A Message from the Kaikorai Primary School Board
As Term One comes to a close, the School Board would like to acknowledge what has been a positive and encouraging start to the year for our school community.
It has been wonderful to see students settling into school routines, forming new friendships, and building relationships with their teachers and support staff. The start of the year can be a big adjustment for many, and we have been delighted to see students growing in confidence as they find their place and develop a strong sense of belonging at Kaikorai Primary School.
We have also enjoyed seeing students making the most of the sunny days when they’ve come along — learning, playing, and connecting in our outdoor spaces. These moments of play, exploration, and shared time together are an important part of school life and contribute greatly to wellbeing and engagement.
It was lovely to see so many families attend the Meet the Teacher evening earlier in the term. The strong turnout reflected the value our community places on connection and partnership, and it was wonderful to see staff, whānau, and students engaging as relationships were strengthened right from the start of the year. We also appreciated the curriculum update evening, which provided valuable insights into teaching and learning across the school and helped build shared understanding between home and school.
The Board has also been pleased with our attendance data for Term One. Attendance is a key priority for the Ministry of Education, and as a Board, we review this data regularly at our meetings. The positive data this term suggests that students are happy to attend school and are being well supported by their whānau to be present and engaged in their learning — a strong foundation for the year ahead.
We would like to acknowledge what has been a particularly busy term for Ms Downie and all our staff. Alongside day‑to‑day teaching and learning, the term has included curriculum assessment and testing, swimming programmes, parent–teacher interviews, ongoing professional development and then finishing off the term with a wonderful PBL Art Exhibition, a celebration of creativity and learning. The commitment, organisation, and care shown across all these areas is deeply appreciated.
Behind the scenes, the School Board is committed to our strategic goals of:
Curriculum: Create an environment and curriculum that fosters engagement and success.
Environment: Create an inviting and inclusive physical environment.
Community: Cultivate and promote a culture of belonging in which the school community is empowered to thrive.
Collaboration: Foster and demonstrate a visible connection and collaboration between the school and the community.
Our Annual Implementation Plan to support these goals is now complete and can be found on our website here.
These goals and our implementation plan guide our decisions and support the excellent work already happening every day across the school.
The Board would also like to share information about the school donation. For 2026, the requested donation is $120. We are incredibly grateful for the support we receive from our community — these donations truly make a difference. Your generosity helps us provide the “little extras” that have a big impact for our students, such as additional learning support, classroom resources, and equipment. Without this support, we would not be able to offer the breadth and quality of opportunities currently available to our learners. Thank you for your ongoing support of our school and our students; it is genuinely appreciated.
We wish everyone a safe and restful term break and look forward to continuing the year together in Term Two.
Ngā mihi nui,
Rachael Jenkins
Presiding Member
Kaikorai Primary School Board
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