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. 

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

Monday 3rd February - Start of Term 1 

Thursday 6th February - Waitangi Day, school closed

Friday 7th February - Mihi Whakatau 9.50-10.10, all welcome

week 1

3rd February - Start of Term 1 

7th February - Mihi Whakatau 9.50-10.10

week 2

● School starts at 8:55am, and the students are allowed into the classroom at 8:30am after the bell goes, prior to this students must be booked into before school care.

● If your child arrives late to school please sign them in at the school office.

● School finishes at 2:50pm.

● If your child is going to be absent from school for any reason. You can use Hero to report absences or please phone the office by 9.15am - 829 5735.

● The School Office is open from 8:30am to 3:00pm.   Term time only

● We are a “nut free” school as a few students are highly allergic to any of these products. Therefore, we ask that children do not bring whole nuts to school.

● A friendly reminder that we are a rubbish-free school, and we encourage the use of reusable containers.

● There is a Before and After School Care Programme. More information is at the School Office.  Tui House Before & After School Care link

● Please label all clothing and shoes.

● Please ensure that your child has a named drink bottle every day at school.

● Each and every Friday our senior students sell ice blocks to the whole school at lunchtime for $1.00.

● Wheels day is every Friday, so students can bring their bikes or scooters to school, but they must have helmets.

● We use HERO as our main platform of communication with families.

school packs 2025

Please order your child's stationery online through Qizzle using the details below. The stationery will be delivered to your home address and needs to be brought to school on Monday 3rd February, the first day of school. 

Please follow these instructions so you have access to Hero for Matangi School

Parent Guide to Accessing HERO

• Please follow this link for a step by step guide to signing up to LINC-ED Hero. 
• We recommend having the LINC-ED Hero app on your home device/s and your phone, so that you can easily access any notifications or information sent out from school. 
• Financial information: You can view and pay any invoices from the school once you upload the app onto your phone or home device.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact the office.

HOW: Order online at www.yourlunchbox.co.nz

• Lunches are delivered to the office prior to the morning tea break.

• The hot lunch option available on Wednesdays will be delivered just before lunch break.

• There are different sizes for different appetites and ordering is easy peasy. Simply order before 8.00pm the night before you would like the lunch box delivered. 

• Choose from either a subscription or one off order.

Polo shirts, polar fleeces, school jackets and school hats are in stock at the Uniform Shop.

You are welcome to purchase your own black shorts, skorts and pants.  Please note that these must be plain black with no logos.

Matangi School office no longer sells our uniform.

Please see the attached flyers for further information around purchasing and their location.

Registrations have opened for children wanting to play junior touch in Term 1.

Junior players will register to Hautapu Sports and will be placed into teams by the club.

Registrations close on Wednesday February 5th 2025.

Children from Years 3-8 are eligible to play.

Playing jerseys are provided for the season. Black shorts and shoes must be worn on game day. Games will be played at Memorial Park, Taylor St, Cambridge.

Games will comprise 2 x 12-minute halves with a 2-minute halftime.

Year 3/4 games will be played first, then Year 5/6.

Games will consist of 12-minute halves with a one-minute halftime.

Referees will be provided for all games.

Click here to register: Link

Please click here for more information on Splash Polo Term 1 2025 where you can express your child/ren's interest.

Any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

Lauren Dawber