Principals Message
Teenaa koutou e te whaanau o Matangi,
We are looking forward to welcoming everyone back to school on Monday 3rd February and hope you have had a wonderful and relaxing school holiday and summer.
We welcome you all to attend the blessing and opening of our four new Tōtara learning spaces tomorrow, Friday 31st January at 8.45am. Please gather at the front of the school.
There are a few updates to start the year that I would like to share with you.
Staff and Classrooms
We welcome Paige Steen, Sarah Silva Vilacorta and Michaela Phillips to our teaching team this year.
Please see below where teachers’ classrooms will be for 2025, and this will hopefully help you find your class and teacher on the first day. Please come to the front office if you are unsure where to find your new class and we will help you find your way.
|
Name |
Room |
|
|
Principal |
Bernard Butler |
|
|
Deputy Principal |
Sarah Godsall |
|
|
Year 5/6 |
Lauren Prentice Team Leader |
Kahikatea 2 (end of the main block by junior playground) |
|
Year 5/6 |
Lauren Dawber |
Kahikatea 1 (end of the main block by junior playground) |
|
Year 4/5 |
Paige Steen |
Kahikatea 3 (end of the main block corridor) |
|
Year 3/4 |
Amelia Meertens Team Leader |
Rimu 1 (main block by the office) |
|
Year 3/4 |
Scott Johnson |
Rimu 2 (main block middle classroom along the corridor) |
|
Year 0/1 |
Lisa Murray Team Leader |
Tōtara Hub (new building) |
|
Year 1/2 |
Laura Robinson |
Tōtara Hub (new building) |
|
Year 1/2 |
Sarah Silva Vilacorta |
Tōtara Hub (new building) |
|
Term One across school teaching and learning support |
Kat Osborne |
|
|
Term One across school teaching and learning support |
Karen Mowbray |
|
|
Tōtara teacher support and release |
Paula Schwikkard |
|
|
Release Teacher |
Ainsley Adams |
|
|
Release Teacher |
Michaela Phillips |
|
|
Learning Assistants |
Sue Smith Carmen Fletcher Josie Kingham Shelley Duthie |
|
|
Executive Officer |
Janelle Bailey |
|
|
Front Office |
Amy Pickford |
|
Mihi Whakatau
On Friday, we invite you to be part of our mihi whakatau to welcome our new teachers and students and their families at Matangi School. This starts at 9.40 am, and you are welcome to stay for morning tea afterwards.
Bell Times
The start and end-of-day bell times remain the same for 2025.
Our school day for students runs from 8.55 am to 2.50 pm. Our break times are 10.10 am. – 10.30 am. 11.30 am – 11.40 am. And 12.45 pm – 1.40 pm.
Throughout Term One, we are trialling a change in our times for learning to support the recently introduced teaching and learning requirements for literacy and numeracy.
Our school day will look as follows:
Hauora Time 8.55am – 9.10 am
Block One (Numeracy) 9.10 am – 10.10 am
Morning tea 10.10 am – 10.30 am
Block Two (Literacy) 10.30 am – 11.30 am
Brain break 11.30 am – 11.40 am
Block Three (Literacy) 11.40 am. – 12.45 pm
Lunch 12.45 pm – 1.40 pm
Block Four (Curriculum) 1.40 pm – 2.50 pm.
Students will still receive the same amount of time for breaks and learning as in other years, however, in a new structure.
Students are welcome to come into classrooms from 8.30 am and teachers will be in their rooms to greet them from that time.
Swimming
It has been wonderful to see many families and community members using the pool over the summer. A very big thank you to John Brocket for keeping our pool in top condition.
Children must bring their togs, a towel, and swim cap to school every day. Goggles can also be worn.
If your child is not swimming, please send a note to their teacher to explain why.
Meet the Teacher
On Wednesday 19th February, there is an opportunity for you to meet your child’s teacher and hear about the teaching and learning for the year. This will be from 5pm – 7pm, and we will provide you with more information about this event in the coming weeks.
I look forward to a great year ahead and working with you all to ensure Matangi School continues to provide the best learning environment for all our students as we strive towards our school vision, “Empowering Learners – Whakamana Akonga”.
Ngaa mihi,
Bernard Butler
Principal