Term 2 Week 8 2025
Matariki mā Puanga
Celebrating Puanga Together – He wā whakawhanaungatanga!
Tuesday, our kura came alive with the spirit of Puanga, a special time to reflect, reconnect and celebrate new beginnings. It was heartening to see our ākonga, kaiako and whānau come together.
A highlight of the celebration was the sharing of a delicious soup lunch, prepared with vegetables generously donated by our community. Ngā mihi nui to the parents who came in to help with the preparation — your support and time is truly appreciated.
We extend a huge thank you to New World Merrilands and our Home and School for their generous donation of bread to accompany our lunch — your kindness and support is appreciated.
A very special thank you to our kapa haka group, who performed with pride and passion. Your performance helped set the tone for the day and reminded us of the power of connection through waiata and haka.
We also want to acknowledge the incredible mahi of our teachers and tamariki — from learning about the significance of Puanga to preparing and sharing the kai. This event was a beautiful example of learning, culture and community coming together.
As we head into the long weekend, we wish all our whānau a happy and safe Matariki mā Puanga. Safe travels to those who are heading away. May this time be filled with reflection, rest and reconnection.
Ngā manaakitanga ki a koutou katoa.
Important Dates
Kia Ora whānau. On Monday July 14th we have our Teacher Only Day at Welbourn. School is closed to students on that day. The first day for them is Tuesday 15th July.
In week 2 we have Learning Conferences on Monday July 21st and Wednesday July 23rd. Please see the poster below for link to book a time and additional information.
Phones and Smart Watches
Reminder: Cellphones and Smartwatches at School
A friendly reminder to our whānau that, in line with our Cellphones in Schools Policy, students are not permitted to use cellphones or smartwatches during the school day. This helps us keep the focus on learning and face-to-face connections.
If your child brings a device to school, it should be handed into the office at the start of the day and collected at home time.
We appreciate your support in helping us create a focused and respectful learning environment for all tamariki.
Rippa Rugby Competition
On the 9 of June, Welbourn competed in a Rippa Rugby tournament at the freezing, windy racecourse. We needed to keep warm after every game! The Welbourn competitive team did pretty well. We got 3 wins and 2 losses placing 6th - just missing qualification for the Grand Final.
The Welbourn Force went undefeated having an amazing 6 wins, while the Welbourn Reds had 3 wins and tied 2 games. The Welbourn Chiefs won 5 games and drew 1. The Welbourn Hurricanes also had 6 fantastic wins. Overall, Welbourn did super well and the important thing is we had fun competing with other schools in Taranaki.
Aevan Comia
Home and School
SEEKING A TREASURER. The Home and School Committee are on the hunt for a new Treasurer - full support will be given. We are after someone to take over from Matt Walsh , who has moved over to the board. This position takes care of the money side of things, so would be great for someone with some financial experience, or someone who has done this role for other committees or clubs in the past. We would love to hear from you. If you wish to find out more, just email homeandschool@welbourn.school.
PIZZA LUNCH. Last day of term pizza lunch - Home and School are celebrating the end of term (27 June) with a pizza lunch fundraiser. Cheese or Pizza $2.50 per slice, Gluten free $2.90, and there is a Dairy Free option at $2.90 per slice. Order via the Kindo app or head to https://shop.kindo.co.nz/app/
Cookie Time Fundraiser - H&S are fundraising to help with funds for the new Open Classroom and we are kicking off our efforts with a Cookie time Fundraiser. Forms will go out with tamariki so keep an eye out in the school bag. The cookies are the Original Chocolate Chip flavour, with 20 cookies per bag for $20. Forms are to be returned by Friday 18 July, and delivery of cookies will be around 2 weeks from then. Forms can be returned to the office with cash (please pop money in a labelled bag or envelope so we know who it belongs to), or you can return the form to the office and deposit the money into the Home & School account on the order form. Please put child's name and room number on details. We encourage tamariki to be safe while fundraising so asking parents friends, family, neighbours, parents work etc, rather than door knocking is preferable.
Screentime and Social Media use
Supporting Healthy Screen Time Habits at Home
As technology becomes a bigger part of our everyday lives, it’s important we work together to support healthy screen habits for our tamariki. Research into developing brains shows that too much screen time can impact children’s attention, emotional regulation, and sleep—all of which are vital for learning and well-being.
Sleep, especially, is affected by screens, as the blue light from devices can delay melatonin production and make it harder for children to wind down at night. Establishing screen-free routines before bed and encouraging active, creative play during the day can make a big difference.
We also want to remind whānau of the importance of parental monitoring and internet safety. Please take time to check in on what your child is doing online, who they’re communicating with, and what apps or games they are using.
A gentle reminder that social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat all have a minimum age requirement of 13 years. These platforms are not designed for primary-aged children and can expose them to content and interactions that are not age-appropriate.
Let’s keep the lines of communication open and work together to help our tamariki stay safe, balanced, and well. Ngā mihi for your continued support.
For more information please check out this link below
https://netsafe.org.nz/online-safety-at-home/managing-online-screen-time
Sports News
Winter sports -
Winter Football - Cancellations can be found on the Central Football facebook page or http://www.centralfootball.co.nz/HOME-1
Hockey (Yr 3-6) Cancellations can be found on the Taranaki junior Hockey Facebook page or http://www.taranakihockey.org.nz/news-1/cancellations
Netball - Game times for future weeks can be found on the Netball Taranaki Website.
Community Sports
Taranaki Cricket are excited to offer students in Years 5 – 8 a fantastic opportunity to participate in an Indoor Cricket League during the July School Holidays! This is a fun way for students to stay active, improve their skills, and enjoy some friendly competition. The league will be held at the Sulzberger Indoor Cricket Centre on Hobson Street in New Plymouth. Teams will be drafted on the day, and with only 18 spots per grade, registration is essential to secure a place!
The event will be split into three sessions: the Year 5/6 Boys league will take place on Tuesday 8th July from 12:00pm – 3:00pm, the Year 7/8 Boys league will be held on Wednesday 9th July from 9:00am – 12:00pm, and the Year 5-8 Girls league will take place on Thursday 10th July from 9:00am – 12:00pm. Each grade requires a minimum of 12 players for the league to go ahead, so be sure to sign up early to avoid missing out!
The cost to participate is $24.99 per player, and registration closes on Sunday 29th June at 8:30pm. To sign up, please visit the registration link here: Indoor Cricket League Registration.
Winter Football -
Any queries to:
Sam Cresswell Sport Administrator,
Welbourn School Phone: 757 5810
email: sport@welbourn.school.nz
