Kia ora Parents, Caregivers and Students of Coastal Taranaki School,

Put another log on the fire… (better leave the next line out!)! Magnificent as it looks Te Maunga Taranaki is playing a defining part in our increasingly chilly mornings and evenings. It has to be better than all that rain, I guess.

We are entering the ‘business end’ of the first half year, and we’ll know that has arrived when we sit down together to discuss the progress and achievement of your children on Tuesday, July 5. Please mark this as a date. You will shortly receive a newsletter about the processes of booking an interview time for a student led conference (Years 1 to 8 ) or an individual development plan (Years 9 to 13). I have been privy to some recent test results in Mathematics in the upper middle school (for example) and I am sure you will be impressed.

We warmly welcome the following students who have recently enrolled at our school:
- Chloe Jackson, Year 7
- Kale Manukonga-Gray, Year 6
- Carys Simmonds, New Entrant
- Cinnamon Danger, New Entrant

Congratulations to:
Te roopu Te Taihauaauru on all the preparation and effort that meant their first ever regional kapa haka competition at Waitara last weekend was so successful, and so well enjoyed. Many, many thanks to Matua Chris and Brigitte Luke on their direction and encouragement of our young people. The performance will be repeated for the school on Friday June 24 at 10am. The Coastal students will be joined by the Opunake High School members who together make up a 40 person roopu. Everyone is welcome.

The Coastal Year 5 and 6 Kids4Kids Choir for a most excellent performance at the TSB Showplace on Wednesday night. They all looked like they were having a really good time and are to be commended on doing so well on a very busy day (4 hour rehearsal, 2 hour performance) that would see most of us sagging at the knees.

Suzanne Prentice was in great form, both in terms of her own singing, but especially in her encouragement of the combined choir, and the soloists. Speaking of which, well done Jaxon Madden on your feature solo (now where does he get that from, I wonder?). A special thanks to teachers Kelly Madden and Nichola Hunt for their wonderful guidance in making the experience so memorable for our students.

World Vision will use the funds raised to continue their good work wherever children need them. Well done, Coastal kids, on being part of something so worthwhile.

Engagement Survey
The Board commissioned an independent survey (called ‘Me and My School’) which was completed by all students in the Middle School. I am supported by the classes I have shared with so far in saying that the ‘report card’ is very positive – perhaps Merit with some matters to address which might help lift us to Excellence. An electronic copy of the survey can be shared with you (perhaps via our website) once the Board have discussed this at their next meeting (on June 27).

 

Academic Excellence Awards
- Jaydene Carrie, Year 11 for Excellence in Level 1 English (Creating a Visual Text)
- Ariarna Hickey, Year 11 for Excellence in Level 1 English (Creating a Visual Text)

School Traffic Safety at Coastal
Staff have expressed concern for student safety after school, especially on wet days. Parents are reminded that the driveway accessed from Oxford Road is not for parents to pick up students after school. It is specifically designed for the safest possible transport of bus students, for staff access to their designated parking area, and for Library patrons (who avoid peak hours).

Clearly, commonsense prevails in an emergency (this does not mean not a badly timed downpour – this is in fact the worst time to be using this access), and there is special provision made for disabled students (and visitors).

Please respect what has been designed for a purpose, not a convenience. Please have a ‘plan B’ for picking up your children which involves the Carthew Street car park.

In any event the speed limit for the entire driveway from Oxford Road is 5km/h. Your support on this is essential to our students’ continued safekeeping, and appreciated.

School Traffic Safety in the Village
There is some community concern for our pedestrians. I have spoken to students in assembly about ways they can keep themselves, and each other, safe.
1. Always use a pedestrian crossing if there is one (by Hampton Hall and on Oxford Road). I am especially concerned that we change ‘jay-walking’ behaviour at the Oxford/South/Cumming intersection. I have asked staff to instil a good habit by using the crossing to access the pool, for example.
2. Always make sure there are no vehicles, or that they have stopped before crossing 3. Older students can help the younger by waiting for them and escorting them safely over the crossing 4. In the case of Hampton Hall, preferably making sure both sides of the road are clear, that is, not relying on the ‘safety island’

I know there is discussion about other ways we can make our students safe – it is not just our children who need ‘educating’. These are some simple reminders of what we can, and should, be doing now. Please reinforce this message, and always alert me (or Constable Richard Corry) if our student safety is being compromised by road user behaviour.

July 1 Return
In the next week or so the Board is required to inform the Ministry of Education of the Coastal Taranaki School predicted roll for 2012. The Board is of course aware that for some students, decisions will be made which mean that they will leave us at the end of the year. We also know that there are potential new enrolments that we don’t get to hear about until ‘too late’ (as far as securing funding is concerned).

In the past couple of years the accuracy of the information provided has meant that we have not achieved a sufficiently clear picture. This is to say that decisions have had to be made – about staffing, class sizes, budgeting, course provision – based on the July return, and then they have to be adjusted when the real picture has become known at the beginning of the year. This can be quite unsettling when it affects students directly.

Unfortunately, the July 1 return of predicted numbers is the ‘big one’ as far as the Ministry’s machinations are concerned. They will change secondary funding term by term, but the primary funding is fixed.

The Board absolutely respects the fact that for some parents their vision for their children’s schooling at Coastal does not extend beyond Year 6 or Year 8, and that circumstances change. I hope that you will understand the reason for a personal approach to you – either by Lee or the Principal – this year. All Year 6 and 8 parents will be contacted next week. If you intend enrolling your student elsewhere from other levels, please let us know. You would be helping us make sure that our resources of staffing and money can be targeted to best effect for those who remain. Otherwise, we will only approach you if our discussions with students about next year alert us to this possibility. If there is anything you need to know to help you make a decision one way or another, I am always available.

If you know of new families, if you have not told us of siblings for those at school, please contact us so that we can include them in our return. We get very good information from the Play Centre, Kaitake kindergarten and Sophia’s, but not all parents use these pre-schools.

Thank you for your support at this important time.

Kind regards,
Allan Miles