Newsletter – 5 March 2025

 2025 Carnival – Non-Uniform Day on Monday

This coming Monday, 10th March, is a non-uniform day. Students should come dressed in their favourite colour! All funds raised will go towards sweets for the Carnival’s Willy Wonka room. Payment can be made now on Kindo.

 Board News

Kia ora koutou, 

This is the first in a series of newsletter profiles to help share details on the board of Cockle Bay School so you understand what we do, what is involved and how you can possibly help the school into the future.

Triennial elections are set for boards which means that every 3 years there is the requirement to undertake a formal voting process to elect the board for the next 3 year period. The next election is set for September 2025.

A school board is a Crown entity, which is an organisation that receives public funding and is part of the New Zealand public sector. As schools receive public funding, there are certain things that school boards must do and laws they need to follow. Here is a great introduction. 

A school board works in partnership with its school, its community, and the government to ensure the best possible outcome for all students and their whānau.

The Cockle Bay school board is currently made up of five parent representatives, one staff representative (Kimberley Rivett) and the Principal (Dorothy Bigwood.) Each board member plays an important role leading a portfolio which may be policy, finance, property or health and safety.

I am currently the presiding member (previously called Chair) and this position is voted at the beginning of each year or when a new board starts. 

The presiding member is required to:

• preside over board meetings 
• lead the board to work as a team and ensure the work of the board is done
• develop an effective and professional working relationship with the principal
• promote effective communication between the board and the wider community
• speak for the board when delegated to do so
• uphold the school board’s responsibility to give practical effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi

It is important to note that the presiding member will often be called upon to act as a sounding board for the principal in matters of school management. For more details here is a link to understand the role of the presiding member.

I really enjoy my role as presiding member as it’s an opportunity to give back, providing an interesting extension to my day job helping to lead the ongoing progress and success of Cockle Bay School. I am very lucky to work alongside a committed and experienced board, so if you are interested to learn more, please email me at jaredd@cocklebay.school.nz and I’ll be in touch.

Regards

Jared Dinneen 

 Uniform Reminder

When our students wear their Cockle Bay School uniform it fosters pride, unity and self-discipline – all of which contribute to a positive school environment. We are only a few weeks into term one, and yet uniform standards are starting to slip with non-uniform items such as coloured sneakers and crocs being worn. Please ensure your child wears uniform items only. If you need to refresh your memory or are unsure whether items comply, please check our uniform policy here.

Students are expected to wear footwear and hats to/from school, and change into/out of PE gear at school. The found property pile is in a cupboard beside Room 3. We try to return named items to owners.

 In Zone Enrolments

If your child is turning five in 2025, and you have not yet completed an enrolment form, please do so now. Knowing student numbers is crucial for effective school planning and the allocation of resources (classrooms, teachers, and other essentials).

Forms can be collected from the school office or downloaded from the school website.

 2024 Yearbooks for Sale!

Don’t miss out! If you forgot to order your 2024 yearbook, don’t worry – we still have a limited number of copies available at the school office. Grab yours before they’re gone and relive all the unforgettable moments from last year! 

 Chrome Books for Sale!

We are on-selling Chromebooks that have been used in Years 4-6 classes since February 2022. They are 3 years old. If you would like to purchase a used Chromebook, please complete the purchase via Kindo. 

 School eTAP App for Parents – @school App 

We have now moved to using a new app for home/school communication. This app is connected to our student management system and allows parents to log student absences, sign up for teacher conferences, complete permission slips, update personal details for your child/ren, access the school events calendar and website, as well as view current school year reports and access historical reports for your child/ren. 

Trouble shooting:

• You need to access the app for the first time through the email you have been sent and on a computer/desktop or mobile phone
• Then click on the blue link at the bottom of the email and agree to the the terms and conditions BEFORE you follow the prompts to install the app
• The app will open in a new window on your browser
• Follow the instructions to change your password

Please email the office if you have any questions or are having trouble accessing the login. 

Link to School Calendar

 2025 Dates

Term One (Monday 3 February – Friday 11 April)

Saturday 29 March – Cockle Bay School Carnival

Term Two (Monday 28 April – Friday 27 June)

Friday 30 May – Teacher Only Day (school closed)

Monday 2 June – King’s Birthday (Public Holiday)

Thursday 19 June – Teacher Only Day (school closed)

Friday 20 June – Matariki (Public Holiday)

Term Three (Monday 14 July – Friday 19 September)

Friday 24 October – Teacher Only Day (school closed)

Monday 27 October – Labour Day (Public Holiday)

Term Four (Monday 6 October – Thursday 18 December)

The SchoolDocs review process allows the school community to provide feedback on policies and procedures, and ensures information stays up to date. To access our School documents, use the community usernames and password below:

Username: cocklebay
Password: sandspit

The following policies are under review Term 1, 2025: