Kia ora koutou.

Tomorrow we have our senior school swimming sports, please feel free to come along and watch your child. The first races begin at 10:30am. We will be operating a Heller's sponsored sausage sizzle. We have asked our caterers to provide some school lunches as well.

Congratulations to Emily and Olivia Smyth. Their team placed 3rd at the Waikato Interschool Show Jumping Championships held last Wednesday. Mason Fordham, Hendrik Lee, Evan Gray, Cooper Bennett and Ben Gaylor also represented our school at the Battle of the Schools Moto Cross event last week. They came away with 2nd overall which was a huge achievement against so many other larger schools. 

GALA organising is in full swing, thanks for all of the donated food items - they are really appreciated. Thanks to the parents who have already put their hand up to help out - we still require more helpers, please ring the office and they'll help find a spot for you.

Please read on for winter sports information and follow the links to register your child for either netball or soccer - it might seem really early but the organisers are requiring entries in the next few weeks time.

Yesterday a group of senior students went to Lake Ngaroto for a sailing session put on by the Te Awamutu Sailability team. We were very fortunate to have a bit of wind this time to get the yachts moving along quite quickly. The students really enjoyed their time on the water and appreciated the outing. Thanks to Angie McPhee for coming along and helping out with supervision and transport.

Today the school councillors are heading down to the Harvest Centre for the first of our indoor rock climbing sessions that we do each year. The councillors are an integral part of the school and have been working hard already this term, playing with junior students during their lunchtimes, manning the office at morning tea and running the Guess the Lolly Jar competition.

If your child is walking or riding to school could you please have a chat to them about crossing the roads safely, looking both ways and listening. There are a lot of busy intersections and roadways on the way to school and we only look after two of them. We do expect all students to access the patrolled crossings whether walking or biking.

BOT News: A casual vacancy has occurred on the school board for an elected parent representative. The board has decided to fill the vacancy by selection. If 10% or more of eligible voters on the school roll ask the board, within 28 days of this notice being published, to hold a by-election to fill the vacancy, then a by-election will be held. Request for a by-election should be sent to: Sandy Rattray (election officer) admin@otosouth.school.nz by the 3rd April.

Ngā mihi, 

Scott Lincoln 

Principal

Term 1 - Wed 31st Jan - Thurs 12th April

Term 2 - Mon 29th April - Fri 5th July

Term 3 - Mon 22nd July - Fri 27th Sept

Term 4 - Mon 14th Oct - Fri 13th Dec

March
Fri 8th - OSS Senior Swimming
Weds 13th - COPS Inter-school Swimming
Fri 15th - Gala = half day - finishing at 12:30
Mon 25th - Parent Interviews
Tues 26th - Parent Interviews
Fri 29th - Good Friday - School Closed

April
Mon 1st - Easter Monday - School Closed
Tues 2nd - Easter Tuesday - School Closed
Fri 12th - Pen Assembly - last day of the term
Mon 29th - Term 2 Start

Our values focus for the next few weeks is Effort.

Our school-wide values are explicitly taught in all our classrooms and across various settings. These value lessons are also supported by our school councillors sharing messages and role-playing at assemblies, as well as value reminders over the school intercom each morning during our daily notices.

Below is an example of our school-wide expectations of Effort in one of our settings.

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If you would like to help for a couple of hours please complete this survey or contact the school office:
P: 07 873 8530
M: 0279110819
E: accounts@otosouth.school.nz

The request for sponsorship below was sent to our local businesses. If your business did not receive the email, but you would like to get on board, you are welcome to call the school office or email accounts@otosouth.school.nz with your offer.

Thanks to all those who have sent in their grocery items for our MONSTER GROCERY RAFFLES! Keep them coming! 

To make sure we have a variety of products we ask that the products start with the first letter of students' first and last names, but this is not essential. 

Next week a paper plate and plastic bag will be sent home to families. We ask that each household provide a plate of baking for our Gala cake stall. This is a great time to showcase a favourite family recipe.

This netball programme involves a skill based session with a small sided game to follow for years 3-4  in order to have this sporting opportunity parents/caregivers are required to run this programme.  (uniforms will not be issued to these players) 

This netball programme play the normal 7 on 7 version of the game.  Uniforms will only be issued to those students who have paid fees. 

Remember it is not possible for us to have a successful season with out your help. We need coaches, managers, umpires in order for our students to have this opportunity.

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 Kia Ora - North King Country Junior Football will start the first week of term 2.  Please read the competition details and answer the questionnaire below if you have a child/children that want to play Friday afternoon soccer this year.

The POD season will run for approximately 10 weeks during term 2 and start on Friday 3rd May 2024 (TBC).  All POD sessions will be on Friday afternoons at the Centennial Park grounds, Park Street (directly opposite Centennial Park School) Te Kuiti.  Sessions will start at. 3:45pm.

The format for the Pod grades is as follows: A POD Leader (parent) will take their POD  (approx. 10/12 players) through a series of 3 quick and simple skills based sessions (approx. ½ hour).  The POD will then be divided into smaller teams of 5/6 players and the Leader will ref a short game between the two teams.  Then a POD Delegate (another parent) will take one of the teams to the next field to play another school team while POD Leader stays with a team and refs their next game against another school. Therefore we need a POD Leader and POD Delegate (x2 parents) for every 10/12 children.  Without this parent support, we cannot register PODs.

 

U13s grade will play 9v9 format with 25min halves and U10s play 7v7 format with 25 min halves.  The season will run for 10 weeks during term 2 and competition games will start on Friday 3rd May 2024 (TBC).   All games will be held on Friday afternoons at the Centennial Park grounds, Te Kuiti - with a start time of 3:30pm.

Payment includes uniform and NCKJF fee.  Uniforms will be issued on payment of sub. All subs are payable to the school office or via internet banking once they have been confirmed:  Please use child’s name and sport as a reference. 
Oto South BOT 01-0391-0023110-00     
            

Emily and Olivia Smyth competed at the Waikato Interschool Show Jumping Championships held on Wednesday, 29 February, at the the Leamington pony club grounds in Cambridge. They had a great day filled with challenges and their team came away with 3rd placing overall. 

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Over 400 children competed at the King of the Schools Moto Cross event held at the North King Country Moto Cross track on the 1st of March.
Mason Fordham, Hendrik Lee, Evan Gray, Cooper Bennett and Ben Gaylor represented Oto South and gained 2nd place in the mini division and our senior team took out 4th place. Their combined effort placed them 2nd overall.

Ikura|Manaakitia te whare tangata is an initiative set up by the Ministry of Education to provide free period products in all state schools across New Zealand.  The main aims of this scheme are to support whānau with the rising cost of living and to make a positive impact on student wellbeing. If you would like to opt into the scheme, please contact the school office.