to discuss next steps and will keep our community informed as we learn more. This rebuild will be a permanent extension to our existing classroom block, and importantly, there is no threat to our roll being reduced due to out-of-zone students. 

Thank you to everyone for your support throughout this process. I would particularly like to acknowledge Crystal Beavis for bringing together key voices at Waikato District Council and helping to coordinate the strong letter of endorsement we received. I’m also very grateful to PeddleThorp Architects for producing such a thorough report that clearly outlined why the remaining space was not fit for purpose. The Waikato Ministry of Education Property team have worked incredibly hard behind the scenes to help get this decision across the line, and we are all truly thankful for their openness to relook at the decision, their robust process, support and commitment. It is such an amazing result!