Tēnā koutou,
We had a very positive and energised start to the school year last week. The team was really looking forward to our ākonga returning, and they all put in a lot of energy and teamwork to ensure they were well prepared. The hubs have all had a settled and engaged atmosphere from the very first day, and it is really heartening to see kaiako (teachers) all working so well to form connections with ākonga who are new into their groups, and re-connect with ākonga they know well.
One of the things we have all really appreciated is our ability to now be able to all meet together kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face). When the team came together after school on the first day, one of the things kaiako commented on was how lovely it was to be able to have parents and whānau onsite connecting with us. We were unable to do this last year, and we are really noticing the difference this year. It has been wonderful to see you all taking advantage of this opportunity by coming in and connecting with us in different ways. We saw many of you around school in our first few days. Our mihi whakatau welcome on Friday was well attended by new families and also by whānau who were not being welcomed but came along to support and celebrate their tamariki who were involved in different ways. In particular we saw many of you at our Meet ‘n’ Greet event on Friday evening; thanks for coming along and being part of the event. It had a lovely feel to it, seeing tamariki playing around the grounds and watching whānau connecting with our kaiako and with each other. Huge thanks go out to our team for their effort and support with this, and in particular to the very wonderful Gail and Navy. As ever, they were stellar in keeping us well fed and ensuring that everything ran smoothly, even when the pizzas arrived later than expected!
We are especially appreciative of this smooth start when we know our friends in Auckland and the surrounding areas have not been as fortunate as us. Yet again, they have borne the brunt of natural events, and many are really struggling. If you are looking for ways to support, here are a couple of useful links.
Link for a range of support options in Auckland
Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy Waitangi Day on Monday. We look forward to continuing to connect with you all in the coming weeks and months.
Ngā mihi nui,
Urs Cunningham