Kia ora and greetings Pōhutukawa whānau (families), 

Term 2 has been action packed. Throughout the term we worked more collaboratively across the hub and kaiako (teachers) and enjoyed continuing to build relationships with ākonga (students) across the hub. Below is an update of some of the learning experiences ākonga have had during the term.

Each Monday we have continued running rotations where ākonga have enjoyed Fei coming in and teaching Mandarin Chinese lessons. The other rotations saw Pōhutukawa kaiako teaching lessons from across the curriculum including, Te Ao Māori, Garden to Table, Visual Art and Physical Education.

Our topic this term has integrated areas of the curriculum. The unit started off with ākonga exploring what is below the Earth’s surface before looking at the Earth’s surface and the different types of landforms that exist across the different continents. Next, we learned about what is above the Earth’s surface and the layers that make up our atmosphere. Next time you are in the hub, make sure you come and check out the infographics ākonga made to show their learning on one of the above topics. 

The next part of our topic saw āonga learning about the different components and characteristics of ecosystems. Finally, we delved into looking closely at soil and the important role it plays in our lives. This included looking at both the biology and the geology of soil and the impact humans have on it, both positive and negative. There are jars of soil in the hub showing the different particles of soil to give an indication of soil types of samples taken from different areas of the kura (school) grounds. All ākonga planted some seeds in recycled milk bottles which you can see hanging on the fence behind our hub. 

We spent the last few weeks of term developing a deeper understanding of Matariki. Ākonga completed a range of tasks to celebrate the Māori New Year.

In mathematics, we continued to consolidate and expand number knowledge whilst also exploring many different components of measurement, including weight, temperature and time. 

Looking ahead to next term, we are excited to welcome a new teaching member to our hub, Maura. Maura will be releasing whānau teachers across the hub. In Term 3 we have swimming on a Thursday beginning in Week 1. Please ensure ākonga pack their togs, towel and goggles if they are swimming. For our topic we will be learning about the Material World, specifically how the properties of materials change when they are heated, cooled and mixed. We will also be having a focus on developing social problem solving skills and a growth mindset among many other exciting things we have planned. 

We are committed to working closely with you to support your child's educational journey and ensure their success. We highly value open communication and collaboration between whānau, ākonga, and kaiako. We encourage you to stay engaged in your child's education by regularly checking our school communication platforms and maintaining open lines of communication with your child's kaiako. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about your child’s learning. Remember that your child’s whānau teacher is always your first point of contact. 

We are looking forward to seeing ākonga back after the school holiday break and ready for the learning experiences we have coming up in Term 3. 

Rupert, Sarah, Rachel, Brydon, Charlotte, Gar Kee, Kirat & Emma