From our Tumuaki / Principal

He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.

Ngā mihi nui kia koutou katoa - greetings to you all.

Well, our first week of the school year is done and dusted. It has been a very buzzy and positive week, with lots of excited kaimahi (staff) and ākonga (students) keen to be back and reconnect with each other.

Over the past four days there has been lots of focus across the school on settling into the new school year and our new hub groups. Lots of activities about connecting with each other, whakawhanaungatanga (getting to know each other) and finding out how groups will work and learn in their new spaces. I’ve learned lots of interesting new things about ākonga and teachers across the two hubs.

Linking with connections and the whakatauki (proverb) above about people being the most important thing in the world, it was lovely to introduce our 33 new students in our mihi whakatau (informal welcome) on our first day of school, along with several students who joined us towards the end of last year. We are delighted to have our new students and families join our community, and we were so proud of the way our current students rose to the occasion, particularly our students who put themselves forward as leaders for the welcome. We warmly welcome our students and their whānau to our school community.

Along with welcoming ākonga, I would also like to take some time over the next few weeks to introduce our wonderful kaimahi (staff). Each week I will introduce a number of staff, so that we can get to know each other a little more over time. This week I will introduce our two wonderful team leaders, Emma and Amaria, and our two fabulous teacher aides, Navy and Nic.

Emma Murdoch

Emma is our team leader of Pōhutukawa Hub. Emma has joined Amesbury School this year from Kelburn School, where she has taught for a number years across all year levels. She has also worked with older at-risk youth for a number of years in an alternative education programme. Emma is passionate about connection, relationships and wellbeing, and loves to help grow and develop the confidence, resilience, empathy and curiosity of students and staff she works with, aso that they can flourish.

We are loving getting to know Emma and seeing her connect so well with her team and students in Pōhutukawa Hub.

Amaria Picard

Amaria is the team leader of Koru Hub, and she is also the lead advocate for our bicultural heritage across our school. She has been with Amesbury School since we opened in 2012, and has taught in all areas of the school. Last year Amaria was on leave for the year, while she studied with Heke Reo Māori to complete her diploma in te reo Māori at Te Wānanga o Raukawa. She is now bringing back all of her amazing learning to our kura and our kāhui cluster of schools to share it with us, ka rawe - fantastic. 

Along with her husband, Hayden, and her three tamariki, Sara, Scott, and Sophia, who all attended or currently attend Amesbury School, Amaria has been an integral part of our school and local community for many years and we love having her as part of our amazing team. It is wonderful having her back with us this year.

Navy Ny

Along with Amaria, Navy has been at Amesbury School since we opened in 2012, and we don’t know what we’d do without her. As a member of the local Churton Park community, Navy can often be found out and about around the neighbourhood, and loves spending time in the garden and with her whānau. She has one grandson, Xavier, and another one on the way! Over the summer Navy discovered the wonders of swimming in the sea around Wellington.

At school, Navy works largely with Koru students, supporting their learning and helping them to feel settled and independent. When not doing this, Navy keeps all our resources and admin spaces organised and in good working order. You will also see Navy each day on road patrol crossing, checking all ākonga cross safely. We are blessed to have Navy in our team.

Nic Love

Nic has a long association with Amesbury School, with her older boys joining our kura (school) a year after we opened. Her whānau has a strong connection with the school - her husband, Kris, is a member on our School Board, and her four beautiful tama (sons) are all past or present students here. Jayden and Ryker are current students, and Khan and Tre are still involved with the school in different ways.

At school Nic works closely with several students across Koru and Pōhutukawa, and she supports them wonderfully in feeling confident, independent, cared for and ready for learning. If you are ever looking for Nic outside of the classroom, you are likely to find her at the coffee machine! It is fabulous having Nic’s sense of humour around school, and we love her calm and cheerful approach to everything - nothing is too much trouble.

Together with the rest of our fabulous team, Nic, Navy, Amaria, and Emma help to ensure everything at school runs smoothly and that every ākonga has what they need to feel safe, happy and cared for at school and to keep progressing in their learning.

Kia pai te rā whakatā - enjoy the weekend and we will see you next week for another week of exciting learning and connection.

Ngā mihi nui, 

Urs Cunningham