Together We Grow – Ka Tupu Kotāhi ai Tatou Week 11
Tēnā koutou katoa, OVS School Community,
As the scent of sunblock and pohutakawa fills the air, we reach the final week of 2025 and pause to reflect on what has been a positive, productive, and memorable year here at Ōtaika Valley School!
Finally I would like to take this opportunity to wish every member of our OVS community a safe, restful, and very happy Kiwi Christmas. Take time to relax, recharge, and enjoy quality time with whānau and friends. As we close the 2025 chapter, we anticipate the next and I leave you with a thought from Abraham Lincoln – The best way to predict the future is to create it ! So, heres to creating something special for our kura in 2026 and we look forward to seeing everyone back for a fabulous start to the new year.
Ngā mihi nui,
Last Day of school 2026
School finishes for 2025 on Wednesday at 12.00pm. There is no after school care available on this day. Buses will leave at 12pm
The first day of school 2026 is Wednesday the 4th of February.
*Star Spot* – Student Learning @ OVS
We had a lot to celebrate at our wonderful last OVS assembly for 2025 . Our fabulous student recipients who received special recognition are below. A huge congratulations to everybody!
End of Year RURU Awards.
Our end of year assembly was hosted by Room 5 who did a fabulous job and it was a pleasure to see all of the RURU winners for 2025. I am pleased to inform whanau that next year our end of year assembly will be in the community hall with all whanau welcome to attend.
All about Geodes
You might have seen lots of geodes, but do you know many facts about geodes? They are magical, they are very solid. When water comes through them, it leaves minerals in it and they create different patterns of crystals. Read on to learn more about geodes.
Geodes are magical. It is said that if you come across some sedimentary rock there are bound to be geodes. They either come from sedimentary rock or lava and water mixes. The craziest thing is that they have their own digestive system!
When water comes through, it leaves minerals in it and they create different patterns of crystal. You normally see star shaped patterns but if you’re not a normal person you might come across diamond shaped patterns. If you’re really lucky you will come across a love heart shaped pattern.
If you know that geodes are surprisingly solid, you are correct because it’s harder than concrete and steel. If you are crazy enough to kick a geode, the only thing you’re going to see is a pile of tears. Why are they so hard, you ask? They are so hard because they are formed from sedimentary rock that is surprisingly hard.
In conclusion, geodes are very magical. They are crazily, impossibly solid. When water comes through them it leaves like 50,000 minerals in it and they create 50 different patterns. I hope you enjoyed reading about geodes.
By Caelen (8 yrs)
Facts about Schools
Teachers make you do maths like “100+2+2+2+2+4.”
At gym, you get dodgeballs.
At school, the music teacher makes you do notes like this;
At the library you’d be soooo quiet that they can’t hear you.
At English, speak English!
At science time, you make potions!
By Ragnar (8 yrs)
Health Notice: Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease
To help prevent the spread of illness, we ask parents and carers to:
- Keep children at home if they show symptoms of HFMD
- Ensure children return to school only once they are feeling well and any blisters have dried
- Encourage good hand hygiene, including regular handwashing
Class structure and Staff 2026
As we finish a busy 2025 and look ahead to an exciting 2026 school year, I am pleased to share with you the class structures we have put in place for Ōtaika Valley School 2026. Class structure and student placements are made with careful consideration of many factors, always with the goal of providing the very best academic, social, emotional and leadership opportunities for our tamariki.
We are confident that 2026 will be a year of growth, opportunity, and pride for our tamariki and our community. Thank you, as always, for your support and partnership. We look forward to working together to make 2026 a positive and memorable year for all.
Class structure for 2026 is a follows.
| Room | Year group | Teacher |
| Room 1 | Year 0/1 | Rachel Dickens |
| Room 2 | Year 1/2 | Anna Keogh |
| Room 3 | Year 2 | Hayley Alchin |
| Room 4 | Year 3 | Sue Jensen |
| Room 5 | Year 4/5 | Natalie Lynch |
| Room 6 | Year 5/6 | Frances Cowan |
| Room 7 | Year 7 | Trudi Bertie |
2026 Class Lists and Student Reports.
Pool Key-Code –GET in QUICK!
If you’d like to purchase a pool keycode for the summer, please get in touch with Jen in the office at admin@otaika.school.nz.
Your key will be valid throughout summer and until the end of Term 1, 2026.
Pool use is limited to our immediate school community, so please do not share your keycode with others.
The cost is $60, which helps cover chemical and maintenance expenses.
Once school resumes next term, the pool will be available to key holders in weekends and after 5pm on school days.
With a lovely hot summer on the way, this is a great, easy way to stay cool without the cost or hassle of having your own pool!
After School Care and Ground Use 2026
As we look forward to increasing student numbers next year and prepare for an exciting 2026, we are also making small operational adjustments to ensure the best possible experience for all our students.
Starting next year, our After School Care (ASC) Programme will be exclusively utilizing the school grounds from 3:30 pm as a core part of the service provided to families. This adjustment is necessary due to the high number of students enrolled in the programme and is essential for ensuring robust supervision and safety for all children in the ASC environment.
We absolutely love seeing our whānau and students enjoying a relaxed play on the grounds after the final bell! You are very welcome to continue this tradition, but we kindly ask for your cooperation with the following:
Please be mindful to conclude your after-school play session and vacate the main school grounds when the 3:30 pm bell rings. This is the moment the ASC students will be leaving the library and moving out to safely use the grounds for their supervised activities. PTA meetings and approved sports practices will be exceptions to this rule.
Thank you so much for your understanding and continued cooperation. By working together, we ensure that every student, whether they are in the ASC programme or enjoying a quick play with whānau, has a positive and safe end to their school day!
Dear Raffle Sponsors!
Thank you for your fantastic support — every ticket sold make a real difference for our school and we would like to extend a huge thank you to you for supporting our Kura.
Specialized Maintenance and Welding
Yovich Engineering
Keith James Joinery
Omak Meats
Bocky Boo Gelato
McFall Fuel
North Financial
Northland Civil Survey
2 Ducks Contracting
Harrisons Carpets and Flooring Whangarei
Whangārei Aquatic Centre
Bunnings Whangārei
Keith Andrews
A Huge Sponsor Shout Out !
OVS would loke to say THANK YOU to Golden Bay Cement and Winstone Aggregates for their sponsorship of our kura. We had some truck excitement this week as cement and builders mix was dropped off to enable us to complete our much needed paths projects.
Mr T will start tackling this over the holidays. Thank you both!
Dates
Term Dates
| Terms | Start | Finish |
| Term 1: | 4 Feb | 11 April |
| Term 2: | 28 April | 27 June |
| Term 3: | 14 July | 19 Sept |
| term 4: | 6 Oct | 17 Dec |
