Week 1, Term 3 2025

Kia ora e te whaanau,

Welcome back to Term 3! I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable break with your tamariki. We are excited to launch into another busy and engaging term of learning at Maeroa Intermediate.

This week, we begin Talent Time again, an exceptional opportunity for our students to choose an activity that interests them, whether it's something new or something they want to continue developing. Talent Time is about more than just fun; it teaches our students to make thoughtful choices, commit to those choices, and explore their strengths and interests in a different context.

Next week, we look forward to hosting our Student Conferences. Reports have been emailed home this week, and I strongly encourage all parents and caregivers to book a time to meet with your child’s teacher. These conferences are an important part of your child’s learning journey. When whaanau take an active interest in their child’s progress, it reinforces the importance of learning and helps students to stay focused and motivated towards their goals.

Thank you for your ongoing support in making Maeroa a great place for our students to grow, learn, and thrive.

Ngaa mihi nui,
Susan Wood
Principal

Attendance at Maeroa - Terms 1 & 2

Attendance Summary (Term 1 & 2, 2025)
From January to mid-July, 59% of Maeroa students have been attending regularly, which means they are at school 90% of the time or more, a great effort! 

However, over 40% of our students, nearly 300, have had attendance rates below this threshold, with 8% considered chronically absent (attending less than 70% of the time). This equates to nearly 300 of our students have had 10 days or more, or two weeks off school, so far this year. This level of absence can significantly impact their learning and progress. 

We’re continuing to work closely with students and whānau to support regular attendance. If your child is having trouble getting to school, please reach out. We’re here to help.

Let’s keep working together to ensure every student gets the most out of their learning every day.

Every day counts!

The Importance of Being Here and on Time Every Day

Being on time for school every day is crucial for your child's success.

Just like in any important meeting, arriving late and missing the beginning can make the whole experience feel disjointed and stressful. For tamariki , this is no different.

Imagine walking into a meeting that has already started. You’re late, and as you quietly take your seat, you realise everyone else is already up to speed on what’s been discussed. You try to catch up, but the flow of the meeting has already moved on, and you’re left scrambling to figure out what’s happening. It’s frustrating and distracting, right? For your child, this is the experience they face when they are late to school in the morning.

When a child misses the start of their day or walks into class after everyone else has already settled, it can be unsettling. They may have missed beginning of the day messages, connecting and settling as a class group They may have missed instructions for the first learning of the day. This makes it harder for them to focus, catch up, and feel part of the classroom whaanau. This is not a great way to start the day, and it can have a significant impact on how children engage with their learning, and on their behaviour for the rest of the day.

The Impact of Missing School: A Day, A Week, A Year

It's important to consider the long-term effect of absences. Missing just one day of school each week adds up quickly. If a child misses one day a week, that equals roughly 40 days of school per year—nearly 8 full weeks of learning missed. Over the 8 years they are at primary school, that adds up to more than 5 months of missed learning! Over their 13 years of schooling, that’s equivalent to missing an entire year of school!

This absence creates gaps in their education, which not only affects their academic progress but can also impact their social and emotional development. Learning is cumulative, and missing even one lesson can mean your child will struggle to keep up with the material being taught, leading to frustration and disengagement.

Holidays and Time Away from School

I understand that family holidays and other commitments are important, and sometimes it’s unavoidable that children miss school. However, I strongly encourage families to plan holidays during the school holidays whenever possible. While I realise this can make travel more expensive or challenging, taking children out of school for extended periods during term time can create gaps in their learning that are difficult to fill.

When children take chunks of time off for holidays during term time, it’s not simply about missing a day here and there. School learning is structured, and children are building on concepts day by day. When they return after being away for several days, or even a few weeks, they must first "catch up" before they can continue with the class. This is not just about finishing missed work, it’s about understanding the foundational knowledge that supports future learning. When they miss this, it can be hard to get back on track.

Illness and When to Keep Your Child Home

I also understand that children do, and should, sometimes need to stay home when they’re unwell. As a school, we want to be supportive in helping you navigate these decisions. If your child is sick, it’s important to know when they should stay at home to recover and when they can safely attend school. It’s important that they stay home when they are genuinely unwell to avoid spreading illness to others, but it’s equally important to balance that with the need to be present when they’re healthy and able to attend.

A Final Word

The message is clear: being on time every day and attending school consistently is critical for your child’s academic success, social development, and emotional well-being. It helps them start their day with confidence, be part of the learning experience from the very beginning, and stay engaged with their peers and teachers. Please prioritise attendance and punctuality for your child, as this will set them up for success both in school and beyond.

If you need support with either of these things, please talk to me or your child's classroom teacher. We are more than happy to offer our support or to enlist the help of the attendance service, which will work with you.

If we work together, we can ensure that your tamariki don’t miss out on opportunities for growth and achievement.

School Gully Working Bee

The next Saturday Gully Working Bee will be on 26 July from 9-12 pm. Our main jobs will be planting plus a little weeding. There will also be some potting tasks in the Shade House. See Mrs Yeoman in R70/71 for a newsletter, or your whaanau can email [email protected] to let us know you are coming.

Student Conferences

You will have received your child's mid-year report this week.  Next week, you will have an appointment on either Thursday, July 24th, or Friday, July 25th for your child's learning conference.  The conference is an excellent opportunity to review the mid-year report.

Your child will have brought home a booking sheet for you to fill in. This should be returned to their classroom teacher as soon as possible.  You can book times with your child's class teacher and any of the tech or arts teachers. Additionally, if your child has extra support from our AL@M teachers, you can also book a time with them.  It is a first-in-process, so please send the booking sheet as soon as possible. It is our school's intention for every child to have someone from their family or whaanau present their learning, as the experience of presenting to those who care most about them is rewarding for everyone.

Conferences last for 20 minutes. During this time, your child will present a 10-minute overview of recent learning and set goals, followed by an additional 10 minutes to allow the teacher to expand on the information shared by your child or for you to clarify any points if necessary.

On the booking sheet, you will find details about the arrangements for the conference days. Please indicate whether your child requires supervision or will be at home. This helps with staffing arrangements here at school.

Thursday 24 July   

• Students will be sent home at 12.30 pm. 
• If finishing at 12:30 does not work for your family, we can accommodate a regular finish time until 3:00 pm - please let the classroom teacher know or Nicky at the office. 

Friday 25 July   

• Students are only allowed to come to school during their scheduled appointment time and are permitted to wear mufti. 
• If you need your child to stay at school for the day, we can provide supervision; indicate below.
• Regular class programmes will not run for the day; an alternative programme will be offered in their place. 

Please get in touch with your child's teacher via email if you have not received a booking sheet. 

2026 Maeroa Enrolments

Secondary School Enrolments for 2026

If your child is in Year 8 this year, it is important to ensure they are enrolled in a secondary school for 2026. Please be aware of the following enrolment closing dates for local secondary schools:

• Hamilton Girls’ High School – Friday 22 August 2025

• Hamilton Boys’ High School – Friday 29 August 2025

• Fraser High School (out-of-zone applications) – Thursday 19 September 2025

Please note: Out-of-zone applications received after the closing date will not be considered. You must enrol your child on time to ensure their placement for next year.

Please do not request our teachers to write references for your child. Their latest school report will be out before these closing-off dates, and these reports are what the High Schools require. Your child's mid-year report has been emailed to you this week. 

Upcoming dates

Week 2 

• Student Conferences will be on 24 and 25 July. 

  Our student conferences will be held the following week, on:

  • Thursday 24 July from 1:00 pm – 7:30 pm
    Students may go home at 12:30 pm after lunch

  • Friday 25 July from 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
    Students only need to come to school for their scheduled conference

  Student conferences are a valuable opportunity to meet with your child’s teacher, discuss their learning journey, and celebrate their progress. They are an essential part of building strong school–home partnerships

Week 4 

• 5 August - Maeroa Open Night for all Year 6 families considering Maeroa for 2026 
• Sports Camp away for the week

Week 6

• 18 August Teacher Only Day - Our teachers will all participate in professional learning on the new maths curriculum, facilitated by a specialist. Our school will be closed. 
• 22 August - Enrolments for HGHS 2026 close

Week 7

• 29 August - Enrolments for HBHS 2026 close

Week 8 

• AIMS Week 

Week 10 

• 15 September - Japan trip leaves
• 19 September - out-of-zone enrolments for Fraser High close
• 28 September - Japan trip returns