Together We Grow – Ka Tupu Kotāhi ai Tātou- Week 5, Term 3
Kia ora e te whānau,
At Ōtaika Valley School, our vision — Ka Tupu Kotāhi ai Tātou | Together We Grow — sits at the heart of everything we do. It reminds us that learning is not a journey we take alone, but one we share together as a whānau, supporting and encouraging one another along the way.
Our RURU values give life to this vision each day:
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Respect – treating others, our environment, and ourselves with kindness.
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Unique – celebrating the special qualities each person brings to our kura.
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Resilience – finding strength and courage when challenges arise.
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Up to Me – taking responsibility for our actions and our learning.
When our tamariki live these values, they grow not only as learners but also as caring, capable people who make a difference in our kura and community. It is through these shared values that we truly grow together.
I’ll leave you with a favourite whakataukī that reflects both our vision and our values:
“Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou ka ora ai te iwi.”
With your food basket and my food basket, the people will thrive.
Ngā manaakitanga,
Rick Sayer
Principal
Teachers attending paid union meetings next week: Wed 20th August.
All teachers and support staff that are union members are entitled to attend two paid union meetings each year and our staff will be attending these meetings next week.
Please note, OVS will remain open.
However, to do this classes will need be split for appx 1.5 hrs in the morning and or afternoon to allow all teachers to attend. Afterschool care will continue as usual.
BOT SPOT (Board of Trustees)
OVS been notified that our kura has received 6 great nominations for our 4 vacancies, this means our board election will continue to a vote.
SchoolEd will send voting instructions to all whanau on the electoral roll, and you can expect this by the 20th of August .
We look forward to bringing you the nominees bios so you can get to know all the OVS candidates who are standing for election.
Election day is Wednesday 17th September.
Star Spot – Student Learning @ OVS
RURU Awards
Every week at assembly we celebrate super OVS students, and this week’s shout out is to say a huge congratulations to our R.U.R.U award winners from the last 2 weeks assemblies .
Week 4: Jnr -Poppy. Snr – Mack
Week 5: Snr – Amalia. Jnr: Kiera
Class Attendance: ‘Ruru Rockstar’ Award
Each week at assembly we are acknowledging the class with the best attendance for the week…and they win the ‘Ruru Rockstar’ Award.
This weeks winner is (drum roll please) …Room 3 !
From the Valley – PTA News
A massive thank you to our fabulous PTA for organising and providing a ‘feel good’ day of Hotdogs for a school full of hungry kids last week. It was a huge success and everybody is looking forward to the next one.
We are so excited to invite you and your little cowboys and cowgirls to our Western-Themed Disco on 4th September! It’s going to be a night filled with toe-tapping tunes, fun dance moves, and all the excitement of the Wild West.
To make this event extra special, we’d love your help! We’re looking for volunteers to help sell glow sticks and jewellery from 5:30, as well as food and drinks during the event. We also need about 15 families to bring in some sweet or savoury snacks for the food stall.
Please let a member of the PTA know, or email pta@otaika.school.nz if you can help 
Your support will help make this event a big success and raise funds for the school.
Mark your calendars, put on your cowboy hats, and get ready for a night of dancing, treats, and Western fun! Feel free to bring a named water bottle – we will have a hydration station with free water available.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
2026 Enrolments
If you are intending to enrol your child this year or in 2026, or know of someone who is, please notify us as soon as possible to enable us to plan ahead effectively for 2026.
Dont forget our Ag Day REGISTRATIONS ARE OPEN!
Start polishing those gumboots and practising your best “Moo!” because Ag Day is just around the corner — happening on Friday 24th October (Term 4, Week 3)!
Registrations are now open and you can start bringing your Lambs n Goats to school ….but remember you must have registered your animal and they MUST BE VACCINATED!
Get ready for a day of fun, fluff, and farmyard fabulousness. OVS Ag Day …y the Greatest Show on Hooves!
Lost Property – we need you!
We have collected a crazy amount of shoes and clothes that have been left around the school.
If you are missing clothes or shoes we probably have them!
Please come a check to see what’s here.
Spare clothes
With the amount of rain we’ve been having lately there’s quite a bit of mud around, which can be very appealing for some students! However we’ve noticed some students don’t have a change of clothes when they do get wet and muddy. Please ensure your child has at least one set of spare clothes in their school bag.
Dates for your diary
Inter School X-Country – 21 August
Student Leadership Summit – 22nd August
Barge Park X-Country 27th August
School Disco – 4 September
15-19th September – Cultural week.
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 |
16 Dec |
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