Friday 30 January, 2026
Kia ora e te whānau
Welcome to 2026. Thank you all for engaging in our IEMs over the last two days. It is a great way to get our students set up really well for the term. We are excited about the year ahead.
This pānui is to give you some ‘nuts and bolts’ information about the school and term. It might be worth saving this somewhere so you can refer to it later in the year.
Calendar
You can always check the school calendar which is on the website https://aotawhiti.school.nz/calendar/calendar
| Monday 2nd February | 8.45am: There will be staff at Ao Tawhiti to walk students to the Majestic Auditorium if needed. 9am: Mihi Whakatau at Majestic Auditorium new staff, students and whānau. There will be shared morning tea at Ao Tawhiti after this Mihi Whakatau. 12pm: Blessing and opening of the new playground 10:30am – 12:20pm: All new students, and students in Years 1 – 6 come to school for Home Base. There will be activities for new students to make them feel comfortable at our school. 1pm – 3pm: All students in Home Base. |
| Tuesday 3rd February | Normal Timetable You can check your child’s timetable and attendance on the parent portal. See your email for login details. |
| Wednesday 4th February | Normal Timetable Remember that Years 7 – 13 students finish at 2pm on Wednesday. |
| Thursday 5th February | Community Day You will receive details about the community day in your email. Please note that there is no supervision available on-site, as all staff are involved in the community day. If your child isn’t taking part in the community day, then they will need to stay at home. Please let your child’s Home Base Learning Advisor, or the office@aotawhiti.school.nz know. |
| Friday 6th February | Waitangi Day School is closed |
Phones
The government has mandated that students are not allowed to use their phones during the school day. This includes break time. We are asking all students to have their phones away, in their YONDR pouches or bags during the school day and we thank whānau for your support for this. We will let you know, sooner rather than later, if your child is struggling with this mandate, and look at what we can do to support students. Here is a link to our school’s phone policy.
Your child will still be able to use their phone when they are off-site on individual Trust Licence trips.
Emergency Procedures and Plans
In the unlikely event of an emergency we have emergency plans that are updated every year.
Here is a link to our emergency plan
Here is a summary of what it is important for whānau to know:
- If we have a big earthquake and evacuate, then we will evacuate down St Asaph Street to Hagley Park (outside Hagley College). You will be able to pick your child up from that location. The school was built post-February Earthquake and is very safe.
- If there is a fire then we evacuate to Matai Common. If we are unable to go back into the building, then you will be contacted and asked to pick up your child from Matai Common (beside the school).
- If we have a lockdown, or shelter in place, then you will be notified – but you won’t be able to pick up your child until we have the all – clear from emergency services, and unlock the building.
- If we have to evacuate because of a threat inside the building, then we will head to Hagley Park (opposite Hagley College).
We will advise caregivers as much as we can throughout an emergency via text, email, school apps, and the website.
School Hours and Student Safety
Our school building is open from 8am – 3:15pm. Beyond these hours we can’t guarantee that there will be staff on site and it isn’t safe for students to be in the building without adult supervision. Your child must be off site by 3:30pm, unless they are doing a supervised activity with a Learning Advisor. If you are running late to pick up your child then please ring 033777773 and let the office know.
Bus Cards and the Bus Exchange
Sometimes bus passes get left at home. To ensure every student gets to school and home safely, the front desk holds a limited supply of emergency bus cards for students to use when needed. If your child requires an emergency card for the day then we will send you an email to keep you in the loop. We will add a fee of $1.50 to your school account.
The Igloo is open from 3pm – 5pm every day at the Bus Exchange. All students are welcome to wait for their bus. They will be given kai, and have the opportunity to chat to Youth Workers, listen to some music and sometimes they have a barber giving free hair cuts.
Parking and Drop Offs
Unfortunately we don’t have any parking, or space for drops off on our school grounds. At around 9am and 3pm, we have approximately 800 people walking through our narrow entrance and small grounds – so it is very dangerous to have a vehicle in this mix as well. We do have outside space for students to lock their bikes and electric scooters – and this space is monitored by a camera.
Attendance
If your child is going to be away from school then please let us know via one of the following channels:
Email at office@aotawhiti.school.nz
Phone 033777773
School Apps – go to the app store and download the SchoolApps app and choose “Ao Tawhiti” from the list of schools. The password is mollett19. You can use SchoolApps to inform the office of absentees, see the school calendar and access the school newsletter.
Our student management system will automatically text caregivers at 9:30am if children haven’t been marked as present by their Home Base Learning Advisor. Please remind your child that being in the building isn’t enough – they have to sign in with their Home Base Learning Advisor.
Medications
Students shouldn’t be holding onto medications in their bags, even Panadol. If they have to take medication during the school day, then it should be handed into the front desk and it will be locked away safely.
Trust Licences
Trust Licences don’t automatically rollover every year. You will need to sign permission for your child (12 years +) to have a Trust Licence. This will need to be verified by the Home Base Learning Advisor. We highly recommend that your child brings their lunch to school for the first few days.
Please contact your child’s Home Base Learning Advisor if you have any questions, or email office@aotawhiti.school.nz and they will forward your query to the right person.
Finally, and most importantly – have a wonderful year.
Ngā mihi nui
Anita