Our Environment
Waiau Area School is a Year 1 to 13 co-educational, composite Area School located in Western Southland; 81km west of Invercargill. It is the only Area School in the Southland Region.
Location: 47 Orawia Road, Tuatapere, SOUTHLAND 962
Telephone: +64 3 226 6285
Email: admin@was.school.nz
School Hours: M-F: 8:50am – 3pm
Learn By Doing
At Waiau Area School we work hard to ensure that learning happens for all students, that learning is accurately measured, that evidence is gathered, and most importantly that students and their parents know where they are going next in their learning. Students relish the chance to experience success. It helps establish a desire to learn and builds important learning skills like persistence.
The staff of Waiau Area School have developed curriculum schemes from Year 1-13 that reflect the diverse needs of our students.
The latest …
Dear Parents: COVID-19
Dear WAS Parents / Caregivers / Whanau, With recent announcements by the Government, we are implementing with urgency our plan to support your child’s learning from home. We appreciate this is a sudden and significant change and will be heavily disruptive to many...
Uniform Changes
This summary from the Board of Trustees is to provide parents and families with an outline around the implementation for the upcoming changes to the Waiau Area School Uniform which will start Term Two. WAS has been looking at the overall school uniform for some time....
Mission
Live to LEARN, LEARN to Live
A Word
From Our Principal
Kia Ora everyone. I trust you have all had a restful and enjoyable break and that your children are enthusiastic about returning to school. Well, here we are starting 2021, and once again we have a busy year ahead of us. I just want to mention a few things to start us off on the right foot. We send out whole school newsletters every fortnight. Also teachers will send notes home, notices will be sent out by various staff and sometimes message will be posted on our FB page and website – please keep an eye out for happenings at WAS. If in doubt, ring the office and ask away. WAS is a busy place and sometimes we’re guilty of assuming everyone knows what’s happening as well as relying on students passing on messages etc. Keep us honest and keep checking in please!
A massive WAS welcome to our new students! It’s a credit to these students and their respective families on how well they’ve settled in. It feels like you’ve all been at WAS for ages!
I am looking forward to a fantastic year in 2021. We are going from strength to strength here at Waiau and you, as parents and caregivers play a vital role in our success. Thank you in advance for all that you will contribute this coming year.
– Andrew Pardoe-Burnett
Calendar
Our Upcoming Events & Activities
08
February
Waitangi Day
No school
Event Info
School is closed for instruction
16
February
Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews
3:15pm – 5:30pm
Event Info
An excellent time for you and your child to catch up with teachers to look at expectations for year, health issues and also provides an opportunity for you to ask questions and clarify any points you wish to raise. If neither the 16 or 18 Feb suit you, please make an appointment for another time to meet with your child’s teacher. Forms will be sent home Week 2 of Term 1.
18
February
Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews
3:15pm – 5:30pm
Event Info
An excellent time for you and your child to catch up with teachers to look at expectations for year, health issues and also provides an opportunity for you to ask questions and clarify any points you wish to raise. If neither the 16 or 18 Feb suit you, please make an appointment for another time to meet with your child’s teacher. Forms will be sent home Week 2 of Term 1.
18
February
John Parsons / Community BBQ
5:30pm onward
Event Info
Community WAS BBQ, 5:30pm onwards, here at school. Golden opportunity to meet new people, catch-up casually with staff and others, play a bit of volleyball and football with the students as well as simply relaxing.
John Parsons (internet safety guru) will be around to chat with you informally – always good to pick his brains.
WAS will supply the bread, sauce, plastic plates, cutlery and sausages etc for the BBQ. If each family could bring something to share for the potluck table that would be magic. BYO. A brand new (as seen on TV) Air Fryer (1.8L) is up for grabs … all adults and children present at the BBQ will go into the draw – winner takes all!
19
February
Life Education Bus
19 & 22 February
Event Info
Classes will visit the Life Education Bus on 19 or 22 February
19
February
Western Primary Swimming
Riverton
Event Info
24*
February
Borland Lodge Camp – TBC
24-26 February
Event Info
01
March
Junior School swimming starts
Event Info
Please check your child’s school bag for notices and/or follow the Junior School Facebook Page.
04
March
Athletics Day
WAS & HVP
Event Info
17
March
Duffy Theatre
2-3pm in the Hall
Event Info
19
March
Western Primary Athletics
Event Info
27
March
Southland Primary Athletics
Event Info
02
April
Good Friday
School Closed
Event Info
School is closed for instruction
05
April
Easter Monday
School Closed
Event Info
School is closed for instruction.
06
April
Southland Anniversary Day
School Closed
Event Info
School is closed for instruction.
16
April
Last day of Term One
Event Info
Term One School Holidays – Saturday 17 April to Sunday 2 May. Includes ANZAC Day on Sunday 25 April – observed public holiday Monday 26 April.
03
May
Term 2 starts
Event Info
Monday 3 May – Friday 9 July.
Public Holiday: Queen’s Birthday Monday 7 June.
Coming up …
11
May
Teacher only Day (TOD)
Event Info
Southland Secondary and Area Schools’ NCEA Accord Teacher only Days (TOD)
05
August
Teacher only Day (TOD)
Event Info
Southland Secondary and Area Schools’ NCEA Accord Teacher only Days (TOD)
08
August
Teacher Only Day (TOD)
Event Info
Southland Secondary and Area Schools’ NCEA Accord Teacher only Days (TOD)
Students
Staff
Get In Touch
Location: 47 Orawia Road, Tuatapere, Southland
Telephone: (03) 2266285
Email: admin@was.school.nz
School Hours: M-F: 8:30am – 3pm
Inclusion
We celebrate the inclusion of all key stakeholders: students, staff, community, local iwi, board of trustees, to create the new and exciting future for Waiau Area School. We acknowledge benefits of forming a positive working relationship with local iwi and the commitment we need to make to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.