We are pleased to be in touch with you again about activities in van Asch and Kelston Deaf Education Centres.

Of course, the term has been packed full of lessons, assessments, meetings, Keep In Touch Days, NZSL Immersion activities, sporting events, student assemblies and other events focused on the wellbeing and achievement of our young people.

You will be able to see many of these activities in this newsletter. We are proud of these, and grateful to all those who have supported such activities. Our staff and our students have been working hard, but they have also been enjoying the progress and pride that comes with hard work.

All staff are currently getting involved in learning in new regional and national teams. We are calling these “SALT”, Student Achievement Learning Teams.

These teams are a result of

• staff knowing their students, and their aims for the year
• identifying learning areas that will benefit their students
• linking up with other professionals who want to learn about similar topics
• using an Inquiry approach to ensure continuous improvement

This is a nationwide approach to Professional Learning and is really exciting.

This initiative is being led both Internally and Externally;

Internally, Deaf Education Senior Leaders from the Core Schools and Regional Services have joined together to form “SALT Whakamana”.

Whakamana means Empowerment.

This team is focussed on the Empowerment of staff and students in order to increase Student Achievement.

Externally, we are fortunate to have to guidance of Megan Peterson from Evaluation Associates. Megan is experienced in helping schools use an Inquiry Mindset and Evaluation Tools to target and maximise our Professional Learning.

Like all in New Zealand, this term we were shocked and saddened by events in Christchurch.

As Principals, we wish to pay tribute to all our staff who moved quickly and caringly to support our learners and our colleagues who were directly and indirectly impacted.

We remain fully committed to the role educators play in creating opportunities to grow tolerance and understanding in the people we work with.

Our students are a significant part of the rich diversity that is Aotearoa New Zealand in the 21st century.

We are proud to play our part in fostering the disposition of Intercultural Capability for all New Zealanders.

Our aspiration is for all our learners to grow into empathetic global citizens, as they have much to offer in this space.

We are honoured to have this role in education

So, for this time we leave you with this wish:

He maungarongo ki te whenua,

Peace on Earth

Hei awhina, Hei tohutohu i a matou

Help us, Guide us,

Hei ako hoki, I nga mahi mo tenei ra,

in all things we have to learn today.

Nga mihi nui

Bernie and Louise