Newsletter End of Term 3 2026

Principal’s Message

Bula Vinaka

It has been an exciting and colourful Term 3 celebrating our Cook Island, Tongan and Maori language weeks in true Rise UP style. Thank you to all our whanau who have supported these momentus milestones as we are very blessed to be able to do this so freely in Aotearoa. What a gentle reminder of how Te Tiriti o Waitangi created the space for us as Pasifika to celebrate our uniqueness, culture and identity on such a grand scale.

Nga mihi nui and well done to all our whanau that are engaging with the HERO platform to see how your tamariki are progressing and also what’s happening at school. Please reach out if you need some pointers on how to navigate the HERO app, we are more than happy to help.

Our Senior Leadership team and Board of Trustees have begun the 2027-2029 Strategic planning and we look forward to hearing you have your say at our next whanau fono. There are some major changes which we are proposing to go to another formal survey regarding year 7 & 8 levels. Please ensure that you are aware of all the proposed plans by attending the fono.

As we head into term 4 and the warmer weather is here, I want to thank you for priortitising your children’s attendance at school everyday. I know many whanau have been monitoring their daily attendance and changed overseas trips to meet the MOE attendance markers. This goes a long way to setting them up for success in their learning and wellbeing in the classroom. We will reap what we sow.

Yours faithfully,
Sita Selupe MNZM
Tumuaki/Principal

Term 3 Highlights

Room 1 

Tena koutou katoa e te whānau

What an incredible Term 3 Room 1 has had. Firstly, I’d like to start by acknowledging and
thanking the parents of Room 1.
● Henry Whānau – Coach Rere for working with Room 1 girls to teach them netball skills
and life skills! Ngā mihi nui kia koe!
● Herringer-Tomuli Whānau – Market Day x2 Sponsorship – fa’afetai lava Vinnie and
Giselle for your generosity supporting Room 1 with fundraising going over and above
your 40 hours good to go volunteer arm
● Schwenke-Lee Whānau – Malo lava Zella for over and above volunteer hours with
supervision on all of Room 1’s excursions this term!
● Motuliki Laumatia – A big thank you to Sio for the opportunity for Room 1 students to
carry on carving outside of school. Our tactile learners are thriving in the area of Visual
Arts, they are so blessed to be working under the supervision of a master carver!
● Faga Whānau – Fa’afetai lava Coach Mr Mark for working with our Room 1 students to
gain skills and confidence in basketball!

Thank you to all our parents for your whānau engagement, for your generous support with camp
funds, for your time and most importantly showing up for your children’s learning! We appreciate
you and absolutely believe in home school partnership to help improve learning outcomes
across all curriculum areas. Ngā mihi nui koutou.

Y7&8 Special Programmes – Walk Creations NZ
This term our focus has been design decisions; learning to make design decisions that respond
to needs and opportunities and use feedback and evidence to refine ideas. Room 1
successfully completed Tee-shirt printing with Walk Creations NZ with our Fanueli Whānau.
Ākonga used Canva to create an idea and follow the process for direct to film print, apply the
techniques and skills to print their design and plan for market day sales of their tee-shirts.
Throughout this experience ākonga learnt the steps and skills needed for entrepreneurship and
financial literacy. Thank you David and Emma for working with Room 1 passing on 21st
century skill in design technology.

275 Market Days
Thank you to our staff and Rise Up community for supporting Room 1 fundraising at the 275
Markets, many schools have cancelled camp because of the costs for outdoor education
however in Room 1 where there is a will there is a way! Using their Inquiry skills such as
backwards planning, Bloom’s Taxonomy hats, sharp minds and lots of faith, Room 1 students
raised $4966.10. The funds will pay for their accommodation, camp activities, food and
transport, ngā mihi nui koutou.

Inquiry Speeches
Oral Language – Presenting to others, our Inquiry Speeches is our classroom highlight for Term
3! I am very proud of each individual presenting their speech in front of an audience with
confidence, persuasive content and sharing of their cultural and faith-based perspectives. A
special congratulations to Addie-Morgan Enote and Hannah Muelu for top marks in speech
content and delivery.

Teacher’s Reflection
We are very proud of Room 1 students efforts this term, their in class learning across curriculum
especially in Numeracy has been exceptional. Our attendance still tops at 91% and improved
punctuality! Have a restful break, continue to read your bibles, pray for one another and serve
your whānau in the school holiday.

Blessings,
Mrs Govender and Mrs Godinet Muelu

Term 4 Notices
Touch Rugby Tournament – Wednesday 28 October
Camp – Wednesday 11 November – Friday 13 November at Chosen Valley Christian Camp

Room 2 Term 3 Highlights

Kia ora, Bula Vinaka, Talofa lava, Mālō e lelei, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Kia orana, Mālō ni and warm greetings to all our Room 2 families. 

What a busy Term 3 we have had in Room 2! There has been lots of learning, some great experiences and plenty of fun along the way. Here are some of our highlights from the term. 

Our Inquiry Learning 

This term our Inquiry focus has been Climate Change. We have been learning about what climate change is, what causes it, how it affects us and what we can do to help protect our planet and care for God’s creation. 

We also learned about the Solar System, and students have been working on their information reports about climate change. We still have more to learn and will continue our Inquiry in Term 4 as we work towards our Science Fair presentation. 

Sharing Our Solar System Learning 

Room 2 had a great time sharing our Solar System learning with the whole school. Students made planet masks and shared some interesting facts about each planet. 

It was great to see our students confidently sharing what they had learned with others. 

Room 2 Sporting Stars 

This term, some of our Room 2 students proudly represented Rise Up Academy in netball and soccer events. It was wonderful to see them showing teamwork, confidence, and great sportsmanship. Well done to all our Room 2 players!  

Bike Skills Day 

One of the exciting experiences this term was our Bike Skills Day. Students learned about bike safety, practiced their cycling skills and learned how cycling can be good for our health and the environment. 

This was also a great connection to our Climate Change learning. At the end of the programme, students received a certificate for taking part. 

Bader Intermediate Production 

Room 2 also had the opportunity to visit the Māngere Arts Centre to watch Bader Intermediate’s production. 

The students really enjoyed the performance. On our way back to school, we stopped at McDonald’s for an ice cream treat, which was a nice way to finish our trip. 

Celebrating Māori Language Week – Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 

During Māori Language Week, Room 2 enjoyed learning more about te reo Māori and Māori culture. We learned about Te Tiriti o Waitangi, sang a waiata together, and students proudly shared their pepeha with the whole school.  

Cleanest Classroom Award 

We were very happy to receive the Cleanest Classroom Award this term! 

Room 2 has been working hard to keep our classroom clean and tidy. This is one simple way we can show stewardship by looking after our classroom and taking care of what we have. 

We were also very lucky to receive a pizza treat from our cleaner to celebrate. A big thank you for this kind gesture! 

 

It has been a busy but enjoyable term, and I am proud of the effort our students have put into their learning. 

We still have lots to look forward to in Term 4, especially continuing our Inquiry learning and preparing for our Science Fair. 

Thank you all for your continuous support. 

God bless, 

Mr Avi  

Room 3

What an incredibly blessed and full-of-awesome learning experiences Room 3 has had this term! We had such a great term with many highlights in class. Thank you to everyone who supported our programmes and events during the term.

Farewell Ms Bella

2 weeks into Term 3 we farewelled Ms Bella who has stepped into semi-retirement. We are so grateful and thankful for her prayer warrior heart for all the children, her dedication, passion and love for each one. We wish her all the best in her next season of life and what God has in store for her.

We kicked off our Devotion this term on the topic of ‘Our universe.’Our children had such great learning throughout and were able to see through a scientific lens how christianity is the foundation of all things ‘creation’ and how we can use our biblical knowledge to deepen their understanding around how our world works.

In writing, students have been looking at report writing. We began with brainstorming around ‘Our solar system’ such as what planets are made of, how galaxies are formed, and also looking at stormwater runoff and the effects of this. Through discussion and planning, they are learning how to develop strong sentences and organise their ideas, to help inform their writing of paragraphs. This has been well integrated with our Inquiry learning which has been full of discovery this term as we explored the fascinating world of Earth and Space. We investigated how planets are formed, examined different types of galaxies in our solar system, and learned about what they can tell us about the amazing world we live in.

For Maths at the beginning of the term we looked at Geometry and all things shapes and lines of symmetry! Our children created some fantastic mirrored designs and were able to implement their knowledge through a fantastic way. We then moved on to looking at data knowledge and data interpretation exploring, collecting, creating and interpreting graphs plots and bar graphs.

As we head into the holidays, we hope you have a fantastic, safe, and deeply refreshing holiday break filled with fun, rest, and special family moments. We can’t wait to see all of your children’s smiling faces back at school for our final term of the year!

Ngā mihi nui

Mrs Faleta

Room 5 

Term 3 has been a busy and exciting term for our ākonga! As our class number increased, our ākonga had many opportunities to practise our Rise Up vision of “Sharp Mind, Good Heart” and our school values. We were so proud to see our princesses and gentlemen use kind and respectful manners to welcome and support our new ākonga as they settled into our class and school. Their caring hearts helped create a strong sense of belonging in Room 5.

In Mathematics, we explored Geometry, learning about shapes and their attributes such as size, colour, sides, angles, and corners. Across our Mathematics learning, Number continues to be a major focus. Our ākonga especially enjoyed hands-on activities using Numicon to count, make groups, explore ones and tens, and develop their understanding of addition and subtraction.

Our Writing focus this term was persuasive writing. ākonga learned to share an opinion, give reasons, and use their ideas to convince others. We practised planning and brainstorming ideas orally before writing sentences to support our opinions. We were incredibly proud of our ākonga during our Inquiry Speech Presentation. Many were initially nervous about speaking in front of a group, but on the day they showed great courage and confidence when sharing their ideas with their peers and whānau. Our writing topic was “School Lunches Should Be Healthy.” Tino pai, Room 5!

Reading and writing remained an important focus. We worked in reading groups to practise letter sounds, blending sounds to read words, and using words to form phrases and sentences. It has been wonderful to see their confidence and skills grow.

Our Inquiry topic, “Our Universe,” sparked lots of curiosity and wonder. ākonga enjoyed learning about the Solar System, the Sun, Earth, and the amazing wonders of God’s creation. Their many wondering questions made this a very exciting learning journey.

We were also blessed with opportunities to celebrate and learn about different cultures. During Tongan Language Week, we learned how to make tekiteki craft with Mrs Rowena, and during Te Reo Māori Language Week, Whaea Celia taught us about tukutuku patterns. We are grateful for these opportunities to learn new words, develop cultural knowledge, and create beautiful cultural materials together. We celebrate the blessing of bringing diverse backgrounds, unique perspectives, and cultural knowledge together to learn from one another and build a stronger community.

Thank you, Room 5 whānau, for your continued support and encouragement throughout the term. I wish you all a safe, restful, and enjoyable two-weeks holiday. Enjoy this special time with your whānau, come back strong for Term 4, and may God bless you all.

Faamanuia le Atua, Room 5 ❤️

Mrs Partsch.

TERM THREE HIGHLIGHTS

Devotions

Term Scripture: Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

This term, our devotions took our ākonga on a journey of wonder, discovery and faith as we
explored the incredible world God created.

Throughout the term, ākonga learned about the creation of the universe and reflected on the
beauty, complexity and purpose found throughout God’s creation. As we explored the Solar
System, students discovered the order and design within creation and considered what this
taught them about God.

Our learning also focused on our responsibility as kaitiaki (guardians and caretakers) of God’s
creation. Ākonga were encouraged to think about how they could care for our environment, use
resources wisely and demonstrate stewardship through their everyday choices.

As we explored natural disasters, we reflected on God’s compassion and considered how
people could respond with kindness, courage, generosity and practical support when others
experienced hardship.

Through learning about the water cycle, students explored how water was provided and
sustained to support life. This gave us opportunities to reflect on God’s provision and the
importance of caring for this precious resource.

Finally, as we learned about the seasons, we reflected on God’s faithfulness. Just as the
seasons continued to change in their appointed time, we were reminded that God remained
constant and faithful through every season of our lives.

Our devotions provided opportunities for ākonga to grow not only in their understanding of the
world around them, but also in their appreciation of God’s creation, His provision, His
compassion and His faithfulness.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” –
Psalm 19:1

Blessings,
Mrs Godinet Muelu

Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki ‘Airani (Cook Island Language Week)

Our first language week that we celebrated in term three was Cook Island. This year we invited our parents to join us for our Ura Zumba which was led by Ms Melissa and to stay for our shared lunch. Our students sparkled during the week in their cultural wear and then their yellow and green on the last day. Creating opportunities at school to enhance our whanau engagement and to allow the space for our students, staff and whanau to come together and celebrate one of the cultures that make up our school.

Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e lea faka-Tonga – Tonga Language Week

Tongan Language Week theme for 2026 was ‘Ko ‘etau hiva, ko e fe’unu mahu’inga ia ki he mo’ui ‘ae Tonga- Our music is a vital strand of our Tongan culture’ which ran from the 16th to the 22nd of August – Week 5 Term 3. TLW gave our students an opportunity to proudly display the Tongan culture in unique ways.

We were able to showcase our Tongan culture during the week by visiting the Mangere Arts Centre and learning from music and dance tutors, making kahoas and Tongan crafts with our wonderful parents Mrs Fotui and Mrs Rowena Taufa, we had our very own Tongan School parade and even had our very first visit to Bader to watch their Tongan group perform.

We ended our Tongan language week with an amazing assembly to honour God and to showcase our very own beautiful group of performers. With the Fatai duo (mother and son) being our MCs our assembly was a true celebration of our Tongan culture. The biggest send off for the week was a Tongan feast with a puaka and lots of amazing dishes to accompany this Kai papahia kiai! The afternoon ended with our students getting the chanc to an amazing car ride on Mr Saia’s chevy around the field! Tika atu!

We are so thankful for an amazing group of people that helped to organize this successful Tongan Language Week for Rise Up Academy 2026. Your hard work and passion for our culture made it such an enjoyable experience for all to take part in! Malo ‘aupito!! We could not have done it without our amazing parents and of course our talented and proud MMT students!! The hard work and practices paid off – Ko e ‘Otua mo Tonga ko hoku tofi’a!! God and Tonga are my inheritance! Glory be to God!  Well done Team Tonga Miss MaryEllen, Mrs Faleta, Miss Selupe, Miss Mele, Mr Saia and Mrs Selupe. Special mention to our support from Mr Seteone Tuli and his sister from Sir Douglas Bader Intermediate for their advice and cultural expertise and sharing their knowledge help also with videos to assist us. and everyone for helping to make our Tongan Language Week – Fakalata! ( Awesome) and Faka’ofo’ofa (Beautiful). Toatu RUA! ‘Ouanaa!!

Tu’a ‘Eiki ‘ofa atu! – Mrs Fatai

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori – Maori Language Week

In line with our school’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, this year we took a different approach to how we would commemorate Māori Language Week. Instead of the week just being about learning a couple of songs and a dance, we decided that we wanted our students to gain more knowledge in Tikanga Māori and Te Ao Māori. So each teacher was asked to do an in class study about a specific topic. Some classes chose to learn more about Te Tiriti o Waitangi and some classes chose to learn about Marae and why it is so important and significant to Tangata Whenua.

For our assembly at the end of the week, each class presentation involved two students sharing their Pepeha, the class sharing what they have learnt about their topic and then each class finished with a waiata. Our class presentations reflected our openness as a school to acknowledge and honour the people of Aotearoa and to learn more about the Māori culture and traditions . I was so impacted and touched by the enthusiasm and the willingness of all our kaiako and akonga to embrace Tikanga Māori and Te Ao Māori. We are thankful for this building block and we look forward to continuing to build on this foundation.

Kia Kaha te Reo Māori!

Ngā Mihi Nui
Whaea Celia

IMPORTANT DATES

ATTENDANCE:

DROP OFF & PICK UP:

TERM 4 – HATS REQUIRED

As we are now heading into Summer and hotter weather, ALL students will need to come to school with a HAT (preferably a Bucket Hat). Any student that does not come to school with a hat will have to remain on the deck under the shade during the break times.

ENROLMENTS

If you have a 3 year old or a 4 year old, please make sure you have filled in an enrolment form so we can book a space for them at Rise Up https://www.riseupacademy.school.nz/online-enrolment-form/

If you have any friends or family who are wanting to send their students to Rise UP Academy please encourage them to complete the enrolment form our website https://www.riseupacademy.school.nz/online-enrolment-form/

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